You may think that a knife is a knife and that they are universal for all users. Like most basic concepts in life, it is mostly true but that means there is room for exceptions and when it comes to folding knives and automatic knives there is most definitely a difference between right-handed knives and left-handed knives.
How Are Left-Handed Knives Different?
A left-handed knife differs from a right-handed knife in a number of ways that are not always obvious to someone with a dominant right hand. In the case of fixed-blade knives, it can be the contour of the handle, particularly if finger grooves or texturing is involved. This can make it uncomfortable to downright impossible for the left-handed user to hold the knife properly. We are obviously not talking about a common paring knife here.
The angle or grind of the blade can be a factor as well, particularly if the knife has a chisel grind blade. In knives such as this, the blade is only sharpened on one side with the opposite side of the blade a flat piece of metal. A grind on the wrong side of the blade can be awkward or even dangerous and unsafe for a southpaw user.
It is typically more apparent on folding knives or some types of automatic knives that deploy from the side. In these instances, the clip can be positioned on the “wrong” side of the blade for a left-handed user. However, many manufacturers have been addressing this by giving the left-handed user the option of a reversible pocket clip. For some left-handed users, this is enough, but closing a knife with a liner lock or frame lock, for example, may prove a bit awkward or uncomfortable.
Locking mechanisms such as the compression lock, lock back, Tri-Ad lock by Cold Steel, or even Benchmade Knives' amazing Axis lock work well for either hand.
Opening mechanisms for the most part are ambidextrous with regard to thumb holes, thumb studs, thumb lugs, or others that are accessible on either side of the blade. However, some button locks and automatic knife buttons can be awkwardly placed and not easily accessible by the thumb of the left hand. Many left-handed users have simply adapted to this by learning to press the button of the knife with the forefinger instead of the thumb.
While that may seem like a necessary adaptation for many users, it really shouldn’t have to be. In today’s day and age knives are being made better, more effective, and in many ways cheaper than at any time in history. Left-handed knife users really should have more options available to them. Surely there has to be something better out there.
What Does AutoKnives Recommend for Left-Handers?
In a right-handed world, it can often be difficult to recommend a true left-hand knife without going the route of consulting a custom knife maker. However, there is an option that most people don’t consider right away. It is in the form of the OTF (Out the Front) knife.
<h3> OTF Knives
An OTF knife is a knife that opens out the front. Most OTF knives are automatics and are sometimes colloquially referred to as stilettos. However, some manufacturers like Schrade and Kershaw offer manually operated OTF knives for people who live in areas where automatic OTF knives may be prohibited.
We are specifically speaking about DA OTF knives. DA refers to Double Action, which refers to the button's two separate actions of opening and retracting the knife blade. It makes for the perfect ambidextrous knife and can be easily used by both right-handed and left-handed users with comfort and ease.
Older style OTF knives like the Micro Tech HALO or some of the Pro-Tech models were often SA or Single Action auto knives. This meant that the user would press a button to deploy the blade and utilize a separate lever or another mechanism like a charging handle in order to retract the blade when it was not in use any longer. While these knives will also work for the left-handed user, they can’t beat the DA version as an ambidextrous design.
The reason for this is the simplicity of the OTF design. There is no “out the side” action so the blade only deploys in one direction. This makes clip and button placement universal as it doesn’t really matter which hand is using the knife and all actions can be performed effortlessly and ambidextrously. From one-handed opening of the knife to automatic blade retraction, OTF knives have advantages regardless of the dominant hand of the user.
Button placement may still be an issue for some left-handed users. Try to find a DA OTF knife that places the button on the spine of the handle as opposed to the flat width. These may tend to be the best design for left-handed users.
Some examples of what AutoKnives.com has available are classic OTF designs from companies like Boker.
If you want an ultra-compact design, the Boker Plus USB family of Out-the-Front knives may be what you are looking for. It resembles a USB stick and has a lanyard hole for keyring attachment. The blade deploys and retracts quickly. It is made in the USA with a D2 blade by Boker USA in collaboration with Cobra Tec Knives. The anodized handle can be had in a variety of colors and the retail price is about $60.
Templar Knives is a relatively new manufacturer that has been making an excellent series of OTF knives. You can choose from dagger, tanto, or drop point blades and they offer a variety of handle treatments that run the gamut from plain and utilitarian to bold artistic colors and patterns. A deep pocket carrying clip with a glass breaker rounds this one out to tackle any emergency or adventure. MSRP is $79.95 to $99.95 depending on options.
There are even lower-cost alternatives, too, such as the Lightning Fireball OTF. This model sports a satin or black finished tanto or drop point blade with a black or OD-colored aluminum handle. The price of this one is only $29.95.
Blade styles on OTF knives can include tanto, spear point, drop point, recurved, hawksbill, reverse tanto, or the most popular which tends to be a dagger style. Evaluate your own needs or find which blade style appeals to you more aesthetically.
OTF knives used to have a bad reputation as being only suitable for a knife fight or being the tools of hoodlums and criminals. Yet the truth is that automatic knives were actually designed and invented at the turn of the twentieth century to allow women to open pocketknives without breaking their finely manicured fingernails. A false moral panic was created half a century later in November of 1950 by a Woman’s Home Companion magazine author in an article titled “The Toy That Kills”. According to police research from the same time period, these knives were not found to be used in a significant way on the streets of major cities. They just had a flair when used in movies such as West Side Story or Rebel Without a Cause that seemed to frighten people that are very easily frightened.
Browse our collection to see more designs. We have an OTF knife to fit every budget. These knives are popular with right-handed users, too. Many law-enforcement officers carry one on their non-dominant side in case their primary hand becomes incapacitated or if they need the knife to defend themselves from an attacker attempting to grab the officer’s firearm. Plenty of civilians concealed carry holders do the same for that very reason as well. So, while you may not be a true left-handed user, you may have a valid left-hand use for such a knife.
Shop AutoKnives for High-Quality Knives
When it comes to buying a left-hand knife, particularly an OTF-type automatic knife, you can’t go wrong with AutoKnives. We are dedicated to finding excellent cutting tools from different manufacturers. You don’t have to break the bank and spend thousands of dollars for a custom model when you can browse our site and find OTF knives at affordable price points in a variety of blade designs, blade steels, and handle treatments. Find your EDC knife at AutoKnives.
Some of these designs are so varied, interesting, and affordable that aside from an EDC (everyday carry) knife, you might actually start a small quality blade collection.
As always, check your local laws before buying or carrying any knife. Opening methods, blade profiles, or blade lengths may be prohibited in certain areas and many bigger jurisdictions in the United States still have laws against switchblades or automatic knives. Some places may restrict carrying one while others may restrict ownership.
When it comes to a true ambidextrous knife for left-handed users; the DA OTF automatic knife may be the perfect choice and it provides a definitive advantage over just about everything else for simplicity, consistency, and reliability.