Thanks. T6 should be relatively easy to find; I believe it is sold for mobile phones.

It is a nice knife, the first and only quality knife I own. In addition to the safety benefits, a solid lock makes the knife more pleasant to handle. It is a shame it (probably) makes it illegal to carry casually in the UK.

That said, for every day carry I think I prefer a multi-tool anyway, because it is more versatile. I have a smallish non-locking one, and although I'd rather it locked I am not convinced the difference is that great, at least for UK urban use. I'm not going to carry the RSK in addition to the multi-tool for weight reasons. My plan is to add the mini-RSK to a PSK, which is why I want to remove the pocket clip - to minimise its size. The situations in which I would carry the PSK should be the situations in which a locking knife becomes legal.

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I don't need to do that to open my RSK !?!?!
Just flicking the wrist or pushing the stud with my thumb is enough to open it ; I only use the button to unlock the blade and close it.
Is this not the normal operating procedure ??

Todays quick opening knives still require the use of partial release by the thumb knob on the blade. If in doubt, ask a District Attorney for a legal opinion by mail so that you have proof in writing in case some local peace officer thinks it should be otherwise.

Back in the old days when switchblade and gravity knives knives were made illegal, they used to make an Italian stiletto with a fingernail groove that was required to lift the blade slightly from its closed position whereupon you could swing the blade into the open and pin locked position. The problem with those was that in order for it to work well, you needed to have a 5" or larger bladed knife for sufficient mass and to create the required inertia. The size of the blade then made it illegal no matter how it was opened.

In some states in the USA, possesion of a bayonet or dagger style blade in and of itself is illegal no matter how small the knife.

Bountyhunter

If you don't have to push the thumb stud and are able to flick it open with just wrist action, it may be illegal.

I am not familiar with French laws, but in a country where they use long narrow knives for cheese and fruit, I find it hard to believe that your country is as strict as the UK.

Bountyhunter

I believe any locking blade is illegal here... ("couteau à cran d'arrêt")

But I was wondering about the RSK normal opening procedure : am I supposed to first push or something on the locking button ??

I am not a lawyer. The Griptilian and all the many other AXIS Lock knives in Benchmade's line, plus knives with similarly functioning blade locks by Cold Steel and others are legally sold and carried for years in all 50 states. Virtually all folding knives, including many traditional slip joints, can be opened with practice using the flick of your wrist or an assist.

That would come as news to Benchmade, Cold Steel and others who have sold tens or thousands of knives with AXIS Locks and similar blade locks in California. YMMV.

My full sized RSK behaves differently to the mini. On my mini, the locking button doesn't make much difference. I have adjusted the pivot screw so that it will open with the thumb stud on the blade, but slightly stiffly. It won't open by gravity or by flicking, regardless of the position of the locking button. The smaller blade doesn't have enough weight to overcome the stiff pivot.

This is how I like it. I tried making the pivot very lose, which got rid of the stiffness and made it a smooth joy to open, but also meant it could partially open with a flick. I was worried it would open when I didn't expect or want it to.

My full sized RSK is also currently adjusted so it will open with the thumb stud alone. It won't open by gravity or flicking with the locking button up, but on experimenting I find I can sometimes shake it half-open if I hold the lock down. The first time it flicked completely open and locked, which surprised the bejeesus out of me. [Later...] and now I find it will partially open, even with lock up, if I strike the end hard against the palm of my other hand.

I find this a bit disconcerting. I had already decided I'd never toss either knife to someone, and now I'm thinking that is definitely wise. There's a real chance it will open spontaneously. On the other hand, I am pretty confident that neither knife would be considered a flick knife or gravity knife, or "made for causing injury" under the UK 1953 act, because opening it in these ways is so awkward.

Frenchy and all:

I'm a big fan of the axis lock. One of the best things about it is that the same simple mechanism is used to lock the blade open or hold the blade closed.

I use my axis lock knives in three ways. First with a plain thumbing action on stud or hole. And no, you don't have to do anything with the lock button to do this.

Second, I use some kind of inertia to "flick" the knife open, either unassisted, or with a little boost from my middle finger on the hole or stud opposite the thumb side.

Third, I keep my pivots loose enough that I can pull the lock back and use gravity or the slightest bit of intertia to swing the blade open or closed. (Probably my favorite method.)

It's the action of having to pull the locking button back before gravity will open the blade that keeps it legal.

Bear

dchinell:

Don't know about Florida, but in Wisconsin, if you are able to pull back a button and swing the blade open, it is a gravity knife and therefore illegal.

Of course an earlier post about your appearance, when, and how you access the knife applies. The other thing to consider is the desirability of the knife to the peace officer inspecting it. They may have to "confiscate" it but will let you go because you seem like a decent person, and the knife ends up in the cops personal collection. Some of the biggest illegal fireworks displays are at cops houses in Milwaukee as they "dispose" of the "contraband" they collect for the safety of the public. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />