Post your Andre Thorburns!!!

Lost Cosmonaut said:
I only have a John Arnold at the moment, but I've always liked what I've seen of Thorburn's work. Have an order in with Clyde as well :D

Loving the front flipper.

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John Arnold is awesome!!! Love his stuff - great pick-up!
 
Blues Bender said:
Actually, I'm pretty sure that's where the idea originated. I don't know who started it, but I do know this: South Africa's knife laws are really strict, and prohibit any thum studs/holes, flippers, assisted opening, etc, etc. it's really strict out there:)

The knife makers started making manual folders that had an "elongated blade tang" that extended north of the pivot, and was used to open the knife with your thumb or index finger. These weren't flippers mind you, but manual knives. Although they were manual, you would open them just like you would a front flipper.

Since custom makers make custom knives, flippers became the rage, and they slapped some bearings on these manual folders, fine tuned the lockbar and detent, and Voilà! Front flippers were born!
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Very cool post brother - nice bit of genealogy :thumbup:
 
thales2015... I am so sorry I missed your post, I get tunnel vision sometimes and don't come here often enough.. I wish I would have seen yours first, and posted my photo here... Thanks for steering me here... Best Regards, Rich Slaughter

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Blues Bender said:
Actually, I'm pretty sure that's where the idea originated. I don't know who started it, but I do know this: South Africa's knife laws are really strict, and prohibit any thum studs/holes, flippers, assisted opening, etc, etc. it's really strict out there:)

The knife makers started making manual folders that had an "elongated blade tang" that extended north of the pivot, and was used to open the knife with your thumb or index finger. These weren't flippers mind you, but manual knives. Although they were manual, you would open them just like you would a front flipper.

Since custom makers make custom knives, flippers became the rage, and they slapped some bearings on these manual folders, fine tuned the lockbar and detent, and Voilà! Front flippers were born!
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The front flipper, more commonly known locally here in SA as the lip opening method, dates back to the early 1980's.

Our legislation is not that strict, but very open to police interpretation. Our Knife Makers Guild of South Africa has contributed significantly to our dangerous weapons act with regards to many aspects. Much the same as Knife Rights in the USA (SUPPORT THESE TYPE OF ORGANIZATIONS!)

There are numerous makers using the front flipper in South Africa, but only a handful that can run something as smooth as Andre. Andre really pushed IKBS to be utterly smooth and the work and maths that goes into each knife is astounding.

Bur I do not want to derail the thread.

My review of my model 45 can be read here:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1204751-Andre-Thorburn-Model-45-Front-Flipper

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My Andre Thorburn workshop visit.

[video=youtube;S9XBbGiSrHQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9XBbGiSrHQ[/video]
 
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marthinus said:
The front flipper, more commonly known locally here in SA as the lip opening method, dates back to the early 1980's.

Our legislation is not that strict, but very open to police interpretation. Our Knife Makers Guild of South Africa has contributed significantly to our dangerous weapons act with regards to many aspects. Much the same as Knife Rights in the USA (SUPPORT THESE TYPE OF ORGANIZATIONS!)

There are numerous makers using the front flipper in South Africa, but only a handful that can run something as smooth as Andre. Andre really pushed IKBS to be utterly smooth and the work and maths that goes into each knife is astounding.
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Great post Marthinus!

I really appreciate the additional info. I remember reading about this history in Clyde Challenors thread, but I see that I was missing a few details. I love reading this kind of stuff, thanks!:thumbup:
 
Blues Bender said:
Great post Marthinus!

I really appreciate the additional info. I remember reading about this history in Clyde Challenors thread, but I see that I was missing a few details. I love reading this kind of stuff, thanks!:thumbup:
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Thanks for the kind words but I had to phone some of our knife makers to find out. No one really knows who started it but it became popular here quickly, however, many that went to the US during that time found that the market wanted thumb studs rather than the "front flipper", 30 years later it appears to have gathered some momentum.
 
SadSappySucker said:
Is he(and Andre Van?) the only one making these front flippers? I'm surprised the concept hasn't become more popular.
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Front flippers are a strange animal...if you've not used one. Burger Knives make them in addition to the more common "top" flipper that we see all of the time here. And Gareth Bull also is quite famous for his front flipper folders. I have tried one...and it's no picnic. It's not difficult at all, but it seems (for me) to be a two-step process. And it's NOT a quick opening process. Perhaps for others, but not for me.
Just my opinion...
If you Google the South African Knifemakers' Guild (or whatever), you'll probably see a few more. This design seems to be quite common in that country...and these folders tend to be rather pricey ...and very high quality.
 
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Sonnydaze said:
Front flippers are a strange animal...if you've not used one. Burger Knives make them in addition to the more common "top" flipper that we see all of the time here. And Gareth Bull also is quite famous for his front flipper folders. I have tried one...and it's no picnic. It's not difficult at all, but it seems (for me) to be a two-step process. And it's NOT a quick opening process. Perhaps for others, but not for me.
Just my opinion...
If you Google the South African Knifemakers' Guild (or whatever), you'll probably see a few more. This design seems to be quite common in that country...and these folders tend to be rather pricey ...and very high quality.
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There's two different kinds of front flippers, forefinger and thumb. Forefinger front flippers (flipper tab is high in about the middle or higher of the front of the knife) are easy once you get the hang of it, just like a regular flipper tab. Thumb flippers (which is just a bump on the tang of the blade) are a little more tricky and aren't as quick since you can't really flip it open quickly.
 
SadSappySucker said:
Man, one of these days...
Is he(and Andre Van?) the only one making these front flippers? I'm surprised the concept hasn't become more popular.
Also I love the engraved bolsters. I'm not usually one for "fancy" knives(for lack of a better word), but that is one I would proudly carry.
Okay maybe "embellished" would be a better description.
Anyways that is a very nice collection.
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I'm guessing that it's a bit harder to make a front flipper due to the position of the flipper -- I'm guessing that it needs to be very smooth, and the detent needs to be much more finely tuned than a regular flipper just to be flippable. I'm also guessing that the front flipper limits the design possibilities for the rest of the knife.

Other than that, a regular flipper is often used as a guard.
 
Lost Cosmonaut said:
There's two different kinds of front flippers, forefinger and thumb. Forefinger front flippers (flipper tab is high in about the middle or higher of the front of the knife) are easy once you get the hang of it, just like a regular flipper tab. Thumb flippers (which is just a bump on the tang of the blade) are a little more tricky and aren't as quick since you can't really flip it open quickly.
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I think one could assign certain terminology to what you describe here.

Forefinger flipper: front flipper. It was designed with IKBS in mind.

Thumb flipper: Lip opener or top flipper. Designed initially with manual knives in mind.
 
Scrim said:
Andre's knives, the smoooooothest (most spectacular, most unique and coolest IMHO). Big fan here. :cool:

comparison vid---> Smooth, Smoother, Smoothest (Daboia, Shirogorov, Thorburn/Van Heerden collab)--> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r-uvvcP1Bg

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Nice video Scrim! Obviously, I totally agree - there's some very special stuff coming out of South Africa and Thorburn is leading the pack (but others are hot on his tail). The collaboration pieces he does with Van Heerden are great - how cool that two such great makers combine their skills for all of us to enjoy! :)

I hope to be getting one of these in CF in the next couple months:



And one very much like this:

 
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thales2015 said:
Nice video Scrim! Obviously, I totally agree - there's some very special stuff coming out of South Africa and Thorburn is leading the pack (but others are hot on his tail). The collaboration pieces he does with Van Heerden are great - how cool that two such great makers combine their skills for all of us to enjoy! :)

I hope to be getting one of these in CF in the next couple months:



And one very much like this:

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thales2015 -- Thank you, sir. Did you see this one, currently available as of now, 4/15/15 7 pm PST. Similar to the one in your second photo.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...n-Front-Flipper-ECCKS-2015?highlight=thorburn
 
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