Rocket Flippers

1

101N

Joined
May 20, 2015
Messages
105
I like flippers that snap. Of those I own here is the order of deployment.
1.ZT 566 CF M390 (Assisted)
2. Kershaw Kryo,(Assisted)
3. ZT 801
4. Gavko-FF Mako
5. Benchmade 300

Going forward I want flippers that aren't assisted but really snap, suggestions?
 
My new 0462cf is pretty darn snappy!!
 
Shirogorov hati or f95. A good one with well broken in washers or bearings is the fastest non assisted flippers I've ever gotten my meat beaters on. Impressive.
 
Thorburn/Van Heerden A2 is the best flipper I've ever flipped, felt assisted but it certainly wasn't.
 
Pretty much all the recent ZT's are rockets. They have a strong detent that, once overcome, sends the blade rocketing out. I've heard that even the newer 0562CF's are tuned for a strong detent (my earlier run Elmax one has a firm detent, but not quite as strong as the more recent offerings).
 
Any assisted or Maxx Glide equipped DDR customs.
 
My 0392 flies out consistently. Having handled a BM 300, I really liked the knife but was completely underwhelmed by the flipping action. The axis lock simply doesn't need it IMO. I also have a ZT 0560, and as much as I love that knife it's a poor example of a "rocket" flipper.
 
CRKT Foresight
Reate Horizon
ZT 0350

the benchmade barrage is an assisted with thumbstuds but it snaps open pretty hard
 
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Kershaw Leek is hands down the best flipper I've ever used. Most assisted flippers (or at least a lot of the Speedsafe Kershaw knives I've used) aren't that much quicker than manuals, but the action on the Leek is very noticeable.

Honestly the only folding knife I own that I feel is truly benefited by a spring assisted mechanism.

But if you're 100% against an assisted opener, I'd recommend the Spyderco Southard
 
I'll go with the Leek, too (I'm carrying one as I type this), plus the CRKT Ripples, even the Eros. Pretty much anything by Ken Onion has a snappy action to it.

Of the ZTs, somehow we forgot the 0900, which is a tremendous flipper! The 0450 is also great, plus any 0801 variant, 0562, and the 0750 (which is assisted).
 
Probably the most forceful opening knife I've ever handled was when I was accidentally sent an assisted HTM Gunhammer. It opened with so much for that it bent the blade stops pretty quickly.

Anecdotes aside, any newer ZT should have a really strong detent, as well as stuff from the higher end Chinese companies (Reate, Stedemon). A Kerahaw Strobe I bought for a friend actually has the strongest detent I've experienced on a flipper. It's almost comical what the action feels like on it, but being a low end knife I doubt there's any kind of consistency to them.
 
grownstar said:
Pretty much any of the more recent ZTs :D
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Yes.... agreed. When I first joined this site I had a number of assisted knives. BM, Kershaw, etc. Walking around BLADE last weekend I was thinking at just how fast/quick some of the unassisted ZT offerings fired!
 
Popsickle said:
Yes sir!

Zt0562cf or 0562 g10
Zt0900
If you like autos the kershaw launch series in cpm 154.

I have all 3 and love them!
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Big_Red said:
Yes.... agreed. When I first joined this site I had a number of assisted knives. BM, Kershaw, etc. Walking around BLADE last weekend I was thinking at just how fast/quick some of the unassisted ZT offerings fired!
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That's what I'm talking about, fellas :thumbup:
 
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