Life after titanium framelock flippers

I lost interest in them a few years ago.

I've pretty much decided I need two nice comfortable scales.

Been quite happy carrying a Military.
 
Easy, hens!!! :eek:

danbot said:
I know that a lot of members here are tired of the Titanium framelock flipper fad and for me, living in Canada with the current import restrictions flippers of any kind are not going to be available.

So, if you're tired of the TFF fad, what would you like to see instead? Thumb studded, pocket clipped slipjoints? Locking friction folders? Some kind of cool new mechanisms?

Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing more manufacturers making small (yet practical) EDC fixed blades. Maybe with some kind of pocket clipped sheath!
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Regarding my personal buying preferences, I agree with you and have been slowly moving away from plain titanium flippers, largely out of boredom. I recently went through the traditionals cycle and am now toeing the small EDC fixed blade waters. Incidentally, I was just eying a beautiful Hiroaki Ohta custom for less $ than the majority of current titanium flipper offerings.
 
I like Ti Framelock Flippers the most, but I am not totally fixated on them. I find myself mostly between Spydercos and ZTs. Just got my first Benchmade, 860 Bedlam, not centered of course, will remedy that myself and see how I like the axis lock. The knife itself is pretty badass.
 
I have nothing against titanium frame lock flippers, but they are most definitely diluting the market. That's just what's popular right now.

As for what new fad/designs I'd like to see.. I'd like to see more production modern traditionals. Like the Roundheads and Shufflers. Top grade materials in an older pattern. Imagine a Swayback sporting ZDP? That'd be wicked. So many opportunities for greatness, since there's so many different possibilities.
 
McFeeli said:
I have nothing against titanium frame lock flippers, but they are most definitely diluting the market. That's just what's popular right now.

As for what new fad/designs I'd like to see.. I'd like to see more production modern traditionals. Like the Roundheads and Shufflers. Top grade materials in an older pattern. Imagine a Swayback sporting ZDP? That'd be wicked. So many opportunities for greatness, since there's so many different possibilities.
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Agree. That would be cool to see!
 
I agree that flippers aren't a fad -- they are here to stay. Personally I like them about as much as I like any other opening system.

I, however, dislike titanium frame locks for four reasons:

1) They are ubiquitous. It's not their fault that they are so easy to manufacture but boy there are a lot of them!
2) They don't (usually) look that nice. More custom makers could stand to do bolster or sub-frame style locks, if they are going to insist on doing frame locks.
3) You often need to worry about hand placement when opening them. How many times have you seen a new knife owner think his/her knife is broken because they are inadvertently putting pressure on the lock bar? That's really poor design.
4) They put your hand in the blade path when closing.

I'd like to see more of what I consider superior lock types that don't suffer from the above complaints. Button locks. Arc locks. Now that they are in the public domain, Axis-style locks. Bolt locks (or Bolt lock derivatives like the Hawks have done. Amazing.). Actuated backs locks like Demko's Scorpion lock (also amazing) and what appears to hopefully be the ANT lock. All of these options are, IMHO, superior to frame locks except in one way: ease of manufacture.
 
MOAR BUTTON LOCKS!

I've never loved framelocks and I think I currently own a single ti framelock flipper, which I do quite like, but it's never been something I'm in love with (now button lock flippers...).

As for what I'd like to see, I'd really like to see the combination of modern and traditional evolve further. There are some cool knives that have gone that direction, but what I really want is the aesthetics and cutting geometry of traditionals with the materials and convenience, by which I mean pocket clip and OHO, of modern folders.
 
I think that the first locking knife I'll make will feature a button lock... With getting my other projects together, that may not happen for a little while yet!

I would say that I'm largely interested in new mechanisms, but as I gradually become more interested in traditionals it would be nice to see some of the old patterns get new iterations with modern stainless steels, more modern materials for handle scales. Nothing wrong with the old stuff. It would be neat to have one that could be disassembled, if only for novelty.

... As I type this out, I realize that I'm talking about the Lionsteel slipjoints...
 
Insipid Moniker said:
As for what I'd like to see, I'd really like to see the combination of modern and traditional evolve further. There are some cool knives that have gone that direction, but what I really want is the aesthetics and cutting geometry of traditionals with the materials and convenience, by which I mean pocket clip and OHO, of modern folders.
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I agree with this completely. :D
 
I have my fill of flippers at this point. 2 zt’s. And my 0566 was deassisted so i use the thumb stud.

Variety is always a positive for a knife company. You have a good idea about some companies adding a small fixed blade to their line up.
 
I'm not tired of them Ti flippers, and I got pretty much all I wanted from the exchange. It will be a long time before the offer here run dry :)
I think I reached pretty much the mark I wanted with some ZT, Hinderer and Spydies.

Considering transitioning on slippies. If they are in Titanium, of course.
 
SpySmasher said:
I agree that flippers aren't a fad -- they are here to stay. Personally I like them about as much as I like any other opening system.
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Yes, "fad" is really not the right term. I guess I just used that without really thinking about it because I see "fad" being thrown around a lot.
 
Kinda makes you wonder if this is the pinnacle of the evolution of pocket knives. IMO, right now, there's a wide variety of different styles to choose from that deters new designs from being developed because there is no need to. Manufactures are cranking them out as fast as they can and trying to keep the shelves stocked. They put a little twist on a knife, call it a new model and people go crazy over it.
The flippers I've got are ZT's and Shirogorov, and yes I do get bored with them, to keep them interesting, I rotate small fixed blades and traditionals frequently. For me, there is no advantage having a flipper over a thumb stud or Spydie hole opening blade.
 
danbot said:
Yes, "fad" is really not the right term. I guess I just used that without really thinking about it because I see "fad" being thrown around a lot.
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The term is good. They are definitely faddish.

Places like Instagram and the other social media sites are where you can watch trends evolve.

If you get good at figuring out what trend is going to become a fad or cross over to the mainstream then you'll doing pretty good. Understanding marketing will help spot the tells for when someone is trying to make this happen.
 
I have a framelock flipper midtech on order that should arrive next month which I'm definitely excited about. I don't mind framelock flippers, but I really don't see myself buying more after this last one comes in. My latest purchase was a Freeman 451 button flipper that I'm going to use mostly around my cabin. I love the scorpion lock on my AD15 and am a big fan of back locks. I liked the strap lock on my buck until it broke and still use the Kershaw tumbstud knife that I have. Looking forward to the ant lock if it ever comes out and hoping people will continue to innovate.

I can't fault makers for making flipper framelock knives though, if that's what is selling well then that is what they make to stay in business.
 
Danke42 said:
The term is good. They are definitely faddish.

Places like Instagram and the other social media sites are where you can watch trends evolve.

If you get good at figuring out what trend is going to become a fad or cross over to the mainstream then you'll doing pretty good. Understanding marketing will help spot the tells for when someone is trying to make this happen.
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Well, I guess that term is going to be debatable. Are you seeing any trends lately that you would like to see become popular?
 
Choices, that’s what I love about variety.
I’ve nothing against flippers but have not found enough interest to buy any. The one I do own, a Half Track, was a gift from my fiancé.
I do find myself looking more and more at slip joints lately.
 
I'm not bored of them, and some are still trickling across the Border.

You know, for knife enthusiasts, some of you guys get bored of knives really fast! :D
See threads like this one fairly often, or "I'm burning out on the hobby," "I think I have enough knives now," "When will the (insert some form of knife description/category) fad be over"...
 
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