One-hand knife

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One-hand knife from Buck with opening pin
Spyderco one- hand knife with hole
One-hand knife from CRKT with flipper

One-hand knives are a special form of pocket knife that can be opened with one hand using an opening aid attached to the blade and, depending on the locking mechanism, closed again with one hand. This type of knife is used, for example, where it is important to open the knife quickly, for example combat knives or rescue knives . This type of knife was originally developed in the 1930s to enable disabled people and war invalids who only had a fully functional hand to use a pocket knife.

Opening aids

To open the knife with one hand, one-hand knives have special opening aids on the blade. Three different options have been established here:

Opening pin

Screwed or riveted pins are attached to the blade on one or both sides. With their help, the blade can be pushed open with the thumb. The opening pin is the most common opening aid.

It has the advantage that, especially with screwed pins, the knife can be converted to two-handed opening relatively easily and without major visual losses. However, it has the disadvantage that it gets in the way when sharpening on the whetstone. The pin can also be a nuisance when pulling the knife out of your pocket.

Holes in the blade

Here an eye is drilled into the blade, with the help of which the thumb can slide the blade open. This opening aid was patented by Spyderco founder Sal Glesser in 1981. Since then, the circular eye has been a registered trademark of Spyderco. Other manufacturers offer the same mechanism in a different form.

Pinball machine

The flipper is a nose protruding from the blade hinge. When closed, it protrudes from the spine of the booklet. To open it, your index finger presses the flipper and pushes the blade out of the handle. When the blade is unfolded, the flipper doubles as a small crossguard .

Due to the short path, the finger can only give the blade a little impulse. That is why a smooth blade hinge is particularly important with this opening aid. This is achieved with washers or a ball bearing. Occasionally the blade will be lightly held in place with a small cam that allows the finger to build up more force. On some models, however, a wave of the wrist must be used for the knife to open completely.

The origins of the pinball machine are probably not traceable today. Kit Carson made this mechanism popular again for today's generations of knives.

Locking mechanisms

Locking mechanisms keep the blade locked when open to prevent the knife from accidentally closing. In principle, all locking mechanisms can be used with one-hand knives that are also known from folding knives that can be operated with two hands. The most common ones are listed here, which can also be closed with one hand without the aid of gravity or additional objects.

Slipjoint

The slip joint is known from classic pocket knives. Here the blade is held open by a spring, to close it only has to overcome the resistance of the spring. There is no mechanical interlock. This type of closure has so far been the exception for one-hand knives. Knives of this type are mainly developed for markets in countries where one-hand knives with lockable blades are prohibited from being carried.

Liner lock

One-hand knife with liner lock

The liner lock is the most widely used lock for one-hand knives. Here is a steel leaf spring along the blade, which is pushed to the side by the blade when it is closed. When the blade is opened, the spring jumps behind the blade and locks it in place. The safety of the liner lock depends heavily on the quality of the spring and the workmanship of the knife. In the case of cheap knives, it can open under load, which endangers the user.

To close, the thumb pushes the spring to the side and the index finger pushes the blade towards the back of the blade. For left-handers, the spring is installed on the other side of the board.

Frame lock

Folding knife with lockback ("mid lock"; above) and frame lock (below)

The frame lock is a variation of the liner lock, in which an elastic part of the handle serves as a leaf spring. It has the advantage that it allows a thicker nib. However, the disadvantage is that the design of the handle is determined by the spring and the lock can be more accidentally released than with the liner lock.

The same handle is used to close the blade as with the liner lock. Here, too, there may be a left-handed version of the knife.

Lockback

The lockback is often used on two-hand knives . A hammer hooks into the back of the blade when it is opened and must be unlocked again by pressing a lever in the back of the knife.

With the classic lockback, the release is located very far back in the handle and one-handed closing requires a lot of practice or is sometimes not even possible with long blades. Newer variations relocate the release closer to the joint and are also called mid lock (in the middle of the handle) and front lock ( near the front of the handle) in English for better differentiation . Then the thumb can activate the release, while the index finger guides the blade down on the opening aid.

The term " backlock ", which is sometimes used in Germany, is incorrect.

Axislock

One-hand knife with Axislock

With this lock, when the blade is opened, a spring-loaded bolt slides over a flat part of the blade that is now on top. This lock is extremely stable.

Unlocking is done by pulling back the bolt with your thumb and pushing the blade closed with your index finger on the back of the blade. This lock is identical for right and left-handers.

Differentiation to the switchblade

Even if one-hand knives and switchblades are often equated in public perception, there are considerable differences between them. Switchblades open automatically when a button is pressed by a spring that is tensioned when closing; One-hand knives, on the other hand, have to be opened completely by hand.

An intermediate stage is the spring-assisted folding mechanism . The blade must first be opened manually about a third of the way until the spring engages and snaps into the end position.

Law

In many countries, knives that can be opened with one hand are subject to special laws.

Situation in Germany

In accordance with the current gun laws diameter must not handed with lockable blade since 2008 led to. The knife is used when actual violence is exercised over the object in question outside of one's own home, business premises or one's own pacified property. The length of the blade does not matter. A violation of this is an administrative offense and is punishable by a fine of up to 10,000 euros and confiscation of the item.

However, using a one-hand knife is permitted if there is a legitimate interest. This is particularly the case if the objects are carried in connection with the exercise of a profession, for the maintenance of customs, for sport or for a generally recognized purpose. However, self-defense is not a legitimate interest. Transport is permitted if the knife is in a closed container.

Situation in Austria

Pocket knives of all kinds are generally not considered weapons within the meaning of the Weapons Act - even if they have a locking mechanism. Acquisition, possession and use of these knives are therefore not subject to any restrictions.

Knives that also have a mechanism for opening or extending the blade (switchblade knives and the like) and butterfly knives are considered weapons. These knives may only be owned or used by people over the age of 18; however, no authorization is required. However, there may be exceptions, for example at events or when there is a gun ban.

Situation in Switzerland

The Swiss Weapons Act permits the acquisition, possession and use of manually opening one-hand knives regardless of their blade length. Likewise, they are not recorded as dangerous objects within the meaning of the law.

Individual evidence

  1. Pocket knife patent. Retrieved March 26, 2015 .
  2. Trademark 74,624,039th US Patent and Trademark Office, November 5, 1996 accessed March 4, 2016 .
  3. The flipper knife. June 11, 2013, accessed March 26, 2015 .
  4. Dangerous knives have to stay at home now
  5. a b § 42a WaffG
  6. OLG Stuttgart · Decision of June 14, 2011 · Az. 4 Ss 137/11. Retrieved April 16, 2015 .
  7. ^ Amendments to the Gun Law 2008. Federal Ministry of the Interior, accessed on April 16, 2015 .
  8. ^ Weapons Act: Knives in Austria. Retrieved August 5, 2017 .
  9. SR 514.54 Federal Act of June 20, 1997 on Weapons, Weapon Accessories and Ammunition (Weapons Act, WG). Retrieved June 5, 2020 .