Anyone carry an auto open knife? If so which is the best?

Although I carry a Swiss Army knife for my daily chores, I often have an automatic in my pocket at work. I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of a Hubertus 111H11 Large Clip Point Automatic Coversion knife with stag handles. Gerber, Microtech and S&W make sturdy automatics, S&W being the most reasonably priced, most are $25-$75.

If you want a quality auto I would recommend the benchmade knife co. Line of autos.good blades and great customer service.

I also carry a Victorinox SA knife but ordered a no name blade from these folks.

For the price it is as good to me as the expensive blades.

Automatic Knives, Butterfly & Spring Assisted Knives | BladeOps.com

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Still Running Against the Wind

If you are looking for an assisted opening knife the Kershaw's are great knives. They open fast, but they have a lock so they don't open in your pocket. The good thing is that they are legal in most states, because they are not a switchblade. Customer service is exc , cost in the area of $30-$50 depending the model that you select!
J. Murphy

I still can't get beyond most spring assisted opening or auto open knives as being in the toy knife status. Thumb opening knives with the various holes in the blade like Spiderco uses or all the versions of the thumb studs can be and are very fast to open. The likelyhood of one of the spring openers opening in your pocket is very minimal but I still can't get over that. But then again, I'm stubborn like that. I do own some of them and some of them are great but they just aren't regular carry.

All that being said, I do agree the Kershaw Leek looks like a decent knife. I keep thinking of trying one.

Call me old school I guess. I sometimes carry this Stiletto brand which I purchased some 30 years ago.



f.t.

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South Carolina-God's country

My Auto Open.. Milano I purchased many years ago ( bought two of them ).

The " timing " noises when closing are always a grin. They're not legal to carry in Florida.

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I'm in the same camp. I never really saw the advantage of an assisted-opening or automatic knife over a manual folder that can be opened with one hand.

I have a Kershaw Leek. I wanted to try out an assisted-opening knife to see if I was missing anything and I liked the Leek's design. However, I carried it I think 2 or 3 times and put it away. I went back to my manual folders. The assisted-opening feature just didn't offer anything for me.

Of course, that's not to say it isn't useful to others...it's just not for me.

I have several AO knoves from kershaw and benchmade and won't carry one that isn't. I can't carry an automatic, but my AO are just as fast, and in my work i often need to open a blade one handed. Benchmade makes some really good, quality knives...

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I used to be disgusted..

I've been carrying a Benchmade HK auto for several years and I'm very pleased with it. It's fast and holds an edge and it's proven to be quite durable. I'd definitely buy another if anything ever happened to mine.

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Don't kiss smiling dogs!

The Kershaw Leek is an "assisted opening" knife, but just as fast as a switchblade, and can also be closed with one hand. Excellent quality with the made us USA blade which holds an excellent edge. The lower priced Kershaw's might be made in china.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I have a Boker & a Masters Of Defense. I carry the MOD daily & although pricey, it's a great knife.

I found this website for anyone who lives in Kentucky. I guess federal law prohibits shipping auto's across state line unless your leo or military. They have a pretty good selection and it's not far from me but I just didn't know which one to get.
Automatic Knives @1SKS

Why is it not legal to carry in Florida??

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Still Running Against the Wind

I have several autos...my favorite is a Microtech Combat Troodon. It's an out the front and a bit on the expensive side {$450.00.} One of the best for the money is the Uzi, at around $75.00. Pretty high quality and holds an edge well, it is a swing out type.
The above being said, no swithcblade or auto is as fast as a folder with the Emerson wave feature. It pops the blade out when you are taking the knife out of your pocket. Many Spyderco's can be had with this feature {my every day carry is a waved Endura} and unlike most autos that are illegal to carry most places a folder that is waved is not. An auto has to be pulled out or drawn and you have to find the button and push it, with a waved folder you simply pull the knife out and the blade is opened and ready. Autos are illegal to carry in the communist democrat state I live in, not even with a CCW. They are not illegal to own though and I have several.

My favorite is a Benchmade assisted opening blue box knife. I carried a Leek for about a year, but when my brother told me he had lost his knife of 27 years I gave it to him. Nice knife, the steel was a little soft.

They sell cheap switch blades by the thousands at Fl flea mkts but they always give you a belt sheath. I was told that the sheath makes it a tool and legal. Doesn't make much sense but that's what I was told.

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God spelled backwards is dog.

Actually the law was changed about 7 years ago. Perfectly legal. I have a drop point Boker I really like. Joe

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Behavior Creates Destiny

I really like my Kershaw Scallion 1620. One handed operation, takes and holds a great egde at a decent price ($35-50).

Benchmade 3550 is one of my favorites. I carry it every day on duty.


Another excellent knife is the Benchmade Mini Infidel.

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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

I own a couple of assisted-opening knives. My EDC is a Benchmade 585, extremely fast and easy to open. Actually, my 551 Griptilian is almost as fast without any spring assist. The Kershaw Leek is not quite as quick, but is very slim and elegant. Although it is very easy with the thumb stud, I like the option of using the forefinger.

This evening I stopped into my local cigar store just across the river. As I often do, I parked illegally to run in and pick up a few smokes. As I also often do, I tarried for a few minutes to look at a couple of nice Benchmade knives under the counter. I was dismayed to learn from the counterman that my assisted knives are illegal in Sconny, and that in his day job he is a St. Croix County Deputy. We had a good chuckle over that one.

Eh. Waffling motion with hand. Many states have laws on the books specifically prohibiting the carry of automatic opening knives. These are hold overs from the "Rebel Without a Cause" era juvenile delinquent panic in some cases, Prohibition area hold overs in others.

Legally, one isn't supposed to ship across state lines save for certain authorized users.

Residents of Oregon can of course buy Benchmades at the mall or wherever, since they are made in Oregon and legal there.

While Benchmade is among the best known brands, Gerber also makes some perfectly acceptable models (which also see official issue alongside the Benchmades).

Given the legal status, in some places it is easier to just carry a fixed blade. (Kabar's new "Death Dagger" from the Zombie Killer line has a wonderfully politically correct name that is family friendly...)

To everyone saying a manual can be opened one handed and is as fast as an auto I say... not in my experience.

I tried the Spiderco and similar knives and never could manipulate the blade smoothly with one hand. I routinely carry a small (2" or so) auto knife. I used to lose them all the time (haven't in a while, though) so I bought a bag full of cheap ones ($10-$15) as I don't need anything heavy duty.

When I was putting together a fancy rig from El Paso Saddlery I ordered a knife sheath and filled it with an auto Buck 110. This may be a conversion rather than a factory auto but it works just fine. I find it very impressive when that 4" blade comes flying open.

Two examples of extremely easy to open and extremely fast in opening knives:



They both give a very positive feel on the thumb stud and a loud pop noise when they lock back. One was way more than I will ever spend on a pocket knife ever again and one was pretty cheap and reasonable. Go figure which one shows more wear...

And no springs to get me in trouble.

With a CCW it is just a concealed weapon.

Fla Statute 790.225 (2) a

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Still Running Against the Wind

I carry a gun so I don't have to use a knife for SD. I do carry a Kershaw AO or a Spyderco Native both are plain blades. There's a lot of opinions on what's "legal" and not when it comes to switchblades vs assisted opening knives.

RoadsideImports LLC : Knife Laws

Switchblades Are Illegal, But Assisted Knives Are Ok

Earlier Poster's link shows one of these for sale. It did catch my eye but at $150, I may have to think twice.

Switchblades will probably get you into trouble in this state.
Carrying, NO, Collecting YES.

blujax01- They are not cheap. I paid $125 for mine. But sometimes you have pay to get what you want. It's only money.

Moonman- Technically here in AR it's illegal to carry an auto knife but the cops ignore it as long as you aren't a felon or doing something illegal. I have handed mine over to police several times when entering "secure" buildings and it's always been returned upon departure without comment.

Did they even have a clue it was an auto or did they just assume Buck 110 folder...? I'm just curious if the same thing would have happened with an Italian type auto. At a glance, the 110 auto conversions are pretty under the radar while these:



Not so much under the radar... And yes, they are all in the cheap and cheesy but fun category.

These are not in that same class:

We aren't allowed autos either...but I always found the out the fronts had a handle way to big for the amount of blade. I carry a Camillus Heat Assist. The blade has a lip on the rear and I find it faster to manipulate with my index finger than the thumb stud.

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

Does Smith & Wesson still sell/make automatic knives? I have one that I bought back in the mid 90's that I have tried to figure the value on but have found no references to current offerings. One guy told me he can still get S&W auto knifes but of course did not say where.

I have the same knife with the partially serrated blade. It's the fastest /sharpest AO I've seen. Every time I open it I get cut. It's the Devil's work. It resides in a iron box with a chain around it blessed by the church.

I carry a S&W automatic on my duty belt and experianced a situation last year that supported my decision to carry an automatic knife.

Was in my patrol car sitting at a traffic light we a head on collision happened right in front of me. I radioed dispatch of the situation and got out to check on injuries. One male passenger bleeding a good bit and I put on my rubber gloves and applied pressure to the injury. I ended up with blood on both hands and needed to cut the seat belt and reached for my knife. Boy, blood on rubber gloves can sure be slippery, but I got the knife out, hit the button, and got the seat belt cut.

Later I got to thinking, I don't know if it would have been that easy with an assisted open knife rather than an automatic.

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- Change it back -

I purchased a S & W, H.R.T. out the front, at Smokey Mountain Knife Works, in Tenn, several years ago. They are not in the catalog but they have several styles in the store. I am told that these are legal in Pa because they are not spring opened. The S & W has a lock so it can't open in your pocket. That could be nasty. When I was a police officer I carried a switch blade, when I retired I sold the ones that I had. Switch blades without locks will open in your pocket. The better ones now have locks.

...and this is why I would like to carry a switchblade. I feel that these switchblade laws still on the books in many states were never really relavent and are in the same category as tying your car to a hitching post on Main St. when parking in 2011.

LOOOOOoooooooog past being absoulete

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The Last Standing Knight

I had one of these before I bought my Benchmade, it was wicked fast.

I've tried a couple of the S&W autos and was not impressed, the springs were not very strong. If you stopped the blade midway through opening then released it the springs did not have enough strength to pull it open the rest of the way, couldn't overcome the blade lock. Of course, that was several years ago, maybe they're better now.

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Don't kiss smiling dogs!

I don't necessarily carry these, they're too big and it's illegal, but I do use the top one a lot for around the house stuff like opening boxes, mail, arteries, etc. I bought these from SKM in Italy. They are quality made heavy knives.

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Misty

The legal definition is clear as mud in Ohio....

I am not sure if still true and / or accurate but any one handed auto opening knife in Ohio use to get you in trouble. I love my Balisong butterfly with the Tanto style blade. I use to carry it without thinking about it. I was at Home Depot and needed to cut some tie down string. I flipped it out and did the spin opening and had a few people give me a very weird look. Having a CHL/CCW I really do not want to have any reason to get in trouble having a switchblade or one handed automatic knife so I went back to a good folding knife (Cold Steel Tanto).

I carry a fixed blade folder (Cold steel) with thumb lever.

My father give me this one about 7 yrs ago. I don't know much about it? I've never carried it though, the release button is on the side and I'm afraid I'd bump it and slice something off.

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I've got but one I've had for over 40yrs. It's a paratrooper switch blade with the hook on one end. It sits in a drawer with other knives I don't use. I've never bothered to find out which era it's from either.

have carried a benchmade auto for years on a daily basis. one of the best for the money in my book.

I've got a whole collection of quality assisted-opening knives and a couple of cheap no-name autos, but I can deploy a CRKT M16 with the Carson flipper nearly as quickly, and my EDC knife, an Emerson-waved Spyderco Endura faster than either.

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Rick, W0FG
CTR2 68-72

Swithchblades are another of my hobbies, I currently own around 3 dozen or more ranging from the el cheapo gunshow specials all the way up to a one of a kind Hubertus. I have many Frank Beltrame models, hand made in Italy, also several very high quality Itailian knives that were sold under the 'Walts' brand, hand made high quality and definately not cheap. I also have a Microtech 'Halo' OTF which can only be described as a deadly weapon.
Also I have a 1950's Italian switchblade carried by a n'er do-well Uncle way back then, he used to let me play with it when I was a kid, of course he was one of my favorite relatives. I've never been able to trace the tang stamp on it.
I'll try to post some pics of the differences in cheap vs. quality tomorrow.
One other thing, most people close a swithblade (stilleto type) by simply pushing the blade closed, that is incorrect and will wear the release mechanism in no time, the correct way to close one of these is like setting a bear trap, hold down the release button (this withdraws the release bar) then close and hold the blade and release the button. Just like settiing a trap.
RD

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Got a Phd from Hard Knocks U

When I purchased it, sooo many years ago, they were illegal to sell/own.

The mechanism is very solid, sounds great, and holds a fine edge. I was most pleased with the purchase, and remain so.

There are nickle-dime switch blades, and those that aren't.

They may have once upon a time. But we have four large flea markets that I frequent, and I've never seen any for sale.

I guess us "gun guys" are usually knife guys too. I have a bunch of switch blades that I used to buy when I was on the job and they are still in boxes and I never use them.
I carry a Kershaw "Onion" I think it's called. Spring assist.

I used to have a nice one like Fat Toms, on the first page of this post, when I was a kid but traded it for a chicken dinner after a night out with the guys. I was hungry and stupid.

I have carried a Benchmade Auto Sryker for many years. It has a very positive safety.

Florida guys and gals:

A switch blade or automatic knife is not a ballistic self propelled knife like you would see in a James Bond movie.

See (2) a below.

790.225 Ballistic self-propelled knives; unlawful to manufacture, sell, or possess; forfeiture; penalty.—(1) It is unlawful for any person to manufacture, display, sell, own, possess, or use a ballistic self-propelled knife which is a device that propels a knifelike blade as a projectile and which physically separates the blade from the device by means of a coil spring, elastic material, or compressed gas. A ballistic self-propelled knife is declared to be a dangerous or deadly weapon and a contraband item. It shall be subject to seizure and shall be disposed of as provided in s. 790.08(1) and (6).
(2) This section shall not apply to:(a) Any device from which a knifelike blade opens, where such blade remains physically integrated with the device when open.
(b) Any device which propels an arrow, a bolt, or a dart by means of any common bow, compound bow, crossbow, or underwater spear gun.

(3) Any person violating the provisions of subsection (1) is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

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Still Running Against the Wind