Pros and Cons of Assisted Opening Knives

Assisted Opening knives are special types of folding knives that use a specific mechanism for opening the blade once you partially open it using the holder. Typically, such knives incorporate a thumb stud or a flipper that are usually attached to the blade. These knives are often compared with the switchblades. Many people confuse these knives with switchblades, but they are completely different. Switchblades are not assisted opening, rather they follow an automatic mechanism. Switchblades include a button which opens the blade upon pressing. 

The assisted opening knives look pretty similar to the switchblades. However, they need some force to be exerted in order to open the blade. Then, using a thumb stud, the blade completely opens up.  The assisted opening knives are one of the controversial knives because of the never-ending debate on their advantages and disadvantages. Some argue that they offer more benefits, while the others often disclose their drawbacks. But, before we make a final decision, it is important to know the pros and cons of these knives.

Pros of Assisted Opening Knife

i) Easiest to Carry Knives

Assisted Opening knives are by far the easiest to carry knives. Due to a folding mechanism, their size can be reduced significantly. These knives have small blades as well that are hidden into the handle. The already small size of the knife is further reduced when it is folded. Therefore, the small size allows the users to carry them comfortably. Typically, the blades of such knives are around 2-3 inches, with relatively larger handle. However, they are still pretty smaller compared to fixed blade knives. So, a folded spring assisted knife can be placed in your pocket, bag or purse. Therefore, you can carry it easily even when you are on a longer voyage. 

ii) Safe to Use

Assisted Opening knives are safest to use knives as well. Imagine, you are carrying a fixed blade knife in your pocket, the blade is uncovered, so, you are likely to cause yourself an injury. Similarly, switchblades are also dangerous; you are vulnerable to injuries when carrying switchblades. Because they are automatic, all you need to do is press a button, and the blade fully opens. What if you accidentally press the button? The blade will open to cause you an injury. So, how are the assisted opening knives safer?

Assisted Opening Knives are neither automatic, nor have the fixed blade. They have a folding mechanism and the blade can’t open unless you attempt to open it. It can only open once you put some effort to partially open it. Therefore, you are not vulnerable to causing an accidental injury to yourself. 

iii) Better Closing and Opening Speed

What makes the assisted opening knives the best self defense knives is the opening and closing speed of the knives. They can be as quicker to be deployed as the automatic switchblades. You don’t need to push a button, rather just a slight assistance will open the blade. In switchblades, you need to press the button to deploy the blade. Hence, better opening and closing speed make them useful self defense knives. 

Cons of Assisted Knife

i) Safety Lock

Assisted Opening knives come with safety lock which keeps the blade closed. This reduces the opening and closing speed of the blade. You need to unlock the safety lock first and then deploy the blade. This would become a huge disadvantage for you during self defense scenarios. 

ii) Undurable

The biggest complaint made by the users against the assisted opening knives is their non-durability. They break more often as compared to fixed blades. 

iii) Less Control Over the Knife

Spring Assisted knives provide less control. Sometimes, you don’t have control over the closing and opening speeds of the blades.

Read Also: Top 5 Reasons Why Pocket Knives are Necessary in Your Weapons Arsenal

Analyzing the Different Types of Survival Knives

When you find yourself in a survival situation unexpectedly, what weapon would you want to counter the attack? You will probably be happy to have a knife on your side. However, an old pocket knife certainly can’t fulfill your purpose of survival. You definitely want the best survival knife to tackle the dangerous attacks. But, the question is what are the survival knives that you may consider for self-defense. 

You will have plenty of options if you consider choosing a survival knife. However, there are differences when it comes to features, uses, and durability. According to our research, certain survival knives surpass the others because of their immense strength and durability. If you are keen to know the different types of survival knives, here are the most common picks. 

Fixed Blade Survival Knives

Whether you are out for hunting or you are in a serious survival situation, the fixed blade survival knives would save your life. These knives are designed for multi-applications and include boot knives, hunting knives and many more. Usually bigger in size, these knives are known for their strength. There are absolutely no moving parts, so there is no possibility of breakage. Also, their maintenance is pretty easy. 

Fixed Blades are the most widely used survival knives because of their unmatchable blade strength and sharpness. This is mainly because of the length of the blade which is double the length of a folding knife. Because there is no folding mechanism, they are ready to use when an attacker approaches you. What makes it the best survival knife is its ability to serve digging, cutting, hammering, hunting, prying, and splitting. 

Combat Survival Knives

The soldiers need to be well-prepared on the battlefield to counter whatever comes their way. So, their first choice has to be an automatic tool or a heavy artillery. However, this is not just the choice of a weapon or a tool, the soldiers at every level of military tend to carry a knife which can be used as a tool for different activities and serve as a weapon in combat situation. Therefore, the knives they prefer for this purpose are the combat survival knives. They are termed as integral part of the equipment carried by the soldiers. So, whether you use these knives as weapons or tools, they can be your survivors.

Combat knives are a type of survival knives that are designed solely for the military use. They can serve you in close combat and hand to hand fights. In addition, they are excellent when it comes to utility use. You can use them for your survival while travelling. For instance, the soldiers use them to clear foliage, open ammunition crates, and chop the branches for cover. Hence, you can consider this all-rounder knife as utility-fighting knife.

Military Survival Knives

These are the special types of survival knives designed to facilitate the army personnel. These are the necessary tools carried by the members of different branches of military. Ammunition and guns are pretty crucial, but a knife comes up as a must-carry tool. You may run short of ammo during survival situations. The guns have several moving parts that may lead to wastage of a much-needed time. In this situation, a knife is not just a backup weapon, it is a comprehensive tool. 

When we talk about survival knives, they are the tools that won’t suffer any breakdown and don’t require an additional accessory to operate. During a combat, you can use military knife as the last resort, or a useful tool which can be used in several other ways. A military knife can be used to dig a hole, assist in preparing food, and cut cord or rope. So, such knives can help soldiers survive during a battle. 

Almost every military in the world has equipped its personnel with the military knives. Specifically, it is necessary for the US troops to carry knives as a standard rule. However, the types of survival knives may vary, for instance, the US Marine Corps would always use a different knife as compared to the Navy Seals. Similarly, the knives carried by the soldiers in normal circumstances are different from the ones carried on the battlefields. 

Folding Survival Knives

People tend to raise concerns regarding these survival knives, specifically about their lack of strength compared to the fixed blade knives. However, they are as effective as fixed blades when considering your survival against the unexpected attacks. These knives are extremely small because of the folding mechanism. There are circumstances in which it would not be feasible to carry larger survival knives. In these situations, folding knives can be a good alternative. 

Folding knives are smallest survival knives, and can fit into your pocket with ease. Also, they are reasonably priced, enabling you to equip yourself with a self-defense weapon without spending a great amount of money. However, to be honest, there is a minor drawback associated with these knives. The folding mechanism may fail at the time you are about to defend yourself against the attacker. While you benefit from the convenience offered by this knife, you have to sacrifice the reliability and durability. But, the small size, ease to carry, and convenience are the factors that overcome the drawbacks of these knives.

Tactical Survival Knives

When you talk about a soldier’s arsenal, a tactical knife is an essential part of it. It also works both as a weapon and a tool. They are one of the high quality survival knives that are unbreakable. You would never want to be in a death or life situation only to get your knife broken. Their blades are probably the strongest ones among the self-defense knives. Even after taking years of abuse, your blade would be as sharp as it was on the day one. However, you can sharpen the blade if you want anytime. These knives come with different blade configuration including straight edge, serrated edge, double edge, or a combination of these. These knives may not seem exciting, but they are constructed to last longer.

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