Wild Youth - Living on the Edge

Side Folders
        The side folder itself may be divided up into a few different types. The more classic style uses a leaf spring and has an activator button near the middle of the handle. Generally such a knife will have a sliding safety lever near the activator. This style of knife will be locked open by a pin in the blade that fits into a hole in a leaf spring in the handle. To retract this style of knife, the blade must be unlatched, usually by flexing a leaf spring at the top of the knife body. This is generally done using a section of the hand-guard as a lever.
          A new style of side opener uses a coil spring as an activator. The coil spring sits at the pivot point of the blade, and is anchored to the blade on one side, and the handle on the other. The activator button on this style of knife, is located at the pivot point of the blade. The blade is held open, and held closed, by sears cut into the base of the blade, in much the way that the hammer of a handgun is held back by a sear actuated by its trigger. The safety on this style of knife is located at the front, near the pivot point of the blade. The blade may be unlocked for retraction using the same button through which it is opened.

Out the Front.
         An out the front style switchblade is of a more advanced type, and has much to recommend it. The mechanism, though more complex, is completely enclosed within the internal body of the knife. An OTF style may also be grasped in a firm solid grip, with no need to make allowances for a blade to pivot from the side of the handle. Finally, the blade of an OTF style knife can be a double edged blade. The older style side folders are only sharp on a single edge, due to the constant exposure of the back end of the blade. A double edged folding style would have an exposed edge which could cut the user when closed.
         The representative of this class is the Microtech. This has a very nontraditional look, almost having the appearance of an iPod or some other type of electronic device. The knife body is rounded rectangular, with the activation button in top. There is no safety, with safe operation being a function of the pressure needed to work the activation button.

Counterfeits, Clones, and Knock Offs
         Unsurprisingly, where expensive items are made, cheaper copies will be produced. The charitable term for this is clones, though they can also be called knock-offs, or counterfeits. In some cases these are passed off as the originals. In other cases they are quite honest about what they are. Gun shows, on-line retailers, and military surplus stores are flooded with inexpensive imitations (usually Chinese) of expensive automatic knives. The quality varies from dismal to pretty good. Yet it must be considered that the whole purpose of these knives is to undercut the originals on cost. This often means cutting corners on production process, quality control, types of steel, and worker skill.
        All three switchblades (Automatic Knives) shown here are knock offs. These are honest knock offs, which is to say they do not pretend to be the genuine article. The OTF knife is branded as a Delta Force, and both of the side folders are from the Super Knife company in China. I paid around $25 each for the side folders, which was probably too much, and $85 for the OTF, which was positively too much for a clone.
        Damn gun shows.
        Costs of a good switchblade can rival the cost of a good gun. Microtech, and similar companies, will charge $200 - $500 for a decent knife, and special models can go for over a thousand. On the the hand, certain on-line retailers will charge as little as $15 - $25 for a commodity quality side folder. Yes, switchblades may be ordered through the Internet now. You will likely have to check a box stating you are over 18, but they will take your order and send you your knife. Check the find print though. Most companies will not deliver to states where such knives are illegal.