Best Folding Knife Action You've Ever Felt

M

M1GarandGuy

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Jun 24, 2015
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What are some of the best folding knife actions (flippers and flickers) you've ever played with.
And if you're like me, you just open and close them all day long.

In the budget range I think the Rat 1 and the Crkt hootenanny have the best actions.
The Rat 1's detent is PERFECT and is super smooth for being on washers.
The CRKT hootenanny rides on IKBS and when flipped makes a nice "ping" sound.

In the higher end production spectrum The Kizer Bad Dog has impressed me as well as the Spydie Southard and K2
The Kizer Bad Dog rides on ceramic ball bearings and is very smooth. detent could be stronger but overall flips great!
The Spyderco Southard's detent also perfect and flips like no other!
The Spyderco K2 is on phosphor bronze washers but is still exceptionally smooth and needs no wrist action just like the Rat.

Now its your turn!
 
Buck 830 Marksman and CRKT Mah Eraser are the best production flippers I've handled. The Freeman 451 and Spartan Pallas sound like they have great potential as well.
 
I like the CRKT Hi-Jinx and the Spyderco Citadel, and the Rainy Vallotton Lance, a custom, actions. All very fast and easy to use.





 
Almost forgot, the Hogue EX01 I had was impressively smooth, particularly considering it ran neither bearings nor washers. Also, for a shockingly smooth lockback, check out Viper. Particularly impressive because it requires not only good F&F on the pivot, but excellent tuning of the lock.
 
John Grimmsmo Norseman.... I cry when I think about the day I sold mine. I've said it so many times, but I wish I never moved that one
 
Cheap: Browning Ice Storm (Mcusta OEM, Made in Japan)
Production: ZT 0450 (it's KVT, but it might as well be AO for how hard it fires)
Custom: Rod Olson Quick Flick (Brian Tighe's STBS makes the blade feel as if it's rotating on air. Simply outstanding.)
 
For an Axis lock straight out of the box, it would have to be the 111 H2o that I used to own.

For an Axis lock that has been used well and nicely broken in, the Griptillian that I won here on BF.com.

I can't help but wonder how much of the great "feel" you get from your knife's action is design and ergonomics.
 
Got a Boker Kwaiken w/ CF & VG-10 last week. It's incredibly smooth flipping on the IKBS. I had heard some people say that the flipper shape seems backwards because the back side is concave and the part your finger goes on to flip it is convex and it would make more sense to reverse it. After flipping it a few times I realized it doesn't even matter. It's literally so silky smooth and easy to flip that the shape of the flipper is somewhat inconsequential.

I agree on the RAT I, they open like a dream. Mine is almost 3yrs old, after about 2yrs it wasn't flicking open anymore. I spent about 15min disassembling it, wiping it down and oiling it a bit and the action immediately felt brand new again. Pretty awesome.
 
Buck's Alpha Hunter is a very smooth folding liner lock. It beckoned me to play with it all day. DM
 
for me it's my 2nd gen ZT 0550. Detent is perfect and the lockup feels like a bank vault. I actually have grown out of enjoying the blade shape and ergos but it feels so good flicking it open that I just don't think I'll ever sell it.
 
My recently acquired Andre Thorburn L42. I bought this as a pre-owned and even with that it's flipper action is sooooo smooth and fast that there is actually a recoil :D

View attachment 594334

Oh my - this is what a flipper should feel like. Lock up is solid and there is no blade play whatsoever. Can be flipped from any position with either hand. The action is so effortless than it feels like it is broken - as if there is no detente at all but that is an illusion of its perfection. Amazing knife.
 
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Every Darrel Ralph custom with Maxx Glide bearing system (I've owned 3) is the smoothest I've had.
 
CRKT M16 14M - Action and lockup are amazing. I love the safety feature. STURDY TOUGH KNIFE.
Camillus Cuda - Great knife. I have carried one for over two years without a single complaint. Tightened the pivot screw about a dozen times. Holds a great edge, love the action.
Current carry is a SOG Flash II. I love the blade grind and that is why I bought the knife. I love the action and finish of the knife. The only thing I do not like is the handle has no steel liners. I don't trust the knife for anything more than an EDC. I wish the pivot screw was a larger diameter and there was stainless steel liners in the knife instead of just Glass-Reinforced Nylon. Still a great knife and I am happy I picked it up. The handle reminds me somewhat of a Microtech. I feel like this knife could be so easily paired with a Glock, the knife just has that kind of reliable blocky polymer-resin feel to it. The Glock and Sog Flash II just feel like they belong in the same genre. That is the best way that I can describe it. Blocky and reliable, but you may always have that feeling in the back of your head that your gear is made from a plastic no matter how quality the materials and how well designed and engineered. you know?
 
Charlie Mike said:
Every Darrel Ralph custom with Maxx Glide bearing system (I've owned 3) is the smoothest I've had.
Click to expand...

The one with the cross shape? I love the look of the Darrel Ralph knives, I might have to give one a try sometime. I still have the Cutters Knife and Tool Karambit on my to buy list. Thanks for sharing CM.:thumbup:
 
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