Flippers that didn't get the flip right!

kicwk

kicwk

Joined
Mar 11, 2007
Messages
215
I owned a few knives with flippers that just don't get the flip done right. The S.O.G. Vulcan, the Buck Vantage to name a two.
I'm I the only one who thinks you should not have to flick your wrist and use the flipper?????
As the flipper is becoming more popular, I figure we should list the short comings....
 
The inron my 803 off how much you lube it how much you tweak it, it doesn't clip out and when you try to push it hard the crap design tips the skin off your finger.
The vantage flipper was a tad small but worked good enough for me.
 
kicwk said:
I owned a few knives with flippers that just don't get the flip done right. The S.O.G. Vulcan, the Buck Vantage to name a two.
I'm I the only one who thinks you should not have to flick your wrist and use the flipper?????
As the flipper is becoming more popular, I figure we should list the short comings....
Click to expand...

Most of my flippers are assisted from Kershaw but I took the torsion bar out of a ZT0350 and even though I now have to use a bit of wrist motion to deploy, I love the knife way more unassisted.

A bit of wrist movement does not detract from my enjoyment of a flipper one bit.

$0.02 ;)
 
Benchmade 300SN.

I love my flippers, and I love my Axis knives, but they're just not a good combination IMO.
 
I agree. I own all the above knives and the flippers all suck! The BM 300SN is just a Grippie w a flipper added on it. The SOG is ok I guess. But the worst is the Buck Vantage! Its hard to open even by flicking your wrist good!!
 
The new gen of hinderer xm 18 i was pumped to get one and the flipping action wasnt very impressive definitely needed wrist flick unless you were holding it down. I could flick open my zt0561 with none. Not to say its a bad knife its definitely a beast and very well made but i wish it would of flicked better i would of kept it.
 
Enlan EL-01. A solid cheap knife, but the flipper requires a definite flick o' the wrist. You can get it to deploy with a really hard push on the flipper, but the jimping on top of the frame just behind the flipper makes that a painful proposition (and damn near took off my index finger nail when I first tried it).
 
The flipper on my Buck Vantage was the least of its problems. I agree with people's sentiments about the Benchmade 300SN. It seemed like a bad idea from the get go; the weirdness of the Axis lock doesn't seem to lend itself well to a flipper.
 
Topcatpt said:
The new gen of hinderer xm 18 i was pumped to get one and the flipping action wasnt very impressive definitely needed wrist flick unless you were holding it down. I could flick open my zt0561 with none. Not to say its a bad knife its definitely a beast and very well made but i wish it would of flicked better i would of kept it.
Click to expand...

Yeah the Hinderers don't have a strong enough detent for a good pre-load. Still a great knife but I tend to use the thumb studs as much as the flipper if not more. I have 2 ZT0350s un assisted and they are awesome flippers, you may want to check your pivot and lock adjustment Rudge, they won't need a hint of wrist once they're dialed in.

The Spyderco Southard is pretty much a benchmark I think other manufacturers should use when designing a flipper. They just work so freakin good.
 
bigconig said:
Yeah the Hinderers don't have a strong enough detent for a good pre-load. Still a great knife but I tend to use the thumb studs as much as the flipper if not more. I have 2 ZT0350s un assisted and they are awesome flippers, you may want to check your pivot and lock adjustment Rudge, they won't need a hint of wrist once they're dialed in.

The Spyderco Southard is pretty much a benchmark I think other manufacturers should use when designing a flipper. They just work so freakin good.
Click to expand...


Yea, I had noticed that a fine adjustment would allow the flipper to work with no wrist movement but to get rid of blade play, I had to tighten down a bit. I have a ZT0350TS and just ordered a ZT0350 with a regular black coating (because I love the knife so much). I plan to "un assist" it as well.

Maybe they differ from knife to knife in how much you can loosen the pivot before blade play becomes an issue.

I will let you know. ;)
 
Last edited:
NeverMore1701 said:
Benchmade 300SN.

I love my flippers, and I love my Axis knives, but they're just not a good combination IMO.
Click to expand...

I have been flipping my all night. The only thing it needs is a bit stiffer spring but if you push down on the flipper and not the light switch motion it works just fine
 
MadMullet said:
I have been flipping my all night. The only thing it needs is a bit stiffer spring but if you push down on the flipper and not the light switch motion it works just fine
Click to expand...

I have found this to be true. Most people pull back on the flipper. In most cases this is the wrong motion. Pushing "DOWN" on the flipper is the correct motion. ;)
 
Rudge said:
I have found this to be true. Most people pull back on the flipper. In most cases this is the wrong motion. Pushing "DOWN" on the flipper is the correct motion. ;)
Click to expand...

Pretty much the same idea for the vantage.
 
To me a "Flipper Knife" means it doesn't have a thumbstud, or the only way to open the knife is with the flipper. But almost every non-assisted knife I have that has a flipper either requires a wrist flick or has bladeplay and doesn't center. I don't like flippers. The only one that is near perfect is my CRKT Summa, and that is a cheap knife. Flips out super easy, centers perfect, and has very very little blade play. Love that knife! The ZT0560 is also great, but it has that ball bearing system so of course it should be.
 
Rudge said:
I have found this to be true. Most people pull back on the flipper. In most cases this is the wrong motion. Pushing "DOWN" on the flipper is the correct motion. ;)
Click to expand...

I agree, this makes the biggest difference in the world for me. I hate flippers that are designed to be pulled back on, because they are almost invariably uncomfortable to use the other way.
 
For the most part, a little wrist flick doesn't bother me. And I agree with what others have said. The Southard sets the standard of how a manual flipper should operate and the Axis-lock doesn't provide enough resistance to open a manual flipper reliably. As far as which technique should be used to operate a flipper, I rotate among my EDCs. The last thing I want to think about is which flipper technique I need to use with whatever knife I happen to be carrying in my pocket at the time. So for me, the flipper action either has to be instinctive and reliable or the knife gets sent off to the Exchange.
 
Last edited:
CRKT Ripple, the flipper is sharp and painful on the finger and although it is smooth when deployed it just doesn't flip as well as it should.
 
The only flippers I have are all Kershaws and work great. On the assisted models I have, Rake and Leek, I don't even use the thumbstuds anymore. Even on the unassisted Skyline and Zing I have I can usually open using the flipper with no wrist flick. Just really love it on the assisted models.:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top