Preferred deployment method

valknut said:
I've seen alot of talk online that the flipper tab is a fad that's beginning to fade. Seeing alot more holes, rather that's a spydie hole or a rectangle or whatever alot in the custom world.
So which do you prefer?
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Depends, but flippers and ball bearings have definitely lost alot of their appeal to me. There are still many knives with them I love and in truth it is more bbs than the flipper. I just have started to feel bbs are fine for knives where the main purpose is a silky action but for an objective user knife they are not as practical as ph or teflon washers. BB pivots seem less resistant to gunk.

My fav openers,

Wave: obviously thumb stud, disk or hole is needed in conjunction but the wave is still the coolest method I know despite not being practical in most cases.

Front flipper: as they appear on the feist or shamwari. I don’t like front flippers that have a tab sticking out like the higonokami. (Which I do like on a friction folder) I also don’t like when front flipper knives have methods other than front flipper for opening such as a thumb hole or regular flipper. The front flipper is objectively not the best way to open a knife so if those other options are available there is no point in front flipping.

So this Krudo knife with 4 ways of opening is pretty much my worst nightmare. (Front flipper, back flipper, thumb plate which can also be waved open)
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The strength of the front flipper is that it can make an extremely minimalist sleek sexy knife design.

Studs, holes, disks: these are my favourite from a practicality standpoint.
 
Deployment method doesnt matter to me as long as it can be deployed with one hand. I can adapt to whatever method the knife is designed around. Ergonomics, grip, and performance are what is important to me.
 
Flippers are my favorite, followed by opening holes, and then studs and thumb disks are tied for third. I also like being able to open my axis locks by wrist flicking them open.
 
Tough question. I have a fair number of flippers. Maybe 3 thumb studs. A spyderhole. And then some autos. I enjoy them all in their own ways. Spyder flick is fun as hell though.

And hate to state the obvious, but the flipper fad is getting close to 20 years now. That's quite the long winded fad eh.
 
I like the round hole, but I mostly prefer a two handed pinch. I usually carry a folder in a horizontal belt sheath, so I like knives that don’t have stuff sticking out of them when closed.
 
Front flip...top flip...studs...holes...reg flipper...inline flip...disc. In that order. The "wave" is not an option for me.
I agree with Lapedog Lapedog front flipper cant have a tab sticking up past handle.
 
Hole or flipper, I like them both about equally, so; (hole | flipper) > thumb disk > nail nick > thumb stud > wave.
 
Wave with a thumb disk.
Hole. Spydie or not.
Studs. Both sides.
Flipper. They are too easy to get wrong.
Frontflipper. Sleek, but not really the best option.
Nailnicks. I don't keep nails at all.
 
Flipper, hole and thumb stud all work equally well. Flippers are the most fun for me with the exception of front flippers. I have a fused joint in my right thumb and front flippers just don’t work for me at all. Absolutely hate the look of thumb discs, so those are out completely as well.
 
DrRollinstein said:
And hate to state the obvious, but the flipper fad is getting close to 20 years now. That's quite the long winded fad eh.
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All the “cool kids” suddenly dislike flippers and say they’re a fad. Same for over built thick blades they claim to have never owned (and sold off). Their preference has always been “slicey” blades. Copper scales make a knife simply “pocket jewelry” and cleaver bladed folders are all “art knives” with no practical use.

OD Green G-10 or Micarta was always the first to sell out when most tactical/modern knives were black. Now OD Green is the last to sell.
 
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