Is One Handed Closing of a Folder Really Critical ?

OHO and OHC are not needed for my uses. They're a convenience, but unnecessary to me. I've gone away from modern OHO/OHC folders for the most part. Nowadays, I prefer traditionals (mostly slipjoints) for their history and their lower profile in pocket and hand. Been working toward that for a couple of years now and for the last couple of months, I've carried one of my traditionals as my daily carry. Haven't missed any of the modern knife features/materials so far.
 
For normal daily tasks, one hand O/C is just much more convenient. When camping, hiking, sitting around whittlen' :), however I much prefer traditional; it is more conducive to a slowed down, relaxed feeling. There's something special, almost contemplative, about sitting by a fire with a stick or an apple and reaching into your pocket (after putting down the stick or apple ;)) and taking out and opening something like a stockman and slowly starting to use it. :cool: I think I may head up into the mountains today. :D
 
I think I have two knives that require two hands to open and close: A Cold Steel Kudu and Eland.
Everything else is a slipjoint or backlock; two hands to open, but only need one hand to close.
I generally close the slipjoints one hand against my leg, and the lockback two handed.
 
Refers to one hand opening. Most knives can be closed without the use of 2 hands.
It is very useful when you are working and I much prefer it. I did manage before moving to one handed knives, but it can entail an extra step of opening the knife before picking up the work .
I am sold on them, but there certainly are some fine traditional knives out there, and don't mind a few in the rotation.
 
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No. But there's a reason only three of my 40ish folders are two-handers.
And I'm sure I'm echoing other answers, but it's just so much easier and convenient.

But who am I kidding, it's mostly the fidgetability.
 
One hand opening and closing isn't vital to me, but it's important enough for convenience that the only thing I have that isn't one hand opening is a few SAKs and nothing is two hand closing. Granted, I even close my back locks one handed, release the lock then roll the spine on my thigh to close.

I'll never own a two hand closing knife, and I actively avoid two hand opening knives. I value convenience greatly.
 
I think the desire for the ability to close a folder w/one hand is a mainly a personal preference, sometimes a fetish and very seldom a necessity.

Personally, I seldom close any folder w/just one hand because I think it's safer to use 2 hands to do it. In fact, I often use a handkerchief (that I always carry) to cover the edge while closing the blade. I believe this is why I seldom cut myself while handling my folders.

This doesn't mean that I don't sometimes like to open/close a knife single handed. It's just a fairly rare thing for me to do.
 
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BigKurtHaze said:
Are there awesome two hand closing knives that I’m missing out on?
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LOL :p . I CAN one hand close almost all of mine . But with my XL Cold Steel folders , it's usually just easier to two hand close . More relaxing , less risky .

It's normally not a big deal for me , either way . Except for my few fidget flippers , which obviously need to be easy to open/close one hand , either hand . ;)
 
DocJD said:
I do consider one-handed opening very important and I like it to be fast , if needed for some emergency . :cool::thumbsup::thumbsup:

But unless it's a fidget flipper or you actually routinely need the other hand free to do some other vital task whilst you fold your knife away ...then why? :confused:

Just asking ! ;)
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I use a knife as a tool. "Speed of deployment" is not something I ever worry about. A one-handed opening knife is handy when my other hand is busy holding something I need to cut.

But by that same token, ease of "un-deployment" is also important to me. My non-knife hand is likely to still be occupied. I greatly prefer to carry a knife that I can close one-handed. I've closed traditional pocket knives one-handed for decades.
 
I use OHO and OHC all the time as an electrician while standing on top of a ladder stripping wire and cutting zip ties. I rarely fidget flip unless i'm breaking in a new knife or have just finished servicing one.
 
Depends on the application.. for EDC i would say yes... for weekend or around the house carry no
 
Some people might think one hand opening / closing is important.....
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A whole lot of the time I'm cutting something that I'm holding in my off-hand. If a knife won't close one-handed I have to put either it or the object down before finishing what I'm doing. And there are so many, many very good options that can be easily opened and closed one-handed I don't see any reason to bother with that annoyance.
 
One hand opening and closing for me is all about being able to get the task done more effectively. With a modern folder I expect it. I'm not sure why I would choose to make things more difficult for myself. To each their own I guess...
 
I made it over 20 years with two hand open & close, so it obviously wouldn’t kill me to not have one hand operation (which also includes one hand stow ability, to my mind). Having said that, one hand operation is very convenient, and there are too many options with that for me to bother with choices that require two hand operation.
 
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