My digits dont like flippers

H

hemi1300

Joined
Sep 9, 2013
Messages
192
Have about a dozen benchmade knives and a handful of microtechs, decided to try something different and now have added 4 zero tolerance flippers to the mix. While I love the flipper action, almost more fun than flicking open a benchmade, my fingers do not! Have caught a finger 4 or 5 times now closing the knife, and for some reason my brain isn't quick enough to realize my finger is still in the way. Luckily havent cut myself deep though. Never realized how sharp they are until the blade lightly contacts skin and cuts it like butter
 
You gotta close framelocks in a way that if the blade does falls down on your finger it's on your thumbnail. The flipper if anything adds safety. Let that flipper contact your finger first when closing, then take your finger away and let the blade fall or assist it to close. 2 step
Find the sweet spot where the blade is past the detent and the flipper rests on your finger that is disingagin the lock, preventing the blade from closing. Some of these zts have a late detent.
 
That's the only con about the zt 0470 I just bought. Flipper tab is too small so it doesnt catch my finger before the actual blade closes on it
 
It depends on the knife as well. The 0452 cut me more often than any other of my flippers, I can't really think of another flipper that cut me, but the 0452 probably half a dozen times. Small tab, big thumb and detent location make a difference.
 
I don't think I've ever been cut by a framelock or flipper. I must be doing something wrong.
 
Sergeua said:
You gotta close framelocks in a way that if the blade does falls down on your finger it's on your thumbnail. The flipper if anything adds safety. Let that flipper contact your finger first when closing, then take your finger away and let the blade fall or assist it to close. 2 step
Find the sweet spot where the blade is past the detent and the flipper rests on your finger that is disingagin the lock, preventing the blade from closing. Some of these zts have a late detent.
Click to expand...

This +1
 
Don't worry. You're not alone. I've gotten a few cuts over the years. It's usually from a new knife that I don't have the feel for yet. It's usually when I'm fidgeting with it or not paying attention to what I'm doing. For me, proper closing is usually a matter of clearing the detent ball and getting my thumb out of the way.

My worst cut to date was with the little Tangram Amarillo. It has a nice thin blade that came wonderfully sharp from the factory. The action was already smooth and I'd just finished its virgin cleaning, oiling, and fine-tuning. The problem is that the knife is fairly small for my large hands and I've got some nerve issues. This made it awkward to handle. I depressed the liner lock with my thumb and cleared the detent ball. I moved my thumb out of the way and gently tapped the blade home with my pointer finger. No problem, right?

Well, the tip of one of the fingers that was holding the knife was floating just inside the blade path. The blade stopped just shy of shearing off the corner of my fingertip. I carefully slid the knife out and watched the C-shaped cut start to drip. Don't get me wrong. I was impressed by how easily it cut me. It was just an extremely awkward type of cut that took a long time to heal.
 
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Sergeua said:
You gotta close framelocks in a way that if the blade does falls down on your finger it's on your thumbnail. The flipper if anything adds safety. Let that flipper contact your finger first when closing, then take your finger away and let the blade fall or assist it to close. 2 step
Find the sweet spot where the blade is past the detent and the flipper rests on your finger that is disingagin the lock, preventing the blade from closing. Some of these zts have a late detent.
Click to expand...
Hit the Nail on the head there
 
If all else fails, close the knife with the opening facing up so that you are pushing the spine upward to close.
 
Other than my autos, my favorite knives are those w/flipper tabs on them and I've never cut myself on a knife w/one either.
 
Quit playing with it! I've noticed (and I was guilty too) that owners of OHO knives like to play with them.How fast can I "deploy it" then flipping it closed. Looks cool, impresses people but you will eventually get cut.
 
I've had some sharp blades on my more 'drop shut' action knifes fall on my thumb but never cut me.
I have cut my palm while flipping smaller handled knifes open. ill have it slightly tilted in my hand and the tip will slice my palm as it opens.
This is why i have a minimum handle length of about 3.75" and 4"+ is where it isn't a issue at all
 
jp9mm said:
... I have cut my palm while flipping smaller handled knifes open. ill have it slightly tilted in my hand and the tip will slice my palm as it opens.
This is why i have a minimum handle length of about 3.75" and 4"+ is where it isn't a issue at all
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I've had this happen with the Amarillo and a few other small flippers with pointy tips. Holding a small handle can put the muscled section at the base of my thumb in the way of the point upon opening. Contact is light enough that the point can drag without stopping, leading to a little nick.
 
I always thought framelocks and backlocks were a stupid idea since you pretty much necessarily have to put your finger in the path of the closing blade.

Axis has always been my favorite followed by mid backlocks and the Spyderco compression lock. I need to pick up a Buck Marksman one of these days to see what I think of that.

It's a shame so many flippers come with frame or liner locks.
 
NapalmCheese said:
I always thought framelocks and backlocks were a stupid idea since you pretty much necessarily have to put your finger in the path of the closing blade.

Axis has always been my favorite followed by mid backlocks and the Spyderco compression lock. I need to pick up a Buck Marksman one of these days to see what I think of that.

It's a shame so many flippers come with frame or liner locks.
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If you read my earlier posts, you'll see that my problems with liner locks are specific to knives that are awkwardly small for my hands. On normal-sized knives, it really isn't much of an issue. We've seen descriptions of safe opening practices from more than one member here.

I mentioned that I have nerve damage in my hands. That can make thumb studs more difficult to use, and that sometimes gets my thumb moving close to the edge. While it poses no inherent safety risk, it also makes the movement for an Axis lock more taxing. (That's Benchmade, which is okay. I tried Ganzo's stiffer rendition of the Axis lock and it was downright impractical for EDC.)

The plus side of liner and frame locks is that they are still easy for me. I also like that liner locks leave unbroken scale for the most part. I like a smooth scale wherever possible on my knives.
 
I own quite a few flippers, and have been bitten by a few, but my ZT 0462 is by far the worst offender. It's the one flipper I don't play with at my office desk anymore.
 
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