Am I expecting too much - a ? about flippers

RayseM

RayseM

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Feb 18, 2010
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I have only owned/handled 2 flippers. One a brown Spyderco Southard and the other a custom. I really like the flipper action. Admittedly using a thumb stud or the Spydie hole on a well made knife is certainly as efficient - I simply like the action of a flipper. It's more fun :)

Here is my question(s):

1) Should I expect that a flipper will deploy to full lock up without a wrist snap - just using the thumb stud? (Let's assume with the blade facing downward as opposed to trying to open it from any angle.)

2) Should I expect that the tension on the pivot should be tight enough to do as I describe in # 1 without being so loose that the blade can be deployed simply by flicking my wrist - not using the thumb stud?

As I have not handled more than the two flippers I am beginning to wonder if my expectations are too high. Have I just owned the wrong flippers?

Thank you for helping me figure this one out.

Cheers, Ray
 
What's been your experience so far, Ray? Reason I ask is because my Southard flips like a dream . . . no wrist flick required. And the detent is strong enough that I can't shake it open.
 
It takes practice to open a one hand opening knife with ease. I'm always amazed when I ask a non-knife person to try it at how hard it seems to them. So, keep on flipping and it gets easier and yes your Southard should open straight up and will once you've mastered the technique.
 
I believe I was the previous owner of your southard, so I think something is off with your technique. The answer to both of your questions with that southard is yes.

Rather than pulling the flipper tab straight down like a lightswitch, you should be using a bit of forward pressure too, like pushing a button.

Be sure you're not squeezing the lockbar while opening.
Sometimes they need a bit (tiny drop) of oil on the detent ball.

Models with a very light detent need a bit of wrist action, but that's not the case for most flippers.
 
Flippers vary extremely--shape of the flipper, detent strength being the biggest. I've owned a lot of flippers, and most lock up fine. I prefer the detent on the stronger side, like the Brous Bionic or ZT0801 for example. I was displeased with the action and light detent on the 0560/1.
 
I would say no two of the flippers I have owned have had the same action. Each requires a technique tailored to the specific knife, in my experience.
 
spketch said:
I believe I was the previous owner of your southard, so I think something is off with your technique. The answer to both of your questions with that southard is yes.

Rather than pulling the flipper tab straight down like a lightswitch, you should be using a bit of forward pressure too, like pushing a button.

Be sure you're not squeezing the lockbar while opening.
Sometimes they need a bit (tiny drop) of oil on the detent ball.

Models with a very light detent need a bit of wrist action, but that's not the case for most flippers.
Click to expand...

9 thumbs up on that. I had my Southard for some time and was flipping the switch like an assisted opener.

I switched to the button push (also noted in the Hinderer thread this week) and it's 100%, any angle, no wrist flick.
 
Sounds like you need to go to a store that has some stuff you can try out. Last weekend my son and I went to Cabela's and he got a Kershaw Kuro. I had to flip it for myself to even know that it wasn't assisted opening. And that's probably his first pocket knife ever so he's definitely not well practiced. It just pops right open to the locked position when you give it a push. Feels great too, he must flip that thing 500 times a day haha.
 
No wrist-flick should be necessary...and not loose enuf to fly around on its own. I sold my Hinderers for the "second" reason.
 
I have had one un-assisted flipper, the Kershaw Skyline. It required either a rather forceful push of the flipper lever to open all the way on its own, otherwise needed some measure of wrist flick in conjunction with using the flipper.
 
Thanks for chiming in everyone -

Now let me elaborate - I've got the pushing down action OK though I did go through the lightswitch phase. The Southard started out easy with good snap to lock up but got less dependable needing more wrist assist. I assumed that the nylon/teflon washers housing the bearings was just wearing down. Was OK but as I have written elsewhere, was never great and nearly impossible to flip to full lock up from any position except blade down. Otherwise it was a solid knife with no blade play. I recently sold it.

My current flipper will flip open - using the push action that spketch describes - from pretty much any position and left handed or right handed IF I am standing up :confused:. Sitting down - requires that I really concentrate. I can only assume that when I am standing I am putting more body into it than the push with my index finger.

I get it that some knives require developing a technique but I am not typically a slow learner. I am athletic and I work every day with my hands as a woodworker. My coordination and muscle memory is plenty good enough to deploy a knife blade.

Secondly - the blade dropping out issue - it doesn't just fall out when I hold the knife blade down but if I give it a good snap of the wrist it flys out to full lock up faster than using the flipper. Is that a neat feature or a defect?

This particular knife does not have a screw pivot, rather the bearings and pivot post are trapped between the bolsters. There is no way to tighten - so I live with it as a feature or not ... :grey:

Yes - if I lived near any stores that sold a variety of knives I would just go shopping but Cabellas or other sporting good stores are not any where close or on my normal out of town routes. That's why I'm asking here. Even if I go shopping what can I expect? Again, am I asking too much. If I owned a Thorburn would I be asking the same questions?

Thanks much.
 
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I myself had a difficult time with the Southard. I came to dislike framelocks/metal handles and sold most of my knives, but the ZT 0801 I had was a rocket. Kizer's with the bearings flippers work great too. The Southard's flat flipper was a bone of contention and what caused some of the issues. Personally, I'd get a flipper that's known to have a fairly strong detent.
 
Bumping this discussion for more opinions please especially about my # 2 question.

Thanks.
 
Both of the issues you describe on the custom indicate a fairly light detent. Stronger detent means more force is built up before the knife pops open, and also makes centrifugal openings difficult.
Too strong, and some people say it's too hard or even painful to open.

It's a tough thing for a knifemaker to dial in, since it comes down to personal preference. No doubt some people would call the one you have perfect.

The detent can be made stronger by carefully making the detent hole a bit bigger. Try to get in touch with the maker if you're not happy, should be a simple enough job. You may be able to get a modder to help alternatively. Plenty of people have this done to their Hinderers, which are (or were) notorious for their weak detents.
 
Get a zt0900, then report back. That knife is one of the best flipper I have ever handled, customs included.
 
. . . or an 0450. That knife opens with more authority than some of my AOs do. :eek: Just keep your fingers off the lock bar and nothing short of a physical impediment will keep that knife from opening. :)
 
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I may be in the minority here, but I've always felt my Southard wasn't a particularly good flipper. It requires a specific grip, a specific type of flipper push and is vulnerable to pressure on the lock bar. Some knife styles just flip better than others and I don't think the "organic" shape of the Southard lends itself to flipper geometry.

There are good flippers out there with a "native" flipper shape. Check out a ZT801 or 562. Check out a Reate Valkyrie or Horizon. My Kizer 423 and 4421 are good flippers.

The detent strength is critical. You need enough resistance from a strong detent to let the blade fly out to full lockup. I have a Kizer 401 with such a weak detent the blade can shake out easily; that's a bad scene in the pocket. If the detent is too strong, you shred your finger to deploy. Detent is everything for a flipper. Search for some of the problems with the early releases of the LionSteel TRE.

Personally, I like a little, non-aggressive jimping on the flipper. Locking your fingertip in place seems to make flipping easier. Good luck and happy flipping!
 
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