Do you trust your locking folder so much that you often grip it with your fingers in harms way?

Do you without fail, keep your fingers out from under the blade of a locking folder?

  • always

    Votes: 17 14.9%

  • sometimes

    Votes: 11 9.6%

  • rarely or never

    Votes: 18 15.8%

  • never even think about it

    Votes: 68 59.6%
  • Total voters
    114
A non-locking folder should not represent a danger until/unless it is employed improperly. I learned that lesson at the age of 13 when I improperly used a pocket knife. I nearly split my left thumb in two, and still have the scar.

A locking blade is somewhat more secure but still....
 
I think folks misunderstand the mechanics of a framelock folder. when gripped with a full grip, it is nearly impossible to close the blade, and if you are using the spine of the knife...you're doing it wrong.

a slip joint...no lock, use it as a knife and you won't have any issues, unless you are stabbing with it...so don't do that.

lockback...never had an issue, but it seems the lock seats more if the spine is hit...sometimes causing it to be difficult to unlock...again if you are hitting the spine, you are doing it wrong.
 
Steely_Gunz said:
My fingers are always in harms way when i use a folder short of pinching up on the spine to make an exact cut. it's the reason the handle goes all the way around and generally has some sort of finger groove right along the channel where the blade nests when it closes. If I'm using a folding knife, then I am doing my best to use it so that pressure is put AGAINST the edge. The lock is just there for those times when I bump it or bang it a bit while making an awkward cut.
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Kinda sums it up perfectly. How can you reasonably use a folding knife without putting your fingers in the path of the blade? Except, of course, when opening or closing it?
 
Aside from closing one, a slipjoint should only ever present a danger of closing on your fingers if the blade gets stuck in the matter being cut. Then if one tries to withdraw it without paying heed, it can bite you.

Otherwise, using a knife properly, lock or not, should not present an issue with unintended closing. Nothing to do with trust.
 
I don't try to cut stuff with the spine of the knife blade, so I'm not sure how any of my locking folders or slip-joints could possibly close on my fingers.

Also not sure how I could possibly grip the knife in any useful way such that my fingers would NOT be in harm's way, should I try to cut stuff with the spine of the blade.

So I guess I'm flummoxed all the way around.
 
Point being you might not realize the blade had wedged until you were trying to withdraw it. If you haven't been there...then you might not expect it before it bit you.

Anyway...I kinda thought this was a dumb strange topic and now I've posted multiple times. I guess that makes me the dummy strange one.
 
Is it permitted to stab things with a folder? Sometimes I need to stab things. In fact, I did a lot of stabbing today. Dozens of times. Many dozens. Stabbing can put pressure on the blade in the unsafe direction. But I would most likely use a Cold Steel folder (or a fixed blade, of course) and I would not worry in the least about the blade closing on my fingers.

Sometimes I would have my fingers out of harms way just because I need to cut something in an awkward position, especially if I'm trying to take a selfie at the same time.
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Another Shepherd said:
Is it permitted to stab things with a folder? Sometimes I need to stab things. In fact, I did a lot of stabbing today. Dozens of times. Many dozens. Stabbing can put pressure on the blade in the unsafe direction. But I would most likely use a Cold Steel folder (or a fixed blade, of course) and I would not worry in the least about the blade closing on my fingers.

Sometimes I would have my fingers out of harms way just because I need to cut something in an awkward position, especially if I'm trying to take a selfie at the same time.
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Click to expand...
Pro Tip: Try NOT stabbing that filter unless you need it to not be a filter anymore.
 
I may edit to say more but I will say my most common injury while being responsible with a pocket knife, is a slipjoint sliding through something too hard and coming to the half stop at my fingers. Not like a Douk Douk but like, an SD Classic...
 
Cutting forces the knife to stay open, so in that way a lock may not be necessary
But there is many more approaches to cutting than linear drag cuts, depending on the job at hand and at the given situation, a different approach may be taken outside of linear cuts--- which can introduce hazards to the hands and fingers. Best bet is to flick on the light bulb in the attic before working with a knife
 
I would be concerned if I had a habit of trying to deliberately make the blade close on my fingers.

My thought on trying to be safe and still ? have trust in my knives IS ~ Always remember it's call a ~ Folding Knife For A Reason ~
 
I have not even owned a knife with a locking blade for many years now. I had a few Opinels, but very rarely used the lock. I consider any knife that folds in the middle to be broken, so is only a light duty pocket knife. My regular EDC is a small SAK. If I need more knife than that, I use a fixed blade.

I grew up using a slip joints, and I still use a slip joint or friction folder like an Opinel number 5 or a Japanese Higonokami. Now as a senior citizen I still have all my fingers. Use a knife right and there's no problem.
 
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