"Auto Knife Or Not"?

R

ReserveCop

New member
I was wondering which would be a better legal carry knife for overall use...a Spyderco knife or a Benchmade auto knife?

Any comments?

Thanks for your opinions.

[Edited by ReserveCop on 05-24-2001 at 04:24 PM]
 
I have both. The Auto is on my tac rig. The spyderco was carried off duty until i replaced it with a Benchmade 710 SBT. The autos are nice but I can carry the 710 24/7 anywhere without any legal ramifications. The axis locks are as fast or faster than the autos and work one handed. Personally the auto is neat as hell to play with but if i had it to do over I wouldn't buy one. The extra price and hassles aren't worth it. Just my 2 cents.
 
I second Recon's opnion. I have a couple of Boker automatics. They're fun to play with, but what I seem to carry is an BM AFCK or CRKT M-16. I wouldn't want to jeopardize my CCW, either, for carrying an auto outside of the house, so they stay in the knife drawer. With the availability of all the good single-handed knives with liner/axis/cam locks, why bother (the manual is quieter & easier to handle for me, too). M2
 
COnsider one of them thar paratrooper gravity knives. A flickof the wrist and a push of the button works just as well as an auto but without the spring, thus making it not an auto. They are a little bulky though.
 
I've had both and no longer own an auto. The Benchmade and Emerson folders have a tension adjustable pivot screw and, when adjusted, are open with a flick of the wrist. They are faster than the auto and can even be opened in a blade down position. Most autos have all aluminum handles and I prefer the G-10 scales on the tactical folders.

Mikey
 
My AFCK opens as fast as any auto, and the large thumb hole means I don't have to hunt for a little push-button. I can also open it just as easily with my left hand or with gloves on. Also keep in mind that in many states gravity knives can have as many legal problems as auto knives.
 
In regard to the "paratrooper gravity knife", gravity knives are just as illegal as Automatic knives in most area's.

I have owned about 4 auto knives in the past year. And I did carry one of them quite a lot, and did until I lost a part when i took it apart to clean it. I knew what I was doing was illegal, but as it wasnt my main defensive blade, it wasnt even a defnsive blade, it was a risk I was willing to take.
However I think that for your situation, the one hand opening folder would be a better choice.
My main carry is an Emerson Commander. It has a thing on it called the Wave that pulls the blade open as you pull the knife out of your pocket. No springs, and it doesnt use gravity to open it, it uses the force of the action of pulling it fromy our pocket. So in effect its open before you can even press the button on an auto.
Also if you are a CCW holder, and you get caught with an auto, buh bye CCW license in all likely-hood.

I say go with a one hand opener and leave it at that.
I reccomend the Emerson Commander, but at $220 factory retail and lowest online price I have seen being $165,(unless you want to shop at Botach tactical, who has it for around $130 or so I have been hearing) its out of some people's price range.
the two mentioned, Spyderco and Benchmade make wonderful knives as well.
Also take a look at Columbia River Knife and Tool, they make a heck of a product for much less than Spyderco or Benchmade.
 
I had a Boker two years ago and only had it a couple of months. It opened up in my pocket while on-duty. I discovered it when I sat down in the car and got cut. Not a good experience. I now have 4 Spyderco Enduras.
 
I'll second the choice of an Emerson Commander - great fighting blade and very quick to deploy with its 'wave' opening system. You might also want to check out the Kershaw knives with the Ken Onion assisted opening feature. These things are great - just push on the stud with your thumb and the blade flies open. Just as fast as an auto.
 
"Auto Knife Or Not"?

Not, IMO. The new folders are so good that an auto provides no advantage that I can see. It does carry some significant legal baggage, as has been mentioned. You don't want to be sitting in the defendant's block and have the prosecutor (or plaintiff's attorney in a civil suit) working up the jury's emotions with sneering comments about your eeevil "SWITCHBLAAAAAADE!!!!!"


Even good LEOs are going to be a little concerned about you if they answer a disturbance call and find you have one.

A folder just doesn't have that stigma.

It's a cost/benefit thing. No benefit, high potential cost.
 
I am not sure of the legalities regarding automatic knives. I carry one in my job as a firefighter/paramedic. I NEED a knife that I can open with one hand. I realize there are other knives that can be opened with one hand, but I choose to carry a Buck 110 converted to automatic by Cumerland Mountain. I would say that I have opened it in front of maybe 50 police and highway patrol officers and they didn't even look at it. Many firefighters I work with carry automatic knives; again, I don't know if this is legal or not. The idea of using a knife for personal defense frankly never entered my mind until right now so I don't think that issue will ever come up for me. Off duty I carry a Sperderco Eudura just because it is comfortable and convienient. The Buck of course is carried on a belt pouch. I prefer that at work in case I am getting it out with blood on my glove or my glove/arm is covered with broken glass. I don't want to stick that in my pocket or up against my pants.
 
Auto Knife

Emerson Commander. Botach has (or had) them on sale for $125.00. Occasionally you can find them (used) as cheap as 100 bucks on bladeforums. The Commander is well worth the money. Faster than an auto and legal too - best of both worlds. If you are into rescue type work, the SARK also has the wave. And there is now a waved CQC7B. Check them out.

DDD
 
State Switchblade Laws

The legal context for State Switchblade Laws, for each state, it is :

I.Possession legal and carry legal :
1.Arizona Y Y
2.Florida Y Y
3.Iowa Y Y
4.Ohio Y Y
5.South Dakota Y Y

II .Possession legal and carry with restriction :

1.Alabama Y Y3
2.Arkansas Y Y2
3.Idaho Y Y3
4.Kentucky Y Y3
5.Maryland Y Y3
6.Nebraska Y Y3
7.NorthCarolina Y Y3
8.NorthDakota Y Y3
9.Oregon Y Y3
10.Utah Y Y3
11.Virginia Y Y3,4
12.West Virginia Y Y3,4

.III.Possession legal and not legal carry

1.California Y N
2.Georgia Y N
3.Minnesota Y1 N
4.Mississippi Y N
5.Missouri Y1 N
6.Montana Y1 N
7.Oklahoma Y N
8.Pennsylvania Y1 N
9.Rhode Island Y N
10.South Carolina Y N
11.Texas Y1 N
12.Wyoming Y N

IV. Possession not legal and not legal carry


1.Alaska N N
2.Colorado N N
3.Connecticut N N
4.Delaware N Y3,4
5.Hawaii N N
6.Illinois N N
7.Indiana N N
8.Kansas N N
9.Louisiana N N
10.Maine N N
11.Massachusetts N N
12.Michigan N N
13.Nevada N N
14.NewHampshire N N
15.NewJersey N N
16.NewMexico N N
17.NewYork N N
18.Tennessee N N
19.Vermont N N
20.Washington N N
21.Wisconsin N N


1Possession banned, but exception made for collectors and/orpossession as curios or antiques
2Carry allowed if blade is under 3.5 inches
3Carry allowed if not concealed
4Concealed Carry allowed with permit or license
Y = Yes
N = No

(The source is the November 1998 issue of Tactical Knives. This page was last updated on September 5, 2002 www.Rossnordeen.com)

So, possession legal for Switchblade it is a possibility in 29 US state.
 
Check out Kershaw's "assisted opening" knives. At least in Minnesota they aren't classed as an auto or gravity knife. Legal to carry here. I've had two and they work great. You just use your thumb to start the opening swing and an internal torque spring does the rest. I've never had a problem with them and they are only 40-60 dollars. These are an option that may work for you and also keep you legal.
Be safe.

http://nicnac.net/en-us/dept_74.html

http://www.888knivesrus.com/category/assistedopeningfolders/

http://www.888knivesrus.com/category/assistedopeningfolders/
 
I routinely carry a full auto ProTech Godfather.

In Oregon I can carry it as long as it is not completely concealed. State precedent has been set that to not be concealed one full inch of the knife must be visible in your pocket. The manufactures have installed the clip so it complies with the law.

attachment.php
 
I think the laws against autos are ridiculous. I can open my folder just as fast as I can an auto, why should they be illegal? As per the OP's question, I prefer Benchmade's blade designs, but Spyderco is great as well. You won't really go wrong with either brand. Both use good steel, and will last a long time if taken care of. It's illegal to own autos down here, but my dad is LEO, and he has a few that I've "played with" a bit. FWIW though, I actually prefer a regular folder over the full auto and assisted opening knives, so if I had to choose between a Spyderco folder and a Benchmade Auto, that'd be tough... I dunno.

Jason
 
I carry a Benchmade 9530 auto at work. The rest of the time, I just carry a Swiss Army knife- one of the small SD Pocket knives with the scissors, nail file/screwdriver combo, and 1 and 1/2 inch blade. Oh, it's got tweezers and a toothpick also. I've only been hassled once for having that. :rolleyes:
 
I have a Protech, a bench made and a Micro tech auto as well as a few benchmade folders and a Reeve Aviator.

For overall use, I can deploy the autos much faster for cutting pizza and opening boxes. On the other hand, the limited blade sizes on the autos make it a chore to cut Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches, not even considering the efffect cheese has on the mechanism. So too, cheese in a folder is distressing..

Accordingly, I carry a Chris Reeve Aviator in a custom back Kydex sheath that allows fast deployment for pizza and boxes, yet gives me blade strength and quick cleanup necessary for field dressing gooey sub sandwiches.

Of course, the Reeve fails miserably for the quick manuvering necessary in toenail cutting, so I carry a backup.

WildplusnevercutpizzawiththesameknifeyoucuttoenailswithAlaska
 
Michigan (and many other states) allow the "Assisted Open" knives like the Ken Onion series from Kershaw... SO, I carry a Kershaw Ken Onion Blackout, and a KershawKen Onion Chive, becayse they are fast, single hand open, AND they are legal...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top