Slow on the Draw

[Bolster]

So I have this friend. He likes Spydercos (and the Simpsons) and I discovered today that he is dead slow on the draw.

Drawing his new SPY27 Manix clipped in his right front pocket, it takes him between 1.5 and 2 seconds to shuck the knife and get it ready for business. There is some fumbling involved, some grip shifting along the way, he thumbs the blade open, and the knife is sideways at the end of the draw. It takes another little shift to get it vertical.

He's embarrassed of his snail-like draw and asked me to ask you quick-draw specialists what he could do (other than practice practice practice) to speed up my his draw?

[Holland]

Zip tie mod!

[wirelessjunkie]

I draw my knife with my thumb and middle finger. This allows my index finger to situate the knife positively in my hand. After that I dig my thumb into the Spydie hole and give it a quick flick upward (parallel line to the handle, not perpendicular). Im not the fastest, but that gets me an open Spydie in around a second or so. Only way I can do it faster is if the knife has something like an Emerson Wave on it.

[TenGrainBread]

Try moving your palm up toward the pivot before thumbing the blade open. The closer your thumb is to the pivot, the less likely you'll run out of thumb reach before the blade is fully open.

You could also try "flicking" it open using your middle finger from underneath the knife. Should be easy enough using the Manix, after some practice.

[kerrcobra]

Today I realized that 1.5-2s is apparently extremely slow to open your knife. I also realized that I am dead slow on the draw with my Manix 2 LW. I'm slightly faster with my Police 4 and Delica.

[Sumdumguy]

So I have this friend. He likes Spydercos (and the Simpsons) and I discovered today that he is dead slow on the draw.

Drawing his new SPY27 Manix clipped in his right front pocket, it takes him between 1.5 and 2 seconds to shuck the knife and get it ready for business. There is some fumbling involved, some grip shifting along the way, he thumbs the blade open, and the knife is sideways at the end of the draw. It takes another little shift to get it vertical.

He's embarrassed of his snail-like draw and asked me to ask you quick-draw specialists what he could do (other than practice practice practice) to speed up my his draw?

I find that if I put my middle finger on the very bottom edge of a clip, with my thumb on the scales inside the pocket, I can pull the knife out into a perfect opening grip with my thumb on the hole.

One motion and it's ready to be opened.

Edit: I even made a video, just for you him!
https://youtu.be/e7qk5GEgMzQ

[ladybug93]

my his

this was hilarious.

i flick my manix open with my middle finger. the larger thumb hole on the manix makes this especially nice and easier than some other models. maybe try doing that? i can usually open it while i'm still drawing it and once it has cleared my pocket.

[yablanowitz]

That all sounds perfectly normal for a tip up knife, including fumbling around and occasionally dropping the half open knife on your foot. There's a reason the early Clipits were tip down.

[Naperville]

Spyderco's Mike Janich is a well known martial artist, works for Spyderco, and he has posted videos and sells DVDs on the subject of the draw.

Martial Blade Concepts Volume 6: A Complete Guide to Carrying And Drawing Tactical Folding Knives
https://youtu.be/cfq1YEYQxs8

Training DVDs to buy on drawing a folding knife
https://martialbladeconcepts.tv/shop/5630
https://martialbladeconcepts.tv/shop/2050


If you are looking for the draw of a fixed knife you might look at Ray Dionaldo's DVDs
https://youtu.be/GKEKGqBYzD4

Buy Ray's videos here. They are downloads not DVDs!
https://www.fcskaliphilippines.com/stor ... loads.html

[Bolster]

That all sounds perfectly normal for a tip up knife, including fumbling around and occasionally dropping the half open knife on your foot. There's a reason the early Clipits were tip down.

Oh, LOL, this made my day, LOL!

Thanks for the advice, folks, my friend is working through these recommendations one by one...when he drops his open knife and stabs his foot, I'll take a photo for y'all!

EDIT: Great URLs, thanks much, Naper. Oh, a custom video for my friend! Thanks Sum!

[JRinFL]

Some would say a Spyderco fixed blade worn IWB, near your center line.

Since my folders are not meant for SD, I usually have them in a sheath of some sort in a lower cargo pocket. Talk about slow!

[Bolster]

I usually have them in a sheath of some sort in a lower cargo pocket. Talk about slow!

So, let's not talk about my sometimes carrying my Spyderco inside my daypack, OK?

[JRinFL]

I usually have them in a sheath of some sort in a lower cargo pocket. Talk about slow!

So, let's not talk about my sometimes carrying my Spyderco inside my daypack, OK?

I heard of a guy out West who carries that way sometimes...

[aicolainen]

You just created a "problem" I didn't know existed :-)

In retrospect, it's probably just pure luck that no sausage has made a run for freedom while I was busy drawing my knife very slowly.

Rgds.
Cptn. Slow

[Michael Janich]

That all sounds perfectly normal for a tip up knife, including fumbling around and occasionally dropping the half open knife on your foot.

Not if you choose a knife and clip height that are appropriate to your hand size...

Stay safe,

Mike

[Doc Dan]

This thread made me laugh. Hahahaha! :D :D

[Abyss_Fish]

My parents are the same way. They refuse to open a knife one handed as well lol.

[yablanowitz]

That all sounds perfectly normal for a tip up knife, including fumbling around and occasionally dropping the half open knife on your foot.

Not if you choose a knife and clip height that are appropriate to your hand size...

Stay safe,

Mike

I find a Glock 20 to be just right for my hand size. I'm too old, fat and out of shape for knife fighting. In 55 years of carrying a knife, I've never once needed to use one for a weapon, and I've slowly learned to plan a little ahead, so even for utility use I very seldom need fast deployment. Tip down carry with enough height to let me grab the blade by the Spyderhole to draw and drop it open is plenty fast enough for my needs.

[Bolster]

In 55 years of carrying a knife, I've never once needed to use one for a weapon...

Yes, but: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=88474

[yablanowitz]

Yep, and in a situation like that I can draw a tip down Military or Police model (before they screwed up the clip placement) by the Spyderhole and drop the handle open faster than I can get a tip up knife out of my pocket. Food for thought.