Anyone else tired of the excessive flipper craze?

J

Jamesh Bond

Joined
Jan 14, 2007
Messages
1,760
I am.
Extremely.

I really dislike them.
Assisted ones even more.

THE RANT:
No bashing or negativity mongering intended, but I'm honestly sick and tired of seeing them on everything, and missing out because of it. I find them slow and gimmicky for my style. It's especially annoying to hear speed touted as a main attribute. It isn't.

Having mastered my inertial deployment speed beyond any method out there (with the exception of the wave), the flipper does nothing at all for me except get in the way.

I know there are many here who love them, as well as many fantastic makers of them. No offense intended. But I, for one, lust after several Hinderer, ZT, Kershaw, Spyderco, and other models that I can never own simply because of that damn flipper.

Yep, I can grind em off, deassist, modify, and otherwise butcher anything I want, but I kinda like warranties.

I'm tired of seeing them and tired of hearing about them.

Again, to each their own. But this isn't a "That's why they make different flavors" rant. This is an "I'm allergic to peanuts but all they sell are Reese's" rant. Lol.

THE POINT:
If you like em, cool. Neither of us need argue. I'm just curious how small of a minority shares my distaste and frustration with the overabundance of this trend.

I can finally relate to the frustration lefties here must contend with! Heh.

Thx.
 
Out of curiosity, what's your "inertial deployment" method? Are you referring just to wrist flicking? What about on knives with strong detents?
 
I can understand your rant. There are some knives I would like if it were not for certain features, and flippers are very prolific these days. It seems like your only choice may be to develop a like for flippers. Maybe therapy could help? LOL :D
 
come on you know your index finger hovers near the flipper anyway. just give it a push, join the dark side
 
I'm with you, Jamesh.
Sort of.
I have no issue with flippers that have functional thumbstuds, or a hole, to allow an alternative opening method. I occasionally use the flippers on my Tolk, XM18, 0560, etc; but I tend to use the thumbstuds more often. I do own a few dedicated flippers (exactly 3, I believe); but am unlikely to purchase another unless I am really wowed by the knife. For me, it all comes down to the fact that sometimes I don't want the blade flying open. I want to be able to open my knife in a controlled manner in situations that call for that, or simply because I choose to do so. When there is no opening mechanism other than a flipper, one is stuck with flipping.
For those that like to open and close their knives, just for the satisfaction of doing so - and I've been guilty of that myself, so there is no judgement - flippers are great. If you're a fan - flip to your heart's content.
 
I'm not a fan of flippers or assisted knives either ( probably because the only knifes I have with those features are tac force...ect novelty knives ) honestly I only really like dirt simple oho lockbacks for my primary folder ( I like my Knives to be very sleek and plain, with plain edge drop or clip point blades, and I'm a southpaw which explains the lockbacks ) I know they may not be for everyone but my primary edc folder has continuously been my buck 482 ( medium buck lite Max ) for the past 2 yrs. I might change my mind if I ever get a sanrenmu flipper just to try out the opening style , but for now I'll stick to my lockbacks
 
I love my thumbstud/hole knives like the spydercos cold steels and RAT's, and my unassisted flipper kershaw skyline, but without a doubt the most reliable opening is on my assisted flipper kershaw link. It's certainly not the fastest compared to even a half-decent deployment on the others, but it will deploy 100% of the time, there's just no way to mess up pushing the flipper. Even assisted thumbstud knives catch on my thumb sometimes as they open and cause a weak deployment, but the flipper just disappears out of the way. Plus by default they always make a nice finger guard that helps one handed liner/frame disengagement without risking a finger like on my mcusta.
 
I don't hate them, I just don't care much about them. They're kind of fun, but I just don't think they add anything practical to a knife. I am, personally, of the opinion that the proliferation of flippers and bearing pivots is about knives as toys rather than tools. Nothing wrong with that, but people rave about those features but no one has been able to explain to me what practical benefit either one has.
 
I have a couple of ZT0770's which I like and whilst that statement may seem to but me at odds with Jamesh Bond, it actually doesn't as I generally find myself avoiding flippers.

I have several Emerson waved knives which work faster, but honestly to day my S35VN Para 2 was in my pocket along with a traditional GEC. Traditionals are seemingly at the opposite end of the folder spectrum from flippers and they are attracting my purchases and pocket-time way more.

That being said, the sure do seem popular so some of you guys must be liking them... ;)

Ben
 
so we are talking about a deployment speed difference of 0.5 second or maybe even less no matter which two modern locking mechanisms. I cannot imagine under what circumstance that tiny difference of speed matters. Pick some other reasons of which you dont like flippers. BTW, I am not defending flippers.

Edit: 0.5 sec is a bit exaggerating. For all the folders I have, I think the speed difference is less than 0.2 second.
 
I do a considerable amount of Handy Man type stuff, both indoors and out and I find the flipper on a knife one of the easiest one hand opening methods available. I'm more about functionality rather than gimmickry and to me a well thought out flipper design is a big plus on a knife. As far as aesthetics thumbstuds, flippers, waves, and holes detracts from the clean lines of a knife, however like I said for work the flipper is functional.
 
I don't hate, I appreciate. I like them all: flippers, Axis, Spydie hole, thumb studs.
 
I agree with you that flippers do not make for a particularly fast deployment. Anyone seriously interested in such will choose a fixed blade or a waved folder.

I own a few flippers. They're fun. think this is the primary function of the flipper design. Nothing wrong with that. I used to consider flippers a fad until I woke up and realized that they're just another way of opening a folding knife.

My preference is always a fixed blade, but I usually carry a modern folder with a thumb stud or Spyderhole as not to frighten the sheeple too much. I've decided to stop caring so much about that.
 
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Interesting topic.

I had noticed recently that most of the knives I am buying are flippers.

In my history, before the knife with a pocket clip was de rigueur; I carried a Buck folder in a pocket sheath.

Times change, designs change and items evolve as the market changes or is changed by new offerings depending on your point of view.

In the past I did not like the flipper tang sticking out of the back of the knife when it was closed, it was not aesthetically pleasing, just did not look right to me.

Time passes and now the designers have integrated the flipper tab into the designs in a very clean way.

Aesthetics aside, the flipper is the simplest design for opening a blade, is legal is most jurisdictions and as was pointed out above, is great on a working knife.

If given the choice, I prefer a manual knife over an assisted knife, and I can control the speed of the open if I feel the need; eg I can slowly open the blade if I am in an area where the loud thwack of the knife opening and locking up might raise eyebrows etc.

Good discussion, interesting to see other's opinions.

best

mqqn
 
My only gripe with many of the flippers I see today is the lack of any other method of opening the damn things. If you must build a flipper, put a thumb stud or blade hole on the thing so owners have the option of opening them without looking like wannabe drugstore gangster.

I looked at the recent offerings from ZT and thought the knives looked appealing until I realized they only had flippers. I've always been impressed with ZT's build quality and hoped for more pocketable, narrow profile knives. Too bad their new designs are so dependent on assisted opening and flipper-only models--both of which are no-go features for me.
 
My one and only flipper is at ZT 0808. It was also my first flipper. I enjoy the knife and have used it as my main EDC for almost a year now and have really come to appreciate the ease of opening.
 
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