A folding knife includes a handle having a butt end opposed to a head end. A blade is pivotally connected to the head end of the handle. The blade has a cutting edge, a retracted position in which at least a portion of the cutting edge is inside the handle, and an extended position in which a majority of the cutting edge is outside the handle. A spring bar is connected to the handle and has a first end biased toward the blade at the head end of the handle. An insert is connected to the first end of the spring bar and separates the first end of the spring bar from the blade when the blade moves between the retracted and extended positions.