Flick it open?

ras said:
It takes me 1/2 sec to thumb a knife open without flicking and it can be done even faster; I just don't see the advantage in flicking. While you apparently see flicking as a necessity, some here consider it "fun".
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I prefer to keep my fingers away from the blade as much as possible. By flicking I never have to touch the blade. If you prefer to open a knife with your thumb that's fine. This topic is asking if it can damage the knife or not. It's not for people like you to come in and trash talk those who flick knives. Comparing us to ex-smokers, etc. Some people just need to flick off.
 
Didn't realize I was talking trash, although it seems the ex-smoker comment and pacifier seem to have struck a nerve :rolleyes: Just trying to get a feel for any advantage other than being fun. Keeping your thumb away from the blade could be considered an advantage for those inclined to cut themselves, at least it's better than speed. In my mind tho' it's safer to maintain positive control of the blade. Different strokes.
 
I've been around here awhile and have seen more than one thread like this, and more than one thread that is obviously aimed at the "no flick rule" that Chris Reeve has with his Sebenza's. I've owned SEVERAL Sebenza's through the years and with each one I would employ a flick to open them. What you really have to define is the term flick. For some, myself included, the flick is a motion that starts the blade forward so that it will slip into the locked position on its own or with the tiniest of nudges with a wrist flick. For others the flick is an all out motion that slams the blade into lockup, often with as much noise as they can muster, and hey, that's alright as long as it is their knife they are doing that with. Far as I'm concerned ANY knfe that receives a steady diet of this slam opening is going to develop wear on the lock pin, liners, axis bar, or whatever system it employs.

Right on the money Ari. :) :) :)
 
ras said:
Didn't realize I was talking trash, although it seems the ex-smoker comment and pacifier seem to have struck a nerve.
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Maybe I just didn't like the fact that you associate people who flick their knives to being ex-smokers or having some other problem. I am not an active smoker or an ex-smoker, I have never smoked.

I think I have heard Sal from Spyderco flicks open his knife that he carries around his neck. So is he a fool too? According to you he must have some problem. :rolleyes: God forbid anyone purchasing a Spyderco knife uses it like the guy who makes them! :mad:
 
WadeF said:
Maybe I just didn't like the fact that you associate people who flick their knives to being ex-smokers or having some other problem. I am not an active smoker or an ex-smoker, I have never smoked.

I think I have heard Sal from Spyderco flicks open his knife that he carries around his neck. So is he a fool too? According to you he must have some problem. :rolleyes: God forbid anyone purchasing a Spyderco knife uses it like the guy who makes them! :mad:
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As I stated earlier, it requires less room for me to open with my thumb and it is about as fast. It depends on how comfortable you are with it. I have flicked spyderco's but I prefer to thumb open. I can also open the knife as I move it toward the work.

Most people I have personally seen that flick a knife (in public) are trying to show off or get attention... maybe that's where the negative perception comes from? It's this fascination with knives as intimidating weapons (read mall ninja) that bothers me.

If it is easier for you to open and you aren't after attention for a loud noise and a big knife, then I could care less.
 
klattman said:
If it is easier for you to open and you aren't after attention for a loud noise and a big knife, then I could care less.
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I never flash a knife infront of people, especially strangers. A lot of times I will just open the blade part way if I'm just making a simple cut, keeping the knife very discrete.

I personally feel it's safe to flick open a knife, the way I do it, than using a thumb stud, spydie hole, etc. More than once I've tried to open a folder with a thumb stud or hole and have had my finger slip and make contact with the edge. I never got a serious cut this way, but it was to close for comfort. With and Axis lock I can work the lock bar and keep my fingers away from the edge and I feel much more comfortable operating the knife this way. I don't do it for FUN, I do it because I feel it's the best way for me to open the knife. The same with the Spydie drop. It's hard to cut yourself when you're grasping the spine of the blade. If you use the hole to push the blade open, like you would with a thumb stud, you again risk slipping and making contact with the edge.
 
WadeF said:
Maybe I just didn't like the fact that you associate people who flick their knives to being ex-smokers or having some other problem.
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The ex-smoker comment was posed in the form of a rhetorical question. I take it your answer to the rhetorical question is "no". The non-rhetorical question was, "Where's the fascination; what's fun about flicking?" Since you don't flick for fun, that question was not directed at you.
 
I'll chime in for only 2 reasons:

1. Thank you, Keith Mayton, for mentioning balisongs!

2. As has been mentioned, while a practiced thumb opening may take no more time than a flick opening, the advantage of flicking an Axis lock knife is that you can also flick it closed. However, when closing liner/frame/Axis locks (if you do it by-the-book for the Axis), you have to shift your hand position, use multiple fingers, and multiple motions. Rather than one hand position, finger, and motion for both the opening and closing of an Axis lock.

For fun, I don't just flick an Axis lock knife, I twirl it in my fingers and do other stuff, so that I become very familiar with its weight, balance, and movement, and that sort of playing with any knife actually stemmed from playing with balisongs.
 
First off there seems to be two ways I can flick a knife. One is with the wrist and the other is with a thumb. Also one can flick very hard or just enough to do the job, it's up to you how hard you want to be with your knives. Also I seem to use the thumb flick on smaller knives and the wrist flick with a larger ones. But then there is the Sebenza, I can loosen it up or sand down the washers and make it into a great thumb flicker, but I prefer not to. I like the feel of the Sebenza just as it is with no flicking. After much time and experimenting I find I like to flick my Benchmade and slide out my Sebenza, and for the most part the Sebenza is my EDC.
 
LyonHaert said:
I'll chime in for only 2 reasons:

1. Thank you, Keith Mayton, for mentioning balisongs!

2. As has been mentioned, while a practiced thumb opening may take no more time than a flick opening, the advantage of flicking an Axis lock knife is that you can also flick it closed. However, when closing liner/frame/Axis locks (if you do it by-the-book for the Axis), you have to shift your hand position, use multiple fingers, and multiple motions. Rather than one hand position, finger, and motion for both the opening and closing of an Axis lock.

For fun, I don't just flick an Axis lock knife, I twirl it in my fingers and do other stuff, so that I become very familiar with its weight, balance, and movement, and that sort of playing with any knife actually stemmed from playing with balisongs.
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So I wonder if the Axis-lock folks are more inclined to flick? There seems to be a correlation and it makes sense that if you don't have to touch the blade to open, why should you? For axis locks, it makes complete sense.
 
klattman said:
There seems to be a correlation and it makes sense that if you don't have to touch the blade to open, why should you? For axis locks, it makes complete sense.
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That is why my EDC is an Axis Lock. :)
 
ras said:
I have a number of Benchmade Axis lock knives and none of them beg to be flicked. Is flicking something ex-smokers take up to avoid grabbing for a cigarette? It's a knife, not a pacifier. Where's the fascination; what's fun about flicking?
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what's fun about anything, then? why do you like knives so much? are they just something you use to keep from spinning in circles?

but seriously, some people on this thread seem to really take a negative or critical attitude towards those who flick. it seems like someone should start a thread begging to know why people only thumb-open their knives. perhaps they suffer from some sort of deficiency?

abe m.
 
You didn't answer the question. If you think flicking is fun, why? If you don't think it's fun then the question wasn't for you to answer. Didn't someone mention that the subject of flicking belongs in Whine & Cheese :rolleyes:
 
the guy who mentioned that flicking belongs in W&C was also the first person to fly off the handle and snap at the topic to begin with. go figure.

i think it's fun, because it's a fast and easy motion (for me) to flick a knife. the knife deploys with authority and in some cases, can take a little skill to do. i sometimes flick my knives in different ways, just to see if it can be done. i like the speed, the motion and the sound. probably most of all, i like the look of it, it just looks "fun" to me. all of these are contributing factors to my enjoyment of the "flick".

i suppose you could equate it to a yo-yo. some people may not have any interest in spinning a cylindrical object at the end of a string, attached to their finger. others find the whole affair immensely entertaining.

abe m.
 
lol, i was hoping that would explain it! ;)

to anyone i seemed irritated with, accept my apologies. i come here for conversation, but sometimes i'm a spaz. sorry if i annoyed anyone.

abe m.
 
Well, Brownshoe, I am not sure if your orginal post is overly correct. When it still existed, Mr. Janich stated on the MBC-Spyderco forum that he and Mr. Glesser were of different opinion regarding this issue. While he was teaching that flicking is essential it is apparently also a fact that it WILL reduce the lifetime of your knife whether it is a Spyderco or BM or whatever, regardless of it voiding the warranty or not. I don't think you will find Spyderco recommending it.

Having said that, I am *of course* flicking my Spydies and I am not only a habitual flicker either :D. Who cares really whether it voids the warranty or not. Taking a knife appart voids the warranty, too, and there are people that wouldn't even buy a knife if they can not take it apart. If I have to sent in a knife because the lock got damaged because of excessive flicking, I will know that I haven't used it hard enough.
 
If a knife is built in such a way that it is "abuse" to flick it, then I won't buy it! I buy knives that are built for heavy use. I don't always use a knife to it's full capability, but if I can't trust that it can handle it, then why buy it. A knife that can't handle flicking surely can't handle heavy use. I say flick it!
 
I used to flick a lot of knives, and brownie pop, and spyder drop, but now I have seen the light and learned a new skill.

Painting a U with a twist. See the FUN knife thread I started. It really is a revelation.

This to me is not flicking because it greatly controlls the amount of force that gets transferred to the blade. Do it a little fast or a little slow, just right or a little sloppy, and the blade still almost always opens with just enough motion to open fully yet not so much that it smacks hard.

Even being as happy as I am with this new skill, I don't feel the compulsion to regularly open my Sebenza this way.

Now, I have to ask the obvious question: Why should anybody honestly feel entitled to having CRK pay 100% of the repairs for life to maintain their (CRK's) astonishingly tight tollerances regardless of how often or how hard or by whom a Sebenza is flicked?!?

Chris
 
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