Freak Accident with a Favorite Tool

[Andrew Joiner]

I have some pocket knives that open with a blade lever also called a blade flipper. This was my favorite:

I tuned it and tightened the pivot screw to ensure it was solid. I have it so tight and solid that it takes a lot of pressure to pop the blade open. This feels safer than spring assisted knives with levers. I tested it a bit and it seemed impossible to open accidently. I kept it clipped inside the top of my front pants pocket all the time.
Today I had a thorough skin cancer exam from a female Dr. I was probably a bit nervous and when the exam was done I put on my pants on quickly.

One pant leg must have been twisted so I pulled hard to untwist them. I felt a tiny pain below my knee. I thought it was one of my keys poking thru my pocket so I pulled a little harder to get them on and untangled. The I felt liquid running down my leg and more pain. I finally sat down and looked.
There was a 5" long gash in my shin!

My pocket was twisted up tight. I got my keys and knife out and the knife was shut tight. The keys were not sharp or rough. The gash was deep and clean so it had. They stitched me up within 20 minutes.

The only explanation is the knife was wrapped tight enough by my pocket and pant leg to expose the blade tip a bit. Pulling up the pants pulled the blade out more as the tip first stuck my skin. The tip had only been exposed by 1/4".

If your going to have freak accident how lucky to do it in a Dr clinic, right?

So just a warning for everyone.

[johnny means]

Good thing the situation rectified itself before the pants got all the way up.

[Andrew Joiner]

Your SO right on that one Johnny!

[Peter Christensen]

Me thinks you should be carrying a knife that need two hands to open. Then again with your luck both pan legs would conspire to cut you.

[Matt Day]

Agreed. Change knives!

Heal up fast.

[Andrew Hughes]

It’s a nice looking EDC. I wouldn’t change it.
Nothing wrong with getting cut from a good knife that’s what knifes do.
Now if you were opening a can of cat food or tuna and needed stitches that would be bad.

[Martin Wasner]

Get an auto out the front. It's almost impossible to open accidentally. Plus it's super easy to open or close with one hand

[Rod Sheridan]

Buy a knife that requires some deliberate force to open, no point having an accident for no good reason..........Glad to hear you picked the correct office to have your accident in........Regards, Rod.

[al heitz]

Or carry it in a leather sheath - maybe on your belt. One with a snap cover even better.

[Jack Frederick]

I have always carried a knife. I hear they can be used as a weapon, but I know they can be used as a tool. About 30 yrs ago I was at a trade show and saw the SOG guy demo-ing a "spring assist" on the Flash II knife. I thought those types were illegal. I bought it and have carried it since. What has made it the EDC preference is that it has a blade lock. I can open it one handed, close and lock it one handed and put it away. A couple years ago my daughter bought me a beautiful Benchmade folder. The contours were better but it doesn't have a blade lock and every once in a while I would have it partially open as I drew it. I like things in the Johnson Dept secure, so the Flash II continues to ride along for 30 years of reliable service.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I have a number of Myerchin sailing knives. The older ones were very hard to open. The newer ones have the same lever as yours, and I love it- I can flip it open with one hand like a switchblade, which when you are sailing is a big plus. I have had another knife do what you did- it opened in my pocket and stabbed me, although not as bad as yours. I like to loosen my knives up so they are just solid enough to stay closed, but loose enough to be easy to open.

The new Myerchin has a pocket clip, and clips where gravity works to hold the blade shut, not opened. If you go with this knife, get the titanium version. The others rust fairly easily. One sad thing about the new Myerchins is that the stainless is not as good as the old ones.

https://www.amazon.com/Myerchin-Tita...68549948&psc=1

[Andrew Joiner]

This one has the lever:https://www.amazon.com/Myerchin-Prof.../dp/B07L51MFTP
Looks like a great knife Malcolm. I love the one handed, solid feel too. By design knives like that are unsafe. UNLESS you remove them from your pants EVERY time you put your pants on and off.

[Marshall Harrison]

Never had that happen and I normally carry two or three knives daily along with my Glock or 1911. I have had loose change jam the blade stuck and I have to dig a quarter or a nickel out of the works.

I always carry a small tactical flashlight. Carry over habits from my military and LEO days. As I get older I use the flashlight a lot in dim restaurants to read the menu or find the silverware.

[Michael Costa]

Someone I know from NH (where I used to live) makes custom leather knife holders, gun holsters, belts, etc. Might be worth a look.

https://m.facebook.com/weirdbeardleather/

[Bernie Kopfer]

"Never had that happen and I normally carry two or three knives daily along with my Glock or 1911. "

Is that so you can scalp them after you shoot them?