15 Cool Knives with Unique Opening Mechanisms

One of the things I appreciate most about the knife community is the relentless drive for innovation and originality. Sure, I enjoy diving into the subtle tweaks on the latest flippers, but it’s the truly revolutionary designs that leave me in awe.

For a tool that’s been around for millions of years, the knife continues to evolve in exciting and unexpected ways. These bold designs might be hit-or-miss—and many don’t stick around—but they’re proof that no matter how long something’s been around, there’s always room for fresh thinking and creative breakthroughs.

Here are 15 knives with the most interesting deployment mechanisms.

1. Kershaw ET

Let’s kick things off with a knife that almost always comes up when you talk about unique opening mechanisms: the Kershaw ET. Short for External Toggle, the ET was the brainchild of the inventive duo Grant and Gavin Hawk. This father-and-son team is known for their outside-the-box creations, including the TOAD, Boker Griploc, and several others.

The Kershaw ET features a toggle mechanism that lets you open and close the blade in a few different ways. While you can operate it like a traditional folder (using your thumb and dropping the handle while holding the blade) the toggle mechanism is easily the most fun. A lever near the butt of the handle lets you control the action. Unfortunately, the knife was discontinued, likely due to the risk of it accidentally closing on your thumb when using the toggle.

Here’s a gif of how it opens with the toggle from this review:

2. CRKT Rollock

Next, we have another discontinued knife: the CRKT Rollock. What makes this one stand out is its unique opening mechanism. To deploy the blade, you press down on some jimping near the back of the spine while it’s closed. This action causes the blade to pop up, allowing you to slide it fully open.

This production model from CRKT was based on the original Rolox design by Blackie Collins. Collins is frequently credited as the pioneer of the assisted-opening knife, although Ken Onion may have developed the SpeedSafe mechanism around the same time.

Here’s a gif from an old YouTube :

3. Paragon Knives by Asheville Steel Warlock

The Warlock from Paragon Knives by Asheville Steel (yeah, it’s a bit of a mouthful) doesn’t fit neatly into the automatic or assisted opening categories—it carves out a space of its own. When closed, the blade is completely hidden from view. So how do you bring this thing to life?

With the press of a button, the handle splits open—think Moses parting the Red Sea—and gravity does the rest. To close it, the same principle applies: the handle parts, and the blade drops back inside. Just make sure you’re holding it the right way, or your palm might get an unpleasant surprise.

Check out this gif of the Warlock in action:

4. Scorpiodesign Shapeshifter EDC

Get ready to have your mind blown. The Scorpiodesign Shapeshifter features one of the wildest opening mechanisms out there. When it’s closed, it barely even looks like a knife—and if you’ve never handled one before, you’ll probably need a minute to figure out how it works.

Here’s the gist: as the tip of the blade moves through the butt of the handle at an angle, the middle section folds in on itself and locks into place. I know, that description doesn’t quite capture how cool it is in action. It’s designed to be a solid EDC, but let’s be real—you’ll probably spend a good amount of time just figuring it out before it ever makes it into your pocket rotation.

5. CRKT Fulcrum 2

The Fulcrum from CRKT was once discontinued, but it made a comeback in 2016 with the Fulcrum 2. Designed by Russ Kommer, this version features a patented mechanism known as the Fulcrum Action. So how does it work? When you press the left side of the frame with your thumb, the blade swings out about 90 degrees. Then, pulling that same side back finishes the job and fully deploys the blade. The best part? You get a peek at the knife’s inner workings as it opens.

The updated Fulcrum sports a 2.75-inch blade and eye-catching swirled CPL handle scales. It’s not just functional—it’s the kind of knife you’ll find yourself fidgeting with just for fun.

This is the original Fulcrum from a CRKT video:

6. Schrade Viper Side Assist

Most folks are familiar with out-the-front knives—but what about out-the-side? Enter the Schrade Viper Side Assisted Opener. This one launches the blade sideways out of the handle. When closed, one side of the handle reveals the blade tucked inside, while the other features a curious little hole near the top.

To deploy it, you just push the blade through that hole, and once you hit the right point, the spring assist kicks in and whoosh—the blade snaps open. To close it, pull back the button on the handle and push the blade back in. It also includes a safety switch to keep things locked down when you’re not looking for a surprise deployment.

Here’s the knife in action from Schrade:

7. A.G. Russell Funny Folder

The Funny Folder from A.G. Russell lives up to its name. This quirky design dates back over 50 years, making it one of the older innovations on this list. To deploy the blade, you push the handle sideways while gripping the frame—kind of like the Schrade Side Assist. Once the handle swings open, you pivot part of it back to reveal the blade.

It features a drop-point blade and a titanium handle. While it’s not built for heavy-duty tasks, it’s definitely a joy to fiddle with. Funny folder, indeed.

This is the Funny Folder in action:

8. Lone Wolf Defender

The Lone Wolf Defender snagged the Overall Knife of the Year award at Blade Show back in 2009, and for good reason. Designed by Paul Poehlmann—the mind behind the Paul Axiel locking mechanism—this knife brings a clever twist to opening and closing.

One way to deploy it is to grip the pivot between your thumb and index finger with the handle pointed upward. Press down on the pivot, and the blade unlocks. Thanks to gravity, the handle drops and the blade swings into place. Closing it? Just reverse the motion.

It’s a fun and fluid action that adds some flair to the function. The Defender is marketed as a tactical gentleman’s folder, featuring a 3.9-inch blade made from 154CM steel. Stylish and smart.

Check it out:

9. CRKT Snap Lock

Here’s another Blade Show Overall Knife of the Year winner — this time from 2004. The CRKT Snap Lock is a standout design from the inventive mind of Ed Van Hoy. Like a few others on this list, it’s a folder that opens from the side, but it brings its own unique twist to the table.

To deploy the blade, you press the thumb wheel and swing the blade out. There’s a wheel on both sides, making it ambidextrous and super smooth to operate.

One of the biggest perks of the Snap Lock is the side-opening action—it keeps the blade secure under pressure, reducing the chance of failure during use.

Though it was discontinued for a while, the Snap Lock eventually made a well-deserved comeback.

Here’s a gif from this short video:

10. Smith & Wesson Power Glide

The Smith & Wesson Power Glide could technically be called an OTF (out-the-front) knife—but it’s definitely not your typical one. Sure, the blade exits through the front, but the journey there is what makes it so fun.

To deploy it, you pull the closed handle apart, revealing two aluminum crossbars that are connected to the base of the blade. The more you separate the handle, the more the blade rises out of the top. Around the halfway point, you’ll need to give it a slight nudge, and then as the handle closes back up, the blade finishes its travel and locks into place.

It’s definitely more of a conversation piece than a workhorse, which may explain why it was eventually discontinued. But when it comes to inventive opening mechanisms, the Power Glide still scores some serious style points.

11. Pacific Cutlery 983 Barry Wood

Before there was Benchmade, the company went by Pacific Cutlery—and even earlier, Balisong USA. While the balisong itself has a well-known (and awesome) opening method, we’re skipping that one here since it’s a bit too common for this list. But one design that does stand out is the unique swing lock from Barry Wood, which fit right in with Pacific Cutlery’s balisong-heavy lineup.

The Pacific Cutlery 983 Barry Wood model is pretty close to a balisong in spirit. It uses Barry Wood’s signature swing lock, which works by rotating one of the handles around to reveal and lock the blade into place. It’s simple in concept, but super satisfying in execution.

The swing lock wasn’t limited to just this knife—Barry Wood used it on many of his custom creations. And even though he passed away in 2014, his legacy lives on through his son-in-law, Mike Irie, who still makes knives featuring the same clever mechanism.

I couldn’t find a decent video, so you’ll have to see this gif with a partial view:

12. Fox Knives aX Dobolock

Back in 2011, the aX-Dobolock took home the Imported Innovative Knife of the Year award—and it definitely earned it. This clever little knife shares some DNA with others like the Paragon Warlock and the Schrade Viper Side Assist, but it’s got its own unique twist.

To open it, you press the top of the handle, which causes the bottom to split open. Once one side is fully open, a quick flick of the wrist brings the blade swinging up into place. Then you snap the handle shut again, locking everything together. Sounds a little clunky when you write it out, but with a bit of practice, it becomes one smooth, fluid motion.

Closing it is just as quirky—you use a hole in the side of the handle to push the opposite side open, giving you access to fold the blade back in. Weird? A little. Fun? Absolutely.

Here’s a gif slowing down the action because you can’t see it when you do it at full speed:

13. CRKT Daktyl

The fact that CRKT shows up a fourth time on this list of 15 just goes to show how committed they are to pushing innovative designs. The Daktyl is a modern reimagining of Tom Hitchcock’s original Hole in One concept, created in collaboration with CRKT.

Like the Snap Lock by Ed Van Hoy, the Daktyl features a side-opening mechanism—but with an even more minimalist twist. It has an open-frame design with no enclosed handle, giving it a lightweight, almost skeletal feel. It’s simple, clever, and just plain fun to play with.

This review shows the Hole in One in action:

14. Camillus Dominator

The first thing people try figure out when they see the Camillus Dominator is whether it’s a fixed blade or a folder. The answer? It’s kind of both. The blade itself is fixed, but a folding cover mechanism hides it when not in use.

When closed, a protective shroud fully conceals the blade, making it safe and pocket-friendly. To deploy it, you press down on a small notch and slide the cover back, revealing the blade underneath. It’s a unique approach that sets it apart from pretty much everything else on this list—and honestly, it caught me by surprise the first time I saw it.

15. Fred Perrin Le Tri-Folder

And finally, we’ve got the Fred Perrin Le Tri-Folder. Once you get the motion down, you can open this thing so fast it looks just like a balisong in the hands of someone who knows what they’re doing.

The knife is made up of three metal pieces, each connected to only one other by a pivot screw. When you open it, the blade swings out and the handle folds back around it, effectively turning it into a virtual fixed blade. To close it, you reverse the motion—open the handle and swing the blade back inside.

It’s a bit of a learning curve, but once you get the hang of it, you can have the blade deployed in a flash. The design is similar to the Cold Steel Triple Action Folder that followed a bit later (and, like many on this list, is now discontinued). Still, it’s a fascinating piece of design that closes out this roundup in style.

Here’s a slowed down version of the opening mechanism, but like I said, it can be as fast as a balisong:

That wraps up our dive into some of the wildest and most creative knife opening mechanisms out there. Whether they’re discontinued oddities or award-winning innovations, each of these knives proves that there’s always room for fresh ideas—even in a tool as ancient as the knife. Some are practical, some are just plain fun, but all of them show just how far outside the box designers are willing to go.

Want to See More Weird or Unique Knives?

Check out our archive of posts with weird knives or take a look at some of our other favorite posts, including 10 Insane Art Knives, the Most Bizarre Spyderco Designs, and the Knives with the Strangest Blade Shapes.