I've got a Rainbow Leek, and I love it! It's a little more "people friendly" than my Blur, and it certainly gets some great comments when I pull it out. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

My eldest loves the rainbow leek we bought her for Christmas a few years ago

I am still loving my endura pe in zdp 189 steel

My 16 year old son has tried to get me to give mine to him, he loves it! I may get him a Rainbow Chive or something similar, not that he needs a knife or anything. He'd just carry it to school and get in trouble somehow

I have come to the conclusion that the Kershaw and ZT assisted opening folders are faster, cheaper, and better than my more expensive automatics. Autos are "cool", but they really don't deploy any faster than modern one hand openers. Maybe autos are obsolete.

HD, I think Auto's will always be around because of the "fun to play with" factor if nothing else. Personally I have always been leary of autos, as they many times (used to) require more "Play" at the blade pivot juncture than I liked.

Not only that, but the locks on most autos are not nearly as strong as on some of the newer folders. But, yes, they are fun to play with and impress your friends.

Both my daughters were good at not taking a pocket (purse) knife to school.
I did buy them each a gerber clutch multi-tool that I removed the knife blade from.
They were allowed to use these in high school because they didn't have a knife blade

you guys should feel how a spydeco citadel opens. I haven't compared to many autos but mine opens fast and with authority. still probably not any faster than assisted open but it is fun to watch people's expressions when they feel how hard it kicks open. it feels like a real solid tool and not a toy.

I only have one auto, but my Blur opens just as quickly and is much more solid at lockup.

You SURE you want to keep that old knife in the middle, it looks almost wore out! I could take it off your hands and maybe make a passable paint scraper out of it. I'm just feeling generous this Christmas season. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

It should, Randy, I borrowed JJs idea when I dismantled a cheap survival knife I had been given a LONG time ago, it felt like a shame to throw away the blade, so I ground on it for a bit, and then used some pinchweld primer that I nabbed at work to blacken it. it's a great little throwaway defensive knife that I wouldn't get upset about losing.