Your first flipper

[unwisefool]

When you acquired your first or second spring assisted knife, what did you look for? Did you immediately buy the flipper or start with manual? I have been learning and using manual knives for a few months. Seems like overnight a switch went off and i now desire a spring assisted knife.
Would like to spend under $60.

From my newbie perspective, the Elementum or cryo 2 seem to be the highest YouTube recommended. Does this forum regularly watch or agree with the popular YouTube folks?

hope you are all having a wonderful evening!

My first spring assisted knife was a Kershaw whirlwind and I beat the crap out of that knife. It did not survive my foreign excursions lol. My first knife with a flipper tab was a Kershaw random leek with a reverse tanto blade that was DLC coated and was S30v steel, which at the time was one of the best steels you could get. I still have it and it's still sexy.

Also, not to get too personal, but what kind of salad are you? We talking Caesar, Watergate or perhaps a fresh garden variety with a nice smoky ranch?

 

[GatorFlash1]

My first flipper was a big one. It was a Spyderco Southard, brown one. I still have it but my main EDC is a Gayle Bradley 1.

 

[BJ987]

I kind of started backwards. I owned and carried an AO for years (SOG Flash II) before I got my first manual flipper, the CIVIVI Baklash:

I have to say, the action is much smoother, enjoyable, and possibly even faster (if not just as fast) as my old SOG Flash. I'm not sure exactly what you're looking for in an AO, but I have to agree with others that a well-designed manual flipper (good detent, ball bearings) is just as good if not better. The CIVIVI Baklash feels like an AO to me. And of course less parts, lesser chance of something failing when you can't afford it to fail. With that being said, I've only owned two AO knives, the SOG Flash II and some Smith & Wesson OTF I don't remember. But both required more effort to deploy than the manual CIVIVI flipper.

 

[shunsui]

Think it was this one: Zero Tolerance 0560BW. Liked the fingerguard aspect. Bought more of the Hinderer style flippers.
The Spyderco Amalgam is very nice too.

 

[kylemiller]

I think my first flipper was a Leek. Assisted flippers are all fun and games until it comes time to close the knife. I hate pushing against that spring, especially on a smooth handled knife. You could get a Kershaw, Leek, Dividend, Link or Bareknuckle in the price range you're looking for. Those are really your only options. Stay away from CIVIVI and the like.

 

[HwangJino]

I have only 2 flippers, both are the soyderco southards.

Great knives, love the flip action (at first), then it became gummy from pocket lint and not as smooth.

I tried dissambling one of them to clean and the bearings popped out and im unable to put it back correctly.

So both sit in my bedroom collecting dust.

Do they make a good flipper on washers? I will not get another knife with bearings.

 

[jp9mm]

Kershaw atmos... for under 30$ just amazing. Took spending 150$ to impress me again... here i am 30 or so knives later. That was the one that started it all.

 

[Therom]

Mine was a ZT0350BRN
A great user

 

[BJ987]

I think my first flipper was a Leek. Assisted flippers are all fun and games until it comes time to close the knife. I hate pushing against that spring, especially on a smooth handled knife. You could get a Kershaw, Leek, Dividend, Link or Bareknuckle in the price range you're looking for. Those are really your only options. Stay away from CIVIVI and the like.

Just curious, as I'm sort of a newb (been outta the game for 15 years or so), why do you say stay away from CIVIVI?

 

[specgrade]

My first flipper had to be my finger.