Favorite Front Flippers?

[Sharp & Fiery]

With a bit of practice, the Sebenza 31 and many Emersons can be front flipped.

This is correct! I can and do front flip Inkosi’s, 21’s and 31’s.

 

[hkssr20det]

Used to be really into front flippers. Have a Shamwari, but a good budget option would be the Boker Exskeliburs:

 

[Arathol]

 

[Hackenslash]

I'm a recent front flipper convert. So far my experience has been with some Boker Plus models.
I started out with the resin handled Kansei. I liked it so much I bought the Titanium and Damascus version, which is nice but has it's issues. It was a very gritty liner lock, and it developed some vertical blade play fairly quickly.

I decided I wanted to try out a button lock flipper, so after looking at some reviews I settled on the Burnley Kwaiken. So far I'm really happy with it. Nice materials, great action and lock-up, and came very sharp.

I'll definately be keeping an eye on this thread!

I have that same resin handled Kansei LRF and I really like it. With a little work, the centering and action are great. The resin is a nice faux-ivory material too. But, hey, still a Boker Plus, right?

I particularly like the dual flipper “knobs” at the top.

Other that that, front flippers seem very 2019 to me. I don’t enjoy using them and, for me, they hit their peak a while ago.

I’m mostly ready to move on now.

 

[Lawilli2]

I like a front flipper, bit typically prefer to have at least one other deployment method option also. Bestech Bihai is so slick. AC Sirus paired with a CJRB Maileah is a good combo. Currently waiting on a Rosecraftblades Pocket Monster, think of a More Maileah with a great forward finger choil.

 

[Corton93]

Out of what I own atm, WE Esprit and Kunwu TAO..

 

[K.O.D.]

Cheburkov Strizh



Biryukov #12

 

[Terry M.]

I’m partial to Olamic Whippersnapper

 

[Lee D]

Im not overly drawn to front flipper designs, but the one I’ll always keep is Lundquist’s Baby Barlow because I like his clean designs, and am drawn to smaller knives.

 

[POCEH KOCEB]

The Mini Beluga from Petrified Fish. Punches way above its weight for the price.

View attachment 2152004

I have the large Beluga and I find it to be very well designed knife, good quality made.
My problem is, I never got to work that front flipper thingy. Maybe I have to fiddle little bit with the pivot screw.

 

[Vlade]

If I had the funds I would really like to own a Rek knives sparrow hopefully that happens when I get enough extra money.

 

[maydayredparade]

I have the large Beluga and I find it to be very well designed knife, good quality made.
My problem is, I never got to work that front flipper thingy. Maybe I have to fiddle little bit with the pivot screw.

I haven't handled the large version, but my understanding is that they slightly tweaked the front flipper on the mini version and made it a little easier to deploy. Even so, it took a lot of practice and breaking in for me to get the hang of it!

 

[Bob Denman]

Front flippers?
Olamic Busker

 

[GatorFlash1]

Kershaw Nura's. A decent assisted spring flipper for the price.

 

[nhobo]

Front flippers are not ergonomic. The clean look does not compensate for the difficulty in operation.

When grasping the knife between fingers and palm, the thumb moves away from the action, not with it. I laugh at video reviews where it takes multiple tries to open a front flipper. Especially when the reviewer raves about 'the great action'.

An index finger front flip moves in the direction of the action but requires a finger pinch on the knife from behind. The index finger front flip can also be made from a more normal hold (as in a thumb stud open) but requires a sideways motion of the index finger which is by nature limited in that direction.

The easiest way to open a front flipper is to beak the detent by pressing the flipper against something (your leg, a table, you kid's head, whatever) and the snapping it open like a gravity knife.

None of these are comfortable for me. With a thumb stud I flick open with a thumbnail, easy, never misses, and the post-thumb flip grip is a use position.

 

[POCEH KOCEB]

N nhobo I like the clean look and pleasant geometry, but other than this,
the front flipper concept is just another marketing trend for me.
Completely agree with the points in your post.
Not hard to notice, that most of the reputable companies are including another way of opening, holes or blade grooves,
it must be a reason their designers thought about it.

 

[K.O.D.]

I have to disagree, I love the front flippers I have, and they are easy to use, and never "misfire" and I feel the ergos on the Cheburkov and Biryukov are pretty good.

 

[POCEH KOCEB]

That's fine, we are all different. IMO when compared to flipper, hole or stud opening, they are more unreliable.
Not everyone will shell out for Cheburkov model just because it's front flipper works better than the $50 Beluga...
Different priorities, I guess. I like the look of it bit they are more fidgetty than the regular, boring, conventional openings.
I'm not much partial to the fidget factor but if I like the knife overall, I'll easily compromise with the opening system.

 

[Halfneck]

Spyderco Ikuchi.

 

[mak1277]

Front flippers are not ergonomic. The clean look does not compensate for the difficulty in operation.

When grasping the knife between fingers and palm, the thumb moves away from the action, not with it. I laugh at video reviews where it takes multiple tries to open a front flipper. Especially when the reviewer raves about 'the great action'.

An index finger front flip moves in the direction of the action but requires a finger pinch on the knife from behind. The index finger front flip can also be made from a more normal hold (as in a thumb stud open) but requires a sideways motion of the index finger which is by nature limited in that direction.

The easiest way to open a front flipper is to beak the detent by pressing the flipper against something (your leg, a table, you kid's head, whatever) and the snapping it open like a gravity knife.

None of these are comfortable for me. With a thumb stud I flick open with a thumbnail, easy, never misses, and the post-thumb flip grip is a use position.

I’m maybe doing it wrong, but my grip when front flipping is almost identical to my grip when opening something like a spydie. Slow rolling my Delica, flicking my PM 2 and front flipping my Pena all use basically the same grip. They all require repositioning for use too.