Do you trust your locking folder so much that you often grip it with your fingers in harms way?
- Thread starter Grizzly3
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If your knife is sharp, you don't have to use so much force to cut stuff.
The safest lock is a sharp knife.
The safest lock is a sharp knife.
I've carried a Spyderco Endela k390 now for a few years and love it. Before it was a PM-2 but it takes up too much pocket space, but a great knife. I just now picked up a Cold Steel Code 4 tanto because I wanted to try a tanto blade and also wanted to try S35VN.
See post 17. I haven't used a slip joint as a work knife since somewhere in the late 1980's. Sometimes you find yourself cutting things under varying circumstances and I remember at those times being careful not to let the blade close on my fingers. It only has to do that a time or two for you to learn to be more careful. I still have a few slip joints but don't often use them. I've a nice old Camillus 89 with imitation stag laying on the desk with me. But I don't work them hard like I used to.
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So u hold all ure folders or maybe just slippies like that?
this thread is certainly making sound reasonable.
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Weird thread.The only reason I even did this pole was to show that hardly anyone, except those who still use slip joints, keep their fingers out of the way in case a blade were to close. I got a safety lesson because another member said you must know how to safely use a knife that could close unexpectedly. I believe very few using locking folders even think about this anymore. So much so, that it is nearly impossible to find a photo of anyone even holding a slip joint with their fingers out of the way, like we all used to back when locking folders were a rarity. The only photo I could find was of someone holding a fixed blade with his fingers out of the way of the blade. I don't think anyone even worries about this anymore and just wanted to show that with a pole.
Can't get much force in cuts holding it that way.
I tend to hold all my knives--including my slip-joints--the way that best works for cutting what needs to be cut.
For certain cuts I might end up holding it the way you have in the picture, but you sure won't be cutting thick cardboard to reinforce boxes when moving using that grip.
I used a Spyderco Urban (which is a slip joint) last time I moved, and used grips that would allow for forceful cuts.
I still have all my fingers!
There's a couple generations now of young knife nuts that can't comprehend using a knife without a lock. Like using a single action revolver or something before their time. Kind of funny how they trust so much in a mechanical device to hold their blade open instead of just using some thought in what they are doing.
SharpBits
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People rely on mechanical safety devices all day everyday on things that will most certainly kill you outright if they fail. People relying on the locks on their pocket knives is a risk so low as to not even be worth mentioning, but here we are.
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There's a couple generations now of young drivers that can't comprehend using a car without safety belts. Kind of funny how they trust so much in a mechanical device to hold themselves in place instead of just using some thought in what they are doing and just driving slower.
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In the military I had a Microtech socom delta slightly twist in my hand, releasing the lock and allowing the blade to find it's way into the bone of my index finger. Once I got back from that deployment, I switched to fixed blades as serious work blades.
Still miss that knife though.
So yes, I always think about a blade/lock failure with any folder.
Still miss that knife though.
So yes, I always think about a blade/lock failure with any folder.
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That's just cosmetic. Get back on the horse and carry that folder Soldier.
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Hahaha! I walked it off and fixed it with some duct tape, but wouldn't volunteer to do it again!
The only reason I even did this pole was to show that hardly anyone, except those who still use slip joints, keep their fingers out of the way in case a blade were to close. I got a safety lesson because another member said you must know how to safely use a knife that could close unexpectedly. I believe very few using locking folders even think about this anymore. So much so, that it is nearly impossible to find a photo of anyone even holding a slip joint with their fingers out of the way, like we all used to back when locking folders were a rarity. The only photo I could find was of someone holding a fixed blade with his fingers out of the way of the blade. I don't think anyone even worries about this anymore and just wanted to show that with a pole.
Funny that you use a photo of a fixed blade to make your point! I think using a grip like that while working with a knife is uncomfortable, impractical, and dangerous! The only way a folding knife will accidently close on you is with pressure on the spine. With the way you are holding that knife in the picture any pressure on the spine is going to knock it out of your hand!
I have to wonder - what percentage of knife related injuries are actually caused by accidental blade closing with proper use of the knife?
I think a lot more than than most people realize. There are lots of dangerous poorly made knives out there even among reputable brands. What you read and watch are only the cases that are reported by people who have the courage to do so.
It's important that people know the nature, of the knives they use particularly it's limitations. I own a few very nice knives with weak locks but I know they have weak locks and the whole knife by design is not expected to be used hard and they are not marketed in any way as being hard use knives by the companies that sell them.
A flimsy liner lock on small, petite ultra thin handled french knife made for very light cutting tasks is fine for it's design as long as it's not defective on the other hand a large frame lock folder advertised (BS Marketing) as being a tough, hard use, tactical military spec knife that is, unknown to the buyer, made with cost cutting poor quality control evidenced by multiple complaints and demonstrations of easy lock failure is fraud with blatant disregard for the well being of those who use it.
Large and medium folders with blade designs that have the potential to be finger guillotines need to have sturdy locks proper for those types of knives.
The gun industry in the US has done a pretty good job of making safe firearms able to handle the pressures they encounter without any government oversight (SAAMI specs) it's too bad the folding knife industry in the US doesn't have that great a track record.
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