opening a knife

[deadin]

Here's one I used to carry...


There are several way to "quick" open it, but, AFAIK, only one way to close it and you will probably cut yourself until you get used to it....

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

In the warm weather I wear cargo pocketed shorts that have a flap. Since I lost weight, all 5 pair went to the wife's sewing room for size reduction. While she was at it, I had her design an opening in the top of the flap to let the clip hang on the outside of the flap. It ended up being 1 3/8" wide and required some stiffener to make everything function well. My knife is a Emerson/Kershaw with a notch that grips the pocket as it comes out. Only slightly slower than a Automatic Opener!(if at all!!!) The holes are set for tip up only carrying, but is drilled on both sides for left or right hand carry. I guess we will have to come up with a similar design for cold weather clothing. I can't see me without this feature ever again!

Ivan

 

[kwselke]

I looked up the Spyderco Police Model in their 2018 catalog. The model is shown set for tip down pocket clip carry. It is also noted that there is optional tip up carry. On the knife pictured there are holes showing that would allow the conversion. If the OP has an older version that only has a tip down carry option, I would definitely contact Spyderco and ask about it. Call, email, ask in their forum... you will probably get an excellent answer as to why that big knife was sent out that way.

For those reading that may not understand what Emerson and Wave are; Ernest Emerson is a knife designer and maker. He invented the Wave feature for deploying the blade of a pocket knife as the blade comes out of the pocket. Basically a horn protrudes from the top of the blade, catches on the seam of the pocket as the knife is withdrawn. Once the knife clears the pocket the blade locks in place. It is very fast. I'd say faster than automatics. It does require tip up carry and practice to work.

Pictured is my Spyderco Endura with the Emerson Wave. I only use it these days to amaze people. I like a one hand opening knife, but I'm not a knife fighter. I'm fast enough with whatever opening system the knife came with.

 

[Marshwheeling]

I looked up the Spyderco Police Model in their 2018 catalog. The model is shown set for tip down pocket clip carry. It is also noted that there is optional tip up carry. On the knife pictured there are holes showing that would allow the conversion. If the OP has an older version that only has a tip down carry option, I would definitely contact Spyderco and ask about it. Call, email, ask in their forum... you will probably get an excellent answer as to why that big knife was sent out that way.

For those reading that may not understand what Emerson and Wave are; Ernest Emerson is a knife designer and maker. He invented the Wave feature for deploying the blade of a pocket knife as the blade comes out of the pocket. Basically a horn protrudes from the top of the blade, catches on the seam of the pocket as the knife is withdrawn. Once the knife clears the pocket the blade locks in place. It is very fast. I'd say faster than automatics. It does require tip up carry and practice to work.

Pictured is my Spyderco Endura with the Emerson Wave. I only use it these days to amaze people. I like a one hand opening knife, but I'm not a knife fighter. I'm fast enough with whatever opening system the knife came with.

When I first read about it, I thought the Wave was a pretty cool idea. When I showed it to my boy, he promptly ordered a pair of the Kershaw Emerson knives, and gave one to me. After a few weeks, the novelty wore off, and it pretty much sits. As you say, I am no knife fighter, and don’t think of them as useful for self-defense.

As a bartender, my boy has more use for a one-handed opener. He found a smaller Kershaw version which gets more carry time.

Sometimes you will see a zip tie looped through the thumb hole on a Spyderco. That is the poor man’s wave. The zip tie is cut off to just the right length to catch on the seam of the pocket, just like the Wave. If I had a Spyderco, I would probably try it out of curiosity before putting it aside.

 

[kwselke]

When I first read about it, I thought the Wave was a pretty cool idea. When I showed it to my boy, he promptly ordered a pair of the Kershaw Emerson knives, and gave one to me. After a few weeks, the novelty wore off, and it pretty much sits. As you say, I am no knife fighter, and don’t think of them as useful for self-defense.

As a bartender, my boy has more use for a one-handed opener. He found a smaller Kershaw version which gets more carry time.

Sometimes you will see a zip tie looped through the thumb hole on a Spyderco. That is the poor man’s wave. The zip tie is cut off to just the right length to catch on the seam of the pocket, just like the Wave. If I had a Spyderco, I would probably try it out of curiosity before putting it aside.

I've found the Wave on my Spyderco Endura makes it difficult to get the knife out of my pocket without deploying the blade. With practice I can pull the knife from my pocket with blade deployed amazingly fast. After more than a decade of carrying a Delica on a daily basis I'm only slightly slower using the standard Spydiehole and my thumb. With the Wave I'm faster but only 95% sure the blade will deploy properly. Using standard Spyderco thumb opener techniques I'm 99.9% sure to deploy the blade properly one-handed and will only be a fraction of a second slower. I would not waste a tie wrap on the poorman's version of the Wave.

 

[deputydon]

Buck 110

I have a Buck 110 that has been converted to a push button. This has been engraved on back of blade and is beautiful when polished. When you hit the button you best be holding on cuz it opens with a jolt. No worries about opening in your pocket...it has a buck holster. I never carry it as it is kinda big. My EDC is a Benchmade push button.

-don

 

[shouldazagged]

My hands are weakened and clumsy due to arthritis, and I have no surface sensation in the tips of the thumb and first two fingers of either hand. This means I have a terrible time opening a conventional pocketknife like my much-loved Schrade Old Timers or Vicrorinox SAKs.

I usually carry a Spyderco Endura, tip up. I had a SOG Flash II assisted opener, also rigged tip up. Nice knife, but I gave it to my nephew. Now have a Kershaw OSO Sweet assisted opener, tip-down rigged and not drilled for tip up. I like it for dress carry, as it's considerably smaller than the Endura. I prefer the Endura for most cutting chores, but the Ken-Onion-designed OSO Sweet is very sharp and a formidable cutter.

Sure miss carrying my Old Timers, though.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Carried a Buck lock-blade folding knife for decades. About 15 years ago I came across a Gerber with thumb-stud opening, 3.4" ATS-34 stainless blade (partial serrated, handy for tough cutting jobs), liner-lock, thin G-10 grip scales, and a pocket clip. I love it, never leave the house without it.

Still have my old US Army rigger's knife with hook blade for cutting risers and push-button clip blade. Switchblade knives were illegal in Colorado for many years so I have never carried it. More of a Vietnam-era military artifact now than a working knife, I suppose.

 

[WTN1271]

Spyderco Delica can be swapped around for tip up or tip down and left or right sided carry. It is easy to change around to find what works best for you. Put a little thread locker on the screws once you find the ideal orientation. I settled on tip up.
I experimented with the wire tie version of the Wave feature, it works OK and it pushed me to aquire an Endura with the real Wave blade. Kind of cool but not really needed.
I went back to the Delica as my everyday carry. Delica blade length is also friendlier at 2.875 inches.

 

[Frank46]

I have a Buck 110 I bought back in '77. That knife has broken in nicely. I can grab the blade with a finger on either side of the thumb nail notch and flick the handle open and slide my hand down to the main body just as fast or almost as fast as an assisted knife. Wally world a few years back was selling a combo deal Kershaw assisted knife, axe, seat belt slicer on chain to be work on your neck and para cord compass with one of those spark making rods with striker. Bevel stunk on the knife so restoned it making it easier to sharpen, sharpened the axe kept the seat belt slicer and threw away the fire starter gizmo all for $20 bucks.Frank

 

[OLDSTER]

I carry an auto ( the politcally correct term for a good old switchblade) every day, and have for many years.

 

[smoothshooter]

I did the same with a Damascus Leek that I carried in my back pocket. One day while reaching for it I slid my hand in to retrieve my knife I found it had partially opened and I nearly needed stitches. Somehow I must have activated the flipper while sitting down.
Yes, the Leek does have a lock but it is a pain to use.
To prevent future problems I sold the knife and will not buy another "assisted" opener.

I NEVER carry a pocket clip knife in the hip pocket. Too easy to catch the clip end on the seat back material and have the knife pulled out of the pocket as you slide down. Plus,it tends to wear a bad spot in car seats.
Almost everyone I know that has lost a pocket clip knife while they were wearing it was carrying it in their hip pocket.

 

[kwselke]

as I have said in another thread I have a Spyderco sst police model and it is a well made knife. however do to blade length of 4 inches it could be a problem of carrying as the magic number in Nebraska is a 3.500 inch blade length. the main problem I have with it is I don’t seem to get enough thumb purchase in the hole to open it so I end up opening it just like a regular pocket knife. the other problem is that it doesn’t allow for a “tip up” carry. I keep it in my range bag.

By chance I ran across a social media thread concerning the reasoning behind Spyrderco switching from tip down clip carry to tip up clip carry.

Apparently, the first thumbhole Spyderco models came with heavy stainless handles/scales. They were drilled for tip down clip carry only, to save on production costs. They were also meant to be one hand deployed using the Spyder Drop technique.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a2BHtcHGr0[/ame]

You grab the Spyderhole in the blade with thumb and index finger from the back of the blade, flick, and the weight of the handle will lock the blade. One still has to rotate the knife in your hand to get it in a usable position.

When Spyderco introduced lighter and less expensive FRN Seki City models this deployment technique became more difficult to master. With the lower cost they added tip up clip position holes and made tip up the default clip placement. It is my understanding, that this was intended to keep the less than expert folks from flinging their light weight knives into the ground while trying to impress folks.

I can do the Spyder Drop with my oldest well worn Delica. It's an impressive show. There is a lot of showmanship and bling with knives. Lots of knives work in different ways. There is no such thing as the best knife, only the right knife for the job at hand. All in all I just want the blade to be open and ready to use when I need to use it.

 

[steveno]

that method does work. I would never thought of that before

 

[Mister X]

The Spyder Drop is a terribly unreliable method to deploy a blade in a defensive context in my experience.

 

[kwselke]

The Spyder Drop is a terribly unreliable method to deploy a blade in a defensive context in my experience.

So, how would you open a tip down only Spyderco Police Model in a defensive situation.

 

[Marshwheeling]

The Spyder Drop is a terribly unreliable method to deploy a blade in a defensive context in my experience.

A knife is a terribly unreliable method to employ in a defensive context.

 

[Mister X]

So, how would you open a tip down only Spyderco Police Model in a defensive situation.

I don't carry tip-down, but if I did, my draw and deployment would be pretty much the same with some minor adjustments. The article I already shared in post #7 pretty much covers it. Just like drawing and gripping a gun, I want consistency between models, carry positions, in different scenarios and a secure and reliable delployment method. Although I do think it wise to have familiarity with different methods due to the unpredictability of defense encounters.

 

[Mister X]

A knife is a terribly unreliable method to employ in a defensive context.

How so? For me, its suitability and efficiency all depend on the context and specific scenario.

 

[kwselke]

How so? For me, its suitability and efficiency all depend on the context and specific scenario.

So you have never had to use your experience with a tip down only Police Model in a defensive situation. That's fine. Think the OP should toss his classic folding knife?