Automatic Knives

[ISCS Yoda]

On top, number 3 is a peanut switchblade, number 4 is an Italian stiletto, 8 and 9 are autos, too.

On the bottom, number 3 is a red Italian stiletto, and not visible is a similar Italian stiletto with bone handles.

 

[Patrip]

I have been carrying auto knives for 25 years. Love them. First ones did not have the safety and when I got my Benchmade with the safety I never used the safety.
Until…
A few years ago I was at a western store trying on a pair of pants and when I went to put MY pants back on I felt a scratch on my leg. Checked my leg and I found my knife opened and the point was sticking thru the pocket and a superficial scratch from my knee to my hip. I got back to my hotel and got my medical kit from my truck and got the bleeding stopped without stitches. The inside of my pant leg looked like a massacre happened in there. Lol

I was trying to get the bleeding stopped asap because I had to go back to that store as they had a 1911 that I wanted in the gun case and they were closing soon.

Priorities huh.

Lesson learned. Still carry the auto knives. ALWAYS use the safety. The knife sits too close to other body parts in my pocket. Lol

 

[DRYHEAT]

Spyderco Autos bought at the 2010 S.H.O.T. Show - Las Vegas
top: C117 CITADEL 92mm • center: C121 EMBASSY • bottom: C121BK EMBASSY

 

[bph9]

I have only had persona; experience with one automatic knife - and it was not a good one! I received it as a birthday gift and carried it (legally) for a while. One day while waiting to be seated at a restaurant my wife turned to me and asked why I had blood dripping from the top of my leg - I looked down and was shocked. The knife had partially opened and the very sharp pointy tip of the knife had cut through my pocket and stabbed me. Just a small puncture wound but a wound never the less. The safety on the knife had broken allowing it to deploy. I called the company, they apologized and mailed me out a replacement part which I installed.

Fast forward a few months later the safety broke once again and when I reached into my pocket to pull out the knife it cut me again! That was that and I got rid of it! I am sure there are many that are designed and built better than the one I had, but quite honestly I have no issues with opening my Spydeco Delica with my thumb. Maybe not quite as fast - but fast enough for me. Since I look at a pocket knife as a tool and not a weapon, speed is way down on the list of priorities for me. I would not own another one, but will admit the design of some of the better ones intrigues me.

With the auto's they are noted also for breaking their springs and at the worst time. Even assisted opening knives can and do brake their springs but usually not quite as often.

Gerber makes a good gravity dagger but daggers were never meant to cut things with and often when you are out an about you need to cut things like string, plastic wire ties, food etc. etc. I currently carry a Kershaw auto knife. Its reasonably priced compared to the top of the line $300 and $400 dollar prestige knives. If I remember correctly I think I paid $120 for my Kershaw and so far has not broken its spring. I had 2 Hubertus autos and both promptly and almost immediately broke their springs and Hubertus is supposed to be a good German knife.

My Kershaw auto has a Spey blade not a dagger blade making it handy for most cutting tasks.

I have own 3 Gerber assisted opening knives and so far they have not broken their springs and the blades are spey blades, not dagger blades, again making them far more useful than any dagger auto knife.

Below is my Kershaw launch

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

My Buck 110 auto has never failed me.

 

[Mike McLellan]

I kind of like the traditional Italian switchblade

 

[Law-dog]

I have only owned and used the el cheapo brand. I am 78 with SLAC on both wrists, everything hurts when I use fingers, but I am active and us a knife on the rural acreage every day for something. A knife is like underwear for me, it goes everywhere I go. I have many, tiny, small, to huge.

The autos I have now are larger than I want to carry all the time.

A 3 inch blade is fine a double edge dagger is really not. I smuggled those across the Mexican Border more than 5 decades ago, they were $10 Stillettos as I recall.

The cheapos I have are fine but this thread kindled my interests. I like the Buck 110 and have many Bucks, but it may be little large for my pocket. Maybe the AK or Boker.

Smaller is better for me. Any suggestions as to the 2 3/4 -3 inch blade size, side opener for general cutting chores? The ability to pull the knife from my rear hip pocket, open it and use it with only one hand in play is what I am looking at. I also use them for things like fishing, cutting the line, cutting bait and things like that.

Suggestions?

 

[crasig]

I ALWAYS NEED a knife. My Vitorinox Trekker, has a thumb open feature + tools I regularly need.
I carry an Auto Spring Knives - more often than I carry a firearm ( legal here with CCL ) Also senior Citizen.
Personally, I don't care for out-the-front knives, but do have a couple (prices for name brands are Crazy IMO) & they break.
My Favorite spring Knives are Czech MIKOV's, & 12" Italian drop point, AKC ROMA's, with swing guard. They are handmade, & a pleasure to own. Remember: "parts of a long blade are always still sharp" I also favor wrist loops.
Here's a few of mine.

 

[Drm50]

I would like to have an automatic knife. Don’t want to spend arm & leg. Don’t want anything big. Want blade to be plain
Not serrated or dagger. What’s best choice.

 

[Dhawk46]

I carry a Hubertus, 2 3/4" lever lock, stag scales. Great knife. Holds an edge. Useful tool for sure.

DVC

 

[ISCS Yoda]

DRM50 asks: I would like to have an automatic knife. Don’t want to spend arm & leg. Don’t want anything big. Want blade to be plain
Not serrated or dagger. What’s best choice.

Understanding that asking that is like asking this crew what's the best 9mm, or .45, or pocket pistol, those types of questions will generate a zillion OPINIONS. But, in the world of keep it simple, and adding that this knife has never failed me and has never accidentally opened (others all have except those with safeties and they don't all have safeties), my choice is the Boker Kalashnikov:





These pictures cut off in the new software but that's it on top in the group picture. The Boker AK47 is compact, and sufficiently rugged for whatever you need.

 

[65-2x2]

I went through an automatic knife phase a few years back. I bought a very spendy Hubertus knife that I carried daily. It lasted about 18 months before the spring broke. I have picked up a few inexpensive, Chinese make autos, but they are no more than cheap toys. As far as I am concerned the spring assisted knives are a much better product for practical use, and are every bit as fast to deploy. I carry one of two quality spring assisted knives.

Here are some of my flea market autos. The only three in the group that a decent are the little Smith and Wesson, the Boker, and the good quality counterfeit Hubertus. The counterfeit Hubertus has outlasted the original by far. The sorriest knife that I have ever bought is the Bokermatic, shown with the blade extended.

 

[lihpster]

I have only owned and used the el cheapo brand. I am 78 with SLAC on both wrists, everything hurts when I use fingers, but I am active and us a knife on the rural acreage every day for something. A knife is like underwear for me, it goes everywhere I go. I have many, tiny, small, to huge.

The autos I have now are larger than I want to carry all the time.

A 3 inch blade is fine a double edge dagger is really not. I smuggled those across the Mexican Border more than 5 decades ago, they were $10 Stillettos as I recall.

The cheapos I have are fine but this thread kindled my interests. I like the Buck 110 and have many Bucks, but it may be little large for my pocket. Maybe the AK or Boker.

Smaller is better for me. Any suggestions as to the 2 3/4 -3 inch blade size, side opener for general cutting chores? The ability to pull the knife from my rear hip pocket, open it and use it with only one hand in play is what I am looking at. I also use them for things like fishing, cutting the line, cutting bait and things like that.

Suggestions?

I would check out the Kershaw Launch series. They have several smaller autos with blade sizes meant to follow the laws of some of our more restrictive state laws. Lightwieght but quality made, and the one I have never let go in my pocket once.

 

[crasig]

I would like to have an automatic knife. Don’t want to spend arm & leg. Don’t want anything big. Want blade to be plain
Not serrated or dagger. What’s best choice.

Strange but TRUE - I bought a number of spring knives at www.wish.com It's an american company that has knives drop shipped from Asia. Last year my Italian AKC Knives were around $20. each (in USA they get about $200.).
They have all sorts of Knives, Stilletos etc. I bought 2 nice 13" stainless Chinese autos (with a new design coiled spring) for $12. each. Just search their site for spring knives, & see what they have that interests you. Takes about a month to arrive, but worth the wait - I never got better knife deals. Hope this makes your day. C.