Smoothest opening ball bearing manual flipper?

Z

ZTFan

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Oct 6, 2016
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In your experience, which folder has the quickest and smoothest action? Does this always coincide with buttery smooth takedown, or do they need totally different criteria?

For the sake of argument, let's omit axis-style knives like the Grip and the Manix. I'm thinking more flippers. What ball bearing (or superior) system makes for the most awe-inspiring opening?

I'd like to find a knife that my family thinks is an automatic, my knife friends think is assisted, and I can't believe that it's a manual. Additionally, I'd like to find a knife that virtually closes by itself, so smooth that it's almost dangerous.

Does such a creature exist?
 
Smoothest flipper that I own is no doubt my Real Steel Sea Eagle. It's almost impossible to have a bad flip and not lock open. Plus it pretty much falls shut once you release the blade. Great knife for the price.
 
If you want a free-swinging finger guillotine, let me introduce you to the "look ma, no frame lock detent ball pressure getting in the way" Buck Marksman:

0830BKS-B.jpg


If any Shiro cultist or Thorburn aficionado tells you nothing falls shut like their favorite brand of Koolaid, they need to try a Marksman.

There are also, like, a bajillion brands making bearing flippers that fall shut nowadays. I have knives from a half dozen makers at least that will fall shut if tilted half a degree from the vertical, and that's just the production companies. Don't get me started on the customs--my Jason Clark falls shut from the vertical if someone exhales gently three rooms away.
 
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evilgreg said:
If you want a free-swinging finger guillotine, let me introduce you to the "look ma, no frame lock detent ball pressure getting in the way" Buck Marksman:

0830BKS-B.jpg


If any Shiro cultist or Thorburn aficionado tells you nothing falls shut like their favorite brand of Koolaid, they need to try a Marksman.

There are also, like, a bajillion brands making bearing flippers that fall shut nowadays. I have knives from a half dozen makers at least that will fall shut if tilted half a degree from the vertical, and that's just he production companies. Don't get me started on the customs--my Jason Clark falls shut from the vertical if someone exhales gently three rooms away.
Click to expand...
The great thing about a Marksman is if you do it right, you can get the blade to bounce off of the lock two or three times per close. That's three finger guillotines for the price of one!
 
I’m no expert, so I’ll just refer to knives I own. Keep in mind that two copies of the same knife can have different detents and actions. Sorry if this post seems long.

The Koenig Arius has the best overall opening and closing action of my knives. Detent is just right for me, and it can be opened with a crisp, satisfying action both with the flipper tab and the blade hole. It drops shut smoothly, and the strong detent grips the blade firmly as it closes.

My favorite opening action is that of the Holt Specter. It feels automatic. One great aspect to the Specter is that the detent can be adjusted to user preference. Closing action is also great, although the light blade needs a bit more coaxing to close than knives like the Arius. Some will prefer this.

The North Arms Knives Skaha II opens in a manner very similar to the Specter’s, and it closes even more easily.

The Sander Barbus has a really impressive closing action that ends with an almost musical note as the blade hits and causes the handle to resonate a bit. Its detent is pretty soft so that opening via its small, smooth flipper tab as well as the blade groove is easy. The soft detent I don’t find as satisfying as the Arius.

A lot of people talk about Shirogorov as having great action. The two Shiros I have contrast in interesting ways. The HatiOn flicks open briskly with a nice, strong detent. Closing is smooth but requires a little added motion for the blade to close. The F3R has a weaker detent but opens easily and smoothly. Closing action is more effortless than on the HatiOn, almost closing shut on its own.

Special mention goes to the Boos Blades Smoke for having a great front flipper action.
 
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I like my ZT’s I can’t imagine anything smoother than a 450, 452, 562 or 808
 
SpySmasher said:
The great thing about a Marksman is if you do it right, you can get the blade to bounce off of the lock two or three times per close. That's three finger guillotines for the price of one!
Click to expand...

That's why I had to get rid of mine. If you flipped it hard it snapped open with authority, and the lock seemed more than strong enough (and adjustable to boot, if you had a small enough hex wrench) but the bounce-back on a too light flip was just disturbing. The almost total lack of friction to that thing was off-putting when it was bouncing around with a sharp edge on one side of it.
 
Plunge/button lock bearing flippers.
Freeman, Tighe etc.... Hogues will drop shut after some break in and a bit of adjustment even though they don't have bearings.
When you push the lock release button at least you know where your thumb is when the blade drops.
And hey, it's got a button to further confound your friends that it's not an auto.
 
Barman1 said:
Plunge/button lock bearing flippers.
Freeman, Tighe etc.... Hogues will drop shut after some break in and a bit of adjustment even though they don't have bearings.
When you push the lock release button at least you know where your thumb is when the blade drops.
And hey, it's got a button to further confound your friends that it's not an auto.
Click to expand...
I hear you! I love the closing action on my only button lock knife: the Rod Olson M9 Custom.
 
I've found it hard to beat any version of the ZT 0801. I'm not sure what it is about that particular knife but each of the three versions I have are equally perfect.
 
For budget options to try to see if you like these type of knives:
Kershaw Atmos (like suggest above)
Ruike p801, p108 or Hassar.
 
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