I understand that automatic knives (switchblades? self-opening knife?) are not normally for sale to the civilian population in the USA, but are available to law enforcement personnel and active duty military. For those of you who are law enforcement or military, is there particular model of automatic knife or knives that is considered to be the best?

It is so stupid...laws are meant to appease and not make sense.

You can buy "assisted opening" knives but auto's are illegal

Auto knives are more gimmick and show than go.

I swear by frame locks and a flip of the wrist or thumb.

Rant off.

What use will it be for to help with the question?

benchmade makes a good one there are several others you can own one you just cant get caught carrying one.

quote:

Originally posted by boom stick:

What use will it be for to help with the question?

Let's just say it's for my knife collection. Kinda' like my handguns. But it may eventually be used to cut sausage (should I get a double edged?) and for cutting the slots on the 50 yard target so you can slip in a new bullseye. In other words, I realize it won't be the most useful knife I own.

so not hard use or to conceal...

a good assisted opener that is light, inexpensive and tough and a good daily carry..

grey or black is theway to go. nice clip too.



I have ordered from here before.

http://www.crocblades.com/store/catalog.cfm?category=kn...and=Buck&model=Sirus

or for more of a tactical knife but not a good daily carry...

http://www.crocblades.com/store/catalog.cfm?product=B%2D01BO102



If you dont mind spending a little more

all the best stuff...one handed assisted opening, titanium frame lock and s30v blade like the one carry every day. money well spent!


http://www.888knivesrus.com/product/CE05S/BACKORDERED_-...ASSISTED_OPENER.html



or the Camillus Dominator if you can find onesince they went out of biz.

boom stick, thanks for the leads. I have looked on the web at some knives (microtech looks interesting but more than I want to spend). Are the out-the-front blades also serious knives?

if you want a small utility one boker makes a nice automatic. I have two microtech front loaders I like the one that retracts itself with the button better than the one you have to cock to close.

Crusher, I have the Boker automatic, and a nice little pocket knife it is. I made the classic mistake of lending it to a skinner in Africa, who was skinning my wildebeest. I had to take it completely apart of course to clean it, but it still works.

How does one know which of the Microtech models is the one you describe?

if the button is a slider in the narrow side it runs both ways if it is a push button on the flat wide side it is blade release out only.

I've found Benchmade, MicroTech and Protech to all be high quality, well made knives. I tend to like Microtech better, I don't know why, maybe just their shapes.....

I've got two protechs that make great hunter blades...have cleaned and skinned several whitetails with one of em.

Wink,

I am not in law enforcement but have several hunting buddies that are. It is my understanding that in Texas it is not illegal to own a full auto knife, just illegal to carry it.
About five years ago one of my hunting buddies ran into a guy that had a bunch of Boker Top Lock full auto knives. All seven of the guys I hunt with have the same full auto knife. I have carried my Boker Top Lock daily for the last five years. I have rental property and do all my own a/c, plumbing, electrical repairs and carpentry. I bet I pull this knife out of the sheath 50 times a day. It seems that I am always in a nine line bind, and the ability to push a button and have the blade open without looking or using the other hand is fantastic. It has a great heft and feel. It is my do everything knife. Open envelopes, strip wire, skin deer and hogs. I have a circuit of pawn shops I check out and finally found another Boker full auto that I carry for a dress knife.
If you can find one, buy it, I think you'll love it. If you do find one and don't like it, send me a pm and I'll buy it from you.
GWB

PS. Here are pix of my Boker Top locks. The knife with the magenta scales I've carried daily for five years. The knife with the blue sclaes is my dress knife.