non locking knives?

[8thsinner]

Oh, I'm a sucker for anything japanese and that Citadel buddy in cocobolo looks fantastic.
Thanks for sharing the site, I wasn't aware of it before.

 

[wanderingblade]

I have just bought the self sharpening CRKT Edgie from hennie for just over £20.......

Good man!

The Edgie is (imo) the best edc available at the moment, really ticks all the boxes:

• Nice handle design
• Nice blade design - no point = no temptation to do something that will cause it to close on you!
• Pocket clip
• One-Hand opening
• Well weighted and solid (sorry but UKPK's feel like they'll blow away in the wind!)
• Cheap enough to use / abuse / lose without too much upset

Sure, the self-sharpening thing is a bit of a gimmick and is pretty ineffective once it gets clogged with pocket fluff but as an overall package I love 'em!

 

[rawshak]

The best thing you can do opinel wise is to get yourself a 6 and take the locking ring off. I did that, prize it off with some needle nose plyers. That leaves it about 1mm short of the 7.62cm legal size limit.

Personally, I wouldn't recommend doing this, as the Opinel has nothing else to keep the blade in place, so you are seriously risking the blade closing on your fingers (I've never liked the smaller non-locking Opinels either), especially as they can get really loose. I hate having a non-locking blade, but if you have to have one, you're better off with the added safety of a good slipjoint (the strong spring that holds a non-locker in place). At lest you are minimalising the risks if not avoiding them completely.

 

[BorderReiver]

That's fair enough, but even with a reason, you shouldn't take a knife into a pub! We agree on that, but I wanted to clarify, you DO NOT need a reason to carry a legal, sub-3 inch, non-locking folding pocket knife in UK.

Don't forget also, that railway companies can stop you from entering their property, railway stations and trains, if you are carrying even a legal knife.

 

[spamel]

See that's just the thing. Been on doors and had blades pulled on me and have never thought, " "right knife fight" . Always just got it off of the gentleman and shown him the error of his ways. Now I do have fighting weapons, but that's what they are for... fighting... ( though only in practice and ceremonial mode) My everyday carry is never even thought of as a weapon. I was taught that a weapon was a killing thing. My pocket knife isn't for that, it's a tool. We may be getting into semantics here, but my pocket knife will never see inside you unless A) you need emergancy surgery, B) you are a brain eating zombie. Unless these two things are happening you'll meet Mr. Fist or worse Mr. 2x4.

GB

Same here though, I'd never pull a knife for defence, in fact I'd try to stop it even getting that far! When I was a youth, I often found myself having a ruck down town, trouble used to look for me it seemed. Maybe because I'm not a big fellah, people think they can have a lot off and I'll sheepishly walk away! Unfortunately, that is not the case, but in all my time drinking myself stupid, I was never involved in a fight that utilised anything but fists and the odd head butt! Nowadays, bottles, pint pots and knives seem to be the norm. I'm glad I no longer go down town, I don't reckon I'd last long!

Don't forget also, that railway companies can stop you from entering their property, railway stations and trains, if you are carrying even a legal knife.

I understand this, but I don't like it! You'd like to think that the Law of the land covers even trains, but no! I remember the old ex Army Colonel who got stopped on Eurostar with a Swiss Card and was cautioned for having a fixed blade! Absolute nonsense, but again I think that boils down to common sense and interpreting laws incorrectly. Somebody was just being a gigantic jobsworth!

 

[badgeringtim]

Wow interesting responses gents - i think this makes it as my longest running post to date!

I certainly agree with the comment that modifying knives that are designed to have a lock is not something i would entertain. an opinel without the lock seemd very risky. Which is a shame since i really do like them!
I just got the Maserin Marinera in Olive and the rogers - the rogers is tiny plaything but unlikely to cause you grief, the maser not too bad looking - going to se if it will hold a decent edge now!
But when al is said and done i still definately prefer lock or fixed blade knives...

 

[spamel]

How about something like this:

http://www.outdoorgb.com/p/joseph_rodgers_pocket_knives/

Or an old style Barlow knife, I'd go for a wood handle in spear point blade myself. Look pretty darned nice to me!

http://www.premiercutlery.co.uk/show_item/Wooden%20Handled Outdoor Knives/wooden/100

there are plenty of other makers that make nice old school pen knifes, they are less likely to get heads turning in shock then the more tactical knives available. Good price on them too!

 

[spamel]

Here's another horrible knife you wouldn't want, honest!

http://www.sheffield-cutlery.com/cu...=7703&osCsid=78091fb89f4acc831dcfda4f40ff4646

 

[galopede]

Here's another horrible knife you wouldn't want, honest!

http://www.sheffield-cutlery.com/cu...=7703&osCsid=78091fb89f4acc831dcfda4f40ff4646

Aah, Trevor Ablett, one of the last of Sheffield's Little Mesters. A hand made knife for a silly cheap price. I have one of his Farmers/Spearpoints in buffalo. One of my favourite EDCs

Get one before he retires - he's well past retirement age already!

Gareth

 

[wanderingblade]

Sorry to go against the grain, but the one and only Ablett knife I had was poo.

Might have been a one off, not sure.

 

[Urban_Dreamer]

The best thing you can do opinel wise is to get yourself a 6 and take the locking ring off. I did that, prize it off with some needle nose plyers. That leaves it about 1mm short of the 7.62cm legal size limit.

No need real need to, the No5 is already non locking and quite sufficient for my needs in town. It's only 1/2" or about 1cm shorter. You soon learn how not to loose fingers, though the techneque does limit the uses that you can put the knife to. I whittled my first spoon with it but a different knife would have been better for that.

Of course if you need something bigger, then you have your reason to be carrying it and either a fixed or locking blade would make more sense and in that instance be legal.

 

[Nightjar]

I bought this knife last week after I got myself into a trickey situation on the cavehill outside belfast. I needed to cut a stick to use as a walking stick when i foolishly got lost in the dark.The only knife i had was a very sharp opinell 6 which didnt have the blade strength to cut a hazel stick a couple of cm in diameter.

Very big lesson learnt last week I was only a few hundred yards from a main road and the path that I thought I knew from a few years ago was demolished and scattered with fallen trees plus there were steep muddy slopes.

so no more cavehill treks at night without headtorch, poles and charged up mobile phone.
If I had money on my phone I would have stayed until morning. On reflection I should have simply stayed put, even though it would have caused worry to others.....

 

[Blades]

Personally, I wouldn't recommend doing this, as the Opinel has nothing else to keep the blade in place, so you are seriously risking the blade closing on your fingers (I've never liked the smaller non-locking Opinels either), especially as they can get really loose. I hate having a non-locking blade, but if you have to have one, you're better off with the added safety of a good slipjoint (the strong spring that holds a non-locker in place). At lest you are minimalising the risks if not avoiding them completely.

It's working fine for me so far

I'm not keen on those spring loaded type ones.. As I did have an accident with one of them once ! I prefer the Opinel having no resistance (appart from it being very stiff) then if it starts to close I can do something about it, with that spring like ones it just snapped shut (most of the way) with no 'warning' so to speak. Not much you can do to stop the snap once it starts. You can put more pressure on it in the direction of it closing, but when it goes over that pressure then it will close on your fingers with a lot more force than a blade with just its own stiffness. Just my own experiences with the types More likely not to pay enough attention and get lured into an air of complacancy I think..

No need real need to, the No5 is already non locking and quite sufficient for my needs in town. It's only 1/2" or about 1cm shorter. You soon learn how not to loose fingers, though the techneque does limit the uses that you can put the knife to. I whittled my first spoon with it but a different knife would have been better for that.

Yes I have a 5 too but find it just a bit too small for my hands, I can grip the 6. I decided to get a 6 and take the ring off after finding out it is possible not to amputate my fingers with an unlocked blade

 

[smoggy]

Sorry if this has been muted above.........but.........may I suggest that if the non locking folder that you are carrying endangers your fingers when employed for the porpose you are using it.........then maybe you need a non folder!
You'll have a need and provided it isn't huge, is descrete (but not secreted) and not taken into inappropriate environments, or handle inapropriately........you should be legally OK with the correct tool for the job!

Smoggy.