A special purpose-designed combat knife to provide for passive retention of the knife without having the gripping hand fully closed. The essence of the disclosure is a handle which allows for passive retention in the user's hand. The knife uses a finger slot shape which allows retention of the handle without closing the user's hand around the handle of the knife. The user of the knife can also operate a handgun or other instrument in the same hand with the palm of the user relaxed about the handle without dropping the knife. A preferred embodiment includes a blade which protrudes from the lower end of the knife handle. An alternate embodiment includes a folding blade and locking design in which the knife blade protrudes from the top end of the handle.

A special purpose-designed combat knife to provide for passive retention of the knife without having the gripping hand fully closed. The essence of the disclosure is a handle which allows for passive retention in the user's hand. The knife uses a finger slot shape which allows retention of the handle without closing the user's hand around the handle of the knife. The user of the knife can also operate a handgun or other instrument in the same hand with the palm of the user relaxed about the handle without dropping the knife. A preferred embodiment includes a blade which protrudes from the lower end of the knife handle. An alternate embodiment includes a folding blade and locking design in which the knife blade protrudes from the top end of the handle.

A folding knife including a handle, a pivot axis, and a blade having a cutting edge. The blade is pivotably coupled to the handle such that the blade is pivotable relative to the handle about the pivot axis between a retracted position and an extended position. The cutting edge is exposed in the extended position and a portion of the blade is received within the handle in the retracted position. The folding knife further includes a bearing assembly for facilitating movement of the blade between the retracted position and the extended position. The bearing assembly includes a first bearing recessed within the blade and a second bearing recessed within the handle.

A folding knife is provided with an opening mechanism having a traction surface to aid users in rotating the blade from the closed position to the open position and to assist with opening the folding knife. More specifically, the traction surface is located on an outer surface of the tang of the blade and extends outwardly from the handle when the blade is in the closed position.

A folding knife is provided with an opening mechanism having a traction surface to aid users in rotating the blade from the closed position to the open position and to assist with opening the folding knife. More specifically, the traction surface is located on an outer surface of the tang of the blade and extends outwardly from the handle when the blade is in the closed position.

This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatus for a locking folding knife having a handle lock and a safety switch arranged around and rotatable around a pivot axis of the knife. In an engaged position the switch overlaps at least a portion of the handle lock and prevents it from moving into an unlocked position. A spring, such as a wire form spring, can be arranged within a pocket of the switch, and when the switch is moved between engaged and disengaged positions the spring can be compressed generating a rotational bias on the switch urging the switch toward either the engaged or disengaged position.

A utility knife includes a knife body that has a knife frame and an ergonomic outer casing attached to the knife frame. The utility knife also includes a retractable blade holder that holds a blade. The retractable blade holder extends out of and retracts into the knife body and may also be selectively oriented at a first angle and a second angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the knife body.

A folding tool with a safety lock mechanism. The tool has a handle having a first handle half and a second handle half and an implement pivotally connected between the handle halves by a pivot pin. The implement is movable between an open position and closed position. The safety lock mechanism includes a safety switch positioned between the first handle half and the second handle half and having two wing portions extending laterally from a central portion movable from a first safety on position to a second safety off position. The two wing portions configured to slide within wing grooves of the first handle half and the second handle half. The tang portion of the blade includes a scalloped pocket and/or protruding portion in the tang that is configured to contain the front end of the safety switch when the safety switch is in the first safety on position.

A switchblade includes a casing that defines a cavity. A blade having a cutting edge has a retracted position in which the cutting edge is inside the cavity and a deployed position in which the cutting edge is outside the cavity. A spring is operably connected to the blade to bias the blade to the deployed position. An actuator is releasably engaged with the blade, and operation of the actuator allows the blade to move between the retracted position and the deployed position. A safety lever that extends through at least a portion of the casing lever has a lock position that prevents operation of the actuator and an unlock position that permits operation of the actuator.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of easily disassembled folding knives. In some embodiments, a folding knife includes a blade, a handle including first and second side portions, and a pivot mechanism including respective locking elements which can be used to retain the side portions from lateral separation from one another. In some cases, the locking elements of one end of the pivot mechanism include relatively narrow neck portions with relatively wide, non-circular head portions connected to the neck portions, and the locking elements of a second side of the pivot mechanism include a recess and a corresponding non-circular opening. In some cases, folding knives can be provided with secondary locking mechanisms, liner lock mechanisms, and various other features.