The majority of folding knives are OTS folders, either with an assisted opening mechanism, or else with some feature that facilitates deployment, like a thumb stud or flipper tab.
There is, however, a subset of folding knives known as “out the front” or OTF knives, which have a blade that deploys right out the front, rather than out the side.
Many OTF knives are automatics, also known as autos, which have a mechanism for deploying the blade automatically (hence the name). Usually the operator presses a button or a switch, and that automatically deploys the knife.
There are two big, albeit unconventional, advantages of an OTF knife that we will cover here, both of which are tied to the pivot mechanism that is absent.
Operation Is Simpler and More Reliable
The first and most material advantage of an OTF knife which is rarely invoked as an alternative to an OTS knife is that it has no pivot mechanism.
Useful as pivot mechanisms are, they are instances of design complexity and they can and do fail. Even where they don’t fail, they require more care and maintenance, as dust, grease, and other factors can make a pivot mechanism gummy and unreliable. In extreme cases of neglect a worn or dirty pivot mechanism can make it difficult if not impossible to open and close the knife.
Most OTF knives have blades that ride on some sort of rails inside of the knife. They’re simpler by design and even if not smoother than an OTS knife’s pivot mechanism, much easier to maintain, and much less likely to prove unreliable, even if they are neglected.
It’s Safer in the Event That the Lock Fails
Also tied to the lack of a pivot mechanism in an OTF knife is the fact that, if the lock does fail and the blade retracts while the knife is in use, it is much safer for the user.
If an OTS knife’s lock fails, the blade will fold, and often that means it will snap shut on a user’s fingers. This can be disastrously dangerous. If an OTF knife’s lock fails, the blade will simply retract directly back up and into the knife’s handle.
So, for those that like to spout that folding knives are pre-broken and inherently less safe than fixed blades, they have a point, but at the same time, an OTF knife will prove safer than an OTS folder, regardless of design attributes.
Where to Get a New OTF Knife?
Now that you know a little more about some of the lesser-known features and attributes that can give an OTF knife an edge (no pun intended) over a conventional OTS folder, you just need to know where to get one.
Try True Swords. Don’t be fooled by the name. While they do carry an exhaustive inventory of battle ready swords and weapons, they also carry a lot of knives, and among them are many OTF automatic knives. Check out their website for more information and get in touch with them if you need additional assistance.
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