Budget IKBS flippers

dkb45

dkb45

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Dec 16, 2012
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I have an Aluminum Ripple, and this just plainly made me LOVE the IKBS system. I want more IKBS flippers. I know of the Eros (too pricey) and the other Ripple (planning on getting that one). I would also love something that accepts a southpaw clip. Note that it doesn't have to be IKBS, it just has to be as silky super smooth, something I just can't find with traditional washers (even my Sage was rough in comparison).

My budget cap is a hard $100. No matter how nice the knife, I cannot spend more than that. I just can't justify the price, and don't try to convince me... I am as stubborn as a brick wall.

Also feel free to just praise the IKBS or other ball bearing pivot systems. They are just bloody well awesome!
 
The CRKT Swindle (2 slightly different models of it) will be coming out soon. They were announced for SHOT Show 2013. It has IKBS and a single unique ambidextrous clip.
 
If you don't mind CRKT this one is as smooth as any IKBS folder I own. (and I have them from 500 dollars down) It has plastic washers and I can't believe how easy it flips. Comes in about 80 bucks. I don't think there's anything out there 100 & under with bearings other than the Ripple.

2qknqfk.jpg
 
jill jackson said:
If you don't mind CRKT this one is as smooth as any IKBS folder I own. (and I have them from 500 dollars down) It has plastic washers and I can't believe how easy it flips. Comes in about 80 bucks. I don't think there's anything out there 100 & under with bearings other than the Ripple.
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The Eraser doesn't have IKBS.
 
gomipile said:
The Eraser doesn't have IKBS.
Click to expand...

I said it doesn't. I clearly state it has plastic washers. OP said he had not found anything as smooth as his Ripple and I was merely stating I had found one I find to be as easy and smooth to open as my bearing folders. Because I haven't seen anything besides the Ripple for 100 and under with bearings.
 
jill jackson said:
If you don't mind CRKT this one is as smooth as any IKBS folder I own. (and I have them from 500 dollars down) It has plastic washers and I can't believe how easy it flips. Comes in about 80 bucks. I don't think there's anything out there 100 & under with bearings other than the Ripple.

2qknqfk.jpg
Click to expand...

Thats a lotta knife for $80! It looks like an $800 custom, overall a nice looking design.
 
Hey, no fighting. Don't make me get the newspaper!

Any suggestions are fine. I don't mind CRKT (because, you know, the Ripple is from them). I prefer not plastic (or bronze whatever/Teflon) because they are smooth while swimming in oil, but that smoothness pretty quickly diminishes. Haven't yet had a flipper (besides the Ripple) that didn't need to be disassembled and cleaned within a few weeks. I like IKBS because it is mostly enclosed, so dust and whatnot can't really work in like it can on traditional washers.

I do like the blade shape on the Eraser though. I am a sucker for little to no curve (I would call that a modified Wharncliffe). So much easier to sharpen with my retarded wrists.
 
Jaytaylor said:
Thats a lotta knife for $80! It looks like an $800 custom, overall a nice looking design.
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Other side; I just can't think of anything at all coming in with bearings for 100 and under. (besides the Ripple) The knives with bearings are almost always upper end.

28kha2u.jpg
 
jill jackson said:
Other side; I just can't think of anything at all coming in with bearings for 100 and under. (besides the Ripple) The knives with bearings are almost always upper end.

28kha2u.jpg
Click to expand...

Nice looking on that side too. Hinderer XM's also use teflon washers and work without issue.

Is that G10?
 
jill jackson said:
I said it doesn't. I clearly state it has plastic washers. OP said he had not found anything as smooth as his Ripple and I was merely stating I had found one I find to be as easy and smooth to open as my bearing folders. Because I haven't seen anything besides the Ripple for 100 and under with bearings.
Click to expand...

I apologize for misunderstanding you. I took "is as smooth as any IKBS folder I own" to mean that it both is an IKBS folder and is as smooth as all of the ones you own. If I said that a particular Devil's food cake was "as tasty as any cake I've ever eaten" it would be understood that the Devil's food cake was, in fact, cake.
 
dkb45 said:
I have an Aluminum Ripple, and this just plainly made me LOVE the IKBS system. I want more IKBS flippers. I know of the Eros (too pricey) and the other Ripple (planning on getting that one). I would also love something that accepts a southpaw clip. Note that it doesn't have to be IKBS, it just has to be as silky super smooth, something I just can't find with traditional washers (even my Sage was rough in comparison).

My budget cap is a hard $100. No matter how nice the knife, I cannot spend more than that. I just can't justify the price, and don't try to convince me... I am as stubborn as a brick wall.

Also feel free to just praise the IKBS or other ball bearing pivot systems. They are just bloody well awesome!
Click to expand...

The obvious answers are to either just buy a Ripple now, or to wait for the 2013 models to hit the stores. From a check of pre-listing prices, it seems that a number of models in the CRKT 2013 catalog would fit your requirements:

CRKT Swindle
CRKT Sampa
CRKT Carajas
CRKT Ripple (now with the overly aggressive jimping toned down and a new color option, brown)

So if you can wait, there are plenty of options.

Buying now, the Ripple still gives you lots of choices. I like the Ripple so much that I have five or six of them, ranging from the aluminum Walmart special through the steel options up to the Eros. The blue titanium nitride coated stainless one is one of my favorites, it's the only blue knife I carry and it really grew on me. Though if you buy any of the Ripples out now, you'll probably want to sand down the jimping on and near the flipper to make it more comfortable.
 
86 power said:
How about a Boker Kwaiken? Cool design with IKBS and comes in at $100
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I really love the look of that one. Be careful though, I've seen multiple complaints of the tip being exposed enough when closed to cause bloody accidents (if you can find a photo of the tip end with the knife closed, you'll see why). There was a thread here, but the OP deleted his message (shame, it had an image that illustrated the issue clearly). Conveniently, the image is still in the google cache here.

It's a shame, the knife is so pretty that I'd buy one otherwise.
 
Here's a quick morning snapshot of my blue Ripple, since this thread has me thinking about it (I tried to use an apple and some bright morning sun to make a red, white and blue composition out of it):

CF740ay.jpg
 
Evilgreg- awesome picture!

OP-thanks for starting this thread. I had the same question.
 
CRKT Foresight has IKBS, so does the Bladetech Riptide. I would guess the new 300SN from Benchmade would be pretty darn smooth based on my other Axis lock knives, but no IKBS.
 
The CRKT Nirk Tighe 2 has bearings & it's under $90.The only drawback is it's two handed closing.Sure you could manipulate it somewhat to get it to drop,then close it against your leg,but it's basically a two handed closer.
 
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