A Question about Switch Blades

[LDF Knives]

ON the handle, there is a slide thingy next to the button that opens the blade, what is the correct term for, it's the safety slide to prevent the blade from opening? my slide thingy is broke, It's a stag handled from Italy, possibly 60's to the 70's it has a Rostfri on the tang of the blade a nice looker, it's 4" closed. ASAP when I get the term of that slide thingy I may post it up in My LDF Knives (AAPK) Store T Y This knife snaps open about as fast as a bullet out of a gun It also locks the blade open under the tang of the knife, you sort of have to pull it so it can close.

[Old Folder]

I believe it is called a "Axis Lock"? However, I have always referred to it as a "Thumb Lock"
Below is a description of "Knife Lock Types Guide" The author describes eight (8) different lock types.
Hope it helps.
https://www.bladehq.com/cat--Knife-Lock ... -3511#axis

[Xyphos]

Not an axis-lock which didn't exist back then-- merely a safety to prevent the blade form deploying while closed.

[Old Folder]

It will also prevent the blade from closing if you slide it back after you activate the blade. I have many of them. They all work the same way.

[1967redrider]

I just call it a safety lock- locks the blade open or closed.

[Old Folder]

Yes, I misunderstood your question. I do not have the "official" name. Perhaps a "Button or Slide Lock"

[Madmarco]

It's very simply referred to as the "safety". When slid up or forward, a small extension of metal that's attached to the bottom of the cap, or, the visible round metal top that you've just slid up, goes underneath the rocker arm that the button is attached to, and prevents you from pushing down on the button, thus the "safety" is on and safe to put into your pocket without fear of the button being depressed and the blade being deployed while in your pocket. If the handle material was not there, it would look like an "L" lying on it's back with the small round cap that is on the outside and visible to the owner, attached to the short end of the "L", and being the part that you push up, or forward. If yours is broken, most times it's necessary to remove the front handle material to perform repairs. Not difficult, but you need to know what you're doing. Hope this helps! P.S.-I beg to differ with O.F. in that, on all my knives that have a safety, I can still close the blades even if the safety is deployed AFTER the blade is in the open position. No offence O.F., just how it works with the knives I have!

[knife7knut]

P.S.-I beg to differ with O.F. in that, on all my knives that have a safety, I can still close the blades even if the safety is deployed AFTER the blade is in the open position. No offence O.F., just how it works with the knives I have!

I would say that if the slide safety is in the lock position and the blade is open and you attempt to close it one of two things will happen:either you will break off the part that engages the hole in the blade(a sear maybe?)or you will damage the thin brass part of the slide lock.Just what I have experienced.

[samb1955]

You should be able to press the bolster to lift the lock tab and close the blade, the safety stops the button from being pressed and doesn't lock the blade

[Old Folder]

It's very simply referred to as the "safety". When slid up or forward, a small extension of metal that's attached to the bottom of the cap, or, the visible round metal top that you've just slid up, goes underneath the rocker arm that the button is attached to, and prevents you from pushing down on the button, thus the "safety" is on and safe to put into your pocket without fear of the button being depressed and the blade being deployed while in your pocket. If the handle material was not there, it would look like an "L" lying on it's back with the small round cap that is on the outside and visible to the owner, attached to the short end of the "L", and being the part that you push up, or forward. If yours is broken, most times it's necessary to remove the front handle material to perform repairs. Not difficult, but you need to know what you're doing. Hope this helps! P.S.-I beg to differ with O.F. in that, on all my knives that have a safety, I can still close the blades even if the safety is deployed AFTER the blade is in the open position. No offence O.F., just how it works with the knives I have!

No offence taken Madmarco. I was referring to a different type of slider safety.
Like my below Geo. Schrade.

[1967redrider]

That's what I was thinking about too. Were the OP pictures there originally, 'cause I must have missed them.

[Old Folder]

That's what I was thinking about too. Were the OP pictures there originally, 'cause I must have missed them.

No redrider, there were no pictures on the original post. Pics were added much later.

[Madmarco]

ON the handle, there is a slide thingy next to the button that opens the blade, what is the correct term for, it's the safety slide to prevent the blade from opening? my slide thingy is broke, It's a stag handled from Italy, possibly 60's to the 70's it has a Rostfri on the tang of the blade a nice looker, it's 4" closed. ASAP when I get the term of that slide thingy I may post it up in My LDF Knives (AAPK) Store T Y This knife snaps open about as fast as a bullet out of a gun It also locks the blade open under the tang of the knife, you sort of have to pull it so it can close.

LDF! (Quote)"you sort of have to pull it so it can close". What you are referring to is commonly known as a "picklock", because you have to "pick" at the locktab with your thumb and 1st. finger so as to release the tang pin from the hole in the locktab thus allowing you to fold the blade closed. That being said, your knife appears to be a "swivel bolster" model, one that you can pull down on the right side "ear" of the bolster, and when you do that the top of the bolster will "swivel" and push the locktab away from the tang pin, and again, allow you to fold the blade closed. I don't know how to include previous posts in this message, but if you go to the "Switchblade Collectors Forum" and look under the post "Some of my autos!", and on page 6 there are pics of me doing what I just explained, and perhaps the pics can help you better understand how this works.

[Madmarco]

It's very simply referred to as the "safety". When slid up or forward, a small extension of metal that's attached to the bottom of the cap, or, the visible round metal top that you've just slid up, goes underneath the rocker arm that the button is attached to, and prevents you from pushing down on the button, thus the "safety" is on and safe to put into your pocket without fear of the button being depressed and the blade being deployed while in your pocket. If the handle material was not there, it would look like an "L" lying on it's back with the small round cap that is on the outside and visible to the owner, attached to the short end of the "L", and being the part that you push up, or forward. If yours is broken, most times it's necessary to remove the front handle material to perform repairs. Not difficult, but you need to know what you're doing. Hope this helps! P.S.-I beg to differ with O.F. in that, on all my knives that have a safety, I can still close the blades even if the safety is deployed AFTER the blade is in the open position. No offence O.F., just how it works with the knives I have!

No offence taken Madmarco. I was referring to a different type of slider safety.
Like my below Geo. Schrade.


IMG_0001 25.JPGIMG_0006 13.JPG

My apologies Dan, it never crossed my mind that different knives might have different characteristics! I've never even seen a Schrade, such as the one you posted, in person, so I have no doubt that they may operate differently than my Italians. Ya learn somethin' new everyday, thanks!

[Madmarco]

P.S.-I beg to differ with O.F. in that, on all my knives that have a safety, I can still close the blades even if the safety is deployed AFTER the blade is in the open position. No offence O.F., just how it works with the knives I have!

I would say that if the slide safety is in the lock position and the blade is open and you attempt to close it one of two things will happen:either you will break off the part that engages the hole in the blade(a sear maybe?)or you will damage the thin brass part of the slide lock.Just what I have experienced.

K7K! I'm curious which knives you're referring to, because all my knives that have a safety, whether they're picklocks or swivel bolsters, will close with the safety deployed. On those knives the safety does nothing more than prevent you from pressing the button when it's deployed. I'm not understanding what you mean when you stated that the sear could be damaged, because when the blade is in the open position the sear isn't in the blade hole, only when the blade is closed, thus locking it into the channel. I completely agree that if the blade is in the channel in the closed position, and the safety is deployed, if you attempt to push the button TOO hard, you will definitely damage the slide section of the safety.

[Madmarco]

You should be able to press the bolster to lift the lock tab and close the blade, the safety stops the button from being pressed and doesn't lock the blade

Precisely!

[Madmarco]

Not an axis-lock which didn't exist back then-- merely a safety to prevent the blade form deploying while closed.

Exactly!

[knife7knut]

P.S.-I beg to differ with O.F. in that, on all my knives that have a safety, I can still close the blades even if the safety is deployed AFTER the blade is in the open position. No offence O.F., just how it works with the knives I have!

I would say that if the slide safety is in the lock position and the blade is open and you attempt to close it one of two things will happen:either you will break off the part that engages the hole in the blade(a sear maybe?)or you will damage the thin brass part of the slide lock.Just what I have experienced.

K7K! I'm curious which knives you're referring to, because all my knives that have a safety, whether they're picklocks or swivel bolsters, will close with the safety deployed. On those knives the safety does nothing more than prevent you from pressing the button when it's deployed. I'm not understanding what you mean when you stated that the sear could be damaged, because when the blade is in the open position the sear isn't in the blade hole, only when the blade is closed, thus locking it into the channel. I completely agree that if the blade is in the channel in the closed position, and the safety is deployed, if you attempt to push the button TOO hard, you will definitely damage the slide section of the safety.

The way the sear(which is the small projection at the end of the button bar)is designed to hold the blade in the closed position.It is more or less straight on one side and slightly curved on the other.The curved side allows the button assembly to push up when the blade is being closed.The straight side locks the blade in the closed position.If the curved side wasn't designed like it is,when closing the blade it might catch on the blade tang and possibly snap off.
With the slide safety forward in the lock position and the blade open,when closing the blade it doesn't allow the sear end to come up(and the button end to go down)which could put undue pressure on the sear and snap it off.The lever that the button is attached to has to be able to move up and down.
As an aside;whenever I close ANY switchblade I always depress the button until the blade is completely closed to eliminate any undue wear on the sear. Just my opinion.

[Madmarco]

I would say that if the slide safety is in the lock position and the blade is open and you attempt to close it one of two things will happen:either you will break off the part that engages the hole in the blade(a sear maybe?)or you will damage the thin brass part of the slide lock.Just what I have experienced.

K7K! I'm curious which knives you're referring to, because all my knives that have a safety, whether they're picklocks or swivel bolsters, will close with the safety deployed. On those knives the safety does nothing more than prevent you from pressing the button when it's deployed. I'm not understanding what you mean when you stated that the sear could be damaged, because when the blade is in the open position the sear isn't in the blade hole, only when the blade is closed, thus locking it into the channel. I completely agree that if the blade is in the channel in the closed position, and the safety is deployed, if you attempt to push the button TOO hard, you will definitely damage the slide section of the safety.

The way the sear(which is the small projection at the end of the button bar)is designed to hold the blade in the closed position.It is more or less straight on one side and slightly curved on the other.The curved side allows the button assembly to push up when the blade is being closed.The straight side locks the blade in the closed position.If the curved side wasn't designed like it is,when closing the blade it might catch on the blade tang and possibly snap off.
With the slide safety forward in the lock position and the blade open,when closing the blade it doesn't allow the sear end to come up(and the button end to go down)which could put undue pressure on the sear and snap it off.The lever that the button is attached to has to be able to move up and down.
As an aside;whenever I close ANY switchblade I always depress the button until the blade is completely closed to eliminate any undue wear on the sear. Just my opinion.

I hear and understand perfectly what you're saying K7K, as a matter-of-fact I've taken an auto apart to attempt repairs, and in doing so saw exactly how these knives work, so I'm familiar with the catch-sear. On my knives, if I close the blade with the safety in the up position, there is minimal pressure on the sear-tip, and they close smoothly, because of the play, or spring, in the sear assembly. There's enough play for the sear to lift slightly as it's sliding on the tang, and drop into the hole when it gets there, although, even that slight amount of extra pressure can't be good for it. The button is attached to the rocker-arm, and the catch-sear assembly is attached to the liner with a pin, so when the rocker-arm slips through the hole in the sear assembly, and then the sear-tip is put into the hole at the end of the rocker-arm, the tension on the sear is independent from the rocker-arm, UNLESS, the button is being pushed, in which case, the rocker-arm is lifting the sear-tip out of the blade hole, thus allowing the blade to fire. I never actually close my blades when the safety is engaged, I only did so to see if they would close. I too have ALWAYS depressed the button while closing the blade on an auto until the blade is completely in the channel, for the exact reason were discussing. I also think it was a brilliant idea to cut the small "V" in the tang, in front of the hole, that you see on the higher quality autos, because the least amount of metal that the sear-tip has to travel over, the better. Also, JMO!

[knife7knut]

I would agree that cutting that V into the tang definitely helps ease wear on the sear.Glad we're on the same page about depressing the button when closing them.

[Madmarco]

I would agree that cutting that V into the tang definitely helps ease wear on the sear.Glad we're on the same page about depressing the button when closing them.

When I first saw a knife with the "V" ramp on the tang, I immediately knew why it was there, and remember thinking, "wow, that's a brilliant feature". I think we're on the same page regarding the entire topic, reducing the wear and tear on the catch-sear, we just saw the details slightly differently. P.S.-We sure hijacked LDF's OP, which was, "what's the slide thing called!" Sorry LDF! BTW, NICE KNIFE!