Can I ask you lot something?

[Daveho]

There has been an emphasis on speed of deployment lately and I just have to ask why?
When at work box cutting isn’t a timed event nor is food prep at lunch.
When cleaning fish or game-again it’s the same situation, time isn’t really a concern.

Only time I can see knife deployment time being a factor would be in a self defence situation which a fixed blade would be more suitable anyway-
Forgive the ignorance but if someone could explain it to me that would be tops- why is this such a paramount consideration for you?

[tvenuto]

I would say I want to be able to draw, open, cut, close, pocket with a minimum of futzing. If I can do all of this easily then it would follow that it’s relatively fast. I’d say most of my Spyderco knives work very well in this regard.

[holeshot]

Well, there's always the fun/fiddle factor. I have to admit that's why I own a fair number of autos while living in a state that they're illegal to carry but not to own. :)

[500Nitro]

I would say I want to be able to draw, open, cut, close, pocket with a minimum of futzing. If I can do all of this easily then it would follow that it’s relatively fast. I’d say most of my Spyderco knives work very well in this regard.

But say in my case, an Endura 1, I have a "minimum of futzing" and don't need it to be any faster,
if I did I learn to do it faster. As it is it's total muscle memory anyway.

The OP's post is that the whole emphasis is on speed and any hiccup to this is criticized ?

Just my HO.


Edit
I'll add, I would put this into "an internet requirement" like a few others that I have seen commented on.
One being "blade is centered" which someone said only came about because of forums/internet.

[ChrisinHove]

Not speed for me, but certainly ease of opening and closing, and the easier ones do tend to be quicker.

[Evil D]

When I did cut down boxes at work it absolutely was a timed event, everything we did was on a very strict schedule and there were always goals to be met. For that reason I usually just used a small box knife that stayed open, but when I did use a pocket knife it had to be fast to draw/open/cut/close/clip, so I favored knives with compression locks and CBBL's in particular.

These days I drive a tow truck for a living, and this kind of work goes from very laid back to first responder level of urgency where I need to move a wrecked car out of the middle of a busy highway and not get myself ran over in the process. I typically don't need to cut a lot of things for this job but when I do it's usually one of these intense situations where I don't have time to fumble around with a knife, it has to do exactly what I need exactly when I need it.

I suspect this question is stemming from your deep carry clip thread, so I'll say the same thing here as I said there, it just depends on the situation. I carry my Sliverax a lot on my days off where the chances of me needing a knife in an emergency is much slimmer, so things like fine motor skills and gloved hands aren't an issue. For my job there is absolutely a good chance I may be first on scene of an accident and need to cut a seatbelt or who knows what. For those situations, deep carry is literally a safety concern.

[zhyla]

For me it’s convenience. If I repeatedly have to deploy the knife in a short amount of time it gets annoying if it’s slow. Fixed blades are the benchmark here.

Un-deployment time matters almost as much to me.

[500Nitro]

When I did cut down boxes at work it absolutely was a timed event, everything we did was on a very strict schedule and there were always goals to be met. For that reason I usually just used a small box knife that stayed open, but when I did use a pocket knife it had to be fast to draw/open/cut/close/clip, so I favored knives with compression locks and CBBL's in particular.

The difference between using my Endura and a Box knife I would slide open is miniscule, 1-2, maybe 3 seconds at most.

[Evil D]

When I did cut down boxes at work it absolutely was a timed event, everything we did was on a very strict schedule and there were always goals to be met. For that reason I usually just used a small box knife that stayed open, but when I did use a pocket knife it had to be fast to draw/open/cut/close/clip, so I favored knives with compression locks and CBBL's in particular.

The difference between using my Endura and a Box knife I would slide open is miniscule, 1-2, maybe 3 seconds at most.

I usually used a simple "tap knife" that uses cheapo razor blades and I'd just hold it between my lips between boxes. I really just used knives because I enjoyed it, much mess so because I had to.

I think the easiest answer to this debate is simply because it's fun. I don't need 500 horsepower to drive to work but it sure is entertaining. I don't need a super hot blonde to make a baby...you get the idea.

[cptdean]

Well, there's always the fun/fiddle factor. I have to admit that's why I own a fair number of autos while living in a state that they're illegal to carry but not to own. :)

I won’t discount other answers, but fun/fiddle factor has always been a driving factor for me. The more gadgety, the better!

[bearfacedkiller]

I just like it to be easy. It just so happens that easy often takes less time.


I am sure some like speed for SD if that is what their interest in knives is.

[Daveho]

It strikes me as an intellectual exercise more than an issue that exists in the real world

[500Nitro]

It strikes me as an intellectual exercise more than an issue that exists in the real world

Good way of putting it.

[TomAiello]

Not speed for me, but certainly ease of opening and closing, and the easier ones do tend to be quicker.

This. I usually have my off hand busy, and have to draw/open/cut/close/replace my knife with just one hand.

[Daveho]

Not speed for me, but certainly ease of opening and closing, and the easier ones do tend to be quicker.

This. I usually have my off hand busy, and have to draw/open/cut/close/replace my knife with just one hand.

Absolutely agree that having one hand operation is a big plus but things like cable tie mods?

[abbazaba]

Time is money, and also being efficient is rewarding. Knives that are capable of one handed opening define speed of deployment. No one would rather a two handed knife when time counts, be it someone breaking down pallets or a contactor on a ladder, for example.

[Evil D]

It strikes me as an intellectual exercise more than an issue that exists in the real world

It would seem that your experience in the real world and other people's experience in the real world differ. Could also just be that people like what they like, but just because you've never needed fast deployment doesn't mean it's all in our heads. Maybe you just live a slow life

[JonLeBlanc]

Not speed for me, but certainly ease of opening and closing, and the easier ones do tend to be quicker.

+1 This

[500Nitro]

Not speed for me, but certainly ease of opening and closing, and the easier ones do tend to be quicker.

This. I usually have my off hand busy, and have to draw/open/cut/close/replace my knife with just one hand.

Which is why I use an Endura.

Now I have started adding to my Spydie collection it's going to be interesting to see any differences.

I like the thicker Endura 1 over the thinner 3 or 4 with metal clip.

[Bloke]

I am sure some like speed for SD ...