Like a proud surrogate father

[Comeuppance]

Just gonna pat myself on the back for being an uncredited design assistant for a knife that is to be released soon: The Kizer Begleiter Frame Lock Flipper Knife Titanium (3.5" Drop Point) Ki4458T2 - pictured below.

In this thread, I offered some suggestions, many of which made it to the final design of the knife - and I've put the ones that I think contributed greatly to the overall look of the knife in bold.

- Flipper w/ ceramic bearing pivot and detent ball, no thumb studs
- Blade is completely contained within the handle when closed (finished design is about 90% there)
- S35VN traditional tanto blade (Curved tip - see: Stedemon Shy). High hollow grind blade with a flat-ground tanto tip
- Sharpening notch
- Lanyard hole
- Post construction (no backspacer) for the sake of weight reduction
- Fuller / double fuller on flats of blade
- Two-tone pivot hardware; Thin bronze-color collar and polished center (they went with blue)

So, can I put “industrial design consultant” on my resume now? Also, how much blackmail potential does this have? Can I maybe use it to leverage them into making a 3.75-4" version of this knife?

 

[dirc]

that looks really well executed, I appreciate your input into this, good results - and 3.5" is fine, going much larger just reduces EDC'ability (imho)

 

[Petunia D. Feeble]

Just gonna pat myself on the back for being an uncredited design assistant for a knife that is to be released soon: The Kizer Begleiter Frame Lock Flipper Knife Titanium (3.5" Drop Point) Ki4458T2 - pictured below.

In this thread, I offered some suggestions, many of which made it to the final design of the knife - and I've put the ones that I think contributed greatly to the overall look of the knife in bold.

- Flipper w/ ceramic bearing pivot and detent ball, no thumb studs
- Blade is completely contained within the handle when closed (finished design is about 90% there)
- S35VN traditional tanto blade (Curved tip - see: Stedemon Shy). High hollow grind blade with a flat-ground tanto tip
- Sharpening notch
- Lanyard hole
- Post construction (no backspacer) for the sake of weight reduction
- Fuller / double fuller on flats of blade
- Two-tone pivot hardware; Thin bronze-color collar and polished center (they went with blue)

So, can I put “industrial design consultant” on my resume now? Also, how much blackmail potential does this have? Can I maybe use it to leverage them into making a 3.75-4" version of this knife?

So you're to blame! Lol, I liked the studs and washers just fine.

I'm still excited for this one though. I was disappointed when it wasn't released along with the other version.

I don't know if you can leverage an xl version, but I'll certainly buy one if you do. Always fun to see an idea come to life, even if you're not directly involved.

 

[danbot]

Are you saying a Chinese company took your ideas and didn't give you any credit?!

 

[dirc]

if you really need a large folder, there is always the 4" and 6" cs luzon

 

[Comeuppance]

if you really need a large folder, there is always the 4" and 6" cs luzon

I would 100% already have that knife if it weren't for the dumb-butt-fart-garbage pocket clip.

 

[POCEH KOCEB]

Blade shape looks absolutely great, love it ! I don't care about anything else but it's nice they took your suggestion for consideration, consumer feedback is important.
I'd like to see this knife with same shape but 4" blade, non-metallic, CF or sculptured G-10 handle and thumb disk/plate, sticking enough so it can be waved, but of course I realize that I want too much...

 

[d762nato]

I like it nice and thin kind of reminds me of my old spyderco police I've carried for over 30 years. I really like a nice all metal slim profile folder nice job.

 

[Comeuppance]

Blade shape looks absolutely great, love it ! I don't care about anything else but it's nice they took your suggestion for consideration, consumer feedback is important.
I'd like to see this knife with same shape but 4" blade, non-metallic, CF or sculptured G-10 handle and thumb disk/plate, sticking enough so it can be waved, but of course I realize that I want too much...

I wanted a 3.75-4” blade with CF overlays, leaving a bolstered look on either side.

I feel like most folding kwaikens are already in the 3.5” range and have thumbstuds, so a 4” dedicated flipper (especially one that looked fancy) would fill a market niche currently untouched.

 

[POCEH KOCEB]

I wanted a 3.75-4” blade with CF overlays, leaving a bolstered look on either side.

It would be nice... I came to the point that I don't really like most of the new "trendy" models because they have more features that I don't prefer ( not like I don't like) than features that I like.
I started customizing models that make sense to me, the way I like it.
With this said, some knives don't really need customization, you know it...
I'm sure you remember the Vallotton I purchased from you, near perfect knife...

 

[Comeuppance]

It would be nice... I came to the point that I don't really like most of the new "trendy" models because they have more features that I don't prefer ( not like I don't like) than features that I like.
I started customizing models that make sense to me, the way I like it.
With this said, some knives don't really need customization, you know it...
I'm sure you remember the Vallotton I purchased from you, near perfect knife...

I just now realized that I basically wanted that knife, but as a flipper and a little slimmer. Also with a fuller because I like fullers.

 

[b00n]

I wanted a 3.75-4” blade with CF overlays, leaving a bolstered look on either side.

I feel like most folding kwaikens are already in the 3.5” range and have thumbstuds, so a 4” dedicated flipper (especially one that looked fancy) would fill a market niche currently untouched.

I assume you already own a Liong Mah Warrior? Because that's basically what he made, similar blade shape, flipper, bearings, CF inlay, bolstered look in the ~3.75" - 4" size range.

 

[Comeuppance]

I assume you already own a Liong Mah Warrior? Because that's basically what he made, similar blade shape, flipper, bearings, CF inlay, bolstered look in the ~3.75" - 4" size range.

I would, but they’re out of my budget range. That’s why I was hoping Kizer would make one in the ~$200 area, which I could actually conceive of carrying and using.

 

[b00n]

I would, but they’re out of my budget range. That’s why I was hoping Kizer would make one in the ~$200 area, which I could actually conceive of carrying and using.

I want one too, but I can't get over the Liong Mah Tax. Not a slight to him, given that it's his livelihood but it's basically a Reate made more expensive. The JACK is almost 50$ cheaper, so paying more for a "blinged up" K-2 just leaves a sour taste in my mouth. (Like 200$ price difference here between a K-2 and a Warrior v2)

 

[riversidedep]

That's a good looking knife. I really like the fullers.

 

[POCEH KOCEB]

I just now realized that I basically wanted that knife, but as a flipper and a little slimmer.

No flippers for me... The perfect knife for me will have disk and wave as an opening system, than I'd go with auto or AO because you are eliminating the human factor when getting the blade ready for work.
I can compromise with spydie hole, not much with flippers, to me this is not a good system for opening because you don't have actual control over the blade from start of opening to the lockup. Control is important to me, I'm "damaged" that way...
With this said however, I love how some flippers look like and I do have flippers, I'm compromising with my "function" principles for the visuals of the "form", I'm not looking at my hobby very seriously ha ha ha...
I think flippers are elegant knives and also I think the industry is pushing for flippers ( and all metal framelocks ) because they are easier to manufacture and because they becoming more and more conversation objects instead of tools, nobody cares about things like metal handles not being very useful for work... I won that Slysz in a raffle and I thought it is all I don't prefer in a folder, but it came, I did hold it in my hand and I absolutely love it now ha ha ha...
Just FYI - I'm not selling you back that Vallotton ha ha ha, I never sold any of my knives