Have you ever opened a pocket knife and been unable to close it? This happens all the time around the world. Folding knives are designed to be difficult to close for safety reasons.
Accidental knife injuries are as common as the flu. If a pocket knife wasn’t locked tight, the blades would close up at random. Very dangerous for the average Joe whose stabbing away at something in his backyard. To avoid this circumstance, all folding knives are built with locking mechanisms. This safety feature is even a legal requirement in some countries.
So don’t get flustered when you can’t close a knife. It’s for your benefit, and you might be grateful for it at some point. So we’re going to show you how to deal with all these devices. More specifically – Gerbers. Let’s learn how to close a Gerber knife.
How To Close A Gerber Airlift Knife
An airlift knife is a fancy way of saying folding knife. Folding knives are knives with mechanisms that lock when opened. These are safety mechanisms. All folding knives have to lock into place otherwise you could harm yourself when using them.
An airlift knife has a single blade attached to two handle pieces. Each handle piece has an open view design with sleak holes cut into them. These types of folding knives are not very durable, but, not this knife. It’s made out of stainless steel for a robust and durable design.
When the knife is open a piece of the frame should click into place behind the blade. We call this a frame lock. Frame locks are very strong and reliable. To close the Gerber knife you must push the frame away from the tang of the blade. This will allow you to push the blade closed.
Use your index finger to push the blade back into the closed position. There are two thumbs studs on the blade that you can use to help close the knife as well. These are there to help you open the knife but are also used for closing.
Make sure that you move your thumb out of the way when pushing the blade back into the cavity. It’s a common mistake that many people make and then slice their thumbs in the process.
Close A Folding Knife
Gerber folding knives have many different types of mechanisms. Each mechanism uses either automatic or manual locking. These terms are used in the case of opening a knife. We’re going to talk about automatic mechanisms. These usually have a switch or button that can flick the knife open.
The blade is spring-loaded to push the knife open. You have to be careful when using an automatic knife because they open fast. You should also note that closing a spring-loaded knife should not be done with one hand. Also you can lose control of the knife and drop it.
An automatic knife has a button on the side of the handle. You should use this when closing the blade. The button connects to a stopper on the blade that you have to push out the way. So when you’re ready to close the knife go ahead and push the button and hold it down.
Use your other hand that’s free to push the blade closed. Make sure you hear a clicking sound when closing. This will tell you when you have locked the knife up tight. Otherwise, the knife will spring back open, which has caused many accidents. You have to be more careful when using this type of folding knife. The button can sometimes get damaged, preventing further opening and closing.
Closing The Para Frame Knife
A Gerber para frame knife is a folding knife with a single blade. It works off of a back lock mechanism. The frame and handle pieces are made of stainless steel making it tough and durable for a folding knife. A back lock mechanism is robust and very reliable but it’s more awkward to use. The back lock design is world-renowned for being safe. Few knife mechanism have the same commendation.
A back lock has a piece of steel running down the entire back of the knife. This connects to the bottom of the blade which stops it from closing. It’s a manual opening system so you don’t have to worry about any springs.
When the knife is open, use your index finger to locate the finger groove. You can find this groove on the spine of the knife. You’ll see the back lock steel piece sticking out. You should push this down and hold it there while locking the knife blade.
Do this with your other hand because it’s very difficult to close this type of knife with one hand. Once you’ve unlocked the blade you should feel the back steel piece becoming loose. Now you can move the blade the rest of the way back.
Gerber Pocket Knife Closing Trick
A Gerber pocket knife is a single-blade pocket knife. It uses no locking mechanism at all. This does not mean it’s unsafe but just less complicated. These types of knives have dampers inside them that open and close when force is applied.
When you wish to open the knife pull on the blade and it should give way. You won’t hear a click when you open up the blade. This is because there is no locking mechanism. The blade is safe to use as long as you are not putting it under excessive force. The dampers will hold the blade in place.
This knife is also made out of stainless steel and has a full cover handle. It has steel pins that compress the knife to make sure the blade is secured. Some versions of this knife come with a thumb stud to help opening and closing. So you can use one hand when closing this pocket knife. It does take a little more effort to push the blade closed but you should be fine.
All you have to do with this knife is apply pressure to the unsharpened side of the blade. The dampers will give way unlocking the blade to move. Then push the blade into the handle piece.
Conclusion
There are many other types of knives out there. We’ve covered a few examples but there’s so much more to know when learning how to close a Gerber knife. This is not a difficult task but if it’s all new information, then it can be. Remember that safety comes first so take it easy. All Gerber knives come out the box razor sharp so be careful.
Each knife will come with a different mechanism for opening and closing. Read the manual if it comes with one or if not then look it up. Gerber knives are strong but they are not indestructible. So treat your knife with respect and it will last a long time.
