First off, I will disclaim that I don't want to insult anyone here. I know that the common ways taught for folder deployment in knife combatives and martial arts are mostly one handed methods. I also don't expect everyone here to fully understand the exact method that I am promoting because it is proprietary to Tulisan Company. That is not to say that 2 handed methods haven't been used by others in the past, or that they won't be promoted by someone else in the future. It is just that we developed a specific two-handed method, it is what we prefer, and at the moment other knife combatives sources aren't promoting these methods (that I know of).
So, that said, I expect most people to disagree with me, and prefer 1-handed openers.
Also, this is much better shown then typed about. Maybe at some point I can put something on tape and offer a clip for FMA talk, martialtalk, or my own site if I can ever get that together; but it isn't high on the priority list at the moment.
So, all that said, I will do my best to explain the development of this method, and where we came up with the crazy idea that a 2-handed method is better then 1.
It started with some local seminars I had been teaching years ago, before Tulisan Company had even been established, called the EDC knife series. EDC stood for "every day carry." In this seminar we dealt with the issue of knife deployment. I talked about the importance of deployment, I showed a few opening methods, and I focused on the one-handed methods that everyone pretty much does. Most of the people in these seminars had previous training, and were familiar with these methods.
Then, I had everyone stand in a fighting platform (fighting stance) facing themselves in the mirrors with their knives placed wherever they prefer to carry them (pocket clip, belt loop, etc.). Then at the count of 3, with no surprises, I would say draw ("1...2...3...Draw!). All they had to do was deploy the knife and present it. Hands had to start up and open. We started at slow speed, and worked our way up to full speed.
I had done this with a few different groups. Even at the slow speeds, people were dropping and flinging their knives with the 1-handed methods. And, this was without combat stress. No one was in front of them trying to hurt them, yet with the simple stress of me yelling 1-2-3-draw, knives were everywhere. Now, not everyone dropped them, but enough people did for this to be a concern. Plus EVERYONE had to exert a fair amount of concentration and speed regulation to NOT fling or drop the knife; something that WILL NOT happened in a fight, no matter how trained the fighter is.
I realized from teaching these events that this was a REAL PROBLEM with a much needed solution.
My advice at the time was for them to practice drawing every day, 10 minutes a day, as I did for months and months. And, I will admit that repeated practice does help, even though it doesn't make it perfectly reliable.
Well, we messed with this for a long time, realizing that folding knife deployment under combat stress is a real problem that needed a real solution. What we came up with was the 2-handed opener. Here is the important aspects of it:
1. TECHNIQUE: With knife in palm between thumb pad and fingers ("plam ready"), the live hand (hand not holding the knife) grips the blade edge between thumb and forefinger. If you have distance between you and the threat (attacker), then the blade hand leads with elbow up towards threat, the live hand grips back blade edge and the knife hand extends forward, opening the knife and placing the point of the knife towards the threat. If you don't have distance, meaning the threat is right "on" you, then the knife hand is back and your live hand leads with elbow up towards threat to cover, you grip the knife the same way, but you "pop" the knife hand downward while the live hand stays up, thus opening the knife with the knife hand back but with the point towards the threat. The key to the method is that once the knife is in a palm ready position, it can be deployed in one sweeping motion.
Now, lets discuss WHY it works.
2. You need TIME and "no action" for deployment. For ANY type of knife deployment, you need the time to put the blade into the fight. For ANY type of folder with ANY type of opening method, you need significantly more time then other weapon options. If it is a predictable incident where you can have the blade palm ready and are essentially expecting to use your blade, you only need about 1 second give or take a few tenths to deploy. If it is a spontanious incident, the fight will start WITHOUT YOUR KNIFE. You CANNOT DEPLOY YOUR KNIFE IN THE MIDST OF THE FIGHT, regardless of what opening method or type of knife you use. You will have to fight knifeless until you can buy yourself time to deploy. You will need a 3-5 second break in action for this to happened. This is what we have discovered through stress testing scenarios.
Because every opening method and type of folding knife requires both time and a break in action for deployment, this means that you can afford to use both hands to open the knife in an incident.
3. Benefits to the "old fashion" two handed opener.
a. You don't sacrifice speed with this method. When done as I explained, you can deploy your knife just as fast or faster then the other one-handed opening methods. The only folder that is faster are autos and spring assists, depending on which make/model. In some ways, the old fashion method can be faster because it immediately puts the knife on point in one sweeping motion, verses some of the multiple motions needed with the one-handed openers.
b. It is the most reliable method available. With the two handed opener, you KNOW that your folder is open, and are less likely to accidently not open the folder all the way, or to drop the folder.
c. It is as gross-motor and simple as you can get. Other methods often require some use of fine motor skills, or complex motor skills for knife deployment. They require significant grip adjustments, or fumbling with thumb holes, studs, levers, or what have you. They require complex motions like wrist flicks and pops that may take practice. These skills tend to break down under combat stress. This is why I have witnessed so many dropped knives. The "old fashion" method doesn't require these complex skills.
d. The "old-fashion" method is universal. It works with almost any folding knife you pick up. Many of the one-handed knife industry openers will only work on certain types of designs. The two-hander works well on practically every type of design.
Limitations of the "old fashion" method:
The only real limitation between this method and the other one-handed methods are that this method requires two hands. On the surface, this limitation seems to be a major one, until one studies all the factors further. In reality, this limitation is reduced to not really being a problem at all. If done as I explain, your live hand is only occupied for a short moment, and you are well protected during this moment. Plus, because of the need for TIME and NON-ACTION for all methods, this factor of two hands being occupied for a second is greatly minimized as being an issue, making it practically a non-issue all together.
Conclusion: For reasons I already mentioned, I don't expect everyone to drop what they are doing to do our method. I do expect everyone to at least respect the "old fashion" opener as a valid method, for the reasons I have explained. Also, understand that this method has been well researched, and therefore the statements I have made aren't just speculation.
That all said, the only need for a one handed opener, in my opinion, is if you only have one hand. Except for the case of auto's and spring assisted knives, we have moved almost exclusively to the "old fashion" method, and have been quite happy with the results.
