What is the name of the knife where the blade comes out of the front of the knife instead from the side?

Written by: Vivian

Published on: September 17, 2022

Question

What is the name of the knife where the blade comes out of the front of the knife instead from the side?

Olivia · Answer

The name of knives where the blade comes out of the front of the knife instead of the side is an Out The Front knife. Often this is shortened to simply the initials OTF. Some of these are spring assisted, some of these are switchblades. Some are even gravity or inertia feed.

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Kennedy · Answer

Most often used term is OTF either SA or DA. Single action out the front opener or double action out the front opener. A single action is kicked out by the kick plate but to close you push the activating stud, thumb stud or during stud and usually putting the tip against something,pushing The blade back into your knifes handle or housing. A double action fires when you push the thumb stud but has a second kick plate in the front so activating the stud again (usually in the opposite direction) it automatically kicks the blade back into the housing. The blade is supposed to lock into the open position for thrusting but very VERY crappy knives don’t have a lock and are absolutely useless-except as a fidget device. Contrary to what almost every 8th grader thinks, the firing springs on even the BEST OTF knife will NOT “stab” someone when you put the knife against them and fire it. The springs only have enough stored energy to “kick” the blade hard enough that it slides freely 4 inches and hits the locking mechanism and it open. I’ve fired OTFs dozens of times at my thigh- I can’t use my palm because I have 1 arm- and the we blade immediately stops and is loose in the handle until I reload the spring tension by pulling the blade all the way out to lock open. So- DA OTF Auto or SA OTF AUTO— they’re decent knives but from a working perspective they’re pretty much crap compared to ANY side opening auto- and THEY’RE crap compared to a good manual opening pocket knife. The reason?? Because when the springs or firing coil breaks-(and if you’re a working man it WILL eventually) you’re stuck with a $200 piece of junk until you order new springs, disassemble,clean, refinish install new springs and reassemble your knife. Cause an automatic knife’s biggest enemy is sweat, and a couple months in summer with your $250 Benchmade Presidio or the cheap $200 Benchmade Osborne 940 as your edc will toast the springs. —–just IMO.

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Peyton · Answer

Generally it would be called an OTF (out the front) knife.
There are different types of knives that would fit the description.
One would be OTF switchblades, which would likely the the most popular to discuss.
Another would be the less-popular gravity knives, which are similar to switchblades but have no spring. You point the knife down and press the button to open it and point it up and press the button to close it.
Another type which at least used to be common are small OTF knives where you slide a button forward to open the knife.
The most common are utility knives and box cutters.
There is a parachute knife that has a complicated opening system but is still OTF and not a switchblade.
Tekna had a unique knife in the 1980s which had a cover on the blade that retracted into the handle at the press of a button, sort of like a reverse switchblade.
There are probably more types that I missed.

Gabriella · Answer

While others have said that a switchblade and an automatic knife are names for a knife where the blade comes out the front, I disagree.
A switchblade, traditionally anyway, comes out the side and is spring loaded, activated by a button. An automatic knife is the same thing. Car and automobile, in the same sense.
Now, a knife blade that exits the handle from it’s front comes in two types:
OTF. An acronym that stands for “out the front”. It is an unpoetic, yet wholly accurate name. This kind is spring loaded
Gravity knife. This kind might come in different styles, but the ones I’ve seen have a sort of clamp at the end of the handle, when disengaged, the blade is able to move, and when you turn the knife upside down, the blade will fall outward, stopping at the fully extended position. Then, you engage the clamp, and the knife is ready to be used.
Gravity knives aren’t very common, as they are impractical and illegal in a lot of places. OTF knives are more common, though mostly in America (as far as I know) where they are legal in some places.

Claire · Answer

Funny, the industry actually calls it out-the-front knife, or OTF for short.
If the knife deploys by way of a button it becomes a switchblade, which is federally restricted in USA. Many states allow people to own and carry one, you just can’t take it across the state line without a federal license.

Harper · Answer

A switchblade. Also ejector knife, sprenger, automatic knife
Most jurisdictions ban automatically opening knives such as sliding or folding switchblade. They are as much a danger to the person carrying them as they are for the adversary.
The idea behind a sliding switchblade is that you can conceal it easily and have a blade operable with one hand, and not to have to be cognisant of which way the knife is like a folding one. That means spring operation and some sort of locking mechanism.
Problems start with the spring, because it has to be strong enough to defeat the resistance of the locking mechanism to push the blade out. The locking mechanism on the other hand has to be strong enough make for a positive lock, so that the blade can be used.
Now imagine a trouser pocket, a stiletto and say keys in it. You squat, the key hits the activation button and hey presto, you have a spring loaded nutsack impaler going off in your pocket.
You really dont want that.
Spring aided coil spring opening is generally frowned upon by law makers in switchblades.
Spring assisted, side opening folding knives are not nearly as hazardous to the user, but the spring assist has some jurisdictions ban them for being a concealed weapon.

Rose · Answer

It’s pretty easy. An out the front knife. Some of my favorite pocket knives because they are slim and open with one hand.

Samantha · Answer

Actually most are referred to, simply as, OTF knives or out the front knives..some of the higher prices companies to make these are micro-techand benchmade on down to mid-tech and schrade.