Auto knife storage

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OSCAR
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Auto knife storage

Post by OSCAR »

Is it better for the longevity of the knife to store it with the blade open or closed or does it matter?
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1967redrider
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Re: Auto knife storage

Post by 1967redrider »

Not sure it matters, but I keep mine open. The one that's not open I put a new piece of spring steel in, one Shur-Snap has a broken spring.
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Re: Auto knife storage

Post by samb1955 »

According to the experts is doesn't matter.
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edge213
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Re: Auto knife storage

Post by edge213 »

All of mine are closed.
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Re: Auto knife storage

Post by samb1955 »

edge213 wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 2:54 am All of mine are closed.
Mine too and I have quite a few. I have three I store open but they are in a padded box.
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rea1eye
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Re: Auto knife storage

Post by rea1eye »

I keep mine closed.

Keeping them open- possibility of cutting yourself when going into the storage area? Blades banging around making
them scratched/ dull?

Keeping them partially open will place some stress on the springs. Not sure if it really matters for most knives.

Just make sure you store them in a cool,dry environment.

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Re: Auto knife storage

Post by knfcollector »

The experts say that it doesn’t matter but I’ve personally had more springs break while the knife was sitting closed than when stored open, so for the most part I store them open unless traveling with them and space is limited.
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Re: Auto knife storage

Post by Fred Csiky »

Always store switchblade knives in their relaxed state when they are resting in storage as you do your firearms.When you have them in service they should be cocked and locked.Springs are happy to be flexed regularly even once a day is nice so they will know what to do when the time comes......Oh yes,springs have a memory!
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Re: Auto knife storage

Post by Bill DeShivs »

Springs aren't alive. They don't need to "rest."
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Re: Auto knife storage

Post by TPK »

1967redrider wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 12:53 am Not sure it matters, but I keep mine open. The one that's not open I put a new piece of spring steel in, one Shur-Snap has a broken spring.
Nice looking collection John! ::nod:: ::tu:: :D
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Re: Auto knife storage

Post by 1967redrider »

TPK wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 7:25 pm
1967redrider wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 12:53 am Not sure it matters, but I keep mine open. The one that's not open I put a new piece of spring steel in, one Shur-Snap has a broken spring.
Nice looking collection John! ::nod:: ::tu:: :D

Thank you, Sir. ::handshake:: I have added a couple pull-ball knives, thanks to Galvanic an Steve, since then.
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Re: Auto knife storage

Post by TPK »

1967redrider wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 7:37 pm
TPK wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 7:25 pm
1967redrider wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 12:53 am Not sure it matters, but I keep mine open. The one that's not open I put a new piece of spring steel in, one Shur-Snap has a broken spring.
Nice looking collection John! ::nod:: ::tu:: :D
Thank you, Sir. ::handshake:: I have added a couple pull-ball knives, thanks to Galvanic an Steve, since then.
::hmm:: Pull-Ball ::shrug:: Not in my vocabulary. ::facepalm:: ::doh:: :mrgreen:
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Re: Auto knife storage

Post by Madmarco »

Bill DeShivs wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 6:42 pm Springs aren't alive. They don't need to "rest."
After all these years you must be sooo sick of reading and replying to this issue Bill! ::facepalm:: I have a sneaking suspicion that the "closers" will always be "closers", and the "openers" will always be "openers"! ::shrug:: ! 8)
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Re: Auto knife storage

Post by Madmarco »

TPK wrote: Fri May 06, 2022 3:43 am
1967redrider wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 7:37 pm
TPK wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 7:25 pm

Nice looking collection John! ::nod:: ::tu:: :D
Thank you, Sir. ::handshake:: I have added a couple pull-ball knives, thanks to Galvanic an Steve, since then.
::hmm:: Pull-Ball ::shrug:: Not in my vocabulary. ::facepalm:: ::doh:: :mrgreen:
If you're serious and not being facetious Tom, a "pull-ball" is a type of blade release on certain automatics. One pulls on a small ball at the butt-end of the knife and the blade deploys automatically. Hope that helps! If you were being facetious Tom, then ::rotflol:: ::clapping:: ::rotflol:: ! 8)
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Re: Auto knife storage

Post by 1967redrider »

TPK wrote: Fri May 06, 2022 3:43 am
1967redrider wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 7:37 pm
TPK wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 7:25 pm

Nice looking collection John! ::nod:: ::tu:: :D
Thank you, Sir. ::handshake:: I have added a couple pull-ball knives, thanks to Galvanic an Steve, since then.
::hmm:: Pull-Ball ::shrug:: Not in my vocabulary. ::facepalm:: ::doh:: :mrgreen:

Tom, by pulling on this green ball, a catch lets the blade spring open. So it's a different kind of auto.
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Re: Auto knife storage

Post by TPK »

Madmarco wrote: Fri May 06, 2022 3:57 am
TPK wrote: Fri May 06, 2022 3:43 am
1967redrider wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 7:37 pm Thank you, Sir. ::handshake:: I have added a couple pull-ball knives, thanks to Galvanic an Steve, since then.
::hmm:: Pull-Ball ::shrug:: Not in my vocabulary. ::facepalm:: ::doh:: :mrgreen:
If you're serious and not being facetious Tom, a "pull-ball" is a type of blade release on certain automatics. One pulls on a small ball at the butt-end of the knife and the blade deploys automatically. Hope that helps! If you were being facetious Tom, then ::rotflol:: ::clapping:: ::rotflol:: ! 8)
Nope. I didn't know that. New to me. Thanks for the Info. ::handshake:: Appreciate it. ::nod::
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Re: Auto knife storage

Post by TPK »

1967redrider wrote: Fri May 06, 2022 12:08 pm
TPK wrote: Fri May 06, 2022 3:43 am
1967redrider wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 7:37 pm
Thank you, Sir. ::handshake:: I have added a couple pull-ball knives, thanks to Galvanic an Steve, since then.
::sotb::
::hmm:: Pull-Ball ::shrug:: Not in my vocabulary. ::facepalm:: ::doh:: :mrgreen:
Tom, by pulling on this green ball, a catch lets the blade spring open. So it's a different kind of auto.
Thanks for the Info & picture John. ::handshake:: Appreciate it. ::nod::
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Re: Auto knife storage

Post by Folgore1 »

not sure who these experts are lol its not rocket science you definetly would want to keep them in the open position to keep tension off of the spring and other parts of a auto knife , i too have had several break in the closed position so from my 40 years experience with auto knives i would say store them open or take risk of the spring getting weak over time and possibly breaking due to tension on it all the time . in 40 years i been collecting all my automatic knives are stored in open position and always have been .. hope this helps :D
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Re: Auto knife storage

Post by Madmarco »

Folgore1 wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 2:57 am not sure who these experts are lol its not rocket science you definetly would want to keep them in the open position to keep tension off of the spring and other parts of a auto knife , i too have had several break in the closed position so from my 40 years experience with auto knives i would say store them open or take risk of the spring getting weak over time and possibly breaking due to tension on it all the time . in 40 years i been collecting all my automatic knives are stored in open position and always have been .. hope this helps :D
::welcome:: to AAPK F1! ::handshake:: Thanks for relaying your experiences regarding the open/closed controversy. I have been collecting autos for only a very short time but have so far acquired 48 models, and from Day 1 I've kept them open on display. It just made sense to me that ANYTHING under constant tension would wear out quicker than the same item not under tension. BTW, is that your AAPK store that has the all-metal trap-door stiletto for US$1000.? ::shrug:: That's one cool knife I'd love to own as well as a copy of the "Hellraiser" auto, but my pocketbook just doesn't allow it! ::facepalm:: If you've been collecting autos for 40 years you must have some beauties in your personal collection, and if so we'd love to see them posted in pictures! ::nod:: ::pray:: ! 8)
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Re: Auto knife storage

Post by Mumbleypeg »

Interesting discussion. I don’t own a single automatic knife so don’t have a dog in the fight. However I’ve watched this same argument regarding the springs in pistol magazines. Some swear leaving a mag loaded for long periods of time will ruin the follower spring. Others, including the manufacturers, say that’s rubbish and it won’t hurt the spring.

I also see the same discussion regarding “conventional” pocket knives having spent decades in a partially open position on dealer display boards. You can find those discussions in other threads here on AAPK. Having knives from displays in my own collection, and having removed knives from boards myself, I can say I’ve yet to ever see one having damaged springs. Yes I know, anecdotal. :lol:

The author of one prior post in this thread and inventor of the Leverletto automatic knife (in a later thread dismissed as “not sure who these experts are”) is argueably one of the foremost living experts on automatic knives. He said simply “Springs are not alive. They don’t need to rest.” One can read his signature, found in his post, which will explain his other credentials. I’ll go with what he says.

But as Marco also said, folks have their opinions. Closers will always be closers and openers will always be openers. Regardless what the experts say. ::shrug:: Being an “old dog” myself, I understand. ::facepalm::

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Re: Auto knife storage

Post by Bill DeShivs »

If you don't want your springs to break, NEVER close the knife. There-that solves the problem, doesn't it?

I have many pistol magazines that have been loaded for 50+ years that work fine.
I have seen switchblade springs that are over 130 years old that are just fine. Do you jack up your car every night to take the pressure off the springs?

Properly designed, manufactured, and maintained springs will not get weak. After many thousands of flexings, they will work-harden and break.
Springs that are used within their design parameters don't suffer from "memory" problems. They don't "care" if they are flexed or relaxed.

To those who have had springs break while the knife was closed- If you stored it open the spring would have broken the next time you closed the knife.

And in the 50+ years I have been making switchblade springs (many, many thousands of them!) I have learned a few things about them.
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Re: Auto knife storage

Post by Railsplitter »

Bill DeShivs wrote: Mon May 23, 2022 6:47 pm Do you jack up your car every night to take the pressure off the springs?
Great example. ::tu::
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Re: Auto knife storage

Post by Madmarco »

We have re-hashed this subject many times with the results usually the same! I believe it's a situation that we need to agree to disagree and understand that it's highly unlikely we will ever change each others views, nor should we! Open, closed, I don't care, I'm just happy to own some! 8)
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Re: Auto knife storage

Post by Bill DeShivs »

My usual answer is, "It doesn't matter."
Then some "spring expert" comes along and tells us how it really is...
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Folgore1

Re: Auto knife storage

Post by Folgore1 »

im explaining this as a collector do not leave your auto knives closed the springs will wear out i dont care what anyone says springs on everything will wear out over time yes some springs will last just about forever but most will not dont matter how they are made or treated they will wear out think about it your car springs will wear out over time they dont last forever especially being used the more you drive the car better chance of them springs wearing out or breaking right lol , it is the collectors choice to do what he/she wants with the knives they collect store them open or closed but remember the guy who made comment "makes no difference" is a knife repair guy he makes living repairing knives .
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