Abstract: The present invention is directed to a hand-held instrument, which may comprise, in various exemplary embodiments thereof, a folding (manual, assisted opening, automatic, etc,) knife, a fixed blade knife, or any other hand-held tool comprising a handle, and at least one active region (e.g., a cutting, a saw blade, etc.), and which also advantageously comprises at least one novel user-operable protective element, that when placed, by the user, into an active position that is generally perpendicular to the handle of the instrument, is configured for protecting at least a portion of the user's hand while the instrument is held and/or utilized, and that when placed into a retracted position that is generally parallel to the handle of the instrument, streamlines the instruments longitudinal profile.

Abstract: A folding knife has a generally elongate blade having a tang portion formed with an integral normally unstressed cantilever spring. A cam pin is provided within the blade receiving space within the handle which is disposed along a curvilinear path defined by a locus of points traveled by a free end of the spring as the blade pivots from the closed to the open positions. The cam pin serves to engage and obstruct the free end of the spring between a first point on the curvilinear path when the blade approaches the open position and a second point on that path when the blade reaches the fully open position. The spring, while obstructed is deflected by the cam pin toward the blade into a gap defined by an end edge of the blade and the spring. Such deflection enables the spring to move past the cam pin.