You are just out taking a stroll; it's just another day in a year full of days; until it isn't; no one can tell when a seemingly normal day or activity can turn on its head and turn into a life or death situation. You never know if the stranger coming towards you or the one following from behind, will just pass by or it will turn into a scene from a Quentin Tarantino movie.
Your fears and general paranoia about safety isn't unwarranted. The times we live in-with skyrocketing street crimes, escalating stabbing accidents, or general violent attacks- force us into a state of constant caution.
In such circumstances, imagine an item- a tool- that is the only thing that will stand between you and a deadly attacker. It better be reliable right? Spring assisted knives are your best bet. Forget the discomfort of carrying a knife of your own, a spring assisted knife, which is superbly designed to remain disguised and provide you with timely protection.
Opening mechanism of spring assisted knives
It is important to know the inner workings of a spring assisted knife to determine whether these suit you more than automatic or switchblade knives. Here is how a spring assisted knife works.
The blade of a spring assisted knife opens when you begin to apply some force or pressure on the thumb stud or lever attached to the rear of the blade. This causes the stored tension in the spring to let go of the resistance that was causing the knife to remain closed and the blade pops out. open only after the blade is slightly pushed open with force.
Because there is no locking mechanism that holds the blade in when the knife is in closed position, spring assisted knives require little pressure to open up-with minute resistance from the spring. The time taken to overcome this resistance however makes spring assisted knives a little slow to be deployed as compared to automatic knives. But this has also led them to be carried around legally in most states.
The convenience afforded by the spring assisted mechanism males the spring assisted knives quick to wield out, safe to carry around and legal in the United states.
Different kinds of spring assisted knives
Butterfly knife:
The most popular out of all folding knives, butterfly knives are composed of two handles enclosing a blade. The bite handle faces the sharp side of the blade and the safe handle is on the dull side.
Because of little resistance needed to transform the knife from closed to open position, the spring assisted butterfly knives are favorite of many knife truckers who play around, rotating, flipping and spinning the butterfly knife with an athletic skill and enthusiasm.
Survival knives
Most spring assisted knives have a multi-purpose ensemble of features that can come in handy in various situations. If you are on an outdoor activity-be in hunting, camping or even just on a scenic picnic, the survival knife is your best friend.
It’s mostly a cheap knife because the steel blade is not super strong, but the knife is built to carry out menial everyday tasks like cutting, slicing through thin layers or ripping cloth. Handle is usually constructed with nylon giving it a good grip.
Heavy-duty combat spring assisted knives
These types of spring assisted knives are frequently used by the military and police. They are built to do the tough job. A typical knife would feature a glass breaker tip with a razor sharp clipped blade which has an indent. These spring assisted knives are bulky but carry out heavyweight tasks maintaining their sharp edge for a very long time.
Bottle opener knife
This kind of spring assisted knife is unique because it also acts as a bottle opener. This feature is due to a drop point blade allowing you to flick open bottle caps. The tough blade makes the knife sturdy but it is usually made of carbon steel that tends to corrode quickly.
Blade may have serrations but they don't interfere much in the bottle opening task. The serrated blade will easily tear but doesn't usually cut which you should keep in mind if using this knife as a self defense weapon.
Final thoughts
Looking for a perfect spring assisted knife can be tricky given the humongous amount of options available out there. The size, blade design and durability of a spring assisted knife, are things you need to keep in mind when you are about to purchase one.
Read Also: History & Uses of Brass Knuckles!
