Spyderco Forums

My only problem has been that since I rely on the wire clip to brace my fingers against to open up my D'fly (2nd generation, mind you), it loosens up periodically. This happened routinely in the first 6 months or so of ownership, lately it hasn't been coming loose as much (after a very thorough clip tightening).

Like D, I also have fairly large hands, and the D'fly, Ladybug, Manbug always open up no problem for me. A lanyard may help you too.

I found the same thing while practising the opening over and over. I was a little surprised to find it seemed easiest to put my thumb and index finger in the spyderhole and push back on the handle with my middle finger. With my thumb it seems finicky: sometimes no problem, sometimes end up with a half-open blade and nothing left to push with. So I feel the same way and am hoping it gets easier with practice -- seems to so far.

This might be obvious, too, and I think the feeling is obvious, but I try to look at my grip and arrange so that the force is perpendicular to the line between the hole and the pivot, since that's the way the blade moves and force at a different angle is wasted.

ive opened and close mine hundreds of times, comes pretty natural after a while

For me the D'Fly's have been easy one handers from the start :) Hand size might play a role?? I have short, but thicker fingers.

No problems here. My D'Fly opens with one hand just as easily as my Millie. I have long skinny fingers and can sometimes palm a basketball.

I have large hands and have never had any issues with one hand opening. The size means that I can't flick it open like a Delica or Sage, but flicking knives open is a bit too flash for me. :)

Practice makes perfect. Lots of open/close cycles and no issues.

I guess it is a matter of ergonomics i.e. refining the design of products to optimize them for human use.

Our little Dragonflys are already designed so all we have to do find out how to contort our hand to fit the design.

First open the Dragonfly and hold it very lightly on your four finger tips and put you thumb on the hole. Make a note of where your thumb is in relationship to the edge on the scale underneath it. (Don't worry about where your fingers fall at this time) My thumb falls with the top edge of the scale about a 1/8th inch below the base of my thumb nail. Mark your thumb with a felt pen it if you must.

Now close the knife and place your thumb on the top edge of the scale where you had it before (use the mark if you made one). Now it is not important where your fingers go, mostly they need to be out of the way of the blade so it can open. They will probably fall naturally in the right place if you just keep them out of the way of the blade while doing the following action.

Now, without letting the knife move, bend and slide your thumb down and into the hole. This will probably
make your thumb joint reach its limit and with your thumb nail vertically in the hole.

Now you already know that your thumb will be in the hole when the knife if fully open (you've already set it up to be so) so all you have to do is grip the knife and straighten your thumb out and swing the blade

A word of caution. Rookie race car drivers are told that when the car gets the slightest out of control to instantly stop doing anything but slamming on the brakes. The same applies here. If things don't go smoothly have your opposite hand ready to instantly grab the blade in a safe place and hold it while you untangle the operating hand and get it out of the way of harm.

I hope this helps someone do the seemingly impossible and with practice, practise you will soon wonder what the problem was.

I have no problem thumb opening my Dragonfly 2, and I have big hands.

One hand just fine for me.

Same here (no issues with one-hand opening the D'fly). Same goes for the Ladybug and Manbug. I wear a size XL in gloves too, FWIW.

I can actually open and close my DFs easier than I can my Native 5....

I like to thumb flick. DF2 is no problem, Native 5 is harder but still ok.

I can open and Close the DF with one hand realy easy.I use the Clip to brace my last 3 fingers,and put the index on the pivot screw for openning.For closing i drag the blade with my index half the way,then finish the movement with the thumb.

Reading this thread made me go upstairs and retrieve my DF 2 out of its resting place and reacquaint myself with it .
I have diagnosed arthritis and yet I can still get that sucker open and closed one handed in a blink of an eye .
Maybe I'm just lucky ?

Ken

No problem at all to open it or close it one hand !
An awesome knife on every points ! :cool:

Easier than the Ladybug/Manbug. (Without lanyard)
I add a small "lanyard" at the end of my Manbug, it really help !

I only had a problem with closing it, once. I've been using larger blades (Delica & bigger usually for EDC) and got in the habit of using my index finger at the spine to push the blade(s) closed with my right hand. The blade on the ZDP DF is a lot shorter than the others.

I did my usual close maneuver after sharpening it & the point of the blade was aligned with the pad of the finger tip, much lower than a longer blade, ah muscle memory! The slight amount of pressure was enough to put the point at the pad, but just below grade. As I swung the blade closed, it pushed up on the point & neatly opened the finger tip, zoink. At least it was a nice, clean cut.