In most cases, a manual-opening knife will suffice for everyday tasks, but there's still something about automatics that draws us in. Whether you're pressing a button or pushing a lever, the satisfying shick sound and the sight of the blade snapping into place is undeniably cool. One knife-industry pro we spoke with called this the adrenaline factor — it's something that automatic knives excel at.

Out-the-front automatic knives carry high visual appeal, but they can be surprisingly practical too. The OTF design allows users to pop the blade open and shut with one finger, so they're great for quick access if one of your hands is occupied. This is beneficial for everything from mundane uses to last-ditch self-defense situations.

Hogue has announced the debut of two new OTF knives for 2017, appropriately called the Hogue Out the Front series. These knives were designed by Marine Force Recon veteran Allen Elishewitz, and they are made in the USA. They feature a 6061-T6 aluminum handle available in hard-anodized matte black, matte grey, OD green, or desert sand with black PVD-coated blade and hardware. A stainless steel slide trigger is positioned on the spine of the handle, and yields what the company calls a “lightning fast spring action”.

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The Hogue Out the Front series will be available with a 3.375-inch clip point or tanto blade formed from .125-inch-thick CPM154 stainless steel. Each blade is cryogenically heat treated to RC 57-59, and hand-sharpened and honed at Hogue's Nevada factory. Each knife is finished with a deep-carry tip-down pocket clip, unique serial number, and laser-etched Hogue markings.

These Hogue OTF knives are available for an MSRP of $350 (tumbled blade finish) or $370 (black blade finish). They are sold through authorized dealers only, so they're not listed on the company's web store at this time. For more information, visit HogueKnives.com or check your favorite online knife retailer.

Written by Patrick McCarthy