Top Flipper Roundup

[vbjoe7]

I managed to snag an x-series trapper on the forums about a month ago and it was the start of a rapid collection change as I hunted down more top-flippers and got rid of many of my regular and front flippers.

Currently top-flippers seem to get lumped in with front flippers when searching knives by deployment type. If you've handled both you know it's a very different feel. I thought it'd be fun, and possibly helpful, to have a post dedicated to existing and new top-flippers on the market.

Post a pic of your top flipper. Here's a few of my recent acquisitions side-by-side to help for anyone considering these.

Front-to-back these are:

Reate Bushido (Crane's Exclusive DLC)
Reate Tribute
Pena X-Series Trapper - burlap micarta
Wingman EDC Mach 1

 

[K.O.D.]

I wish more companies would get into the front flipper game. I have a hard time buying stuff from China right now.

 

[Dadpool]

Thanks for posting this run-down! I don't own a top flipper and I've been curious about them.

I'd be all over the Mach 1 if it weren't bead-blasted. It looks like such a fun knife, and I love the aesthetics.

 

[vbjoe7]

Thanks for posting this run-down! I don't own a top flipper and I've been curious about them.

I'd be all over the Mach 1 if it weren't bead-blasted. It looks like such a fun knife, and I love the aesthetics.

It is a great little knife. The Tom Mayo customs are actually bead-blasted more often than not, so it's somewhat of a Mayo design cue. I prefer the satin grinds as well, though. I love that you can top-flip it, spydie-flick it, and thumb roll it - all easily. The best part of the top-flippers is the lack of a flipper tab obstructing the handle when the knife is open. This becomes especially important on small knives like this. Since there's no tab to get in the way, you can get a full - 4 finger grip on the knife easily.

 

[Dadpool]

It is a great little knife. The Tom Mayo customs are actually bead-blasted more often than not, so it's somewhat of a Mayo design cue. I prefer the satin grinds as well, though. I love that you can top-flip it, spydie-flick it, and thumb roll it - all easily. The best part of the top-flippers is the lack of a flipper tab obstructing the handle when the knife is open. This becomes especially important on small knives like this. Since there's no tab to get in the way, you can get a full - 4 finger grip on the knife easily.

You're not helping! I'm going to go read up on whether my understanding that bead-blasting = corrosion magnet is accurate.

 

[NorthernSouthpaw]

South African maker Andre Thorburn is one of the pioneers of the top flipper.
Granted, his knives are customs. So the prices start at around $6-700, but I believe a few models in his A2 series with Andre Van Heerden are less expensive.

 

[fishface5]

Got any thoughts on the Tribute and Pena? I have been eyeballing both . . .

 

[vbjoe7]

South African maker Andre Thorburn is one of the pioneers of the top flipper.
Granted, his knives are customs. So the prices start at around $6-700, but I believe a few models in his A2 series with Andre Van Heerden are less expensive.

It's sometime hard to tell if it's a front-flipper or a top flipper. All of theirs I've seen so far seem to be more of that "front" flipping action. If you know of any specifically that are top flippers I'd love to see them. The A2s I found were all just regular flippers.

 

[vbjoe7]

Got any thoughts on the Tribute and Pena? I have been eyeballing both . . .

They're both fantastic, so you can't go wrong either way. Action on the Tribute is smoother, but it's splitting hairs because the action on the Pena is excellent.

The tribute is only a little thicker than the Pena but it feels significantly fatter in-hand. If you look at the profiles you can see that the Pena really slims out towards the edges where the Tribute stays thick right to the edge. Best comparison is the Tribute is like driving a comfy Cadillac versus the sportier Pena. Pena's blade-to-handle ratio is better as well.

Both have their place, but if you're not used to a thicker handle the Tribute is a little surprising at first.

I haven't tried the Black Void Opus yet, but that looks like a really interesting top-flipper. Anyone have experience with it?

 

[vbjoe7]

You're not helping! I'm going to go read up on whether my understanding that bead-blasting = corrosion magnet is accurate.

I live in Colorado - semi-arid climate. I've never had an issue with any steel rusting here.

 

[P.C.E.]

I've had my eye on the Reate Bushido for a while as I really like the blade profile and want something smaller with a top / front flipper. I've heard nothing but good things about Reate for the most part so I'm willing to try them out if I can find one at a decent price. Wonder if they'll be releasing more stock at some point....? The Tribute would be a close second.

Pena is nice but not something I'd buy unless it was a steal.

I like the Mach 1 as well but not a big fan of the handle.

Lots to look at from Boker that are similar but not all are top flippers.
Same thing with the Hoback Enoch...

 

[marthinus]

I managed to snag an x-series trapper on the forums about a month ago and it was the start of a rapid collection change as I hunted down more top-flippers and got rid of many of my regular and front flippers.

Currently top-flippers seem to get lumped in with front flippers when searching knives by deployment type. If you've handled both you know it's a very different feel. I thought it'd be fun, and possibly helpful, to have a post dedicated to existing and new top-flippers on the market.

Post a pic of your top flipper. Here's a few of my recent acquisitions side-by-side to help for anyone considering these.

Front-to-back these are:

Reate Bushido (Crane's Exclusive DLC)
Reate Tribute
Pena X-Series Trapper - burlap micarta
Wingman EDC Mach 1


View attachment 1514829 View attachment 1514835 View attachment 1514831 View attachment 1514834

Could you please explain the difference between a top flipper and a front flipper for my clarification?

 

[NorthernSouthpaw]

It's sometime hard to tell if it's a front-flipper or a top flipper. All of theirs I've seen so far seem to be more of that "front" flipping action. If you know of any specifically that are top flippers I'd love to see them. The A2s I found were all just regular flippers.

The first is a custom Thorburn. The second is an A2

 

[vbjoe7]

Could you please explain the difference between a top flipper and a front flipper for my clarification?

It’s all about the start and finish of the action. On a front flipper you start at the front of the handle and push across the top. On a top flipper you start at the top and pull toward the back - usually with your thumb. It’s more akin to the action of a bic lighter. Here’s a video that shows the top flipping action: https://imgur.com/gallery/rfPZJkc

 

[NorthernSouthpaw]

Could you please explain the difference between a top flipper and a front flipper for my clarification?

It’s all about the start and finish of the action. On a front flipper you start at the front of the handle and push across the top. On a top flipper you start at the top and pull toward the back - usually with your thumb. It’s more akin to the action of a bic lighter. Here’s a video that shows the top flipping action: https://imgur.com/gallery/rfPZJkc

Marthinus has actually made these things.
They have different definitions for these opening styles in South Africa. I believe what you are calling a front flipper is referred to as a tang flipper or something.
marthinus Why not post some of your stuff here?

 

[Spears]

Currently top-flippers seem to get lumped in with front flippers when searching knives by deployment type. If you've handled both you know it's a very different feel. I thought it'd be fun, and possibly helpful, to have a post dedicated to existing and new top-flippers on the market.

I believe what you are calling a front flipper is referred to as a tang flipper or something.

I think one of the biggest difference between a tang/top flipper vs a front flipper is the inability to slow roll the blade open.

You simply cannot slow roll a true top/tang flipper since the tab itself will disappear into the handle halfway through rotation and you finger no longer has purchase on the tab.

I really like both the Pena and Reate style of flipper since you still can (albeit sometimes repositioning is required) slow roll despite the initial position of your finger more inline with the use of a tang/top flipper. I think that's why they technically get lumped in with "front flippers."

I think the hybrid-esque flipper tab on the Pena or Reate is pretty much the best of both styles and definitely would like to see more makers use this version of a front/top/tang/not-weird-ass-piece-of-metal-sticking-out-90-degrees flipper. (I'm looking at you Lundquist... extend that jimping to the spine)

Richard Ron (button lock) and Chad Nell (double-detent) also have a hybrid style flipper that is essentially the entire tang of the knife and one can rear, top, and front flip the knife open.

 

[marthinus]

It’s all about the start and finish of the action. On a front flipper you start at the front of the handle and push across the top. On a top flipper you start at the top and pull toward the back - usually with your thumb. It’s more akin to the action of a bic lighter. Here’s a video that shows the top flipping action: https://imgur.com/gallery/rfPZJkc

Thanks for the clarification, for me, the top flipper is actually a front flipper as it is "in front of the pivot".

Marthinus has actually made these things.
They have different definitions for these opening styles in South Africa. I believe what you are calling a front flipper is referred to as a tang flipper or something.
marthinus Why not post some of your stuff here?

Thanks, I have only made 1 front flipper, but yet to make the conventional lip opener. Picture of that workhorse below

vbjoe7

I had to do some digging but found my old reply on the matter.

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/who-invented-the-front-flipper-design.1390228/

 

[Spears]

Speak of the devil and he shall I appear, I guess.

Looks like Boker is making a trapper style knife with a very Pena-esque flipper tab. Though, would have been nice if they upscaled it a bit with Ti and something other than D2.

 

[vbjoe7]

marthinus thanks for linking that thread. I didn't realize we were getting so far into semantics with this post! Makes sense that "in front of the pivot" would be a front flipper. It still begs the distinction, however. I don't really enjoy the front flippers whose action is more similar to a friction folder. Maybe "tang flipper" is a better distinction?

The picture of a "lip opener" wasn't displaying on the old thread, so hopefully I'm not confusing the two.

Those Thorburn and van Heerden knives are gorgeous, but a little out of reach for me. Seems like this opening style has been around much longer than I realized - I wonder why there aren't more production knives utilizing this action?

 

[marthinus]

marthinus thanks for linking that thread. I didn't realize we were getting so far into semantics with this post! Makes sense that "in front of the pivot" would be a front flipper. It still begs the distinction, however. I don't really enjoy the front flippers whose action is more similar to a friction folder. Maybe "tang flipper" is a better distinction?

The picture of a "lip opener" wasn't displaying on the old thread, so hopefully I'm not confusing the two.

Those Thorburn and van Heerden knives are gorgeous, but a little out of reach for me. Seems like this opening style has been around much longer than I realized - I wonder why there aren't more production knives utilizing this action?

I agree. It is semantics but still fun

Here is a picture of what I feel and according to the original description by Fred Burger is a lip opener. Many call it a front flipper. In all honesty...semantics.

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/trevor-burger-exk-cfl-sold.1750183/