Meandering thoughts on the ergonomics of the PowerAssist blades...

[Cameron Berges]

I've been messing with my recently aquired PowerAssist (S66) lately and wanted to share a my thoughts on closing the blades, among other things.  Rather than closing it two-handed (which kinda nullifies the convenience of OH AO blades) or risking a sliced finger/thumb to attempt it one-handed (man those SOG blades are sharp), I just close it against my leg.

If you're not familiar with this method or just want a full description, it's a mouthful: To close the PE blade, push the unlock button with your thumb while the middle finger squeezes against the opposite side of the handle to hold and balance the MT, then put the open PE blade's spine against the side of your thigh and rotate the tool until the blade is closed.  Closing the SE blade requires a little more dexterity, but follows the same principles.  Push the unlock button with your middle finger while holding/balancing the tool with your thumb against opposite side of the handle, then place the SE blade's spine against your leg and fold.

Sounds fairly complex/awkward when you describe the whole process, but I've been closing liner-lock knives in a similar manner for years so it's just a fluid and comfortable movement for me.  That being said, I don't recommend this method of closing blades for everyone, as it may take a little practice to lower the risk of injuring yourself.  But the same thing is true for trying to close your typical liner-lock knife one-handed (they've been known to occasionally eat thumbs  ).  I prefer closing against my leg because it better suits my needs.  I would rather risk poking my leg or cutting my work jeans than drop whatever I'm working on to close a knife/tool two-handed (too frequent an inconvenience at work) or chance a cut finger/thumb doing it one-handed (I make a living working with those hands).

I'm not saying that this makes using the PowerAssist blades a breeze.  Between the crazy springy blades, oddly-placed safety switches, tiny sharp-edged unlock buttons (not to mention those irritating concealed implements and handle flap), the thing is a bit unwieldy and sometimes frustrating to operate.  But despite its flaws, the tool is starting to grow on me (hardy-har-har  ).  I have a feeling I'll get more enjoyment and use out of it once I customize the components to my needs.  I'm still a little undecided if this will be my permanent edc knife replacement or not.  I'm a long time knife carrier/abuser that's slowly trying to adapt to the multitool world.  I'm starting to think that a Skeletool CX might have been a better fit for me, but I'll keep on keeping on with the PowerAssist for the time being and see how things go.

If you've stuck with me to this point I'd like to thank you for your patient attentiveness or apologize for the time my ramblings have cost you.  Your pick.  I just felt like getting out some of the thoughts milling around in my head after reading a couple posts about the PowerAssist on here.  Anyway, I'd be interested in hearing any other discovered quirks, design gripes, or general thoughts from you PowerAssist owners/users.  And yes I know it's not the most popular/user-friendly MT, but I found these kinds of discussions about ergonomics and design quite helpful during my initial MT selecting process.  *Sits and awaits feedback*

[Chako]

They are definitely a neat well engineered tool that seems to garner quite a bit of attention when people see it in action (both positive and negative). I like mine, but would never dream of EDCing it. My work requirements wouldn't allow it in the first place.

[Zack]

Thats how I close all of my AO knives (when I had AO knives).  I had a Powerassist briefly, but the size, lack of tools, and blade play made me trade on to someone else.  I always carry a quality OH opening knife anyway, and the blades on the PA were a PITA to use, due to the size of the handles.  However, the engineering was nice.

[J-sews]

The whole dang AO thing on the PowerAssist is too fiddly for me. A complex solution to a nonexistent problem really. What's the point of super fast blade opening if you have to dink around with the unlock switch first?

I do love the blades though - best ever on a SOG multitool.

Give me those same blades on a plain jane outside opening mechanism from SOG and I'd be happy.

[sawman]

When I examined a PowerAssist at a local knife shop, I had difficulty negotiating the safety. It actually took me considerable effort to open the blade. Does this get better with practice?

[MultiMat]

It does get easier mate with a bit of practice