Customer Reviews

Rothco Smith and Wesson S.W.A.T. Assisted Opening Knife

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a solid, nicely balanced knife suitable for everyday carry as well as on the job or in the field work. Quick opening locks firmly. Safety latch engages positively. VERY SHARP. All metal, no plastic so it has a very nice heft to it. As noted by another review, the handle is all textured metal, no rubber. Easy to handle even when wet/damp. This is my everyday carry knife.

Since seeing "West Side Story" in the '60s, I admit that I've always been in fascinated with the idea of a switchblade knife. I was pleased to find one from a well-known company, and with such positive reviews. And while I'm sure it would be perfect for some people, I find that it wasn't for me. I think this is in great part due to the drawback of mail order...of not being able to actually hold the product in my hand to judge its quality and utility. But on to the review.

On the positive side, the assisted-opening feature is impressive - it snaps open with authority and locks firmly in place. Once sharpened (the blade was actually pretty dull out of the box), it seems like the blade will hold its edge, although it's still to be tested. The blade is indeed large enough to handle most tasks a Navy Seal or Green Beret could have to tackle.

The drawbacks? It's definitely heavy, and while I've always equated weight with quality, handling this knife seems to me like I'm holding an iron brick in my hand, not a precision tool. The grip is metal with a sandpaper-like finish, and I'd much rather have the "black rubber inserts handle" that the product description says it has. It would give it a much more satisfying, high-quality feel (and I might return it because if this "false advertising"). The instructions described how to close the locked blade, but the description was blatantly incorrect and it took me a while to figure out how to close it again. There is a pocket clip on the handle, but again, the knife is so big and heavy I couldn't imagine carrying it clipped into a shirt pocket. It would be comfortable tucked into the pocket of a pair of lederhosen, maybe, but not clipped to a shirt or even carried in a regular pants pocket.

Finally (and again, this is partially my fault and partially that of the nature of mail order), the knife is way too big for anything I could imagine I'd need it for. I may trade it in for the medium SWAT knife or even the small one, which would be easier to carry and big enough for basic tasks. So, if you're actually a SWAT team member or in the Army Rangers where your life could depend on your knife, this would be a great one to have. If you're just a regular guy who might need to cut up a cardboard box someday, it's overkill.

Yes, this review is long but I just want my fellow Average Joe consumers to make an informed decision. I should also mention that the knife scares the hell out of my girlfriend, which I really regret - it wasn't the reaction I'd expected at all. She'd told me she loved "West Side Story," but she must have meant the singing and dancing, not the switchblades.

I saw this knife for the first time at a truck stop nearby, I liked the way it felt in my hand also was very impressed with the speed assist feature. I own a lot of knives, 30 or 40 at least, and this just became my all purpose everyday carry tool. Quality is fantastic, This is my 1st S&W knife, but it won't be my last. I pick this knife to carry over my Gerber, Kershaw, Benchmade, Buck, Cold Steel, or Junglee.
You can't go wrong with this tool.

I have no complaints, S&W stands by their stuff and all issues I may have had, have been remedied graciously by the company.
I'm a retired LE officer. Just remember, if the one time this operates and opens when you only have one hand to use, the unit stands above the rest of your knife collection.
To help Mr. "N-Right" out on his previous review, most auto knives will get loose over constant use. It's a fact we should understand, that's why we have a variety of screw driver to fix these situations. Our tools should also be checked before use. THIS KNIFE WAS ONE OF MY TOOLS. If it was getting sloppy and I didn't fix it, that was on me, not the knife.
"Loctite blue" would be best used to solve most of your issues with screws getting loose. This knife feels solid in the hand. I have other autos, but this is a good knife. I own different sizes.

This a great knife. Beware- the assisted opening might be illegal in your state. Fortunatly, it comes apart easly with an Allen wrench and fits back together perfectly. It has a good streamlined shape and fits in your pocket well.
This knife has a good strong lock and a strong steel. Opens very smoothly even without the assisted opening. It has a strong sturdy feel to it, gives you confedence that you wont get with a flimsier, lighter knife. I've abused this knife so much, and it resharpens very well.
Only thing is that the paint chips off, no complaint if its not for style

I just bought this knife and it is truly a fine piece of craftsmanship. The knife feels very solid and well put together. It has two ways of opening the blade -- a thumbstud and a switch. The assisted opening spring is so strong that you may be a little surprised how much effort it takes to open it the first time around. You really have to push/press hard no matter which mechanism you use. Now I like this -- gives the knife a good hard quality. But I can see how it can make it difficult for some people to use. Nevertheless, if you're going to be handling a knife of this caliber you better not be complaining about how it hurts your pretty little finger to open it. As for the quality of the blade -- unparalleled in this price range. Comes sharp and you can make it even sharper to really slice through any reasonable job. It's got sandpaper on most of the grip so it won't be slipping out of your hand. And the locking mechanism is tight. It will not falter.

Again I've bought a finely made Smith & Wesson product and again I am more than pleased. This is a reputable company that obviously takes great pride in their work.

I promise you, you will not be disappointed in purchasing this knife. Smith and Wesson put a large amount of thought into it. When I gripped this knife for the first time, I could tell that it won't be slipping out of my hands regardless of them being oily or wet. The grip has the feel of sandpaper and gives you incredible grip. And whether you open this knife by the thumb stud or back lever, it snaps open fast and with authority. The blade comes sharp right out of the packaging and has very little "blade play" when the knife is in its open position. For fun, I cut up the cardboard package it came it with the knife, too easy. You want a knife for the job? Pick the S.W.A.T

overall i like these knives. sharp edge, nice handles with good grip and the finish is awesome. i purchased a few for gifts last christmas and a few for me. but there have been problems...
one that i carried regularly had an inner screw fall out for no apparent reason. so i pulled out another and the assist button broke in less than a week.
i have not abused either.
i have two more, one serated and one plain edged. i'm going to send the other two back to the manufacturer who offers a lifetime replacement warranty for $7 return shipping. we'll see what happens

I've had this knife for almost a year, and I use it on a daily basis. Its become my personal favorite of all the smaller pocket knives I own, and it has never once let me down.

Like I said, this knife gets everyday kind of use, be it opening boxes or as a replacement screw driver. It handles any job, and holds an edge incredibly well. Also of note is that although the knife is very light, it is very strong. I've never once felt that it wasn't sturdy enough, and the blade has almost no wiggle play, which makes me very confident that it will perform. Its light and thin enough that I just pocket it, no need for the clip but its there if you want it. The safety mechanism is strong and it never comes unlocked unless you want it to. The assisted open feature is very nice; its the first knife of this type that I've owed so I don't have a lot to compare it to. As other reviews have mentioned, the skateboard-like grip texture is very nice; you won't drop it with slippery hands. Also the textured metal handle is far preferable to any rubber grips I've handled; it just makes the knife seem stronger and more durable. It has been dropped a few times, but it hasn't suffered any damage that I could tell.

I only have two complaints with this knife. Firstly, I once used it to open a can of beans and a lot of the paint on the blade was stripped away. However, this did not dull the knife so there is no issue with performance, just don't expect the blade to stay nice forever. Secondly, after much use I noticed that the assisted open feature was starting to wear out a little, meaning that the blade did not fully open when the lever was pulled. This was easily fixed with a drop or two of oil around the blade hinge; back to like new functionality. These are minor issues and have not at all affected the performance of the knife.

Over all this is an excellent buy, this knife will not let you down.

EDIT: Not a week after I write this review the spring mechanism (or however the assisted open feature is) breaks. Knife still opens and closes just fine, but now I have to use the thumb stud or the blade itself to do so, and there is no springy action. Might be fixable, haven't taken it apart yet, but I doubt it.

For the price, it's a great knife. I'm active duty Army, and I use it most every day. It comes in great handy, and is very sturdy. The black "coating" has worn a little, but it doesn't affect the knife's duties. I'm very happy with the purchase, and I am considering buying the smaller ones to have as well. Hope this helps!

KG