flipper that doesn't flip so well (Southard)

[dubya3]

I received mine yesterday, the nice brown and stonewashed version. I'm very impressed by the build quality (like all Taichung spydies I've handled), the G10 is awesome, fit is perfect, early lockup and a razor edge but, I'm not too impressed with the flipping action. Im not sure if it's the angle of the flipper lever, the lack of traction on it, if I got a not so smooth piece or its just not a super smooth flipper like I expected. Does anyone else have one they're not able to easily flip open and do they break in at all?

I'm still happy with the knife overall, it's very nice and I've been wanting to try 204P but it's a bit disappointing expecting a nice smooth THWACK when you engage that flipper and it's not there.

[mattman]

Two things I found...

Mine likes the "push-button" technique, and watch that you're not pressing the lock bar.

[Johnnie1801]

Loosen the pivot screw and add some oil to see if that helps :)

[dubya3]

Two things I found...

Mine likes the "push-button" technique, and watch that you're not pressing the lock bar.

I noticed I was putting pressure on the lock bar at first but I adjusted my grip. It does flip easier if I hit just the very tip of the lever.


I added my normal oil, Otis oil, to the pivot last night. Didn't seem to make much of a difference. I may see if I can give the pivot area of the blade a good high polish someday and see if that helps any.

[TomAiello]

I had the same issue with mine. I tried several other flippers and honestly only really like the ones with a spring assist. I think I was just hoping for something that wasn't really there.

[mattman]

Try a drop of oil on the detent ball...

[mattman]

There will be a break in period too, as the bearings set a race... Give it a bit, I bet it will smooth out quickly.

[mattman]

I had the same issue with mine. I tried several other flippers and honestly only really like the ones with a spring assist. I think I was just hoping for something that wasn't really there.

I am the opposite. I didn't like the extra inertia the assisted spring creates, making the knife feel "jumpy" when the blade impacted the stop pin. To me, a nicely broken in manual, coupled with good technique/muscle memory, allowed a much more "controlled" feeling when deploying (I.E. not stuck with the same speed-of-deployment every time) Once it all comes together, there is a degree of elegance (I find) in a well made manual flipper...

[palonej]

Hey Cory.
I have the black one and that thing flipped great right out of the box. Super smooth as opens with a thwack.
Really takes no effort or special type of flip.
I have a blue twill Domino that is the same way.
I would at least call Spydie and ask.
They've both gotten a touch smoother with use, but they both flipped fast when new.
Hope this helped and good luck!
Joe

[dubya3]

I could be getting more used to it and/or its breaking in a little from all the flipping I've been doing this morning but it is a little better. Could be the oil too, I don't know.

The only other flipper I have owned, or handled for that matter, was a ZT 0562 that I got rid of because it had terrible detent rock and I wasn't too fond of the "slicer" grind (it was far from a slicer lol) but it was a super smooth flipper and I guess I expected the Southard to be similar as far as the nice thwack goes. Spyderco is superior in just about every aspect in my opinion but I'll give ZT credit for their flippers.

Is the Southard riding on bearings or washers? I'd like to take the scale off to lube it up but I'm unfamiliar with bearing pivots, are they captive I assume? I may buy a LSCF scale for it down the road so it'll have to come off anyway.

Thanks for the input fellas

[mattman]

Southard is on captive bearings.

Blade mass changes the "thwack"... I don't have a 0562, but my 0561 is noticeably different.

[Bill1170]

A truly slicey blade profile isn't going to flip as well as a thicker blade will. This is due to less mass in the blade. Same is true of waved folders. The Southard has plenty of blade mass, just sharing an observation about mass and flippiness. (It's a word now!)

[Mic1]

Skip the flip wave everything.

I would recommend a good Grease or frog lube. I have been using grease or lately frog lube I think they work better and last longer than oil. It's just not as convenient to apply.

[Cujobob]

Try a drop of oil on the detent ball...

This. Many of my Spyderco knives came a bit gritty or without great smoothness and lubing the detent ball was the solution.

[MacLaren]

My Brown Southard just never really flipped that well.
The Black Southard is awesome.....
But they are both a push button technique imo

[sbaker345]

Is it gritty when you open it or its not not easy to flip?

[Evil D]

Mine was fine when it was new, but greasing the bearing pivot was the game changer. Now I can tighten the pivot to the point there is absolutely no play whatsoever, and the blade falls so free that it just cut my thumb nail. It flips faster than my phone camera can record. Flips fine using either the "trigger" method or "button" method.

https://youtu.be/Jq7emRTRiEs

[sbaker345]

Mine was fine when it was new, but greasing the bearing pivot was the game changer. Now I can tighten the pivot to the point there is absolutely no play whatsoever, and the blade falls so free that it just cut my thumb nail. It flips faster than my phone camera can record. Flips fine using either the "trigger" method or "button" method.

https://youtu.be/Jq7emRTRiEs

I have the same keyboard :D

[dubya3]

Is it gritty when you open it or its not not easy to flip?

Not gritty at all. I just got home and I'm planning on putting a drop of oil on the bearings to see what that does, after I get done playing with the new Manix S110V I just got in the mail!

[sbaker345]

Is it gritty when you open it or its not not easy to flip?

Not gritty at all. I just got home and I'm planning on putting a drop of oil on the bearings to see what that does, after I get done playing with the new Manix S110V I just got in the mail!

Sounds like its mostly skill related, combined perhaps with a touch too tight pivot, if the pivot was cranked down it would feel gritty or like it was grinding. It takes a while to learn to flip a specific knife, combined with the knife breaking in.