Flickability Factor

[vlawson]

Thumb, all four fingers in different handle positions, drop, wave, inertia, etc...

It's probably my favorite thing to do with my Spydercos, even more than cutting with them! Well, maybe. :p

What are your best flickable knives?
What models are the worst for flicking and blade tricks?
How many ways can you open them?
What is your preferred method of deployment?
What locks are the best/worst overall for flickability?

Any standouts or consensuses on either end...?


for example...

http://gramlove.com/media.php?id=107713 ... 1970080702

[Sirens1]

I think everyone should drink everytime the P2 is mentioned.

[The Deacon]

Frankly, I can't understand why anyone would choose to use a less reliable method of opening a locking folder that, when opened properly, will lock open fully 100% of the time, much less judge knives based on it. It's like judging cars based on whether you can bump the door shut with your butt when you get out.

[demoncase]

I think everyone should drink everytime the P2 is mentioned.

I don't think there's enough beer in the world to keep up with that

[bearfacedkiller]

Flick-ability may be at the bottom of my list of criteria when selecting a knife. I do flick but not just for fun. Different strokes. :) I don't know any tricks, I mostly cut with my knife. Sometimes they spread peanut butter but the rest of the time they just separate matter.

Anything with a strong defined detent snaps open nicely for me. The Para2 being a no brainer.

My Sage3 is as smooth as glass and I smile a little every time I open it.

[araneae]

Not much of a flicker, it draws unwanted attention in most cases. I just use the thumb hole which I find to be very fast as it is. Now I do enjoy flipping my Dice and Southard, but I don't tend to flick when it's not needed.

[spyderwolf]

Frankly, I can't understand why anyone would choose to use a less reliable method of opening a locking folder that, when opened properly, will lock open fully 100% of the time, much less judge knives based on it. It's like judging cars based on whether you can bump the door shut with your butt when you get out.

Great answer. I second it 100%.I always open my knives the boring way,using the my thumb and the spyderhole,because its a platform which works on all spydercos-all my knives are :spyder: -so i dont have to change gears if i change the knife.

[palonej]

Everyone is different. If a knife won't flick I don't want it!
I flick all day long! I work HVAC and a big part of the job is evacuation.....a process that is as boring as watching grass gro....I flick and flick!
Walk my German Shepherd...turned 1 year today....flick and flick!
Long drives....flick!
I also cut tons of stuff!
My best flickers and flippers???
PM2.....SIP! I've found 8 different flicks...I know there are more!
Domino & Southard
Millie
Manix 2.
Worst??
Enduras
Pac Salt

[bh49]

Frankly, I can't understand why anyone would choose to use a less reliable method of opening a locking folder that, when opened properly, will lock open fully 100% of the time, much less judge knives based on it. It's like judging cars based on whether you can bump the door shut with your butt when you get out.

+1
I already passed the age, when a knife was a toy. Also I doubt that flicking, which comes to a hard stop is a good for knife on a long run. And I use my knives for years.

[endgame]

Youre a bunch of old men,is the music to high.should I turn it down.are the kids disrespectful nowadays but thats not how they were when you were young.did you walk miles to school uphill in the rain in handme downs.lol I flick ,drop,thumb role all day I dont like one more then the other.

[farnorthdan]

HEY!! Get the **** off my lawn you whipper-snapper! j/k

I'll flick once in a while if I'm in a hurry, but most of the time I just don't think about it, when it's in my pocket it's a tool.

[dplafoll]

I definitely flick my knives. My favorite to flick is my Techno, but I also really enjoy my DF2. My next two knives on the list are definitely flickers: PM2 and Domino. :D

[HarleyXJGuy]

I am old but love to flick my Spydies when I am sitting around or waiting on something.

Never would I not buy a model because it doesn't flick well though.

Best I own for it is a toss up between my Micarta Millie and Sage 3. All my Millie's are good but the Cruwear Micarta one is noticeably better.

[endgame]

Love those scales man

[SpyderNut]

I don't flick because my parents told me it was impolite to flick people off. :p

But seriously, I generally don't flick any of my knives (even the flippers) simply because it tends to cause undue wear and tear. Different strokes and all.

[On Edge]

I flick for fun sometimes (depends on the knife) - but just hard enough to fully engage the lock, it's a game I play …
I never buy a knife based on flick-ability …
Some knives I never flick, just the ones that "lend" themselves to it …

Some might call me old … I've been called worse.
Get off the damm lawn.

[vlawson]

Wow...I would have never guessed this was such a divisive topic!

Backstory alert:

I was always afraid to buy Spyderco because of the hole. Back then I was all about a thumb stud assisted opener, a la Kershaw. While waiting in the back of the grocery store for our loads to come in, I would thumb that KO Blackout open a few dozen times. I would do it while walking to work, or maybe while waiting for coffee water to boil before work. It was fun, and mindless. Well, after breaking the tip off of my Blackout, I wanted a new beater EDC. I really liked the look and specs of the Persistence, but was scared of the hole. Could this awkward looking hole really be as fast and fun to open as my Kershaw?

Well...I went into a local hunting store and picked up the first Spyderco I saw: a Sage 1. Holy frijoles was that thing smooth...and FAST! Thumb flick, no problem. Then I picked up a Tenacious and, same thing. Whoa. The hole is sick! Amazing. I was sold on Spyderco right then and there. After finally using one, it was the HOLE as a functional and fun feature that sold me...not the steel, or the company history or the scales or grinds...it was the hole. Now, of course I've learned more about all those other things and am a real fan now, but the hole...and it's flickability...won my heart initially.

That said, on that same day, I picked up a Native 5 LW. The action was smooth, but stiff. It took way more force to open that knife and I was immediately turned off. In that sense, yes, if two knives met my steel, size, weight and ergo needs, then I would pick the one that was easier and faster to open. Now...with practice, I can even flick open an FRN ladybug 4 ways so I'm sure I could figure out some quick deployment methods on the Native...but I dunno. I've never played with a Spydie lockback other than the Native and my Ladybug, and I'm nervous about purchasing one.
This flickability factor does play into my decision and I was just curious to see if there were any models that people just couldn't open/close very well in multiple ways. (FYI: Specifically looking at the Chaparral and Dragonfly G10 or FRN and the Centofante 3.)

PS: My preferred method of opening my Persistence is right hand, pointer finger flick. It's the fastest, easiest and most comfortable way. I only found that out after lots and lots of idle flicking...

[chuck_roxas45]

I like a more controlled opening method. More reliable for me too.

[bdblue]

Flicking is simply a novelty for me. I do it occasionally when playing with a knife, or demonstrating to people, but otherwise just open them in a slower more controlled fashion. I do my flicking with my thumb.

I first learned to do this with my old Manix 2. I found that I could do it with my PM2 pretty easily too. Some of my newer Manix 2 and PM2 models have a little bit of pivot friction and don't flick as well. This doesn't matter much to me although the way I close the knives I like them to fall somewhat freely.

[awa54]

Only an occasional flicker, but the Sage 1 is my favorite... rotate wrist while extending arm: SNAP! it's open :D