How can I tell if a knife is a switch blade or folding knife?

Question

Here's a knife I'm looking at buying:
http://bladefinder.com/products/cold-steel-ak-47-aluminum-handle

However, switch blades (where you press a button and the blade springs out) are illegal, so I'm hoping it is just a manual folding knife. How can I tell from the picture which type it is? Looks like there might be a button on it, but I'm not sure.

Answer 1

switch blades are either one: spring loaded and shoot strait up....or 2: spring loaded and shoot out from a fixed point..i.e. in a 180 degree Manner.. either way...its spring loaded

Answer 2

So, from my perspective, here's what it comes down to. Can you afford to have a nice knife that you aren't ever going to carry? Lot's of people do - it's the nature of collecting. I have a Benchmade Pardue auto which is a heck of a nice knife and has only been out of the house once in my pocket. (I have a personal rule that ANY knife I buy I have to carry at least one day, and should be the day I get it. - It was interesting to manage the day I bought a Predator Combat machete as a high schooler. Backpack was EXTRA heavy that day.) If the answer is yes - then there are tons of really interesting and cool knives out there, which are beautifully made. The SOG tac Auto is a nice piece - but with a little effort you might be able to find a Robbie Dalton piece - which are pretty nice, or one of the other Benchmade autos, or a Pirrahna, or any number of other production brands of autos. Is it worth it to drop that money on something for "play"? That is in the eye of the beholder. However, I will say this - a strictly utilitarian world is boring to me. I've bought hundreds of knives over the years, from cheap $10 mail in from the back of comic book toys to $1,000+ custom knives and prototypes. Each has had a purpose and some I've ended up selling, some just sit waiting for the right moment and some I carry every day. None have I regretted. Plus there are still new interesting knives on the list. In fact, for me the next is to get a paired set of a Benchmade trainer and a Benchmade 42 butterfly knife with the weehawk blade. Why? Because once upon a time I could manipulate a butterfly a little bit and I think it would be fun to learn again. Will I every carry it? No. (well maybe just for 1 day) Will it serve some "tactical" or "practical" purpose? No. Will it be fun and add color to life to learn to do that - you bet. in my world that'll be worth the money. So yes - the better quality autos are definitely worth the money - to someone. It's up to you to decide if that's you. It definitely has been for me over the years. Thinkingblade

Answer 3

Folding knives fold and are opened manually. Switch blades pop out of the end of the handle with a button; you could stab someone by pressing it against them and pushing the button. This is why they are not legal. You don't have to be very strong to do it. And those two-handled sort the second person mentioned? Those are called butterfly knives.
The blade in the picture appears to have a button, but it looks like a lock so the knife will not fold closed on your fingers while using it. I think it is a folding knife.

Answer 4

a switch blade is spring loaded. the one in the link is not. besides, switchblades on the internet are illegal for companies to sell, except in oregon where they are legal.

Answer 5

switch blade has 2 handles andis easyily flopped open with out pulling on it a folding knife usually has to be forced open and has a locking system when fully open then you unlock it and fold it

Answer 6

Always follow links for more details:
http://www.trueswords.com/cold-steel-ak47-pocket-knife-ak47-p-2947.html

They describe it as folder.
So, unless they want to have a lot of unhappy customers, a folder it is.

The lack of info concerning springs is also a sign.

Cold-steel is liked by friends of mine.