Hinderer Automatic Knives Gen 2: Tri-Way System & New Website Launch


Live the Lifestyle
Subscribe to our lifestyle blog and be the first to receive latest articles, videos, how-to information and customer photos
Hinderer Automatic Knives Gen 2: Tri-Way System & New Website Launch
A few years ago, manufacturing automatic knives in Ohio wasn’t possible. At the time, state laws prohibited it, but through the efforts of Knife Rights and support from legislators, those restrictions were overturned.
That change opened the door.
Now, Hinderer automatic knives are entering a new generation.
A Return to Automatic Knives, Reengineered
After initially introducing automatic knives, our focus shifted to other projects over the past few years. Bringing them back has been a priority, and not just as a re-release.
This is a full evolution of our USA made automatic knives, designed with the same focus on real-world performance, durability, and reliability.
Gen 2 Button Lock Automatic Knives with Tri-Way
The biggest advancement in this next generation is the integration of our Tri-Way Pivot System into a redesigned platform of button lock automatic knives.
For the first time, Hinderer automatic knives will offer the same level of customization and tuning found in our manual folders:
-
Bearings
-
Phosphor Bronze Washers
-
Teflon Washers
Making this possible required a complete re-engineering of the internal mechanism. This is not a minor update. It is a fundamental redesign built to maintain the reliability expected from automatic knives while adding a new level of versatility.
Additional refinements include updates to the button and internal components to improve overall performance and feel.
Refined Button Design for Improved Control
One of the most noticeable updates in Gen 2 is the redesigned button.
The button has been increased slightly in diameter compared to Gen 1. While subtle at a glance, this change makes a meaningful difference in use. The larger surface area provides a more positive feel when engaging the button, improving control and consistency during deployment.
This update was made with real-world use in mind. Whether you are operating the knife with gloves or in less-than-ideal conditions, the larger button offers better accessibility and a more confident actuation.

Important:
Gen 1 automatic knives cannot be upgraded to the Tri-Way system due to these design changes.
A New Website for Hinderer Automatic Knives
Alongside the release of Gen 2, we are launching a dedicated website built specifically for Hinderer automatic knives and future automatic knife projects.
This new platform is designed to:
-
Navigate state-by-state laws surrounding automatic knives
-
Ensure compliant purchasing based on location
-
Create a more streamlined experience for customers
The new site is expected to launch in the coming weeks.
This is just the beginning.
We have more exciting announcements coming surrounding the new site and our automatic knives, so stay tuned.
What This Means Moving Forward
This is not just bringing automatic knives back. It is redefining what USA made automatic knives can be within the Hinderer lineup.
Built to perform. Made to last.
Read full video script ▾
Hey everybody. Rick here and got a pretty exciting announcement to make today. And I come down and, uh, grabbed a couple knives to, uh, to get started on this. And this is today is going to be about automatics. So a couple years, it's been actually more than a couple years ago, a few years ago, uh, when I wanted to make automatics in Ohio. Actually at that time, it was technically illegal to, to make them and myself and knife rights and a couple other senators and representatives went to the state House and we were able to get that, uh, anti automatic knife law overturned. So, um, I'm able to make automatics. And a couple of years ago we started out with, uh, titanium automatics and then moved into and we're talking automatics in XM eighteen and the eclipse. And, um, so we kind of, uh, in the past couple of years, we kind of had a lot of other projects that we were working on, so we didn't get back to them. So I, this year, that was one of the things that I wanted to do was to get back to my automatic knives. And we're talking to button lock automatic knives. And I wanted to get back to that and, uh, kind of look, look them over again and rerelease them. And when I did that, I decided to upgrade them a little bit, um, or just make them a little bit different. And one of the things that I did was I have my tri way system in all of my manual knives. So I thought, why not put the tri way system in the automatics as well? So I did some re-engineering of the, of the mechanism. And so we have coming out very soon. We have the second generation of the automatic mechanism that I did. And this is a button lock. It's with Triway. So in other words you can be able to run it on bearings, Teflon or phosphor bronze just like the manual knives. And, and in a few other tweaks that I did to the mechanism to accomplish that. So there'll be a couple little things that are a little bit different. Um, the head of the button, for instance, is a little bit larger in diameter than what the gen ones were. And, um, and incidentally, I know you guys are going to be asking this question. Can we take our gen one knives and, and upgrade them to the, to the triway system. Um, unfortunately no, you can't. Uh, the changes that I made to it would make it pretty difficult to be able to do that. So, um, so that being said, we're going to be we're going to be doing this is the, the Bowie in um, in, uh, Stonewash and of course the battle blue Bowie also. Now we're going to be, we're going to be, um, debuting a, a few different blade shapes when we, when we, uh, when we actually bring them out, which again, is going to be, this is the other, the second part of the exciting, um, announcement that I want to make is we decided to come up with a whole new website just for the automatic knives and also the Balisongs, which also will be coming back. They will be after the, the automatic knives, but they will be coming back also. So we, uh, we put together a completely new website. And one of the reasons why is because there's, unfortunately, there's laws within each individual state. Some states don't allow automatic knives and some states do. So the new website is going to answer that question in the fact that if you live in a state that does not allow them, uh, you can't purchase it off the website. So we had to do that. Um, but it's going to be, there's a couple secrets about the website you guys are going to really, really like and I'll, I'll, I'll wait to announce those a little bit at a later date. But in a couple of weeks, we're hoping to be able to get that launched. And we will have the XM eighteen, three and a half inch, as well as the eclipse automatics available. And so there you have it. I think I've covered everything on the second generation automatics. If you have any questions, um, just post them up on Facebook and we'd be glad to answer them. Other than that, hope you guys are having a great day. Talk to you later.
Automatic Knives FAQ
What is changing with Gen 2 automatic knives?
Gen 2 introduces a redesigned mechanism in our button lock automatic knives, now featuring the Tri-Way Pivot System along with internal refinements for improved performance.
What is the Tri-Way Pivot System?
The Tri-Way system allows you to run your knife on bearings, phosphor bronze washers, or Teflon washers, giving you the ability to tune your automatic knives to your preferred feel.
Can I upgrade my Gen 1 automatic knives to Tri-Way?
No. Due to the internal redesign required, Gen 1 Hinderer automatic knives cannot be retrofitted or upgraded.
When will the new automatic knives be available?
The release will coincide with the launch of the new website for Hinderer automatic knives, expected in the coming weeks.
Why is there a separate website for automatic knives?
Laws around automatic knives vary by state. The new website is designed to help ensure compliance by restricting purchases where necessary while creating a better overall buying experience.
Will there be more announcements?
Yes. This launch is just the beginning. We have more exciting announcements coming related to the new site and our automatic knives.


