IKBS knives

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Jan 24, 2010
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Seems like every knife with IKBS gets rave reviews. The CRKT Ken Onion Ripple has IKBS and is around $70. I'm not a fan of CRKT and would prefer an alternative. Todd Begg's and other customs have it, but they are much more expensive. Are there any cheaper choices?
 
Seems like every knife with IKBS gets rave reviews. The CRKT Ken Onion Ripple has IKBS and is around $70. I'm not a fan of CRKT and would prefer an alternative. Todd Begg's and other customs have it, but they are much more expensive. Are there any cheaper choices?

Unfortunately there isn't any other cheap alternatives. I believe CRKT has another Ken Onion design coming out that also sports IKBS, but this model appears to be even more slim or as slim as the Ripple with a more narrow blade at the tip. IKBS isn't really mainstream and I think that CRKT is trying to make that happen.
 
If you are asking for cheaper then the CRKT not yet, if you are asking for cheaper then the Begg's then sure.

I tried to place these in order of base model cheapness. :^)

Three Sisters Forge Jim Allen folder. Not much info on this one out there but its a nice little folder with an awesome feeling handle (it's titanium but feels like a nicely textured G10). It does use ball bearings but not sure if its considered IKBS or not. Its not the smoothest IKBS I've used but a pretty good little folder.

Tim Galyean Pro Series. JYD or Lahar's both have them and I think his new model will as well. The JYDs specially the large are really fun flippers just fly open.

Brad Southard. He offers IKBS in most of his designs. I don't have one of these yet.

Naden Knives. Not sure if these are still being made but they pop up on the secondary market every so often and I think a dealer or two still has them.

Les Voorhies. It's at least offered in his model 9 and probably some others. Very good implementation of it, awesome blade detent.

GTC. Gus uses ball bearings on I think all his framelocks. Again not sure if its considered IKBS or not but the effect is the same. Awesome knives everyone should have at least one.

Tom Mayo. The Dr. Death Jr. uses IKBS, good luck getting one of these though and the price is around the same range as the Todd Begg. Again another awesome piece, very smooth and great detent.

I really hope that other production companies start using IKBS on their folders. Specially Benchmade since I think it'd be a good match for the Axis lock and hopefully widen the miniature pivot sweet spot on those guys.
 
Thanks for the great list! Yes, something cheaper than the Beggs not cheaper than the CRKT.
 
Forgot one in my list.

David Mosier. I know at least the backlash has IKBS not sure about the other models.
 
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