I have always been interested in automatic knives, from the time I was a kid and the little 3" Mexican versions were traded in elementary school, through a decade ago when automatics were made without safeties (and you would worry about your boys if you carried one in your front pocket) until now with the availability of some very well made survival OTF knives.

I'm interested in hearing from folks who are familiar with both traditional side-opening, and OTF (out the front) automatic knives. Other than some state laws where carrying automatic knives are outlawed, what are some of the advantages/ disadvantages of these types of knives.

Before going with a Strider I carried a Microtech Tarzuola automatic side opener.

http://www.888knivesrus.com/product/MTTERZUOLADA

Advantages? Definiately coolness factor. In some tight spots it was easier and faster to open it "automatic way" than traditional way. Side openers have stronger locks and you can also jab with them. Also this particular knife can be used as a manual knife. Automatic mechanism is deployed by bolster twists which is impossible to discover for a stranger to this blade. So in a place that is not friendly towards automatics you can operate incognito.

Problems with automatics? Accidental deployment while in your pockets.

Not in MA. I have a dealers license, so I can display and sell them (to military, police and handicapped) but I can't carry one.

Maybe the even bigger question is, are there any advantages to a good one handed folder? I really can't think of one, other than "coolness", but I also don't own one.

Anyone ever owned both the standard and the auto versions of the same knife?

I used to EDC a Boeker Speedlock. I changed this because of additional requirements. The onehanded opening is an advantage. The Speedlock can also be folded with one hand. It locks reliably and I never had any problems with accidental deployment despite the lack of a safety. One weakness was the spring. Most models have flat spring that may break. I selected the Speedlock because of the helical spring and the ease of taking it appart. The spring isn´t particularly vulnerable and it can be replaced with few tools and average skill. It´s also easy to clean.
I never found a OTF that would lock the blade reliably. Many allowed pushing back the blade by pressing the tip with a fingertip without spilling blood. Another weak point is dirt. If you can´t take the knife apart it may hard to keep clean. I saw gravity operated knives that were so dirty that they almost failed to operate. They could only be brought back to operation because they could be taken apart without too much trouble. I never own a OTF. I would have bought one as a collectors item but they´re outlawed now and it´s not worth the risk.

Yeah with the knife I mentioned in my post. I played with manual version in the store and theyw ere exactly the same. Even liner locks and actions were identical.

Also... if your knife is only automatic than it sucks. Knife I had was manual when I wanted it to be. So when I needed fast deployment with secure grip I would use the automatic function but most of the time I treated it as regular manual folder.

I've got a few as part of my collection, though I can't carry them. I wouldn't really want to anyway. They tend to attract too much attention and don't really offer much of an advatage over a well made "tactical" folder. But, as far as coolness goes, a good OTF opener can't be beat. Especially a D/A.

I have had two automatics. I like them. I suppose my main negatives are the expense and the remorse I had when one was stolen and I lost the other. Both were Benchmades. I now have a flipopen SOG that is virtually as quick to open and is just as good a knife for a fraction the cost. And while it might not be as "cool," for the same reason it is probably less likely to be swiped. I'm not kidding, I was in grief twice over those knives.

Loosing your gear or getting it stolen is a traumatic experience. I'm still crying after lost of my first zippo when I was 16. That's why I stopped carrying expensive knives for a while but later realized that there is no substitue for quality tool.

I have a couple of good knvies (with a Ritter M2 on the way) but suffer from ignorance about the different types of mechanisms discussed here. Can anyone give us a rundown on different types of auto openers?
Also; I have a Kershaw 1660CKTST That was described to me as an "assisted opener". One push on a small lever and the blade pops open and locks. Is this one type being discussed?

Automatic is a knife that has a spring inside that when certain release mechanics (usualy a button) is pressed the blade opens. There are two types of automatic knives:
1)otf - OUT THE FRONT which means that blade slides out of the handle. Advantages: more secure grip when knife is opening and knife is usually smaller. Disadvantages: older models required a hard surface to cock the knife back into place, this combination is not so great for stabbing/poking

2) side openers - which means that blade swings out like on the regular knife. Advantages: more secure locking mechanism makes this as good as any manual folder, some models can be used in manual mode Disadvantages: wrong hand position prevents deployment.


In any of the above combination accidental deployment is something to worry about. Obviously side openers are little bit less dangerous that OTF if accidental fireing happens.

This thread should be read to a german rendition of MACK THE KNIFE <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Automatics are carried by PJs and rescue swimmers for obvious reasons. A one handed knife easily stowed yet available instantly is very usefull. On the lifeboats we had a saying " one hand for yourself and one for the boat." We couldn't get automatic knives back then and substituted some pretty wierd solutions. I scrounged a german fallshirmjaeger's gravity knife. It had a mediocre Solingen blade and you had to hold it just right ( as in down) to make the thing work. The local sheriff decided it was illegal and threatened to arrest me if I walked with it from station to boathouse. So I acquired a Kriegsmarine sailor's knife in a nice sheath with marlinspike. It was far faster to deploy, sharper, deadlier and acceptable to the Oregon Coast prototype for Stallone's Brian Dennehy antagonist <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Matt and all,
I haven't used (played with) an automatic since those cheapo switchblades in school. I currently carry a Kershaw Blur 'assisted",and there are several other makers of assisted open. My question is how do you rate these assisted knives versus the side open autos?

I find the slight push of the thumb stud to be identical to the action of pushing a button, with the added attraction of legal carry. Not to mention a quality knife at a much lower cost.

Scott

I once got to meet David Allen, the guy who invented the Photon light. His son was there also, has he was in the knife business, selling OTF knives. One of his demos involved putting a dollar in front of the blade opening. He would move the lever, and the dollar bill would stop the blade. This was to show how safe the knife was.

The blade also locked up nicely once fully extended. But if anything (including paper money) was in the way, the blade would not fully deploy. So the moral of the story is to alway keep your knife in the same pocket with your money. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

This is, however, the limit to my experience with auto knives. Up until a couple of years ago, they were illegal in my state.

Same thing but instead of pressing a button you initiate a movement with a thumb.Spring is weaker on the assisted knives and deployment is smoother as opposed to a snap in the automatics. In the end it is kinda the same thing but automatic can be little faster.

Also there is another way to get a knife to be open everytime you draw it out. I saw some of the Emerson knives to have a pocket clip when you thumb stud is. When you draw the knife out, blade is anchored to your pants and unfolds so when you pull it out it is fully deployed. Freaks me out a bit.

The usual procedure to deploy a german fallschirmjaeger´s gravity knife is the following:
unlock the blade
make a whipping motion with your hand (most of it comes from the wrist)
release the locking lever with the proper timing to lock the deployed blade
fold the lever to the front to prevent accidtial unlocking

Inertia forces work much more reliable then gravity and are almost as fast as a swichblade. My main complaint about it was the lack of lateral stability of the blade.
The blade was only meant as a tool. The spike was the weapon. It leaves nasty wounds.
BTW: We where not supposed to deploy a gravity knife or an automatic knife in plain view of an injured person.

On the Emerson knives page, go to the Video Vault and look at some of the wave's demos.
Impressive. As soon as the knife is out of your pocket, it's open. <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />
No button to press. No unwanted opening inside the pocket to fear....

The "wave" system came, AFAIK, out of Fred Perrin's brain....
Those guys, Emerson, Perrin, and a few others, are quite amazing .....

I have a mini-CQC 7B. the only thing I don't like is the blade !! <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />
I mean it's a good blade, but what I really wanted was a mini- CQC7A : no serration, no chisel, no tanto point ; just a plain spear point blade.... h?las, it looks like Emerson no longer make those.
But the wave system is definitively something to consider if speed of deployement is your concern.

Now, OTOH, I would not try to get my Wave Commander, out of my pocket, fully deployed, in front of the general public.... It may call for some unwanted attention .... <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Advantages to a one handed folder? Many many - Picture - last week, I'm up on a ladder bundling cable - I tend to do it the "old fashioned" way, with lacing cord - take the spool of cord, cut off a 3 ft length, make your loop, grab you cables, tie, trim. Notice the steps "cut" and "trim" - Knife comes out, cuts the cord, gets folded, gets put back in holster, so it doesn't get dropped. Did that maybe 30 times that day.

Opening the mail - Mail is in left hand, reach down with right, grab knife off the belt, open knife, open envelopes, close knife, put it iway

Once you get use to them, they are just so much more convienient

As for Autos - not around here - not legally anyway. I have been tempted to by a Leek, but more because of the blade shape than the assisted opener - and now that it's coming out in s30v....