Recommendation? Looking for a front flipper gentleman’s EDC - Wasabi?

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Anconeus

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Jul 5, 2017
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I’m in the market for a front flipper gentleman's style knife. I came across the Boker Wasabi but can’t find much for reviews on it (I know there is a thread here with some info on it but I can’t find a formal review.) I like the style and look but I’ve never carried a non locking blade. Can anybody give some feedback on it? How easily does it deploy, close, etc.

I’m also considering the popular Boker Exskelibur 1 and the Kizer Fiest as well as a possible consideration for a Boos Blade Smoke if they come in stock. Obviously I’m all over with price and size here but the front flippers are a little limited still. I’d prefer something under 3”. Any suggestions?
 
The smoke is a cool little knife, if you keep an eye out they pop up on the exchange once in awhile.
 
No expierence with the one you mentioned. However under 3” screams feist. The exskelibur is about the size of a rat 1 which is a little big IMHO. Smoke seems too narrow but YMMV.
 
Anconeus said:
I’m in the market for a front flipper gentleman's style knife. I came across the Boker Wasabi but can’t find much for reviews on it (I know there is a thread here with some info on it but I can’t find a formal review.) I like the style and look but I’ve never carried a non locking blade. Can anybody give some feedback on it? How easily does it deploy, close, etc.

I’m also considering the popular Boker Exskelibur 1 and the Kizer Fiest as well as a possible consideration for a Boos Blade Smoke if they come in stock. Obviously I’m all over with price and size here but the front flippers are a little limited still. I’d prefer something under 3”. Any suggestions?
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The Wasabi isn’t really a front flipper. It has no lock, it is a slipjoint. That means you don’t really flip the knife, rather you thumb roll it open slowly like a higonokami.

The feist and the boker are great choices. The feist is quite small but very well made.

The Boke Exskelibur 1 titanium framelock is a great knife. (The exskelibur 2 is not a front flipper) I highly recommend that you get the full titanium framelock version that has the Ti front scale. Of the Boker Exskeliburs that one seems to be the best built. The Boker Exskelibur 1 titanium framelock is an outstanding edc knife with super thin contoured titanium scales and one of the sliciest best blade grinds I have ever seen.

I cannot recommend either of these two knives enough. The feist is a great edc because of its small size but the exkelibur one ti framelock is the real standout because you get 3.5 inches of blade in a ludicrously thin package. (Just on the line where it would be too thin if they made the knife any more svelte.) The exskelibur regularly kicks far more expensive knives out of my pocket.

Check out the sebenza on the left compared to the ti framelock exskelibur. The large sebbie 21 is already known as a fairly thin knife.
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What Lapedog Lapedog said.

There are not many factory offerings under 3".
I would add that Kizer will release Feist 2 sometime, and there is Olamic Busker at 2.375".
 
Yeah I do like the Boker Exskelibur I and I’ve seen great reviews on it. I just wish it wasn’t 3.5 and it’s too bad the II version isn’t the same thing but smaller. (I hate nail nicks.) I’m confused on why you wouldn’t consider the Wasabi a front flipper. Is there too much resistance on the slip joint side of things to snap it open vs roll as you mentioned?
 
Anconeus said:
Yeah I do like the Boker Exskelibur I and I’ve seen great reviews on it. I just wish it wasn’t 3.5 and it’s too bad the II version isn’t the same thing but smaller. (I hate nail nicks.) I’m confused on why you wouldn’t consider the Wasabi a front flipper. Is there too much resistance on the slip joint side of things to snap it open vs roll as you mentioned?
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No, it’s because since it doesn’t have a lock if you flick it hard open it will just bounce off the stop pin. So basically because of the fact you can’t front flip it into an open locked position.

miso2 miso2 they are going to release a Feist 2!? I hope they make it 3.25 inches. That would be perfect!
 
Check out the Katsu front flippers if you like the wasabi.

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They are extremely well made and very affordable.
 
I've gotten more comfortable opening the S35VN Mnanadi as a front flipper using the thumb roll technique than opening it any other way.
 
Who is saying that the Exskelibur 2 isn't a front flipper? Or have they changed sometime in the past few years?

I had an exskelimoor 2 (which was the same thing as the Exskelibur, just with wood handles instead of G10, at least as far I as found at the time). It had the jimping on the front just like the Exskelibur 1, and I always opened it in the same manner as a front flipper.

Also, even if you don't want to open it like a front flipper, you can just grab the side of the blade with your thumb and thumb it open.

I also have my eye on the wasabi. So if you buy one, please do a proper review for those of us that haven't taken the plunge yet :).

Good luck on the choice.
 
ocnLogan said:
Who is saying that the Exskelibur 2 isn't a front flipper? Or have they changed sometime in the past few years?

I had an exskelimoor 2 (which was the same thing as the Exskelibur, just with wood handles instead of G10, at least as far I as found at the time). It had the jimping on the front just like the Exskelibur 1, and I always opened it in the same manner as a front flipper.

Also, even if you don't want to open it like a front flipper, you can just grab the side of the blade with your thumb and thumb it open.

I also have my eye on the wasabi. So if you buy one, please do a proper review for those of us that haven't taken the plunge yet :).

Good luck on the choice.
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The Exskelibut 2 can be front flipped, just not nearly as easily as the 1. Take a look at the jimping on a closed exskelibur 1 vs 2 and you will see the 1 is properly set up for front flipping and the 2 is not.

1
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2
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OP.
You can also search front flipper knives on Instagram with #frontflipper.
But I warn you knife porn!
 
If cost isn't prohibitive. I would say that Andre Thorburn makes the most refined and gentlemanly front flippers in the market today. Can't recommend him enough. Also check some other South African (Where it was invented) makers. Clyde Challenor, Gareth Bull, and John Arnold are all great makers who excel at the front flipper.
 
Oh yeah.
Boker Plus A2 mini (Andre Thorburn and Andre van Heerden) is another sub 3" front flipper.
 
NorthernSouthpaw said:
I don't know if I would call that a front flipper as much as I would a locking higonokami.
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They actually front flip alot better than alot better than many of my more true front flippers.

miso2 said:
Oh yeah.
Boker Plus A2 mini (Andre Thorburn and Andre van Heerden) is another sub 3" front flipper.
Click to expand...

I don’t know if you have seen the Boker A2s but all reports are terrible fit and finish.
 
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