Is there really such thing as an auto knife that has no blade play when extended? I think that it may be the "albo-gator" of the knife world! I was at a dealer today and handled a Infedel. Great knife! It seems like for the price they should deliver an auto with no blade play! The blade on that knife wobbled like that was what it was suposed to do! The closest that I think I've come is my Nitrous Striker. Opens fast with no blade play, but still not a true auto. Isn't a asisted open different than an auto anyways? Maybe it's just me!

I would think that achieving no play in an auto knife would be fairly easy. Give it a strong enough spring, and it should be able to overcome whatever pivot tension is necessary to eliminate play.

With standard side-openers, adjusting the pivot should be possible, and should allow you to eliminate any noticeable (lateral) blade play. My 9530, for instance, opens plenty fast and easy and has no blade play.

Of course, the Infidel (or other OTF's) doesn't have a pivot to adjust, so I couldn't speak to its propensity to have play or not.

I have two autos ...... 525 and a 2550 , no play in either. ( forgot the model # 0f the 525)

Thats what I mean though. A true auto should be a OTF right? Otherwise is it really an auto?

quote:

Originally posted by cleveland bill:
Thats what I mean though. A true auto should be a OTF right? Otherwise is it really an auto?

I dont know that answer for a fact ...... as far as I know an auto is a knife that the blade comes out by pushing a button , wheather it be front , side , either and or.

the actual deffination is a little fuzzy as described by every city and state with regard to laws but the best deffinition i can give is a knife that can be deployed without touching the blade (studs), making nitrous and kershaws "legal" and why gravity knives like balis are often clumped together with autos with regard to law. an OTF (out the front) Infidel is just as much an auto as a OTS (out the side 9100 stryker.
with regard to blade play, IMO its a sign of BMs limited experience with the technology but even many of the microtechs ive handled had some wiggle though usually very very little.

OTS and OTF are the two varieties of real switchblades, the use a button or latch that releases a spring to pop the blade out.

Auto axis is a switchblade, it just happens to use the lock as the trigger.

Gravity knives are similar except that they use gravity, not centrifugal force to open, often with a button or latch.

Ballistic knives are rare, and for good reason, they suck.

Balisongs are not gravity knives, not switchblades and not ballistic, which is often why they are grouped in with other knives.

in fact they are folding knives, but to outlaw ONE kind of folding knife doesn't work well for the politicians who need to ban those killer knives that only really bad guys would use, thus the auto laws oft including Balisongs.

Hope this helped.

I have a mini-rukus auto, no blade play at all... and it fires really hard.

Any spring opened knife, that uses a button or latch on the handle is considered an "auto."

One that can be opened and closed automatically would sometimes called a "double action automatic." That can also refer to knives that are automatics but can also be switched to a manual.

As for OTF's... Blade play is pretty nomral to some degree. Given the designed mission of an OTF like the 3300, blade play is pretty irrelevant. Also, blade play is a concern when it comes to lock failure. However given how the knife works, and the reality that if the locked failed on an OTF auto, there is not much to worry about (not like your finger are in danger).


It is like an automatic firearms, the most reliable ones are often the ones that are most "loose."

Most button or Axis locked autos will have little to no blade play.