What are the parts of a folding pocket knife?
What are the parts of a folding pocket knife? |
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Pocket knife handle |
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The handle is the part of the pocket knife that the user holds, and within which the blade is housed when folded away. The handle on a folding pocket knife will be open on the side which the blade slots into, allowing the blade to be slotted easily inside it. | |||
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Several types of handle are available, in a range of materials. For more information on the different types of pocket knife handle, see: What are the different types of pocket knife handle? | |||
Pocket knife flipper |
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The flipper is the ‘trigger’ which is used to open the blade. This may take the form of either a protruding section or a depression, which the user pushes upwards with the thumb to open the blade. | |||
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Force applied to the flipper rotates the blade around the pivot until it is exposed or hidden, depending on the direction of force. In some models, this action may be aided by a tensioning spring on the pivot. | |||
Pocket knife pivot |
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The pivot is the part of the tool which the blade rotates around, allowing the opening and folding away of the knife. Construction of the pivot is fairly simple, usually consisting of a pair of sex bolts or a pivot screw which allow the blade to move around the pivot point.
A sex bolt consists of a female internally threaded barrel (nut) and a male externally threaded screw |
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Pocket knife blade |
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The blade is the part of the pocket knife which is used to cut. Only the blade’s cutting edge (bottom edge) and tip are sharp enough to cut, while the spine (top edge) is ground to a smooth but blunt edge. | |||
Pocket knife bolster |
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The bolster sits between the handle and the blade, surrounding the pivot. | |||
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The bolster is designed to strengthen the knife by providing structural support to the pivot. As such, the bolster is often thicker, heavier and of heavier-duty design than the rest of the knife’s parts. | |||
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Not all folding pocket knives incorporate a bolster, but where they do, stresses on the handle and blade are transferred not into the pivot mechanism alone, but spread between pivot and bolster. By spreading force over a larger surface area, damage is reduced. | |||
Pocket knife liner |
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The liner is the housing in which the blade is secured. Not all folding pocket knives have a liner, and the way it is incorporated varies depending on the model; on some knives, the liner pivots with the blade, while on some, the liner is fixed inside the handle, providing the internal housing for the blade to slot into when not in use. | |||
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The liner typically comprises a thin metal sheath, which protects most of the blade’s sharp cutting edge during use. | |||
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When the blade needs to be replaced, the liner is typically opened, the old blade removed and a new one slotted into place. However, on some folding pocket knives, the blade simply slides out from the tip. | |||
Pocket knife stand offs |
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Connecting the two sides of the handle are a pair of stand offs – small bolts which hold the handle itself together while allowing enough room for the blade to sit within the handle. They are called stand offs because they allow the parallel sides of the handle to stand ‘off’ or ‘away’ from one another while remaining connected. | |||
Pocket knife quick release mechanism |
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The quick release mechanism usually comprises a button or slider which can be pressed to immediately release the blade, enabling quick blade replacement. Though not all folding pocket knives incorporate a quick release mechanism, the majority of newer models do. | |||
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On some folding pocket knives, the quick release mechanism opens the blade casing completely, while on others, it simply frees up the blade to be slid free of its housing. | |||
