For the knife gurus -- I need a new knife!

[The Adam Blaster]

Ok, so that ginormous thread with all the cool pictures of good quality knives got me all excited about getting a new knife. I have a couple of cheap folders, and have never taken the plunge and gotten a "good" knife.
20 bucks has been my limit in the past. lol

The question I have for the guys with a lot of product knowledge is this:
I'm looking for a folder of good quality, with a combo blade and also some utility tool aspects to it. Screwdriver, corkscrew, small pliers etc...

Now, the only problem is that I only have one good arm/hand, my left.
Motorcycle accident 10+ years ago, blah blah blah...

So, I have tried using Swiss Army knives, but they fold out very stiff, and I have to use my teeth to hold the body of the knife in place while i pull out whatever tool I need to use at the time.
Besides the soreness left in my jaw through this process, there's the obvious danger of holding a slippery knife in your mouth while extracting a blade.
And the blade is usually too small, and not serrated.

So, if anyone has a good suggestion of a folding knife with a combo blade and a couple other utilitarian elements, all that can be opened with a left hand only, fire it this way!

 

[Starscream]

Personally, I am a big SOG fan. I'm not sure how much you plan on investing in your new knife, but they are definitely a company to consider.

They even have a line of "power assist" mult-tools that may be beneficial for you. These tools also feature compound leverage, which means: with the same hand pressure, you will generate twice the wire cutting and gripping power than all other conventional designs....in a nut shell, these are ideal for one-handed operation.

Check em' out here: http://sogknives.com/store/tools.html

Good luck!

-Matt

 

[Lynn]

Well, I really like my Leathermans, but even on the newer ones only the knife blades are designed for one hand opening.

I did a quick Google on 'one handed multi-tool' and found an interesting option that sounds like just what you are looking for:

Buck X-Tract

 

[The Adam Blaster]

I did a quick Google on 'one handed multi-tool' and found an interesting option that sounds like just what you are looking for:

Buck X-Tract

That's a nice looking one, I like the "fullsize" blade.

In terms of how much I want to spend, $100.00 is probably around my limit. At least for somethin I would order online.
If I ever find one at a store in person that I could try out and REALLY liked, I might go higher on the price, or just look online and find it for a better price.

 

[Lynn]

Downside to the X-Tract

Upon further research, this review lists one of the 'cons' to be that it is 'clearly designed for right-handed use,' so it might not work for you.

 

[The Adam Blaster]

Boo-urns...

 

[shahram]

Any of the Victorinox "One handed opening" knives will work for your purposes, especially the Sentinel, Rescue Tool, or the Trekker.

The Leatherman Skeletool CX is reviewed by a left-handed user that opened the blade using his middle finger with some success.

 

[Photog]

I have been using different Leatherman tools for 20 years. My favorite so far is the "Wave". Many times, it must be deployed with one hand. THe most used items are the knife and pliers. The file and phillips screwdriver are next in line. I am right handed, and I can still open the pliers or a knife, with my left hand. I do start the knife with my middle finger, and finish it with the thumb.

I have never thought about using this tool with only one hand; but, with a little practice in the last few minutes, I was able to access every item in the tool, with one hand.

 

[absolute]

X2 for the Leatherman Wave!
Great tool...many years of HARD use and takes a beating like a champ!

I have 7 Multi-tools, yet the wave is always the first to go with me!

 

[xcmountain80]

Spyderco and CRKT are great sptderco's are awesome one handed operation gaurenteed.

Aaron

 

[j_nigrelli]

try here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=669

but you will need to register before you can post.

 

[4Rescue]

Gerber - Torch II

CRKT, Benchmade, Letherman, Spyderco, Kershaw (almost all of them, are here in Oregon lucky me) all make good knives, but seeing as I have an inside connection at Gerber (HEHEHEHE) I use their knives... if they're good enough for our soldiers (LMFII) they're good enough for me.

I really like the Torch II because it has the fast opening "Finger Flicker" that doubles as a sort of hilt finger guard and makes getting it open way easier than just a thumb stud (it has that as well on both sides of the blade) and the Tanto/sereted blade has proven to be a really good blade for an all around "Tool" sort of knife... I never go anywhere without it.

Cheers

Dave

 

[JRhetts]

I too recommend the WAVE. I can access every tool with one hand with only little practice, and the two blades (one serrated) open very easily one-handed.

My wave has been to Africa twice and South America once, and now is about to embark on a complete Central America expedition.

 

[CSG]

I own two Waves and can recommend them too. Haven't tried the one handed thing though.

 

[The Adam Blaster]

Ok, so I have some 'net research to do now.

Thanks for all the replies, and keep any other ideas coming my way!