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- Jun 15, 2004
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This beauty is the last, but certainly not least, of my Vegas 2007 scores. It is a hand carved JL Williams Iceman framelock flipper. Lee calls the carving on this one "Vital Signs", after the displays on electronic hospital equipment that it resembles. For me, this was *the* knife of the show, and even though I was not lucky enough to be drawn in Lee's lottery, I was fortunate that the person who drew this one was willing to flip it.
Featuring a 3 7/8" handrubbed CPM 154 blade that is almost 3/16" thick, a custom 1/4" oversized pivot, and handle slabs that are a little over 3/16" thick, this Iceman is among the toughest built and beefiest framelocks that I have ever handled, but its well designed handle profile and plentiful contouring ensure that it fits very comfortably in my grip as well as my pocket. It has been my sole carry piece since I paid for it, and it will certainly take a very prominent place in my EDC rotation.
This particular flipper, along with 4 others that Lee brought to Vegas, is the first for public consumption that features his new patent pending Kick Stop opening mechanism. The Kick Stop is basically a flipper tab that is a separate piece from the blade and that also serves as the blade stop when the knife is open.
The benefit of the Kick Stop is twofold. First, the mechanism allows Lee to make his flipper tab any shape or size in any location on the knife and still not have it stick out the bottom of the handle when the knife is open. Second, it creates a longer flip stroke in the action, making the flipper even faster and easier to open, especially for novices and for those who have struggled with flipper openers in the past. I am happy to report that from my experience, the Kick Stop is a huge success. The 5 Kick Stop flippers that Lee brought to Vegas have the best flip action that I have ever experienced on anyone's knives.
Overall, I really feel that Lee outdid himself with this knife, and I could not be happier with how it turned out. Like all of his work, the fit and finish and build quality are perfect, and the piece is mechanically flawless. The "Vital Signs" carving fits the handle profile perfectly, and it is probably my favorite embellishment that Lee has ever done. I would venture to say that this Iceman is now arguably the centerpiece of my collection.
Thanks go to Lee for doing such a great job on all of his Vegas knives and for explaining all of features of the Kick Stop to me, and congratulations on a great show!
Featuring a 3 7/8" handrubbed CPM 154 blade that is almost 3/16" thick, a custom 1/4" oversized pivot, and handle slabs that are a little over 3/16" thick, this Iceman is among the toughest built and beefiest framelocks that I have ever handled, but its well designed handle profile and plentiful contouring ensure that it fits very comfortably in my grip as well as my pocket. It has been my sole carry piece since I paid for it, and it will certainly take a very prominent place in my EDC rotation.
This particular flipper, along with 4 others that Lee brought to Vegas, is the first for public consumption that features his new patent pending Kick Stop opening mechanism. The Kick Stop is basically a flipper tab that is a separate piece from the blade and that also serves as the blade stop when the knife is open.
The benefit of the Kick Stop is twofold. First, the mechanism allows Lee to make his flipper tab any shape or size in any location on the knife and still not have it stick out the bottom of the handle when the knife is open. Second, it creates a longer flip stroke in the action, making the flipper even faster and easier to open, especially for novices and for those who have struggled with flipper openers in the past. I am happy to report that from my experience, the Kick Stop is a huge success. The 5 Kick Stop flippers that Lee brought to Vegas have the best flip action that I have ever experienced on anyone's knives.
Overall, I really feel that Lee outdid himself with this knife, and I could not be happier with how it turned out. Like all of his work, the fit and finish and build quality are perfect, and the piece is mechanically flawless. The "Vital Signs" carving fits the handle profile perfectly, and it is probably my favorite embellishment that Lee has ever done. I would venture to say that this Iceman is now arguably the centerpiece of my collection.
Thanks go to Lee for doing such a great job on all of his Vegas knives and for explaining all of features of the Kick Stop to me, and congratulations on a great show!
