Lockable motorcycle knife

[bearfacedkiller]

I have been riding for 25 years and haven’t given my pocket knife a second thought. I admit to being a hooligan on the bike so the way I ride safety obviously isn’t really on my radar most of the time anyway. If I am going down I think my pocket knife is likely to be the least of my worries.

No you ride with a bag or backpack or anything? Does your bike have luggage? Do you have somewhere off your person to stash it? Maybe a small tank bag?

[Wartstein]

As many have said already: Lockback.

I may add the Salt 2 ffg and the Chaparral as suggestions. It seems to me that these two are particularly safe concerning coming open, due to the very light blades (never actually tested this though).
My Chap has a really strong spring too (not that my Salt would have a weak one).

Another thought: Perhaps, in case of a fall on the knife in pocket, a wire clip (Chap) might be a bit better or do a bit less harm than the more rigid spoon clip?!

Last thought: A knife as thin as the Chap, especially when carried clipless, might cause the least injuries when falling on it, cause due to that thinness it will be pressed less deeply into the flesh? (Not sure this is proper English but anyway(.

[Doc Dan]

I had some sort of Spyderco Seki back lock in my pocket a little over two years ago when a car hit me on my motorcycle and ran off. Thank God! for armored jackets and helmets! Anyway, though my pants were torn to shreds, the knife stayed closed. I have knives that I have made leather slips for and this keeps them safely closed, though I wasn't using one that day. I do not use pocket clips. I drop the knife in the slip down into my pocket where it sits, nice and safe. I can still get to it fast, too.

I never carry a liner lock, frame lock, or compression lock. In a bad accident you can just about bet on the knife blade overcoming the detent and, well, you can guess a likely outcome.

[Michael Janich]

Another possible option is to carry the closed knife in an inside-the-pocket magazine pouch for a pistol mag. For concealment purposes, the mag pouch keeps the knife completely out of sight and in a consistent position for easy access; however, it would also serve as extra insurance against unwanted opening.

Stay safe,

Mike

[Jim Malone]

Thx for the great advice! Will look into it. I'm just nervous about sharp steel next to my femoral artery and abdomen. I like the advice given. Maybe i'm overthinking this. Some things just make me nervous ( like appendix carry). I can vividly recall my collegue shooting himself in the tigh when he tried to reholster his service pistol after a shootout and apparently forgot in the stress that his triggerfinger was inside the trigger when he pushed it down his Safariland side holster. Or the time i "ziptie waved" my stainless spyderco karambit and cut thru my pants, underpants and belt in one smooth pull during a high speed solo exercise! So speed and steel next to human flesh makes me carefull.
But great idea's.

[Pokey]

Another possible option is to carry the closed knife in an inside-the-pocket magazine pouch for a pistol mag. For concealment purposes, the mag pouch keeps the knife completely out of sight and in a consistent position for easy access; however, it would also serve as extra insurance against unwanted opening.

Stay safe,

Mike

When you mentioned this idea I thought of this, Mike. It’s an older model of Galco’s suede leather Pocket Magazine Carrier. Galco's current model has a retention screw on it, which would only add thickness for carrying a knife. This is an Endela in the photo.

[Michael Janich]

Dear Pokey:

Yep, that's exactly what I meant.

Stay safe,

Mike

[on_the_edge]

All lies and jests, still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest...

35 years on motorcycles, unfortunately been down with a Spyderco in my front pocket and it has never been an issue.

Carry on.

[Pokey]

Dear Pokey:

Yep, that's exactly what I meant.

Stay safe,

Mike

That's a good idea, Mike. A very discrete way to carry a bigger knife. Not as quick out of the pocket as if it was clipped to the pocket, but a bit more secure and consistently in the same spot. One could probably custom make these to fit individual knives after a trip to a Tandy Leather store.

[The Meat man]

I highly recommend the Autonomy 2.

[Larry_Mott]

IMO it's a non issue as i can't for the life of me se how a folder would open itself in an accident. Please enlighten me about cases where a biker has been hurt by his own folder in an accident.

[JD Spydo]

This subject of which Spyderco folder would be ideal for a Motorcycle folder. Well that issue was addressed all the way back to the mid 90s. The BLACKHAWK & RENEGADE models were specifically target marketed to that customer base.

With that said I would go with the RENEGADE model, that is if Spyderco would ever do a Sprint Run of that super classic. But either model would be ideal>> I just happen to like the RENEGADE better for a lot of reasons. I actually EDCed a RENEGADE model for about a year back around 2004. I would do that again with a RENEGADE with a newer/better blade steel.

[bearfacedkiller]

I have gone down on a dirt bikes and four wheelers with a knife in my pocket quite a few times. I flipped a quad end over end at 55 mph with a knife in my back pocket. I was pretty sore for a couple days but not only did my knife not hurt me, it didn’t come out of my pocket. Surprisingly all the quad needed was a new handlebar and new tie rods. My helmet took the most damage. I still have it as a reminder.

That said, we all get to decide what level of risk we will assume. I tend to lack fear to a fault. The way I see it. Riding bikes is inherently dangerous. Once you are on two wheels you have already assumed the risk so I don’t sweat the details. I hit a wild turkey this spring at 60 mph. I didn’t go down because it was a glancing blow. Somehow I have now clipped two turkeys in my life on bike. Last time was about 20 years ago. I have had a few close calls with deer and have a friend who blasted a deer on a bike and ended up in the hospital. I also know a guy who hit a deer on a snowmobile and broke his neck. I just think that my pocketknife is the least of my worries on the bike.

I rode my bike to work today with my Shaman in my back pocket. It was early and still dark. I put my mental capacity towards looking for deer and not towards worrying about my knife.

[Doc Dan]

An 80 mph Luna Moth is pretty exciting. Anyway, that magazine pouch is a good idea. I have a slip or pouch I put my knives in when riding my bike. It keeps the knife closed and I don't worry about it coming open, at all. Also, I only carry backlocks.

Now, I have had a ledge crumble and send me down a mountain side and my knife came open and cut the seat out of my pants. I was not hurt. I have had worse falls and nothing happened. I've jumped out of air planes and the knives stayed shut. That time, though, was a lesson.

[Wartstein]

IMO it's a non issue as i can't for the life of me se how a folder would open itself in an accident. Please enlighten me about cases where a biker has been hurt by his own folder in an accident.

I am just guessing here, but comp.locks and linerlocks can come open in the pocket (generally, not (only) in a motorbike scenario)... really not often at all, but it is more likely than with backlock and CBBL.
It would admittedly be an rather unreal coincidence, but should one fall with the bike and land hard on an already opened folder: Could potentially be a problem.

A lot of "ifs" and "coulds" here though... don't think the comparably a bit reduced safety of liner- and comp.lock are a huge issue in real life...

[on_the_edge]

I have gone down on a dirt bikes and four wheelers with a knife in my pocket quite a few times. I flipped a quad end over end at 55 mph with a knife in my back pocket. I was pretty sore for a couple days but not only did my knife not hurt me, it didn’t come out of my pocket. Surprisingly all the quad needed was a new handlebar and new tie rods. My helmet took the most damage. I still have it as a reminder.

That said, we all get to decide what level of risk we will assume. I tend to lack fear to a fault. The way I see it. Riding bikes is inherently dangerous. Once you are on two wheels you have already assumed the risk so I don’t sweat the details. I hit a wild turkey this spring at 60 mph. I didn’t go down because it was a glancing blow. Somehow I have now clipped two turkeys in my life on bike. Last time was about 20 years ago. I have had a few close calls with deer and have a friend who blasted a deer on a bike and ended up in the hospital. I also know a guy who hit a deer on a snowmobile and broke his neck. I just think that my pocketknife is the least of my worries on the bike.

I rode my bike to work today with my Shaman in my back pocket. It was early and still dark. I put my mental capacity towards looking for deer and not towards worrying about my knife.

Many years ago, Motorcyclist magazine had a short story of a guy doing a speed run on some flats somewhere when he too quickly came upon a vulture feasting on something dead. The vulture attempted to get out of the way, but was a little slow (relatively speaking) and the motorcyclist struck the vulture with his helmet. The guy related that the strike had knocked him unconscious for a second or two, but the bike managed to stay upright and he was ultimately ok. The vulture however did not survive and the motorcyclist had a pic of himself holding the dead vulture up. The way he told the story was humorous. Interesting stuff for sure!

[wrdwrght]

If the sudden stoppage of your bike’s momentum can open the positive-close of a Spyderco midlock or BBL/CBBL, I think an unintentionally-opened knife on your person will be the least of your worries. No?

[ChrisinHove]

I hit a pheasant once whilst caning it one early morning down a favourite straight. It shot out of the hedgerow and evaporated, along with my off-side mirror.

I’ve since read of fatalities from bird strikes so take that road a bit easier now if I think the wildlife may not have yet been disturbed…

[Jim Malone]

I read "i hit a peasant once"...

[ChrisinHove]

I read "i hit a peasant once"...

That was another time, but I don’t talk about that one …