Tactical Folding Knife Guide

Benchmade Lum Design LFTi Knife

A folding knife needs to have quality components or it will cease to work properly in short time. The Benchmade knives are exclusive pieces with precision materials.

Legendary designer Bob Lum’s legacy continues with this rock-steady Ti Monolock. Large but comfortable, rugged yet subtly elegant, this new folder is a worth addition to the 2009 Benchmade lineup. The Benchmade Lum Design LFTi Knife has sand blasted titanium handles with a tip down pocket clip and a lanyard hole. The LFti features a monolock function (frame lock). The tanto styled CPM-M4 tool steel blade is BK1 black coated for durability and protection against corrosion.

Bob Lum has over 30 years of knife designing expertise and a artistic drive in his craftsmanship of knives.

Benchmade LFTi Specifications
Dual Titanium Handles
Flawless Titanium Monolock Function
Premium Grade Blade Steel
Blade Length: 4.00 in.
Blade Thickness: 0.150 in.
Overall Length: 9.00 in.
Closed Length: 5.00 in.

Assisted Opening Folding Knives

There are many types of folding pocket knives. Most people will choose Assisted Opening Knives since it is portable, safe and legal in most regions. Unfolding assisted opening folding knives is simplified by a spring mechanism that comes into action and releases the blade after it has been partially unfolded.

Knives that have a assisted opening mechanism are easier to open than a simple folding knife. The knives will have a ridge, thumb stud or a hole that gives your thumb traction. By pushing outwards, the blade begins to unfold. When it has reached a certain point, the spring in the assisted opening knife extends the blade fully. There is also a lock which you must unlock to fold the knife again.

Most brands carry these types of knives. Buck has several, such as the Buck 295 Tempest which has a 3 1/4″ stainless steel blade with thumb stud for initiating the extension. Most brands have similar products.

The pocket knife was once seen as almost a toy, something boys carried or you had with you just to clean out the pipe. That may have been true in the last millennium because the current offerings those of the assisted opening type are high-tech, very durable and there is a huge assortment of blade types to choose from.

The assisted opening also makes it easy to operate one-handed, something that the folding knives of yesterday were not since they required both hands to open it safely.

What do you need assisted opening folding knives for? Once you get one, you will notice that it really is a tool and that it is useful for more than you first thought. Cutting, opening things, prying, scratching (as when cleaning off mud or soot).

Obviously, if you do a lot of camping, hunting or fishing a assisted opening knife is indispensable, an absolute must-have item.

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Folding knives for outdoor and military uses

A knife is a invaluable safety tool when you are outdoors but also in your home. There are generally two types of knives: fixed blades and folding knives. The folding knives are popular because of their small size and portability when folded. Many also have several functions and carry serrated blades. Tactical folding knives usually have a lock which stops the blade from folding back over your fingers.

Collapsible blades come in two versions: manual and assisted opening. And lastly, there are two types of spring relesed types: assisted opening knives that demand a partially manual opening to release the spring mechanism, and the fully automatic opening that is spring released at the push of a button. This last type is called switchblade.

Most military and rescue personell do carry a tactical knife, either foldable or of the swtichblade type. Why this type is preferred over a fixed type because of portability and small size. The durability of a quality collapsible blade versus a fixed one is just as good. The cheap ones are not good and generally last just a couple of months before mechanism failure.

Most people who want a folding knife for outdoor will use choose a assisted folding knife, or tactical folding knife but not a switchblade due to legal constraints. The main use is for cutting and in general when you need a metal tool for prying, opening, and vital for cutting wood splinters to set fire.

A fully automatic switchblade is also of less use if the spring were to become broken. A assisted opening knife which will still open and lock even without spring is therefore a more secure option from a survivabilty view.

Some of the most reliable blades are built by SOG Specialty Knives that supplies tactical knives to the US Army Seals and Rescue Services. They also make the very popular SOG Flash II Specialty Knife. Another respectable brand is Benchmade who offer a variety of folding blades. It is not wise to go for a cheap product since the mechanism will not last and poor hinge performance will make it useless and potentially harmful to handle. Buy quality, not quantity. A good tactical knife will last you for many years of heavy use.

A tactical folding knife may be unlawful in your state or country. You must check with local authorities before purchasing a assisted blade or switchblade. If the blade extends over four inches through an automatic function it may be illegal where you live. In most states you must also be 21 to buy it.