Assisted Opening knives... Where's Spyderco?

Sorry for just jumping in here without reading all of the posts. I would just like to add my own observation. I am considered a bit of a knife nut at work because I own two knives and like to sharpen them(haha). I'm in a department of about 30 guys and I am about the only one who gives a hoot about the differences between knives(don't worry, cause I'm about to get my third. Mabey that will qualify me as a nut). When I see some of the guys whip out their assisted Kershaws, I quickly point out that they don't open any faster, but they don't care. ITS AUTO!! Is all they care about. They think that is some kind of thing to have as a better knife. I wouln't call it a fad, just a growing niche in the knife market.
 
bh49 said:
I do not care about AO at all, Spyderhole is absolutely sufficient for me. I used to have couple of Kershaws with AO, not feel that I need it, simple is better, more reliable.
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You said it all!

Yet, it still would be cool to see a Spyder with a flipper!:cool:
 
A lot of people are saying that they like the Spyder hole compared to AO. I don't think it has to be one or the other, I would like to have both on one knife. 92
 
Same could be said about some of the easy opening "flipper" only knives,.....case in point one of my favorites,...the ZT 0200. With just a bit of practice these can be lighting FAST! Also,....even a "waved" knife can be considered AO if you're looking to outlaw knives in general,.....

New York City already has some of the strictest knife laws around,.....and even legal knives there are made illegal if you mearly show any bit of the clip! How lame is that!!! I live in Upstate New York state,.....and it's a bit better here. 4 inch and under OK for concealed carry,.....over that and the knife has to be seen,.......OK for hunting but don't try that most other places as you're just asking to be stopped by a LEO.

Fact is they're looking to take away our right to carry a knife,.....much as they have done with guns. :thumbdn:

bdws1975 said:
For what it's worth, I too believe AO's are a fad. I also think they will be illegal in short order. The line between an AO and an automatic is a VERY fine one. Sooner or later, it will be erased.

Honestly Sal, some of the attributes I love about spydercos are their consistency and reliability. I love some of Kershaw's knives, but since I am no fan of AO's, I really don't buy them anymore. I got a needs work and promptly traded it off.

Keep doing what you are doing and you will definitely withstand any passing fads.

best,
Brett
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Somewhere, someone, is already looking to put a ban on my big, bad, SOG Twitch 2 killin' machine! Cmon', what, a 2.3 inch blade with AO is gonna' turn me into OJ? Frankly, I've never understood the problem with a full "Automatic" knife either. The Twitch 2 has a little "flipper" which sticks up at the back of the blade like a, heaven forbid... "button". You can activate the AO with the thumbstud, or just a slight depression of the "flipper", and it whips open like an automatic (Good Lord I'm probably goin' to jail!). Just a matter of time before some wacko decides that my Twitch 2 is "essentially an automatic" because of that little butto.... I mean "flipper" and outlaws it.

Because of this "uncertainty" in the "law", I can see why any company would hesitate to go AO. Next "waves" will be "bad", followed by "spyder holes and thumb studs".

Hmmmm.... here's a possible new market Sal might want to consider... A 6 digit combination or keyed knife-lock that takes at least 2 minutes, and 3 hands to open.:barf:
 
I'm seeing Spyderco knockoffs in gas stations and gypo-knife stores around my area. I don't buy them, and don't even appreciate them. The AO idea has also been in the cheapo realm for sometime....gritty grindy AO's that have no quality whatsoever. I have a Ken Onion Leek, a CRKT Wild Weasel, and a Brian Tighe Mini My Tighe, all in AO. They're very nice, and fun. I also have a Titanium Carson M-16 which is not an AO that I can flick as fast as any AO I've seen yet. Personally AO's are fun, faddish, and very hard on the stop pins!
 
Hardened stop pins can take a beating,......and even the large flippers seem to hold up just fine. My Spec Bump AO is not quite as fast as i get opened with my flipper ZT 0200,......yet i'm not worried about either as they're backed by a strong warrentee by a customer service 2nd to none! (Kershaw)

Personally,.....i don't think they're a fad either,.....they have a very useful benefit to the motor skill challenged,..........:p

............but i do see problems with changing laws somewhere down the line making them akin to an automatic knife and therefore,.....illegal. Especially in states like New York,.....where i reside..............and NYS,.....where most any flipper will be taken from you as a gravity knife, (even though they're NOT!)......unless the pivot pin is tightened so tight as to make it a two hand opening anyway. :grumpy:



oldscrimmer said:
I'm seeing Spyderco knockoffs in gas stations and gypo-knife stores around my area. I don't buy them, and don't even appreciate them. The AO idea has also been in the cheapo realm for sometime....gritty grindy AO's that have no quality whatsoever. I have a Ken Onion Leek, a CRKT Wild Weasel, and a Brian Tighe Mini My Tighe, all in AO. They're very nice, and fun. I also have a Titanium Carson M-16 which is not an AO that I can flick as fast as any AO I've seen yet. Personally AO's are fun, faddish, and very hard on the stop pins!
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joejeweler said:
Hardened stop pins can take a beating,......and even the large flippers seem to hold up just fine.

I'm with you joe, and agree for the most part, however it isn't the stop pin I worry over, it's the holes in the frame where it resides.

I just feel better, personally, with a flipper or a simple one-hand opener, less to go wrong, and less to worry over with those who don't know knives and think I carry a "switch blade" to work.

:)My son and I stand in his living room and play, "open your knife", we both have several AO's. He can beat me with his M-16 and me with an AO. Just a personal thing. I'm a jeweler too and a very maticulous one at that, so I'm always thinking of moving parts, tolerances, and such.

I do appreciate your views!:thumbup:
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oldscrimmer said:
Personally AO's are fun, faddish, and very hard on the stop pins!
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Hmmmm, actually...I'm not too sure about assisted openings being as hard on stop pins as what flicking is. Compared to the relatively small stored energy potential in AO mechanisms, I would think there would be waaay more power transfered to the blade with the combined forces of inertia, gravity and wrist/forearm whipping motion in a typical flick. Even a fast waved opening feels like it hits the stop much harder than AO systems.

Dunno...just my impressions, perhaps.
 
try the g10 version of the kershaw speedbump. smoothest AO ive ever handled. doesnt flick open hard, just enough to do the job. smooth, and effective.

an assisted opening delica would be awesome! SE delica with a kersha speedsafe and small flipper that doubles as a fingerguard:)
 
Has anybody played with a Camillus Heat (or similar) with the Robo-Assist AO?

Those knives whip open with a serious "thwack" and are alot of fun. :D

Unfortunately Camillus is no more... (i just snagged a Rescue Heat from NGK last week to go with my SE Tanto Heat) :)
 
I've owned some assisted opening knives and I like them, but have given them all away. I like more simple knives. I even came close to getting one of the double action jobs that are out there. At the end of the day I've found that they are cool, but do tend to fail to open at times. That's not really a huge deal but I just prefer my manual open knives. Interesting thread though.
 
just my two cents which mean nothing. the only reason i havent bought a spyderco is that they dont make an a/o. no im not some child who want to avoid switchblade laws. im just a collector who loves switchblades and even though i dont think a/o knives are switchblades i do consider them an evolution of the design. if more knife companys made a/o's with a flipper i would have more than just ken onion designs in my collection
 
Yer thumb is the AO! I don't see it happening---- but ya never know.
Lycosa
 
Buy what you like and like what you buy. If AOs are restricted there are many ways to open folders quickly. If my AOs are banned it really doesn't matter, I will just remove the spring and either use the flipper or thumbstud. The Kershaw Storm is a prime example. I can open it up just as fast without the AO using the stud or flipper. I like the AO features and have many of them from different companys, but I do not let it be a factor when choosing what to purchase
 
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