Is My Knife Broken or is it Just an OTF? 

If you’re new to the OTF world you may have noticed that there are tons of OTF knives to choose from. Different handles, sizes, blade material and shapes, single action, double action, and this list goes on and on. What do all these OTF’s have in common? A safety feature. A safety feature that if you are new to owning an OTF knife, may make you wonder if your OTF knife is broken. 

We love first time buyers. We love introducing them to the wild ride of what owning an OTF knife has to offer.  Yes, your friends do want to see your new knife. Yes, it is fun to deploy and retract, deploy, and retract, rinse and repeat. And of course, it is handy and durable and can easily be your daily EDC knife.

However, part of that introduction is getting the e-mail that a first-time purchaser and owner believes that their OTF knife is faulty and/or broken when in reality they just haven’t experienced or understood the safety feature that OTF knives have.

This is where we at TacKnives explain it, in hopes you can read this before we get the e-mail.   

Just like your favorite firearms have safeties, so does your favorite OTF knife. Here is how it works: 

For safety reasons your OTF knife (no matter which brand you get) will not puncture through anything on deployment. When your blade is pressed against a surface, and you deploy the blade, the resistance in deployment against the blade will trigger a safety. The blade will instantly become loose and slide in and out of the handle freely without resistance.

*It is at this point we get the e-mail saying that the knife if broken*

To re-set your blade, pull the blade all the way out until it clicks into place. At this point, your knife will perform the same as it always has. 

To answer the question at hand, your knife is not broken, it’s just an OTF.

 If you’re looking to start an OTF collection or add to it, check out some of our current favorites. 

The TK PRO VIGOR:

TK PRO’s third knife design shows up vigorously to work for you. Inspired by blue-collar industries the Vigor is built with a Sandvik 12C27 blade to maintain sharpness with each performance while allowing multiple uses due to its tanto blade shape.

Crafted to be lightweight for comfortable handling and optimal grip, the Vigor’s multi-texture handle will become one with your hand with use over time. The Vigor is a double action, large OTF that reaches a total of 7.48 inches when deployed and when retracted the Vigor is the perfect daily carry at 4.02 inches.

https://tacknivesusa.com/product/vigor/

The TacKnives Karambit OTF Double Action MTU19:

The TacKnives Karambit OTF MTU19 is a fully automatic double action OTF (out the front) knife. It comes standard with CNC aircraft-grade aluminum handle that is coated with industrial rubber. The construction of MTU19 makes for a precision fit and finish not only on the exterior of the knife but also on the inside mechanisms.

The whole knife is precise, strong, and lightweight. The MTU19 Karambit OTF knife features a retention ring and allows for reverse grip deployment via its ergonomic button design.

TacKnives Karambit OTF Double Action MTU19 – TacKnives (tacknivesusa.com)

The TK PRO WASP 01:

A wasp’s sting can invoke severe reactions, not only in nature but in EDC. The TK PRO Wasp line is designed to fit comfortably in your hand while maintaining a low profile to easily conceal in a pocket. The Wasp is designed for you to have complete control in all elements.

The Wasp01 features textured designs on the handle that maximizes grip while the shorter blade allows for more detailed cuts. Crafted for durability, the Wasp01 uses upgraded materials to not only protect from corrosion but to maintain quality for constant, daily use.

TacKnives TK PRO Medium-Size Double Action OTF – Wasp01 – TacKnives (tacknivesusa.com)