How are your flippers holding up?

D

dogrunner

Joined
Dec 26, 2003
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I'm specifically thinking about the CQC-7 flipper, but any of Emerson flippers. How do they hold up after you've worked them a while? I have had really mixed luck with flippers from other makers - a few work great from the start and continue that way, some are great out of the box but seem to get gummed up after a while, some never flip well to begin with. I actually am not a flipper fan particularly; waves and thumbholes are my preferred opening modes, but I want a "7" and I like S35vn and seems like you don't really lose anything with the flipper version because it still has the wave and disc.

So, how's your doing? Do you flip it much? Need any/much maintenance? Thanks for your thoughts!
 
Yes, inquiring minds want to know! I was looking at a Sheepdog at a knife shop in Anchorage. Flipped nicely, but almost too easily, where I started to be concerned that it could ease open in the pocket. The detent didn't seem too strong. I'm also not a great flipper fan but like the idea of having the disc and the wave. So, still debating on the Sheepdog.

--Larry
 
Emerson knives have a double detent. You can adjust the detent pressure without affecting the lockup at all. Most knives if you want to increase detent pressure you have to bend the liner lock further towards the nonlocking liner side. This is done with the knife taken apart. However when taking an emerson apart you will notice that on the nonlocking liner side there is a little tab with a detent ball in it as well. You just bend that out a tiny bit more and your detent will be stronger.

As for flipper effecting the lock, just buy the knife. Emerson has a stellar warrenty and if for whatever reason the lock becomes warn just send your Emerson in and they will fix it for you, free of charge.
 
I have the Flipper 7, Sheepdog (154cm & s35vn), and Sig Legion. All of them have been carried as users and have held up very well. These models run with single detents and I have had no issues when them accidently opening in my pockets. Granted, my pocket liners help keep them closed and I'm not forward waving them into a reverse grip. My 154cm Sheepdog even went to Hawaii with me and went on a few adventures at the beach and around salt water. Once I got back to the hotel, I used a coin to take out the blade so I could rinse everything out. Everything was fine after that.

The other Emerson flippers have not needed any maintenance and are still flipping smoothly. Lockup has been solid and really hasn't moved much since I got them. One thing I did notice though, my flippers with coated blades needed to be broken in a bit before they were flipping as smooth as my non coated Emersons.
 
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My sheepdog's lock has worn all the way across to the opposite liner (pics and review here)
Lock up still solid, was waiting for rock to start before sending it back.
Every other aspect has been perfect.
Matt
 
Just like Matt's, my 154cm Bowie Sheepdog also had considerable lock stick. Fortunately, after breaking it in, my lock seems stable at around 50-60%. But I will note, a small percentage of my other Emersons have had pretty fast wear regardless if they had a flipper or not. But luckily we have an excellent warranty to rely on for those situations.

Edited to add: I took another look at Matt's lockup on his posted link and that's pretty crazy. Let us know how it holds up like that since I have some knives that are close to that point.
 
harvey554 said:
Just like Matt's, my 154cm Bowie Sheepdog also had considerable lock stick. Fortunately, after breaking it in, my lock seems stable at around 50-60%. But I will note, a small percentage of my other Emersons have had pretty fast wear regardless if they had a flipper or not. But luckily we have an excellent warranty to rely on for those situations.

Edited to add: I took another look at Matt's lockup on his posted link and that's pretty crazy. Let us know how it holds up like that since I have some knives that are close to that point.
Click to expand...

Will let you know mate. Has held in for months now I am quite surprised it has lasted so long!

Have loaned it to one of the guys at work who is just getting into knives. He had a kershaw emerson so thought I'd loan him the real thing. He loves the sheepdog to bits as do I. Will see how it is going when I get it back.
 
My sheepdog is right about a year old and has no lock stick, lockup has always been right dead center in the tang and hasn't moved at all. Flipping action is very good, almost too easy.
 
My 7 flipper has fairly early lockup and minimal stick and with lots of flipping hasn't changed at all. I haven't used this one much but have played with it a lot.
My sheepdog bowie Locks up center of the blade tang when flipped hard but goes all the way over and requires a screwdriver to unlock when flipped not as hard. It has been this way since I got it. It can be quite frustrating at times but I like the knife enough to carry it here and there.
I've never had a problem with a flipper getting gummed up but after carrying an iron dragon (same bearing system but no flipper) for a few days at work it got quite stiff to open. I put it away for a few days and when I got it out to clean it it was buttery smooth again.
 
I've had the Sheepdog since February and have carried/used it daily. When I first received the knife, the lock was so tight I had to apply graphite to the lock face. After graphite application, and flipping the knife, the action wore in. Today my Sheepdog is still the smoothest knife I have, besting my ZT 562 and replacing it as my EDC at work. I'd say the lockup is at ~45%, is not moving past that point, and is still solid.
 
Thanks, guys! Really appreciate the comments. My only flipper has been a ZT, but I like the idea of having flipper with the disc.

--Larry
 
Yes, thanks for the input and more is always good.
I'm on hold for now on a purchase - just got unexpectedly very early charge for a really big blade ;)
 
I just received the Sheepdog bowie in hand last night. Picked it up from KnifeArt and they had 2-day Fed Ex for free.

The flipping action on this knife is absolutely smooth. The detent is adequate, I wouldn't mind a slightly stronger detent... But I am not that concerned at this point. I cranked down on the pivot and that seemed to slow the flipping speed down, but it is still ultra smooth.

This thing is so sharp and pointy I cut myself within the first 15 minutes of handling this knife out of the box.

The G-10 is way too course for my liking, so I removed the pocket clip, taped over both ends of the pivot, and sanded it down. I might disassemble the knife and take the slabs down more. I might see if I can't manipulate the second detent and see if I can't increase the detent.

The knife currently has lock stick most of the time the knife is deployed. But the serrations on the liner allows my thumb to get some purchase on the edge of the liner, and I can release the liner. Lockup is at maybe 20%. I suppose I'd rather have early lockup and lock stick instead of a 50% + lockup and less lock stick. I've seen some of the reviews stating the lockup going from 20% to 100% in a matter or months. That's not good but I know EKI will fix that under their rock-solid warranty.

So is the face of the the Ti liner wearing away that quickly in the examples where the lockup goes to 100% in a manner of months? Or is not enough of the lock face making contact with the blade tang and is it that small contact point then that is wearing down so quickly? I know EKI has long maintained that only the top edge of the liner/lock face should be making contact with the blade tang, at an angle. They say the lockface should not make flush (top to bottom) contact with the blade tang.
 
Started having some issues with the pivot on my year old Sheepdog. It recently got very stiff and "crunchy" feeling when being opened and closed, also would often not even flip open fully. I suspect some rust of something got into the bearings and this is the source of the problem, tried flushing it out with water in case it was just dirt but to no effect. I let it dry and then sprayed Gun Slick foaming cleaner into the pivot area and worked the action many times, let it sit and rinsed it out. It is significantly better now but not perfect, I don't want to take it apart and I don't want to risk having centering issues on reassembly.

Do you all use lubricant in your bearing pivots? I don't and was under the impression that none is necessary, I am beginning to rethink this now.
 
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