Why would anyone go for an assisted knife?

Peoples appreciation for knives often extends beyond what is merely practical. Personal taste, the fun-factor, coolness, , nostalgia, an interest in mechanics, etc, are just some of the reasons why a person might like or chose a particular knife.

I own and like several knives that aren't the most practical.

Insuting other people's taste or interest in knives will not gain you acceptance on this forum. Quite the opposite. And claiming ignorance or professing a desire to learn does not excuse such behavior.
 
Well, I don't know if you're interested in the opinions of a basic B (what is that, anyway?) and aggressive idiot (I know what that is), which I guess I am since I own a whopping 4 assisted open pocket knives

I also own over 100 slipjoint knives that take two hands to open and do not lock open, for those days when I can control my psychotic nature.

The answer to your question is the same reason my car radio has an AM band on it: it came with the car.

It came with the knives. It was not something I particularly wanted, but on the knives I happened to want, the manufacturer chose to include that feature. I did not seek it out, but I don't dislike it either.

It works, it opens the knives. I am not out in front of the general public opening and closing the knives. The only witnesses to me "deploying" these assisted openers are my immediate victims, cardboard boxes, and their final resting place, the recycle bin outside my carport, where their dismembered corrugated bodies end up.

I also use some non-assisted folders from Benchmade and Spyderco sometimes, for the same purpose. I can flip them open as fast as the assisted, and they make just as aggressive of a "click" when the blade opens. The cardboard is equally afraid of them, I assure you.

Main difference is that the Benchmades are a lot easier to flip back closed again, one-handed, where the assisted ones take two hands (or one hand and pressing the spine against my leg or something).

Edit: Oh yeah, it is possible to completely control the opening and avoid the loud "click" into place, by using two hands when opening. To reduce the aggressiveness.
 
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jc57 said:
Well, I don't know if you're interested in the opinions of a basic B (what is that, anyway?) and aggressive idiot (I know what that is), which I guess I am since I own a whopping 4 assisted open pocket knives

I also own over 100 slipjoint knives that take two hands to open and do not lock open, for those days when I can control my psychotic nature.

The answer to your question is the same reason my car radio has an AM band on it: it came with the car.

It came with the knives. It was not something I particularly wanted, but on the knives I happened to want, the manufacturer chose to include that feature. I did not seek it out, but I don't dislike it either.

It works, it opens the knives. I am not out in front of the general public opening and closing the knives. The only witnesses to me "deploying" these assisted openers are my immediate victims, cardboard boxes, and their final resting place, the recycle bin outside my carport, where their dismembered corrugated bodies end up.

I also use some non-assisted folders from Benchmade and Spyderco sometimes, for the same purpose. I can flip them open as fast as the assisted, and they make just as aggressive of a "click" when the blade opens. The cardboard is equally afraid of them, I assure you.

Main difference is that the Benchmades are a lot easier to flip back closed again, one-handed, where the assisted ones take two hands.
Click to expand...
Thank God for them slipjoints. 🤣
 
Welcome to Blade Forums! (Free Tips)
Tip #1: We’re a friendly, vociferous sort.
Tip #2: Pour everything you’re drinking over your seat and lap. You’ve just set yourself on fire and invited the world to toast marshmallows.

Backpedal quickly and drop the attitude or…well…you’ll find a home.

Good luck and enjoy your knives!
 
AgentSanchez said:
I was thinking about this and decided to make an account to see if there is a counterpoint to my severely judgmental position that assisted knives are only attractive to basic B's. Other than the fact that any kind of assist is illegal where I live, I believe that every assisted blade is inherently inferior and less dependable that the thumb stud on a properly built/maintained folder, and serves to profile the owner as an aggressive idiot.. The folder will be less questionable, just as fast, more useful for everyday purposes, simpler/cheaper/stronger. What possible argument is there for assisted designs when a thumb stud gets you there just as fast without the compromises?
Click to expand...

Tremendous logic. You seem special.
 
Yeah, he was a little aggressive and certainly rude however I have read multiple threads about “de-assisting” their assisted knives so some people might agree. Me, I have two of them (a couple different models of the Benchmade Barrage) and I really like them. Don’t need it, fingers still fully mobile (for now) but it’s kind of fun, been using knives since the ‘70’s and still enjoy using new types. So I guess my response to the op’s question is it is fun for me. To each their own.
 
There are two parts to the phrase “aggressive idiot”, neither strongly indicated by the opening mechanism of a person’s knife. Words have meanings, sometimes much larger than what you think they mean.

Aggression is usually defined as a characteristic of behavior, not a hardware feature. Your illusion that you can predict behavior by hardware is going to set you up for some big disappointments. Not only will your predictions be frequently wrong, but you run the risk of focusing on the opening method of some innocuous person’s knife while the real aggressor is circling around behind you, assessing your weak spots, and planning their first strike to be debilitating and overwhelming.

If we can define idiocy as similar to ignorance, everybody is an idiot about something. Many things in fact, because there is just too much knowledge for any human to absorb it all. Just this week, my own idiocy was displayed on such diverse topics as textile specifications, topiary plants and turtles. None of those ever interested me enough to learn about. Fortunately, I’m also a borderline genius on more pertinent topics that actually affect my life, and I managed to make good (and occasionally brilliant) decisions on important matters. Like buying a fixed blade knife, and avoiding the flipper issue altogether.

Just in the unlikely case you turn out to be somebody I have something in common with, I’m going to give you some unsolicited advice: don’t come on so aggressively with your idiocy. Some members like flippers a lot more than they like your attitude. Others (who maybe aren’t that keen on flippers) are thinking, “new member with a big mouth, what is he going to insult next: something I like?”

There are members here who willingly share valuable information, and some who are generous above and beyond the call of duty. A more humble approach, even if you have to fake it, will lead to more future cooperation from people you don’t even know the value of their cooperation yet. Gratuitously pissing strangers off for no reason will leave potential cooperators with a bad taste when they see a post from you.

But, your choice = your consequences.

Parker

PS: Shane woulda lit you up much better than I did. You got lucky.
 
Assisted action made sense once upon a time when great manual action was rarer or more expensive. Twenty years ago, I was all about it.

Nowadays though, even $20-30 knives are available with caged bearings. So long as you are shopping online and not stuck in the past at the Walmart knife counter, good manual action is par for the course. Having gotten used to that, all my old assisted knives feel janky by comparison. They don't break nicely. Closing them sucks. There are extra steps in maintenance and more to go wrong.

As far as some of the other stuff, I'm okay with thumb studs and holes but flipper tabs are my favorite. Public perception can be an issue and the same is true for firearms. I don't see value in making people uncomfortable at the grocery store, etc. At the same time, I carry guns and knives and somebody could be scared by either. I think it's just a matter of discretion and knowing what is polite for the environment.
 
I don't particularly care for assisted opening knives or spydercos, but I don't rag on people that do. Different strokes for different folks.
 
When I was in my 20's and early 30's (1999-2012) I thought they were cool, and a legal alternative to a switchblade.

The advent of bearing flippers, the growth of my blade knowledge, and the subsequently legalization of autos in my state made me dislike them. I feel they are obsolete now.

I can open any of my manual knives as fast or faster as an assisted and close them faster too.

However, I don't begrudge those who do like them. To each their own.
 
AgentSanchez said:
I was thinking about this and decided to make an account to see if there is a counterpoint to my severely judgmental position that assisted knives are only attractive to basic B's. Other than the fact that any kind of assist is illegal where I live, I believe that every assisted blade is inherently inferior and less dependable that the thumb stud on a properly built/maintained folder, and serves to profile the owner as an aggressive idiot.. The folder will be less questionable, just as fast, more useful for everyday purposes, simpler/cheaper/stronger. What possible argument is there for assisted designs when a thumb stud gets you there just as fast without the compromises?
Click to expand...

I was stuck on assisted for many many years.

Less work. Less movement. Opens 100% always (can be lazy with a manual folder and will open half way sometimes, no issue for me, just slower). Less scary to snowflakes (office environment, the snapping of the wrist attracts more attention). Can be quicker to get on target because it can open effortlessly at any angle/position. Ideal for flipper knife, IMO (I used a leek for light duty for a long time).


If the spring malfunctions, you'll still probably be able to use the knife. Less steel on the blade, but that is irrelevant unless you use your knife as a pry bar. Legality? Ha! Eff you laws.

I recently moved away from assisted knives (and Benchmade altogether) thanks to the Manix 2. Effing loving it. Better quality build and design!

I prefer manual folders now. Oh, lastly, the action is much better on my Manix 2. There are 2 screws on each side of the blade pivot. On my BMs, it was one screw that you had to get perfect and that is the only thing I would consider inferior (at the time of writing this before I need to sleep damnit)
 
My first AO knife was back in the late 90s, and I thought it was pretty awesome. Prior to that, most of the knives I experienced didn't open smoothly enough to flick open consistently. The AO only had to open partway (30% sounds right) before the spring took over.
Now that quick opening knives are commonplace, I'm not a fan of AO. Why the change? Because I don't like having to push against the spring to close the knife. (No, it's not hard to do - I can manage just fine, thanks...I just don't want to)
 
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