Assisted Knives v.s Flipper Knives .

C

cutlerycrazy

Joined
Feb 23, 2019
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I have been pondering what advantages a flipper knife( One with bearings such as the Buck marksman or Kershaw Bareknuckle ) over my favorite the assisted ( Like the Ken Onion speedsafe knives ) Assisted have been working well for me in all sorts of grease and grime. I wonder how those bearings would take to the elements. I don't know if it would be considered a flipper but my old E.T. knife I got from Snap -on years ago served me well. The only reason I stopped carrying it was I almost lost it a few times due to the small pocket clip it has. ( Not to mention it was getting rare and hard to find) I like it because I can open and close it one handed.
What's your view? Preference ? Experience ? ;)
 
Many experienced folks here on BF prefer non-assisted knives but I own both and like both (assisted, non-assisted). Just depends. I've carried a cheapo S&W assisted around the house for years for cutting anything and everything I've come across. No failure yet even after driving off with it on the roof of my car and flying off at 50 mph.
One of my favorite EDC's is my Protech TR5 SA..fast as any auto. Another is my ZT 0350.
Non-assisted greats are the ZT 0450, 52.
Great knives.
 
Assisted-openers have springs that can (and are known to) break occasionally. Hasn't happened to me, but I've heard of it happening. Flippers on bearings typically won't go wrong aside from the action getting gritty and dirty over time and requiring occasional cleaning.

And because I generally don't like my knives to snap open with force, I don't buy either type anymore. I have one of each and that's it. But as flippers on bearings don't snap open as forcefully as assisted-openers do, if I had to pick one, it would be the flipper on bearings. Reliability is the other reason for my choice. And I do enjoy fidgeting with my flipper on bearings at home. It's far more fun to play with than the assisted-opening flipper, at least to me.
 
SoCalEDC said:
Many experienced folks here on BF prefer non-assisted knives but I own both and like both (assisted, non-assisted). Just depends. I've carried a cheapo S&W assisted around the house for years for cutting anything and everything I've come across. No failure yet even after driving off with it on the roof of my car and flying off at 50 mph.
One of my favorite EDC's is my Protech TR5 SA..fast as any auto. Another is my ZT 0350.
Non-assisted greats are the ZT 0450, 52.
Great knives.
Click to expand...
I see you have a couple of ZT knives . There a lot like Some Kershaw's. They cost more though. I have not the pleasure ( As of yet ) to own a Zero Tolerance ZT knife. Could you please let me in on the differences between them and Kershaw.
 
eugenechia1989 said:
Assisted-openers have springs that can (and are known to) break occasionally. Hasn't happened to me, but I've heard of it happening. Flippers on bearings typically won't go wrong aside from the action getting gritty and dirty over time and requiring occasional cleaning.

And because I generally don't like my knives to snap open with force, I don't buy either type anymore. I have one of each and that's it. But as flippers on bearings don't snap open as forcefully as assisted-openers do, if I had to pick one, it would be the flipper on bearings. Reliability is the other reason for my choice. And I do enjoy fidgeting with my flipper on bearings at home. It's far more fun to play with than the assisted-opening flipper, at least to me.
Click to expand...
Yes that makes sense. My marksman often take up a lot of my time as well. I am just not as good opening it with my off hand. Often ( as murphy would have it) :confused: I need to cut something( Loom , cable tie , or the like ) while my right is occupied holding it out in close quarters . My assisted works best for me here. Maybe if I would only practice flipping with my left hand more this would not be an issue. :oops:
 
I have both, it really makes me no difference which one I use. I just picked up the Bareknuckle and it's a sweet knife.
I like my Link as well. The ZT's, IMO open as fast as an assisted open. As far as the difference between a Kershaw and ZT goes, the Kershaw is a entry/budget level knife, the ZT is built with better materials, so you get what you pay for.
 
I own all kinds of folding knives but I prefer those w/flipper tabs (whether assisted or not) because they are almost always easier for me to open than those without.
 
Assisted actually got me interested in knives, but over the years I've learned I prefer flippers.

1) Flippers require less maintenance and hassle.
2) They open just as fast, yet with a flipper you feel how smooth the action is and you feel more bonded with the knife
3) You can control how fast a flipper opens. If I'm in front of my Boss and have to open a package I open my knife slowly to not scare everyone. Yet I know I could still scare someone if I needed to. It's also easier IMHO to explain to a cop that it's a tool
4) I had a assisted where the spring wore out making the knife horrible.
5) There's no stupid locks on a flipper!!!
 
cutlerycrazy said:
I see you have a couple of ZT knives . There a lot like Some Kershaw's. They cost more though. I have not the pleasure ( As of yet ) to own a Zero Tolerance ZT knife. Could you please let me in on the differences between them and Kershaw.
Click to expand...
In a nutshell between Kershaw and ZT.
Toyota and Lexus
Nissan and Infiniti
Etc..
That's the way I see it being one is better quality than the other.
Some Kershaw knives are getting into the better steels and are better quality than their entry level knives. Like the Link or the Launches made in the USA.
 
1) Springs can fail.
2) Ease of folding flippers one handed.
3) I still have my Cryo & Cryo II. They are fun to fiddle with.
 
No assisted openers for me. They were illegal in MI until late 2017 IIRC. Like others have said, springs breaking are a common failure.

Offhand, I don't think I own a flipper either. Gimme a spydie hole, thumbstud, etc. I'm good.
 
Kershaw and ZT use a torsion bar, not really a spring.

I started having difficulty with thumbstuds due to arthritis, and having my giant thumbs slip off, especially ones like Benchmade. I didn't like the amount of force they came out with. Plus, closing them one handed became difficult.

A lot were not ambidextrous.

I sold or gave away all of my assisted knives.

Benchmade:
Orange D2 Cabela's orange mini barrage

Kershaw:
Scallion
Leek
Blur

SOG:
Two different tridents
A small one I can't recall the name of.

ZT:
0350
0770 CF. If they made a non assisted CF version, I'd hop on it. I had an old one with Elmax.

Today, it's primary flippers and/or Spydie holes.

After the stroke, it's just easier. I have both bearing a washer flippers, but they all see mostly indoor use.

If I need something while hiking, etc, I'll carry my Spyderco Aqua Salt or Becker BK5. Though it will be a while before I'm strong enough for it.
 
I have two AO knives, a Kershaw Camber and a 580 Barrage. The Camber is a rather high end Kershaw, along the same lines as the aluminum handled ZT 0770 (I think that's the one) with the same internals. Even though it works fine and easily (for me) to close one handed, I don't carry it much because it is an AO open knife and I work in retail and don't need the loud thwack when it opens. But Kershaw has their AO nailed down and will send out new hardware if/when the torsion bar borks.

I de-assisted the Barrage as it was impossible to close one handed, without resorting to the rather un-elegant method of closing it against my leg. It also fired open hard and if I wasn't careful it would launch itself out of my hands.

Flippers? I have a few of them but I am getting to the point where I like to roll out the blade slowly and at this rate will probably go back to simple traditionals and just use the modern's as secondary knives.
 
I don't think an assisted can open faster in a meaningful way than a flipper. If the assisted opens in a micro second faster? Lol. Both are illegal here in NY anyway. I have several flippers but no assisted. Preference again for the win! Your money? Get what you want with it!
 
To me I slightly prefer flippers that use bearings just because I fidget with knives and torsion bars can break. However, my favorite knife is the ZT 0301 still, and I wouldn't hesitate to buy an assisted opening flipper. Kershaw/ZT speed-safe is very easy to open and close one handed. Also, it is not that hard to do a slow, controlled opening with a speed-safe.
 
Wow thanks for the incite. I feel ignorant though. I thought that an assisted knife was legal everywhere. At least here in the U.S.. Good to know if I travel( By Car that is ) I admit I like the tabs better than the thumb studs. My link opens nicer than my blur although the blur feels faster. ( Pre Speedsafe Ken Onion. ) Although I don't know if these would classify as a flipper but I love my Kershaw E.T. and my Quartermaster QR10 General Lee. Both a G&G Hawk design. I can open them and close them pretty freely . I was thinking of getting the Kershaw bareknuckle 7777 but I'm holding out for a tanto blade.
 
I'll never buy a speedsafe knife ever again. Just bad. They make them cause it's popular among non knife people. Flippers are much better. Tho I do prefer thumbstuds overall, preferably if it can be flicked open and middle finger flicked open.

The blur I have is the only one that has a decent on close for speed safe. My zt 0770cf I hate because of speedsafe.

Closing knives with speedsafe is the killer for me mostly.... But those torsion bars break alot too.
 
I have never had a torsion bar break and have been carrying Kershaw and then ZT's for years...I have had some that developed a rattle but a little grease fixes that right up.
 
coinbuysell said:
I have never had a torsion bar break and have been carrying Kershaw and then ZT's for years...I have had some that developed a rattle but a little grease fixes that right up.
Click to expand...

Same here; whether assisted by a torsion bar or spring.

The only problem I have w/certain assisted knives is that the assistance spring is loose and rattles. This generally isn't a serious enough problem to bother me but it was so bad in my ZT 0566CF that I removed it and thereby converted the knife to a manual. Still works fine but obviously requires a little more effort to open.
 
sgt1372 sgt1372 Did you try taking the scales off, packing some heavier grease (vaseline works in a pinch but may leak out if it gets too hot and liquifies), not oil, in the cutout that holds the bar/spring, replacing the bar in grease and then reassembling? That usually stops the rattling and the assist still works fine.

It usually rattles because the grease from the factory has dried up or leaked out...
 
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