Retractable knife for rapid manual deployment while fully grasped

A folding knife comprising:

• a handle comprising a rear end, a forward end, a first side, and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the first side comprises a first, upper surface, a second, lower surface, and a third surface extending laterally between the first surface and the second surface, wherein the first surface and the second surface are laterally spaced apart relative to each other by the third surface to define a blade guard;
• a blade having a first side, a second side, a heel portion, and a cutting portion, wherein the cutting portion comprises a cutting edge and a tip;
• and
• a front conveyance arm and a rear conveyance arm each having a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the first end portions of the front and rear conveyance arms are pivotably coupled to the first side of the handle, and wherein the second end portions of the front and rear conveyance arms are pivotably coupled to the heel portion of the blade,
• wherein the blade is translatable relative to the handle between a storage position and a use position, wherein in the storage position, the first side of the blade is exposed on the first side of the handle, the cutting edge of the blade is aligned with the blade guard, and the tip of the blade is disposed rearward of the forward end of the handle, and wherein in the use position, the cutting portion of the blade extends forward beyond the blade guard and the forward end of the handle.

A folding knife comprising:

• a handle comprising a rear end, a forward end, a first side, and a second side, wherein the first side comprises a closed blade stop and an open blade stop;
• a blade having a base end portion and a cutting end portion, wherein the base end portion comprises a positional index surface;
• and
• a first conveyance arm and a second conveyance arm each having a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the first end portions of the first and second conveyance arms are pivotably coupled to the first side of the handle, and wherein the second end portions of the first and second conveyance arms are pivotably coupled to the base end portion of the blade,
• wherein the blade is translatable relative to the handle between a storage position and a use position, wherein in the storage position, the positional index surface of the blade contacts the closed blade stop of the handle, which prevents the blade from moving farther rearward relative to the handle, and wherein in the use position, the positional index surface of the blade contacts the open blade stop of the handle, which prevents the blade from moving farther forward relative to the handle.

A folding tool comprising:

• a handle comprising a first end, a second end, a first side, and a second side, wherein the first side comprises a first stop and a second stop;
• a movable component comprising a base portion and a tip portion, wherein the base portion comprises a positional index surface;
• and
• only two conveyance arms, including a first conveyance arm and a second conveyance arm each comprising a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the first end portions of the first and second conveyance arms are pivotably coupled to the first side of the handle, and wherein the second end portions of the first and second conveyance arms are pivotably coupled to the base portion of the movable component,
• wherein the movable component is translatable relative to the handle between a storage position and a use position, wherein in the storage position, the positional index surface of the movable component contacts the first stop of the handle, which restricts the movable component from moving farther toward the first end of the handle, and wherein in the use position, the positional index surface of the movable component contacts the second stop of the handle, which restricts the movable component from moving farther toward the second end of the handle.