Switchblade
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Image:Switchblade.jpg A switchblade (also known as automatic knife, switch, or, in British English flick knife) is a type of knife with a folding blade that springs out of the grip when a button or lever on the grip is pressed. There are two basic types, side-opening and out-the-front (OTF).
A side-opening knife's blade pivots out of the side of the handle (in the same manner as an ordinary folding knife). An out-the-front knife's blade slides directly forward, out of the tip of the handle. There are two types of OTF (out the front) knives: double action and single action.
Double action OTFs allow the user to extend or retract the blade with the press of a sliding button. Spring tension in these knives is actually provided by the movement of the button, which makes them much safer to carry since they will not open accidently. However, the extra force the spring requires also can make intentional opening more difficult.
Single action OTFs require the user to retract the blade manually and compress the spring. Because they often use a lever to compress the spring, stronger springs can be used. This makes them open more vigorously than the double-action type, and allows them to achieve tighter lock-up.
A wide variety of blade designs may be found on switchblades, but the most common is the Italian stiletto style seen often in motion pictures. However, the switchblade should not be confused with the butterfly knife (balisong), assisted-opening knife, or the non-automatic stiletto.
Switchblades are often cheaply made, however, there are a fair number of knife companies and custom makers who build high-quality automatic knives for military, emergency personnel, and for knife collectors. Some famous automatic knife manufacturers include Microtech, Protech, Benchmade, Dalton, Concord and Piranha.
Because they are illegal in some places, one variation of the switchblade is a dual-action design that allows the user to manually open the knife as though it were a manual (and legal) folding knife. Often, the trigger for such knives is hidden in a grip panel, requires the user to squeeze or twist the handle in a certain fashion, or is hidden in some other manner.
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Legality
United States
A common misconception is that switchblades are illegal through out the entire United States. In actuality, switch blades are usually restricted on a state or local level, the one exception being the Federal Switchblade Act, signed August 12, 1958, which concerns the interstate sale of switchblades, aside from contractors to government agencies. In addition, switchblades are also illegal to import into the United States. However, several states freely allow the purchase and or carry of switchblade knives.
United Kingdom
Flick knives are illegal to possess or import into Britain.