Assisted opening knives are a category that is increasingly common for EDC, or everyday carry. They provide quick, one handed opening using either springs or a ball bearing pivot system. Spring assist knives have a spring-loaded mechanism mounted in the handle to propel the blade once the user has moved it past a certain angle. Ball bearing pivot systems uses caged ball bearings for an easy, smooth opening.
These differ from automatic or switchblade knives in that the blade is not released by means of a button or catch on the handle - the blade itself is the actuator. Most assisted openers use flippers also called triggers as their opening mechanism. Assisted opening knife can be as fast as or faster than automatic knives to deploy.
Another major benefit of this type of knife is its ability to be easily deployed with one hand, in some cases just one finger and is easy to operate in varying weather conditions, even with gloves on. This can be a real bonus in high stress situations for military and first responders like police, fire and EMS.
Blade and handle materials for open assist knives are the same as other folding knives so performance doesn’t suffer at all. Stainless steel blades and either plastic, aluminum or G-10 handle scales are prominent on assisted opening knives. To aid in carry most come with a pocket clip which allows easy access from any pocket or can be clipped to a pack or purse. Atlanta Cutlery (ACC) carries a variety of knives styles from manufacturers like Kershaw, Elk Ridge, M Tech and Tac Force.
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