I'm looking for an affordable auto.

I'm clueless on what makes to avoid and which makes are good values.

I'd appreciate some thoughts and guidance towards places to buy.

What do you mean by "affordable?" For auto knives, you can spend a little or you can spend a lot.

Microtech, Benchmade, Paragon, Dalton, Masters Of Defense (MOD), Protech, Al Mar, are quality autos that run between $100 and $400.

Colt and S&W run under $100 but like everything else you get what you pay for.

Here in Cali we're limited to less than 2" blades on auto knives. Protech and Dalton make some quality California auto knives. That size blade isn't a good defense knife, but it works real good for most of the cutting I do.

Check out the automatics at Pioneer Valley Knife and Tool, and see if there's anything you like. www.pvknife.com I've bought knives from him before and I can recommend him.

In most areas. automatic knives are illegal to carry. They do make a nice addition to a collection and I must admit, they are fun. I particularly enjoy showing a scale lock to a friend and watching them try to figure out how to open them.

Here's a nice one made by the Texas Knifemaker, Whiskers Allen. He made these back in the late 90's during the Y2K panic.

Don't know what your use is for an auto but here is a fact.  If you need it in an emergency situation under combat stress due to vasoconstriction (blood pooling from the extremities to the chest during stress) you will not have the dexterity to access the operating button.  I would go with an Emerson Commander instead.  If you want it just for kicks then drive on.

Vasoconstriction is the narrowing (constriction) of blood vessels. When blood vessels constrict, the flow of blood is restricted or slowed.
Vasoconstriction may be slight or severe. It may result from disease, medication, or psychological conditions. Medications that cause vasoconstriction include:
antihistamines and decongestants
cough/cold combinations pseudoephedrine caffeine

"Psychological Effects of Combat"
The Physiology of Close Combat
An understanding of the stress of close combat begins with an understanding of the physiological response to close-range interpersonal aggression. The traditional view of combat stress is most often associated with combat fatigue and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, which are actually manifestations that occur after, and as a result of, combat stress. Bruce Siddle has defined combat stress as the perception of an imminent threat of serious personal injury or death, or the stress of being tasked with the responsibility to protect another party from imminent serious injury or death, under conditions where response time is minimal.
The debilitating effects of combat stress have been recognized for centuries. Phenomenon such as tunnel vision, auditory exclusion, the loss of fine and complex motor control, irrational behavior, and the inability to think clearly have all been observed as byproducts of combat stress. Even though these phenomena have been observed and documented for hundreds of years, very little research has been conducted to understand why combat stress deteriorates performance.
The key characteristic which distinguishes combat stress is the activation of the SNS. The SNS is activated when the brain perceives a threat to survival, resulting in a immediate discharge of stress hormones. This "mass discharge" is designed to prepare the body for fight-or-flight. The response is characterized by increasing arterial pressure and blood flow to large muscle mass (resulting in increased strength capabilities and enhanced gross motor skills--such as running from or charging into an opponent), vasoconstriction of minor blood vessels at the end of appendages (which serves to reduce bleeding from wounds), pupil dilation, cessation of digestive processes, and muscle tremors. Figure 2(below) presents a schematic representation of the effects of hormone induced heart rate increase resulting from SNS activation.
The activation of the SNS is automatic and virtually uncontrollable. It is a reflex triggered by the perception of a threat. Once initiated, the SNS will dominate all voluntary and involuntary systems until the perceived threat has been eliminated or escaped, performance deteriorates, or the parasympathetic nervous system activates to reestablish homeostasis.
The degree of SNS activation centers around the level of perceived threat. For example, low-level SNS activation may result from the anticipation of combat. This is especially common with police officers or soldiers minutes before they make a tactical assault into a potential deadly force environment. Under these conditions combatants will generally experience increases in heart rates and respiration, muscle tremors, and a sense of anxiety.
In contrast, high-level SNS activation occurs when combatants are confronted with an unanticipated deadly force threat and the time to respond is minimal. Under these conditions the extreme effects of the SNS will cause catastrophic failure of the visual, cognitive, and motor control systems. Although there are endless variables that may trigger the SNS, there are six key variables that have an immediate impact of the level of SNS activation. These are the degree of malevolent, human intent behind the threat; the perceived level of threat, ranging from risk of injury to the potential for death; the time available to response; the level of confidence in personal skills and training; the level of experience in dealing with the specific threat; and the degree of physical fatigue that is combined with the anxiety.

I'll never make the argument for Auto's over fixed but to say that being in danger will prevent me from being able to push a button? A would disagree. It is easier to go fixed but an auto knife is no more complicated to operate under stress than an Auto handgun.

I just picked up a Paragon ATKO10 OTF at the Dayton show,I like it and it's pretty well made [not Microtech well made]and they run about $90 to $125.

check this out http://videoknife.com/otf_page.html

Just wanted to tell you that I have been carrying a Benchmade auto knife for almost seven years...The cost is not great( about 120.00) but it has been a very good knife. However, the aircraft aluminum handle will loose its black color and turn silver after carrying the knife for some time. In regard to the vasoconstriction issue, I have been in high stress physical situations, due to my current job. I dont think you'll have any problem using your knife when it comes time to use it!!(Benchmade, depending on what style, knives run anywhere from 120.00 to like 250.00, try to find them at your local guns shows, they are much cheaper.

Ditto on the Benchmades!
I have 4 (2 auto/2 fixed) and use them for my LEO work.
You can't beat their Lifesharp program.

Remember that you usually get what you pay for.

Anybody have an opinion on Boker autos?

double ditto on the benchmade

boker knives are good, but for daily rough carry id go with a benchmade.

heres a secret -- boker "top lock" has auto and non-auto knives, but they are made exactly the same except for a couple things. so the non-auto knives can be converted to auto, drill a hole in the right spot of the blade, this is VERY difficult to do since its high carbon tempered steel, and then add the correct type of spring to the inside of the knife and yer done.

I have a two Microtechs and a Desert Knife Works Sandshark. The Sandshark is fantastic, I still can't believe I paid 580 bucks for some aluminum and stainless steel but man, I tell ya, it's worth it.

The Microtechs I have are:

SOCOM with tanto beadblasted blated, non-serrated and a Nemesis II OTF. The Nemesis II is BY FAR one of the best knives I have ever handled and it is very safe. Polished Dual Serrated. Beautiful knife, but quite pricy like the Sandshark.

I switch between a Microtech LUDT and an Al Mar Auto SEAR.
Surprisingly, the Al Mar opens with more authority than the Microtech. The Microtech is solid, with no blade play. The Al Mar has some lateral wiggle in the locked open position, after 2 years of carry and daily use.

benchmade, soooo sweet

These are some very stout autos.
www.severtech.com/

I really like the scale release autos more than ones with buttons or slides. It's really nice to have something that is virtually impossible to snag and open accidentally and still be designed so that you can use it when your fine moter skills are at their worst.