Can you do an inertia opening with your Sage 5 or 6?

[Bolster]

I can't. If you can, would you give me some tips, please?

I watched the Janich* video, but still...can't do with my LW Sage 5 in M4.

* youtu.be/gV4ZopQkwDo

[arnold ziffle]

when i was younger i used to be able to do that with a buck 110. the key to doing it is hold it so the tip end is out a bit and when you flick your wrist emphasize the movement of the tip end so it gets the inertia.

[zhyla]

I was quite dumbfounded at that opening method. I understand how it works but I don’t understand how to do it reliably.

The lighter the blade the faster you need to flick it.

[vivi]

I can't. If you can, would you give me some tips, please?

I watched the Janich* video, but still...can't do with my LW Sage 5 in M4.

* youtu.be/gV4ZopQkwDo

it's easier to do an inertia opening with comp lock knives if you press the lock tab down right before swinging the blade open. ill shoot a video with a military 2 if you want.

[JoviAl]

I do this a fair bit with my heavier bladed folders like the Yojumbo, P4, Stretch XL, Manix XL, etc. I’ve never tried it with something as small as a sage as the blades are so light. Not saying it can’t be done but I’m not surprised you’re finding it the wrong side of tricky B.

[JoviAl]

Ok, I’ve just tried (really tried, until my arm hurt) inertia opening a selection of sub three inch knives and the only one I can do reliably is a Para3.

[Michael Janich]

Yes, it can be done with proper technique. I regularly inertia open a full-flat-ground Delica 4 Wharncliffe, which is significantly harder because of the self-close function of the back lock.

Stay safe,

Mike

[Mushroom]

I can't. If you can, would you give me some tips, please?

I watched the Janich* video, but still...can't do with my LW Sage 5 in M4.

* youtu.be/gV4ZopQkwDo

it's easier to do an inertia opening with comp lock knives if you press the lock tab down right before swinging the blade open. ill shoot a video with a military 2 if you want.

That's not the technique being displayed here. The technique Michael Janich is using does not touch the lock. The blade is being opened purely by inertia, hence the name. Depressing the lock to do this would get in the way and be too finicky in an emergency situation, in my opinion.

[Danke]

I can do a NY flick with a lot of knives including back locks but I can't get my Sage 5 with the regular motion.

I can get it if I bang my wrist into my knee so I'm not making the down/up motion quickly enough. Maybe a really strong detent on that one? I can thumb flick it really well. That's my go to move.

[zhyla]

it's easier to do an inertia opening with comp lock knives if you press the lock tab down right before swinging the blade open. ill shoot a video with a military 2 if you want.

Sure, depressing the lock on even backlocks will you swing them open.

Played around with some of my stash this morning. Here are my findings:

There are several knives I can "shake" open (this is inertial opening, but not the simple rotation that the Janich video shows). These include a Spyderco Tenacious, Manix 2, Chief LW, Astute, Miguron Moyarl (crossbar lock), and the pinnacle of knife quality, the Walmart Ozark Trail $10 knife (crossbar lock). My smaller backlocks like the Chap LW and Lil Matriarch won't budge.

Of all of those I've managed to get the Manix 2 and the Miguron open with the Janich rotation method. Much easier to get it to go on the Miguron. It's got less blade mass than the Manix 2 but it's on bearings and is one of those perfectly tuned $60 Chinese knives. Super slick.

I suspect a comp or liner lock with a weak detente is going to be the best bet for the Janich method. Obviously he's telling us the truth when he says he can do this on a Delica but it really blows my mind. I can get my Chief LW half open sometimes with this method and that blade has a huge amount of rotational inertia (mass far from the pivot is more inertia than close).

Soooo...

Mr. Janich, please please please explain how to do this with a Delica. I don't think any of us get it.

The "Shake" inertia method is far more reliable I think.

I'm still skeptical anything but thumbhole opening is optimal in a defensive setting. You should have thousands of regular thumbhole openings so the muscle memory is 100% there. In that video it was asserted that fine motor skills go out the window when SHTF (true). But I don't think this falls into this category. It's a pretty gross motor function. I'm way more worried I won't get the inertial motion right when all **** is breaking loose than I am that I can't get a blade open with my thumb.

This does vary from knife to knife though -- a Manix 2 is a large knife and easy to get your thumb where it needs to go. The Native Chief has a smaller hole and the scale kind of gets in your way. So if you're serious about having a reliable draw in a defensive encounter I would take a close look at whether things get in your way when drawing from the pocket.

A standard opening also lends itself to tactical options such as a surreptitious draw or drawing the blade behind you while fending someone off with the other hand. I think it's probably faster as well since less arm movement is required.

[Danke]

How to



Practice Makes Progress

[zhyla]

After watching this second video I realized I had the motion completely backwards. It's not that different from the "shake" opening method I suppose.

[Evil D]

I can't with my 5, which I find a pleasant surprise given how lacking Taichung detents have been in other compression lock knives. Mine has a very crisp feeling detent and no matter what direction I hold the knife and try I can't open it with inertia alone. It does flick out like a dream though.

[Michael Janich]

Dear Danke:

Thank you very much for posting that video. I forgot Shawn had taken that.

The key to the inertial opening is that the knife must rotate around the pivot pin. Gripping the handle with your fingers perpendicular to it helps ensure you do that. Most people start the motion with their elbow or wrist as the center of the radius and try to make it more like cracking a whip. That doesn't work.

Fred Perrin uses a different method, which is like turning a key in a lock. It works for most knives, but I've found that with light-bladed knives and heavy detents, it doesn't work as well for me.

No doubt about it, it's a trained skill that requires practice. Once mastered, however, it is extremely fast.

Stay safe,

Mike

[Bolster]

Thanks for the replies.

No joy with a true inertia opening on the Sage 5 yet. If I hold the comp lock and flick, I get a very easy open, and sometimes it bounces back from full open into half closed again. I suppose one would need to have excellent comp lock release timing, OR orient the open blade so it's less likely to bounce back (ie, have the blade open past vertical, maybe around 2 o-clock, so that gravity is helping keep the blade from bouncing closed). Still, you'd have to find the teeny tiny comp lock with your finger. Maybe a lot easier with a Sage 6?

The Manix 2 LW, I was able to get a true inertia open a few times, but not reliably, and not without a tremendous amount of "arm jerk." However, if I pull the CBBL back and gently flick it open, I get a solid lockup without the timing issues of the Sage 5. With a CBBL hold-back, I can get a very reliable fast deploy and lockup on a Manix 2 LW.

[WilliamDK]

Yes, I can.
I can also do it with Dragonfly and Manbug.
But I have been practicing for 15+ years.

I will upload a video of it soon.