It stems back to the 50s or 60s when every bad guy in hollywood always had a switchblade. Karens all over banned together and pushed local governments to pass BS laws without even knowing what or why they were banning stuff. Just like the gun bans they are working on now. Half the idiots pushing for it have never even been in the same room as what they are against much less know anything about it.
Most of my blades are OTF knives. I also keep a Buck 110 auto around. But I find dual action out the front knives- blade shoots out when you press forward and retracts when you switch it back, are the most handy and safe knives to use. Iâve never got into the really high end stuff. But I have purchaced quite a few Lightning OTFs and given most of them away as gifts. If youâve never used a dual action OTF, the blade isnât under any tension to open till you put that tension on it with the button. Kind of like a rubber band isnât under tension till you start pulling it back. But I find it much safer to use because I can retract the blade instantly with one hand when itâs not needed. The Buck 110 auto is not a dual action , and could be considered more dangerous to use if not used properly. A spring is kept under tension until a button is pressed. The blade slaps open with a satisfying snik. Anyways like others have said, look into it if you are interested but they can be another rabbit hole.
Legality depends on the jurisdiction. By state or city. Texas used to be quite restrictive on blade length, fixed or folding, and assisted opening.
Change that a few years back (9/13), now anything goes - at the state level anyway. Spears are now OK!
The outlawing of âswitchbladesâ is interesting. An article in Blade:
I also read someplace, that since this was the weapon of choice among an immigrant group, it was felt that denying them was a way to prove they were undesirables.
I like the concept of OTF knives. Iâve just never seen one that wasnât too fat or had what seems like poor support with the blade extended.
All the Best,
Jeff
I have wondered about that myself. But due to legality issues, I have yet to own one.
I used to carry a folder that was legal in the city I lived in at the time, but 0.25â too long in the city I was attending college. (I think - maybe it was the other way around? It was a decade agoâŚ). I asked a friend that was a LEO and he said they never check that kind of thing unless youâre already in trouble.
At least we havenât restricted locking blades yet here. IMO thatâs an important safety feature.
I donât get the âNO LOCK BLADES!â thing.
With the UK basically banning almost everything, I guess it makes sense.
But a lock blade doesnât seem to be more of an attack tool than a regular folder of the same lenght.
But it sure is a heck of a lot safer when being used for something other than cutting vegetables.
Which, I guess, is soon to be illegal in the nanny statesâŚ
All the Best,
Jeff
The knife laws in Canada is weird pretty much everything is legal besides âgravity assistedâ and âswitchâ opening knivesâŚ. I used to carry what was essentially a folding pocket sword used the thing to dismantle boxes.
All knives , except ballistic, are legal in Ohio . Iâve been falling down the rabbit hole for awhile now . However our laws wording is ⌠well messed up . Even a small penknife in your pocket can be labeled a concealed weapon if you tell law enforcement it could be used in self defense if needed. Thatâs why we only have work knives here !
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Strange laws there like Australia.
You can open carry any knife in Mississippi. :smiling_imp:
Minors and felons may not own bowie, dirk, butcher, or switchblade.
Not at many government workplaces or employerâs rules.
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Back to the OP.
Playing with OTF knives is quite satisfying. But I find the blade styles of side opening knives more to my liking.
I donât find, IMHO, that a spring assisted side opening knife (the classic switchblade) all that more useful than a side opener with a bumpy thingy that allows the knife to be opened with a flick of the finger. These are often known as Flippers.
Itâs the little lever looking thing that sticks out of the bottom of the handle when closed and is seen at 90 degrees to the blade when open.
It also makes for peace of mind when considering a powerful spring open blade carried in the pocket.
I know many are safe, but man oh man, would a 3â razor popping open in you pocket make your dayâŚ
A âSwitchbladeâ You Pusha daâ button, Outa she come!
And an OTF which is classified as a Switchblade in most cases:
the spring assisted OTF or otherwise knives i have owned have never lasted long.
sooner or later, they always/always open unexpectedly. maybe it is me.
anyway, i carry Spydercoâs with the thumbhole.
opening one is âautomaticâ enough for me.
The breakdown issue wasnât with assisted openers, but rather with âdouble-actionâ OTF autos, where you can both extend and retract the blade with a button. Those are usually extremely complicated designs, and the more dependable ones are not cheap.
Assist just makes it more annoying to close knives since Iâm used to most of what Iâve carried being drop shut or damn close. I also had having to engage/disengage a safety on designs where it should be used, often use a knife 10+ times a day at work but usually for a short time each instance.
Sometimes it can be shocking the amount of freedoms people have in other countries especially when it comes to owning weapons. It easy to be unaware of whatâs been taken away if you donât know any different.
For a supposedly gun free country our government enforcers are curiously well armed (apologies for going off topic).
No worries, as long as things donât turn into political rants, folks are awfully tolerant here.
So on another branch off the OPs question.
How big a knife is your EDC?
And why do you need/want one that size?
Me I carry the smallest Swiss Army knife. 1â(?) blade, screwdriver/file, tiny scissors, toothpick, and nearly worthless tweezers.
I use it for hacking through the Amazon (boxes) cutting tape off stuff and trimming my fingernails when they get ragged opening things.
The screwdriver/file has a head that will fit a #2 Phillips, which gets me into most desktop computers. And being a single slot, is great for loosening video cables etc. that have been over tightened.
Iâve had one in my pocket for 50 plus years.
If I know that the Amazon box attack might be heavy or I might need to get into something that will be hard on a blade, I often carry one of those Gerber folding knives that take an interchangeable utility blade.
Camping where food might be involved, I like the french Opinal knives. Not sturdy, but are absolute razors and very light.
You can get them in Carbon Steel - that rusts but take a keen edge and is easy to sharpenâŚ
But itâs got a lock! So UK members must not apply! The metal collar twists to lock the blade.
Iâve got some bigger flippers if I know Iâm going out to a ranch or outdoor type of local.
I havenât price side opening switchblades in some time. This thread had me taking a second look. Prices have come way down for seemingly good quality knives. I hear them calling to me - must resist.
All the Best,
Jeff