Flippers, just another fashion?

I

iht@intekom.co.za

Joined
Jun 19, 2004
Messages
51
There is lot of hype these days about flippers. Of course we all want a knife with one handed opening - but thumb studs or hole have provided this for ages and work well. Why flippers? - they stick out and jam into you if you wear them in your waistband or pocket with a clip, and add no funtionality - are they a solution to a problem that doesn't exist, a new gimmick to attract jaded knife buyers who already have everything - or are they genuinely useful, - lets hear your opinions guys!
 
Most flippers provide a quick blade deployment, with less fine motor skill. I have hands that are beaten up by years of banging nails and hard construction work, and they tend toward arthritis. I have a choice of stud or flipper on my Kershaw Leeks, my favorite knife. I use the flipper most of the time because it's way easier, and mindless. And it's not obtrusive at all. It would take a much bigger knife to make it be obtrusive. The flipper is here to stay for sure!!
 
Personally I like the idea, furthermore I consider flippers the best opening method to date. I find thumbholes inconvenient (YMMV of course) and they make the blade weaker. Thumbstuds also need a borehole through the blade and that's a stress riser, not to mention studs and discs can be quite disturbing if you have to cut something which requires the whole length of the blade. (For example apples, a bigger block of cheese or bacon.)
 
I really like flippers teamed up with assisted openers like the Kershaw Bump line. It makes opening them effortless.:thumbup: (Plus they are fun to play with.) I've got an AO Gunhammer that should be done soon and I can't wait to play with that one either.:thumbup: :) :cool:
 
For me, the real reason for a flipper is that it provides a blade-guard - if your lock fails you may not need to visit ER
 
Flippers on the right knife are a definate win-win situation.

I like them, i am not against holes or studs at all, i think they compliment the knives abilities.

WR
 
Redguy said:
Personally I like the idea, furthermore I consider flippers the best opening method to date. I find thumbholes inconvenient (YMMV of course) and they make the blade weaker. Thumbstuds also need a borehole through the blade and that's a stress riser, not to mention studs and discs can be quite disturbing if you have to cut something which requires the whole length of the blade. (For example apples, a bigger block of cheese or bacon.)
Click to expand...

Thumbholes don't make the blade weaker. At least not on a well-designed knife (Spyderco).
Inconvenience of holes is entirely your own experience of course, I find it really comfortable.
 
I dont see where y our coming from witht he "flippers dig into you" line. i cary several different blades with flippers, on a pocket clip as you mentioned, and i have enver experienced this problem.

As far as the Leek goes...you just about HAVE to use the flipper. Using the thumb stud with an assisted opener is dangerous work!
 
I have a couple with flippers, and no, haven't had an issue with them digging into my pocket. Scraping my hand on the way to digging something out of my pocket - well, I've had both thumbstuds and flippers do that:) AO's and flippers, for me, are handy, but not necessary - I just haven't really needed to open a blade that quickly or at least been in enough of a hurry that a thumbstud or hole couldn't get the blade open as easily. I agree that certain blades, my Camillus Heat and Blaze come to mind, literally require the flipper to be used. Don't have too many Kershaws..... My CRKT M16-03K is sort of a combination of both flipper and thumbstud.

- gord
 
I'm a huge fan of flippers. I find them convenient to use, and like others, I appreciate them as a blade guard as well. If I could have an M16 opening system for all of my EDC rotation knives, I would jump at the opportunity.

An added bonus is that the combined forces of gravity and a flipper allow you to easily deploy a fairly tight blade - which is good when your local laws prohibit blades that can be opened through centrifugal force alone.

I haven't noticed any serious problems with pocket snagging, but I suspect this is a matter of individual body shape, pants type, and flipper size and texture.

- Mike
 
Naymit said:
For me, the real reason for a flipper is that it provides a blade-guard - if your lock fails you may not need to visit ER
Click to expand...

Exactly. It provides a quick, sure-fire opening method and doubles as a guard. I think it's an ingenious design myself. My flipper based knife does well enough not sticking to my pockets.
 
Zwaplat said:
Thumbholes don't make the blade weaker. At least not on a well-designed knife (Spyderco).
Click to expand...

Well, they do. If you take a slab of steel and cut a hole in it, you will weaken it. Period. You are right though, Spydercos are good folders and well designed ones, but their blade's overall strenghs would be significally higher without the thumbholes.

Zwaplat said:
Inconvenience of holes is entirely your own experience of course, I find it really comfortable.
Click to expand...

Yes, it's only my experience. YMMV means Your Mileage May Vary, so it's a totally subjective opinion.
 
I like good flippers! My Combat Elite RRF IS an excellent flipper. And I know RJ Martin & Rick Hinderer make excellent flippers.
 
Redguy said:
Well, they do. If you take a slab of steel and cut a hole in it, you will weaken it. Period. You are right though, Spydercos are good folders and well designed ones, but their blade's overall strenghs would be significally higher without the thumbholes.
Click to expand...

Oh yes, theoretically speaking. But if you read this: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=407099 , then the least of your worries is the blade braking because it has "weakened" a little due to a hole. If a machine starts jumping around trying to break a lock (and subsequently, putting much force on the blade), a little arm force is nothing for that blade.

:)
 
I think it totally depends upon the user and the knife. If you're of a larger size then a flipper might dig into you carrying IWB, but only a poorly designed one. There are many reasons to like a flipper. I like them mainly because (assuming a good design) they form an integral guard which will protect my hand; and they are the ultimate low-tech way to open a folder. I live in a VERY knife-phobic environment, and I like that I don't have any springs in my flippers to be confused with an automatic (like Kershaw AO often is). As an added bonus to this, there aren't any issues with springs fatiguing either. Just a nice way to open a knife.

That said, when I get my RJ Martin Devastator, it WILL have the (now) optional thumb-stud. I'm sorry, but a blade that can only be opened by a flipper is all but useless for me given my living environment. IMHO you almost HAVE to have an alternative method to open a flipper for those times when you're around NKPs. They get pissy enough when you have a knife in the first place without me having them scream either: "He's got a SWITCHBLADE!!!" or "Is that thing LEGAL?!?!?" My own lovely wife who is quite used to me playing with knives- while observing me breaking in a CRKT M-16 Special Forces knife- in fact made the comment about autos not being legal here.

Far as holes in the blade weakening it, well I suppose its somewhat true. I mean, you can hardly have MORE strength by having LESS material, but the difference would probably be miniscule at best. The pivot will most likely go before the blade does.
 
SpyderJon said:
I mean, you can hardly have MORE strength by having LESS material, but the difference would probably be miniscule at best. The pivot will most likely go before the blade does.
Click to expand...

Isn't that basically what a fuller/BLOODGROOVE/I-beam does? I may be wrong.
 
The fact that my RRF has dual thumb studs AND a flipper, IS one of the reasons I LOVE this knife so much. It is also one of the smoooothest knives I own.
 
I was under the impression that the inherit geometry of the circle lended itself to keep strength high and weight down when it came to opening holes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top