Lots of opening and closing

[Kev83]

Hi all! Ok so I'll start off by saying yeah I'm pretty sure I have some type of hyperactivity deal going on. Any knife I carry on me, whenever I have down time, I'm constantly opening and closing and just generally messing around with it. I was wondering has anyone actually experienced damage or premature wear on a knife/locking mechanism due to this? I'm sure it's common amongst the knife community to do so but is there any actual cases of damage caused? All stories welcome! By the way the model I'm currently edc'ing is a spyderco pm2 and its just so beautiful and the action is so crisp I just can't put it down!

[kbuzbee]

Nope, just helps break it in more quickly.

The only kind I'd be at all concerned about would be a titanium liner lock with no steel insert, but even then, you're talking pretty much forever.

Ken

[Blerv]

You are only going to increase the wear a little bit. Titanium lock bars tend to wear faster but even that is overrated (IMHO).

If you are opening it violently (inertia, wave, flicks) that also puts a bit more wear on things. Locks like the Comp are a bit more rugged than others.

[BAL]

My wife would be the expert on this question. At least once a day, she says
somthing to the effect of "Would you put that knife back in your pocket".
And trust me, this is the cleaned up version. I am constantly playing with
one (knife) whether I am watching tv, driving or walking thru a store.

I have smoothed up the action of several, by opening and closing. I haven't
wore one out yet and don't worry about it. That's why you have several knives,
so you can rotate through them.

[xceptnl]

My wife would be the expert on this question. At least once a day, she says
somthing to the effect of "Would you put that knife back in your pocket".
And trust me, this is the cleaned up version. I am constantly playing with
one (knife) whether I am watching tv, driving or walking thru a store.

I have smoothed up the action of several, by opening and closing. I haven't
wore one out yet and don't worry about it. That's why you have several knives,
so you can rotate through them.

Your wife must be related to mine. I hear that constantly. The funny part is I do this at work around other knife people (though not knife crazy like I am) and have seen them doing it now when they are talking to other. It is contagious. What stores are you walking around in while fondling your knife?

[phillipsted]

That obsessive-compulsive behavior is known as "knifesturbation."

It afflicts many of us here.

TedP

[Kev83]

That obsessive-compulsive behavior is known as "knifesturbation."

It afflicts many of us here.

TedP

Ha! Just don't do it too much or you'll go blind!

[PatCatMan]

Your wives sound nice - mine just says I'm crazy and I freak people out flipping my knives open and shut /open and shut.

I don't do it everywhere :rolleyes:

[Liquid Cobra]

I used to flick open my pm2 constantly. One day I took it apart to clean it and just to see the guts. I was shocked/surprised/disappointed to see the part of the blade that interacts with the compression lock was worn. Picture a piece of metal pounded flatter by a hammer.
So I bought a new pm2 and use it for carrying. They original stays at home and serves as my messing around flick knife. I don't flick open the rest of my knives very often anymore. I'll try to post pics of the damage next time I disassemble the pm2.

[grewich]

That obsessive-compulsive behavior is known as "knifesturbation."

It afflicts many of us here.

TedP

i believe there was once an entire thread devoted to knifesturbation in the bathroom...

[Tally-ho]

Ha! Just don't do it too much or you'll go blind!

Or with shrunken fingers.
5 little fingers on a same hand is a sure sign of knifesturbation.

[kennethsime]

I used to flick open my pm2 constantly. One day I took it apart to clean it and just to see the guts. I was shocked/surprised/disappointed to see the part of the blade that interacts with the compression lock was worn. Picture a piece of metal pounded flatter by a hammer.
So I bought a new pm2 and use it for carrying. They original stays at home and serves as my messing around flick knife. I don't flick open the rest of my knives very often anymore. I'll try to post pics of the damage next time I disassemble the pm2.

I hear people talk a lot about flicking, but am curious as to what you mean. I typically open one-handed knives quickly, with a flick of the thumb angled up (towards the pivot-end of the knife rather than out (towards the belly-side of the blade), building pressure until the detent is overpowered and the knife opens up easily. Sometimes I will open them more slowly, keeping my thumb on the blade the whole time. This second method is more controlled and surely gentler on the knife, but I wouldn't think I would experience much wear even after 5, 10, or more years (especially considering how many 20-year-old Spydercos I've seen, let alone 30+ year old Buck 110s using a near-identical locking mechanism, all of which lockup fine after a good cleaning). I guess if you really wanted to minimize wear, you would hold your lockbar down/open with one hand while opening the blade with the other, and release the lock only when the blade is fully open so as to avoid the lock "popping" into place and wearing the corners of the two locking surfaces. But I bought a one-hand opening knife from a reliable company for a reason.

I've always associated "flicking" with spyder-drops and people who feel that their knife isn't open or useful if they haven't had a "good deployment," to quote one who shall not be named. Is what I do described as flicking? Is it advisable to open my knife more slowly every time?

[mikerestivo]

That obsessive-compulsive behavior is known as "knifesturbation."

It afflicts many of us here.

TedP

And as far as we know, it does not cause blindness. If it did, my wife would be typing this for me right now.

[JNewell]

I used to flick open my pm2 constantly. One day I took it apart to clean it and just to see the guts. I was shocked/surprised/disappointed to see the part of the blade that interacts with the compression lock was worn. Picture a piece of metal pounded flatter by a hammer.So I bought a new pm2 and use it for carrying. They original stays at home and serves as my messing around flick knife. I don't flick open the rest of my knives very often anymore. I'll try to post pics of the damage next time I disassemble the pm2.

Depending on how hard the knife is being flicked, that is exactly what you'd expect to see. :o

[Liquid Cobra]

I hear people talk a lot about flicking, but am curious as to what you mean. I typically open one-handed knives quickly, with a flick of the thumb angled up (towards the pivot-end of the knife rather than out (towards the belly-side of the blade), building pressure until the detent is overpowered and the knife opens up easily. Sometimes I will open them more slowly, keeping my thumb on the blade the whole time. This second method is more controlled and surely gentler on the knife, but I wouldn't think I would experience much wear even after 5, 10, or more years (especially considering how many 20-year-old Spydercos I've seen, let alone 30+ year old Buck 110s using a near-identical locking mechanism, all of which lockup fine after a good cleaning). I guess if you really wanted to minimize wear, you would hold your lockbar down/open with one hand while opening the blade with the other, and release the lock only when the blade is fully open so as to avoid the lock "popping" into place and wearing the corners of the two locking surfaces. But I bought a one-hand opening knife from a reliable company for a reason.

I've always associated "flicking" with spyder-drops and people who feel that their knife isn't open or useful if they haven't had a "good deployment," to quote one who shall not be named. Is what I do described as flicking? Is it advisable to open my knife more slowly every time?

I was opening it the first way you described. Quickly towards the pivot. No spyder drops. Now I open them with the same method, I just don't sit there watching tv and doing it for an hours on end. I also open my knives in a more controlled manor like your second method. I actually prefer that way now as it it gentler on the knife, but also seems safer and more in control.
I was surprised too considering how much they cost and how durable they are. My wife was not impressed either. She is always asking why I have to clean/tinker with my knives so often if they are "such great quality". Haha.

[v8r]

People are always so quick to show me there Autos and assisted opening knives. I can pull out and flick any of my Spyderco knives open quicker. Why you say? Lots of practice and my right thumb is pretty muscular for some strange reason.

Joking aside I believe we all have done it once in a while.

[BAL]

Your wife must be related to mine. I hear that constantly. The funny part is I do this at work around other knife people (though not knife crazy like I am) and have seen them doing it now when they are talking to other. It is contagious. What stores are you walking around in while fondling your knife?

Lowes, Cabelas, Walmart, CVS, basically wherever I am.
I have a Yojimbo 2 in my front right for SD and I like to
keep my hand in my pocket anyway as I walk through
parking lots.

[BAL]

In the winter my fingers, especially the thumbs get dry and split open.
I can open a knife slowly with the a thumb, but as far as flicking open
or quickly opening, I use the middle finger to flick it open.

This finger is quite muscular and nimble anyway..... I drive quite a bit.