Need for Speed

S

slight

Joined
May 22, 2011
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883
I've decided that I am missing a wickedly fast deploying knife. Not quite a switch blade but I want the blade to rocket out.

As well as sharp sharp sharp.

Two knives I have in mind are the BM 581 and the ZT 560. But I want to weigh in on all my options. I mostly have spydercos but I am open to any and all brands custom or otherwise. Only I don't really want to spend more than $200 but not less than $50. The Zt got a justified price bump because: 1 I dont own a ZT and 2 I dont have any Elmax.

I love the wave but now I'm looking for a flipper or a/o with preference on the flipper.

and if flipper preferably a framelock. I know liner locks when made properly arent going to fail on me i just find I dont carry them often for whatever reason.

What are your favorite Flippers/ otherwise fast deploying blades? Or anything other than the traditional thumbstud/ opening hole.


Stayed up too late looking at knives again,

Slight
 
One of the fastest AO flippers I have is a Kershaw Needs Work, but it's less than $50 ($20 for a blem from kershawguy) and its a love-it or hate-it kind of knife for most people.
Another one is a Blur, but that doesn't have a flipper. I know that so far, that's no help to you given your criteria. Ever look into a ZT0400? the one I have locks up fast and hard, has a beefy liner lock, assisted flipper, S30V steel, is less than $200 (got mine for $70) but more than $50, but...it's a recurve tanto. I like it a lot, but you might not.
 
The Kershaw RAM will open up like an IKBS flipper. I would just stick with the 0560 though.
 
To date my best flippers are my ZT 0350 and Darrel Ralph HTM DDR Gun Hammer. Both are AO flipper deployment. I don't know if they're my fastest knives; a really smooth IKBS-style thumbstud flick still seems to be the fastest way to get out a blade, followed by a deployment from an AXIS or BBL knife using some wrist english. But they're certainly the easiest for ANYONE to deploy quickly. Gun Hammer is a good bit out of your price range, however. I have to admit, and this has nothing to do with how good the knives are, the Kershaw and Zero Tolerance knives just never seem to stay in my EDC rotation. They're nice knives, but they generally get beat out by my BM or Spyderco offerings.
 
wow parbajtor those volcans are nice. And that flipper is a steal.

and crimsonfalcon07 ive been drooling over a gun hammer for a while. those are sweet but as you said out of my price comfort zone. I really like Darrel Ralph's designs

gooeytek i had a needs work a while ago. great knife. but i gifted it to someone after i bought my ss endura 4. the weight felt just perfect in my hand. but i have been thinking about buying a blem, they have quite a few different colors out for it now.
 
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I have to say slight, I felt the same way about the price. But if you feel that it's even remotely possible that you might be able to get up the cash for a Gun Hammer... do. It's such a fricking sweet knife, and honestly, it has been very hard to force myself to carry anything else. Note that I don't really like liner/framelocks. I'm more of a AXIS/BBL lock guy. A Gun Hammer with an AXIS lock... well, I can dream.

Now this is going to sound like someone who just bought an expensive knife trying to justify his purchase, and in many respects, that's absolutely true. But as far as that goes, the big test for me is if, when I get the knife, I feel any kind of regret (the "wow, I just spent a lot, and think what else I could have bought with this" kind of regret). With several knives, I've felt a bit underwhelmed, even my beloved Bark River Aurora, which is a great knife. This is probably the only really expensive knife that I've purchased that I have no regrets buying. And honestly, once I can find a GH Bowie, I'm all over that. I think the major selling points for me were the ETAC handle, which is unbelievably comfortable, and the looks and quality (better fit and finish by FAR than anything else I own). Performance wasn't as big of a concern because I've discovered that once you get up above around 50 bucks, any knife is going to cut quite well. I haven't found anything that is better enough at cutting to really make me sit up and take notice. So I tend to rate more on ergonomics and looks than anything, on my more expensive knives. The Gun Hammer is very hard to put down. It looks great:

2011-09-08215846.jpg


Just tell yourself, it's only 70 more than the 200 I was willing to spend... :D *evil laugh
 
BM Nitrous Stryker is definitely the one to try. The only knife I have which is as fast is Kershaw Needs Work already mentioned above.
 
My custom Demko...

[video=youtube;3YDKNWye6Ek]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YDKNWye6Ek[/video]
 
That is fast Charlie Mike, I didn't even know some of the cold steel knives where his design. I'm sure that custom is a dream. But I'm really more interested in a flipper though.

Out of the zt line up my favorites are the 560 and the 400. The 350 is the smaller liner lock 300series right?
 
My 4 fastest A.O. knives are:

1. BM 580 Barrage (154CM) Blazing fast. It still wows me every time I pop it open.
2. BM 581 Barrage (M390)
3. Kershaw Needs Work (fastest SpeedSafe I own, and I have quite a few)
4. Kershaw Blur (best thumb studs in existence IMO)
 
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