Tactical Folding Knife - 7 Top Things to Consider Before Buying a Tactical Folder
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Richard_L._Blaine]Richard L. Blaine
Today' s knife is not like the knives of 30yrs ago. The knives of today are mostly one hand openers called a tactical folding knife. This is an indispensable tool to have on you. Having a tactical folding knife that opens with one hand can make common everyday cutting chores a simple thing to accomplish. The attraction to the tactical folding knife is that it is extremely popular with military, law enforcement and first responders of all types. This type of knife is called into emergency action hundreds of times a year and is used for cutting rope, cutting seat belts, and in some cases self defense in more extraordinary cases.
If you are a person that carries a pocket knife or tactical folding knife on a daily basis you will want to do your due diligence to guarantee yourself that the knife that you will be purchasing is a quality tactical knife. When you are considering purchasing a quality tactical knife there are some things you should be aware of. Here are 7 things you should look for before buying a tactical folding knife.
1. High quality steel. Steels like S30V, VG10 and 154CM offer a tactical folding knife more durability and superior edge holding ability. This is a major factor in picking a quality tactical folder.
2. The locking mechanism should be the most durable and positive that you can find. This is for your safety! The lock should be positive and not allow in any way the blade to fold up on your hand. Your standard locks are liner locks, mid locks, and back locks. There are others. Do your research.
3. Your carry method is important! Today' s tactical folding knives come with a pocket clip. This is the easiest way to deploy and execute the use of your knife. Make sure that you can switch your pocket clip from right to left for ease of carry and so that you can use your other hand if the first one is out of commission for awhile.
4. How heavy do you want your tactical folding knife to be? Weight is an important consideration. The lighter the knife the easier it is to carry in many situations. Be aware that in many cases the lighter the knife is can compromise the toughness of the knife to.
5. The frame of the knife is another consideration. You can buy a tactical knife with a titanium frame or a steel frame which goes back to the weight of the knife. Along with what type of frame the knife has, what kind of handle material do you want? Polycarbonate? G-10? Aluminum? These are important issues that go toward the toughness of the knife you buy.
6. How will you open your tactical folding knife? Some one hand openers come with thumb studs and some come with a hold in the blade, and yet others come with accouterments that allow you to catch the lip of your pant pocket and pull back and the knife will open. Some one hand openers can also come with a "flipper" on the underside of the knife that allows you to use your index finger to "flip" the knife open.
7. Do you want your tactical folding knife to be a manual opener in which you use your thumb on a stud or hole or "flipper" to flick the blade open or do you want your tactical folder to be an assisted opener in which you start to open the blade and then a spring takes over to finish opening the blade for you?
There are other considerations to make when looking to buy a tactical folding knife. One thing I do want to say is that quality counts. Do not settle for something because it is cheap! You cannot get a quality one hand tactical folding knife for twenty bucks in this world or any other. Always buy the best you can afford and if you have to save up to buy quality, then do it. In the long run you will be happier.
Richard Blaine has been in the cutlery business for 30yrs and knows a few things about the tactical folding knife [http://www.mistersharpstuff.com/how-to-sharpen-a-knife-sharpening-a-knife-for-the-performance-you-need] like how to pick them and use them. In this article we looked at 7 top things to look for before you purchase a tactical folding knife. There is much more to consider. If you found the information in this article helpful and would like to learn more about knives of all types then please visit: http://www.mistersharpstuff.com [http://www.mistersharpstuff.com/best-tactical-knife-the-best-tactical-knife-for-you]
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Tactical-Folding-Knife---7-Top-Things-to-Consider-Before-Buying-a-Tactical-Folder&id=4857467] Tactical Folding Knife - 7 Top Things to Consider Before Buying a Tactical Folder