With Damaged, Bandaged, Numb Hands Which LOCKING Folder ?

I think you might like a button lock. Similar to the concept an auto would bring with ease of manipulation, but fully manual. A few that come to mind by order of increasing price are the Real Steel Griffin, Hogue EX01 and the Freeman 451 BLF.

If you've never used a button lock, they typically take less finger action than most other lock types.
 
My hands dry and crack in the winter months too, especially when I'm working outdoors more and/or involved in outdoor activities. For that reason, a folding knife with a solid lock and good retention is high on my list, too.

The knife that comes to mind for me is the Benchmade Adamas. I don't own one but have handled one several times. You mentioned your 940's lock has worked; though the Adamas has a beefier spring, I don't think its resistance will be excessive. The forefinger guard is also more pronounced than many other folders, which is a feature I value in hard-use, hurt-hand, winter-weather folding knives. The two biggest negatives for me are the Adamas' handle thickness and price. The handle is comfortable to hold and use but not super-comfy in my pants pocket. The near-$200 price tag is also rather steep for me right now, too. Those two characteristics are entirely subjective though.

Along the same lines, Cold Steel's Voyager and Recon 1 lines have many desirable features. In the large size, both lines have handles with sufficient length to accommodate gloves and cold, stiff, swollen hands. They also have decent forefinger guards, adding to their cold-weather safety. And of course, the Tri-Ad lock is perhaps the strongest available. The downsides to these two knife lines are the Voyagers' in-pocket thickness and both lines' relative stiffness when opening. On the plus side, the Voyager larges cost nearly one fourth of an Adamas, and the Recon 1 regular edition costs half.

I'm looking forward to reading other responses, because this is a type of folding knife I'm also interested in.
 
OP, I once sliced my hand open and cut a tendon. For about two months the use of my main hand and index finger was bordering useless when it came to using and fidgeting with knives and flippers were out of the question; my finger just didn't work that way. Instead I focused on knives with dual thumb studs or a Spyder hole. I came up with a Sebenza with dual studs. I could flick it open and close it with my left hand, while using my healing right hand to slowly learn to middle-finger flick it open.

In case it matters, the lock failed when I was checking for lock rock on one of the brands in question here. It had a faulty lock but the gentleman who owns the company wrote me personally and told me he'd fix it for free, which he did. Got a brand new knife minus the original blade :eek:
 
I have the same splits, get very deep and painful, every winter. I like my PM2s but cannot dig into a compression lock with damaged or bandaged finger tips. But I have no problem with the liner lock on a Military, using the pad of a finger rather than the actual tip. All of my spydercos are much better cutters than any of my Emersons, so I don't carry the emersons much, and I like the thumb opener MUCH better than any other opening mechanism, including waves. Having said that, spyderco factory waved models (delica, endura) wave much better than most emersons too, and the back locks can be released "broad side" with a finger, rather than with finger tips. Clumsy, but doable. I stay away from any RILs when finger tips are not an option.
If you can carry a fixed blade, the Bradford g3 is a great choice for pocket carry. Very high quality, reasonable price, BUT get the sheepsfoot model or grind off the trailing edge of the edge next tot he choil or it will bite you :)
 
The Freeman 451 is an awesome button-lock flipper. Also, the Hogue X series has the button-lock, as well. They are easy to open and close.
 
There's some really nice custom fixed blade EDC's for sale right now in the knife makers market , just sayn . ;)
 
Jimislash said:
The Freeman 451 is an awesome button-lock flipper. Also, the Hogue X series has the button-lock, as well. They are easy to open and close.
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I was scrolling threw page 2 coming to suggest a button lock.

There's also button actuated compression locks (maybe customs only). There's also auto button locks like the Kershaw Launch series.
 
not2sharp said:
Before the Hollywood stigmatism, auto knives were designed for single handed use. They were ideal for use on boats, while skydiving, or for anyone with a handicap. There are numerous styles. I would suggest one of the many Microtech models. Just make sure they are legal to carry in your area.

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Be wary anyone interested in a MT knife, they have a terrible warranty department. Very long turn around times, they've lost knives on more than one occasion that were sent in for warranty work, and if you look at the blade wrong it might void your warranty
 
I was going to recommend something with the Axis lock. I like my 810 Contego, using with gloves on to both open and close. I also like the way you pinch and draw the axis bar because it tends to close the cracks in my fingertips. Lockbars tend to do the opposite - pushing the lock pries the cracks open.
 
Another lock that works ok with gloves on, using two hands at least, is the spyderco ball lock as implemented on a manix 2. The little outriggers on the ball make it easy to pull back. I can do it one-handed, with a pinch, but harder to control the closing Large opening hole makes it easy to open too.
 
I was initially thinking slipjoint but I'm not sure how you're other hand is.

I've found the axis lock to be pretty friendly when the hands are numb if the knife is a littler bigger. My mini-grip crams a little bit too much to the front.

I do like liner locks for numb and gloved hands as they just seems easier to get to. Frame locks included. I've previously ground out a spot for a zancudo but this year I "settled" for a millie. The lock is a bit stiffer on the millie but it is easy to get to and you can easily function the knife with gross motor skills instead of being delicate. I found the sage 2 to be similar and worked nice when I worked in a cooler a lot.

I prefer spydie holes also as it is a bigger target and it is easier to catch it with a finger nail.

Assisted flippers may work out well if you can find a locking mechanism that you like. I often the spine on my leg to close knives as a way to get around either 2-handed close or having to use more fine motor skills. I really like this on slippies.

I hate stiff backlocks when the hands are numb. All of my cold steel knives will probably sit home for winter. The stiffer lock on my native 5 also gets to be a hassle with really thick gloves but not near as back as the triad lock. Love the triad lock but the deep press and stiffness doesn have it's downsides.

Millie and fixed blades are probably my go-to outdoor blades this year. And several axe options. I also have a rat II in my jacket pocket which works okay but that's more because I have it, it's cheap, and I would rather have something than nothing. I like rat II's but the liner is a bit hidden for thicker gloves and it mutes the feel but the liner is on the wimpier side so it's usually still easy to open.
 
I'm in construction and my hands crack every winter. For me it's the cold that makes them crack. Like you, I have tried all sorts of creams to keep this from happening but nothing works. My gloves have the very tips of the thumb, forefinger and middle finger cut off - because it's necessary to do my work. I wrap the deep cracks in electrical tape if they are on a knuckle and I superglue any deep cracks on the finger tips. I think they crack because the calluses actually freeze and become too rigid. None of my "soft handed" desk worker friends have this problem and all of my friends who work with their hands do, to some degree. Even my guitarist friend has this problem with his finger tips in the winter. I do not live at elevation.

My work knives are a spyderco endura (or pacific salt), benchmade griptilian and a rat1. The only one I use with gloves efficiently is the 551. No problems opening or closing.
 
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The Working hands cream is the way to go. My thumbs and forefingers were all split like yours. used the cream for three days now and my hands are almost back to normal. Its burns at first but that means its working.

My AFO II has a button lock so that is pain free as it gets for injured fingers.
 
I would hands down go with a push button auto, not a OTF. My favorite I use right now if a Protech Rockeye with CPM D2 blade. Amazing steel, HT, blade geometry, ergo, action, etc. Outstanding knife! I like it so much I bought a second one, just in case I lose the other. And a TR series Protech in the same steel.
Push button, side opening autos are quite solid and easy to use. Easy on the hands as well! Benchmades are also very good.
As far as fixed blades. When I am just out on the farm, I just have a small fixed blade in the back pocket and it is very convenient! Not when I am very active though, like rock hopping at the river fishing, then I keep it on the belt. I don't carry a fixed blade in the city though.
 
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Back lock...use the crotch of your thumb's knuckle to depress the lock bar rather than the tip of your thumb.
 
I've found the compression lock on my Para 2 one of the easiest to work, but a liner lock might be as good.
 
- Crazy Glue for repairs
- Working hands to maintenance and preventative measures
- A Friction Folder for knife use, if the above won't be an option.

They don't truly lock, but how often do you cut with the spine?
Keep your thumb on the tang.
 
Spyderco urban. The sprint run in k390 is still floating around, too.

Ha! Somehow missed that key word "LOCKING" in the title. Sorry. :D
 
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Buck Paradigm, locks and unlocks with a pivotting bolster. Of all my locking folders this one seems to be the easiest to unlock.
I think they are out of production at the moment but you might be able to find one second hand.
 
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