Auto vs. non-Auto

[brokenolmarine]

At a Street Survival Seminar in Richmond several years ago, the officers were all comparing the speed of their Automatic Knives at the back of the room during a break in the seminar we were attending. I walked up and watched for a couple minutes then slid up into the circle... Old Guy in a suit rather than tactical blues. I pulled my duty knife from the pocket of my suit and in a smooth move flicked open the blade.

Quick - one of the guys said - Real Quick. Which auto is it?
Benchmade folder I told them. Faster than the autos and no spring to fail.

A couple of them checked it out and I think I saw lightbulbs over a few heads as I left.
The autos are really cool and I have a few in the gunsafe with the other knives in my collection.

I still "carry" the Benchmade.

 

[USAF_Vet]

yeah. I had a couple benchmade autos. they were quick as long as they were clean and lubed. One in particular must have had a weak spring, it was notorious for springing open about halfway and stopping. My assisted openers were typically just as fast as the autos (or in the case of that one, faster).

Which is why I don't understand the prohibition and restriction on "switchblades". It isn't the 1930's where every greasy mobster wannabe had a 9" stiletto in their back pocket.

 

[rcmodel]

I agree.

No auto opens any faster or harder then a Benchmade Axis-Lock, Spyderco, or other quality knife when properly adjusted.

And Unlike 'auto's', a grain of sand or a broken spring won't stop them from opening the same way either.

rc

 

[Bobson]

Hard to beat a fixed blade for opening speed.

Seriously though, I never understood the appeal of an auto. Much more expensive and really don't offer anything over simpler designs. Almost more of a novelty item than anything else.

 

[Longhorn 76]

Autos have a cool factor.

 

[hso]

I collect and carry autos because they're interesting.
Until one hand openers and assisted openers the only thing faster was a fixed blade, but the one hand openers with fast pivots and assists put any knife manufacturer that wanted to on par with autos for ease of opening.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

My autos stay in a drawer as novelties.

I'm forever paranoid about municipal, county, state and federal statutes as I travel so much.

'sides - mo' parts, mo' problems.

Then too - there was that horrible mis-adventure as a kid when I stabbed my own ass after one opened in my pocket. Hard experience to assuage with assurances of modern safeties and technologies.

 

[RussellC]

The Benchmade Adamas may be a fine exception. Blade is heavy, extremely powerful spring that can cause the unwary first time user to have it catapult out of their hand. Very heavy duty...also available as a non automatic flipper...my personal preference is automatic and a few of the Microtech models are next on my list.

Russellc

 

[lemaymiami]

A decent sized folder has been my constant companion for a lot of years as a soldier, a cop (22 years), and a full time fishing guide (the last 20 years...). I consider it an essential tool but will certainly concede that there are better blades, better weapons, etc -but you use what's immediately available... I've long admired the craftmanship in the better auto knives that I've looked at and frequently had the urge to own one. So far I've resisted the urge....
Wherever I go my folder is unremarkable and not likely to attract attention. At the same time it's just as quick to deploy (and more importantly close and clear with that same "one hand") and will likely suffice for whatever is needed.

I must be getting old - when I was much younger those really good quality auto blades simply weren't to be found. Back then I'd have given a week's pay for one.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

I've been very pleased with a few of my assisted knives, e.g. the Kershaw Leek, Kershaw Pack Rat, and the Buck Rush (also the Buck Paradigm, but I don't carry that much).

I also have a few with no spring at all, but which snap open smartly when you flick them properly. Those would include the Buck Vantage and Buck Flashpoint LE, along with the Revel.

When deploying these knives, I take care to assess my audience.

If the audience is skittish and easly startled, I deploy the blade slowly, even using two hands for a blade that likes to "jump" out. If I'm alone, or around other knife geeks, I just open it in whatever mode is the most handy at the time.

I also open certain non-assist, non-flick, spring-bias-close type knives with a one-handed flick. This is not for the clumsy, careless, or inattentive. For example, I can open a Buck 110 by pinching the blade and flicking the handle away-and-down. It's not designed to be opened that way, but the heavy handle's inertia makes that possible. I have a few others for which that can also be done. (If you're practicing this, you might want to have a thick blanket down to protect the floor/bed and the knife's point.)

I've gotten kinda spoiled over the years, and I like having a one-hander handy. Simplifies certain tasks.