Boker Trance - surprise feature

[ringzero]

After EDCing a Boker Trance for over a year, figured I knew all its ins and outs pretty well.

Opens super smooth and easy with two opening modes:
-Ambidextrous thumbstuds
-Ambidextrous flipper

Yesterday a third opening mode showed up by accident.

Picked up the Byrd Cara Cara because I wanted to take it with me out of the house to show it to my brother.  Removed the Trance from its normal right front pocket EDC position and slipped the Cara Cara into RFP.

Clipped the Trance into my left rear pocket next to my wallet where it rode all day without being disturbed.  Got home and put away the Cara Cara, then pulled the Trance out of my LRP to transfer it back to RFP.

Surprise!  As it was pulled out of the pocket, the Trance had opened and locked by itself - sort of like a waved Spyderco knife.

Discovered the Trance can also do this from RFP if I twist it slightly to drag a thumbstud against the pocket when pulling it out.

After a little practice, I could make it open and lock every time I pulled it.

Has anyone else with a Trance ever noticed this "feature" that I wasn't even aware of?

.
 

[cliosguy]

Cool

[2xTap]

ringzero,

Yup, I found out this "unique feature" by accident.....and slit my finger open in the process. When I first got my drop-point Trance it came with it's pocket clip already mounted for TIP-UP carry. I had always and only carried TIP-DOWN but I figured I'd give TIP-UP a try. Not used to having to go into my pocket for a knife clipped to it as with TIP-DOWN it's just a pinch and pull afair, I reached in pulled the knife out, it got hung up a bit......not noticing my blade was already partially open when I went to get the rest of my fingers around the handle of the knife to get it in the right position in my hand (Tip-Up is so unnatural) my middle finger went between the partially open blade and the frame and......slice!

Right above the cuticle I sliced my finger wide open. But I tried to still carry it in the TIP-UP, and on the same day much later in the afternoon I had it open in my pocket as well. I noticed the thumbstuds on the blade stick out just a hair passed the frame......on pulling it out the thumbstud would snag a bit on the seam of the pocket opening pulling at the blade and actually opening it as it came out. And while in my pocket, if not touched for a while all the bending and sitting would slowly push the knife away from back of my pocket.....as it did this the blade would open, likely from friction of the thumbstuds against the inside of my pocket. I've had this happen with another knife I tried to carry TIP-UP as well. Switching the clip for TIP-DOWN cured these "problems".

It's why I will never again carry a folder in the TIP-UP position, it's TIP-DOWN only for me.

2xTap

[ringzero]

Yup, I found out this "unique feature" by accident.....and slit my finger open in the process.
...
It's why I will never again carry a folder in the TIP-UP position, it's TIP-DOWN only for me.

Ouch!  Sorry to hear that 2xTap.

My Trance was one of the sharpest new knives I've ever experienced.  It would pop hairs and push cut cigarette papers when new out of the box.

For years all the knives I owned were tip-down, so I was very used to tip-down.

Then, more or less by coincidence, I bought maybe a half-dozen tip-up knives one after another.  At first tip-up really bugged me, but I gradually got used to it.

For smaller knives with a strong detent, I do like tip-down carry better.  Like you, I prefer to draw the knife using a pinch grip without having to put my hand down into my pocket.

For bigger knives, like the Cara Cara, tip-up seems to work better for me.

Also, if I have any doubt about the security of the detent that holds the blade closed in a liner or frame lock, I prefer tip-up.  That way the blade is prevented from opening very far because it will press up against the side of my pocket.

Now that I know about this "feature" of the Trance, I kind of enjoy playing around with it.

It is cool to be able to pull the knife from the pocket already open and locked.  Now I can understand why some people really like their waved Spydies and Emersons.

.
 

[2xTap]

ringzero,

Both of my Trances came hair-popping sharp as well......



......it didn't take much at all for the one to slice me open good. I had always carried Tip-Down but I have tried Tip-Up on a few occassions. Apart from the blades on some opening in my pocket and the like, Tip-Up is just slow and unnatural for me.

2xTap

[ringzero]

ringzero,

Both of my Trances came hair-popping sharp as well......
......it didn't take much at all for the one to slice me open good. I had always carried Tip-Down but I have tried Tip-Up on a few occassions. Apart from the blades on some opening in my pocket and the like, Tip-Up is just slow and unnatural for me.

2xTap

Nice pic there, 2xTap.

Yeah, out of box sharpness on these is something else.  I'd hate to reach down into my pocket and get a bad cut from this knife.  So far the Trance has only lightly nicked me once.  Hope to keep it that way, because this blade could very easily cut down to the bone!

I've handled much more expensive knives (Benchmade, Spyderco, etc.) that weren't nearly as sharp out of the box as my Trance.

Trance is one of those knives that I didn't really expect to like that much.  But, I had read so many rave reviews that I decided to give it a try.

Discovered that the more I EDCed the Trance, the more I liked it - sort of grew on me over time.  Trance is an amazing knife for what it costs - puts similarly priced Byrds to shame for fit and finish.

2xTap, which do you like better?  Regular or Drop Point model?

.

[2xTap]

ringzero,

They are a real good knife for the money, and very well built. They are a bit small for my liking but I was surprised by the fact that despite their small size they were relatively comfortable in the hand.

Of the two I have I prefer the regular one (original) over the drop-point version......they are the same I just like the blade style better (aesthetics) on the regular one.

2xTap

[Splat]

Surprise!  As it was pulled out of the pocket, the Trance had opened and locked by itself - sort of like a waved Spyderco knife.  Discovered the Trance can also do this from RFP if I twist it slightly to drag a thumbstud against the pocket when pulling it out. After a little practice, I could make it open and lock every time I pulled it. Has anyone else with a Trance ever noticed this "feature" that I wasn't even aware of?

Nope. Never had it happen, and I carry mine in my RFP too. MOF, I've never had any knife of mine open in my pocket and I carry tip-up.

The Trance really is a great, great knife. Good ergos, slim profile, light weight, good frame-lock, good steel, great blade shape, and it's inexpensive. I love my drop-point Trance.