Who made the first flipper ?

[GatorFlash1]

I think it was the Philippine balisong butterfly knife way back in the 1800's. At the time it was so popular it was the pinnacle of flipping knifes. I don't know how the design came about. Maybe someone can educate me.

 

[K.O.D.]

Who made the first front flipper? First one I think I ever saw was here, I think it was the Gareth Bull shamwari.

 

[Chuck_Nunface]

Turzoula?

 

[Blues]

First ones I saw were from Kit Carson.

He made me an offer I couldn't refuse on this one for helping to man his table at the Blade Show back in the late 90's.

It's made entirely from Daryl Meier's clad damascus, (52100 base), which Kit had gotten from the Buck family back then.

The knife was featured in Blade Magazine.

We miss you, Kit.

 

[marthinus]

Who made the first front flipper? First one I think I ever saw was here, I think it was the Gareth Bull shamwari.

No. Front flippers were called lip openers long before it was called a front flipper.

Who invented the front flipper design?

Hi all, I just got my first front flipper knife, Boker Plus Exskelibur I. Only after a few days, it became my favorite deployment method. You can open the blade either lightening fast or in a slow controlled manner, which would not be possible with a regular flipper. Left hand opening...

www.bladeforums.com

As to the question of normal flipper

Similar questions have been asked and Kit Carson comes up a lot for popularising it.

Who invented the "flipper"

Who was the first maker to incoporate the "flipper" on a folder? I know that Kit Carson uses it, as well as Ken Onion. Darrell Ralph is also using it on some of his knives. Who was the first? They need some credit as a genius. Really excellent idea. Makes for an alternate method of opening...

www.bladeforums.com

 

[Ron Sabbagh]

RJ MARTIN was an early maker of flippers, I think.

RJ was the first to use bearings in flippers. Kit started the flipper trend in the mid 90’s and RJ had the first ball bearing pivot in the late 90’s. RJ’s knives are now out of the price range of most collectors. It’s a shame because RJs flippers are truly a thing of beauty.

 

[jbmonkey]

Kit Carson- Flipper
Michael Walker- Linerlock
Chris Reeve- Framelock

And I believe Flavio Ikoma and the Lala brothers started bearings with the IKBS system.

pretty sure Michael Walker also invented the frame lock first, before his liner lock and he just never pursued it or patented it. Chris did what he did with it and patented it.

 

[hangmanshammer]

while I don't have any idea who had the first production flipper knife, I did have one of these in the 80"s before CRKT even existed, and even though it isn't a "flipper" it did work similarly

 

[helobite]

pretty sure romans could flip open their folding knives over 2k years ago ... and really, even pre roman there were iberian and hallstatt folders dating to 500-600 bce

actual find from hallstatt cemetery (austria region)... notice the little folder in the middle, lower half... (and other great fixed blades of course: )

If I knew how to do a patent search, I am sure I would find hundreds of flipper type patents from mid 19th century, that is around the time of the American Civil War. With knives, there is nothing new under the sun, except for material advances.

I am pretty sure friction lock knives won't be considered a flipper, but I am quite sure, the blade will flip