I Don't Get The "Spydie-Flick."

[kennethsime]

I got on YouTube today (I usually stay away) to watch Eric's Para 3 breakdown video, which was great. I'm working from home today, so of course I left Autoplay on. I notice so many youtubers going out of their way to open their Spyderco Knives by flicking their middle finger nail against the back side of the round hole. This is sometimes accompanied by a very enthusiastic wrist flick, which makes me feel like they're about to send the knife flying.

Call me crazy, but it looks like most of them struggled to get this right. Talking 3, 4 tries before a satisfactory "click." I tried the "Spydie-flick" with my PM2 & 3 today, and also found it difficult, and downright uncomfortable. Maybe my hands are trashed from climbing, or maybe they're just too large; I'm not sure.

I always just flick my Spyderco's open with a quick thumb press; this is pretty natural, comfortable, and reliable. If I need to be quiet for some reason, I might open it slowly using my thumb. Occasionally, if I'm trying to show off to family or friends, I might depress the compression lock on a PM2 and give the blade a flick to open or close think knife. I've even known people who prefer to pinch the blade around the round hole, then flick the handle around underneath the blade [Edit: I think this the the Spydie-Drop mentioned further down in the thread]. I don't feel this makes a lot of sense, but hey, to each their own.

So friends, I ask: do you Spydie-Flick? Is it quicker, more reliable, or comfortable for you? Where did this method come from, and why is it so prevalent on YouTube? Please help me understand.

[Wartstein]

Funny, I am a climber too...

And I flick my Spydies not only with the thumb or middle finger, but actually can do this with each finger (pinky in a reverse grip of course).
Additionally all of them except one single PM2 are backlocks, which are admittedly harder to flick than comp locks (and also admittedly: The Chaparral with its very light blade I can only thumb flick and the Delica gives me a hard time too sometimes with some fingers).

Any practical advantage? No, not at all... just for fun..

[The Deacon]

Never, and no idea where it came from. I did try doing the Spydie-Drop a few times after watching Sal Glesser produce an open Military from his pocket in one smooth motion using it at the NYCKS in '04 but found it less reliable, for me, than simple thumb opening. Perhaps that's at least partly due to my preference for mid-locks, which tend to be less "flickable" that most other locks. However, some of the older Spyderco catalogs and ads show the Spydie-drop being used with knives like the Mariner and Police.

[Ric]

I prefer to spydieflick.
It's more natural to me.
I also have a more secure grip on the knife. With a thumb flick the knife lays not so secure in my hand.

At the spydieflick you need to strech all 3 finger (middle, ring, pinky) not only the middle finger.
You need to press more straight then sideways.
If you do it right no wrist action is required.

[Wartstein]

Right, regardless which finger you use to flick the blade, you have to imagine that you move the finger in the opening hole to the FRONT of the knife (so parallel to the handle) not OUTWARDS (not perpendicular away from the handle)!

[Sumdumguy]

I just twist my wrist and my Caribbean opens right up. No digits required.

[Wartstein]

I just twist my wrist and my Caribbean opens right up. No digits required.

Not exactly a good thing...

[kennethsime]

I just twist my wrist and my Caribbean opens right up. No digits required.

Sounds like someone voided their warranty. :-p

[Dazen]

I Spydie-flick when I fidget, but I usually thumb flick when am using the knife because my grip is a bit different.

BTW, my Kapara was the hardest knife to date to learn how to Spydie-flick properly. You never actually put your nail in the hole, just the tip of your finger.

[Bloke]

To each their own, I reckon.

I just don’t see the value in slamming tangs against stop pins, which in turn slams the pivot.

[James Y]

To each their own, I reckon.

I just don’t see the value in slamming tangs against stop pins, which in turn slams the pivot.

I agree with Bloke. I can and have ‘flicked’ my knives open in years past, but stopped doing it long ago, because speed flicking accelerates wear and tear.

But I do understand the fun factor for those who do.

Jim

[attila]

I don't thumb flick anymore.

I regularly (but not always) "Spydie-flick" all but backlocks, and I always do it with minimal force to minimize wear.

I NEVER add any wrist motion. Not even for stubborn backlocks.

[TkoK83Spy]

I prefer to spydieflick.
It's more natural to me.
I also have a more secure grip on the knife. With a thumb flick the knife lays not so secure in my hand.

Same here. I slow roll with the thumb more often than I try to flick it with my thumb, but both are rare. Middle finger feels so natural and secure.

[Dazen]

Honestly y’all, they are just knives. I use and abuse them for a few years and never really carry them again. I don’t even own many of the knives I did 15 years ago. If I flick it so much that it is not useable anymore I get rid of it and on to the next. There are no safe queens in my house.

What do y’all say about the Ikuchi, a knife that has to be flick to use at all?

[zuludelta]

I prefer a slow opening roll using my thumb when at work... much more discreet that way.

I do find myself absent-mindedly Spydie-flicking my knife on occasion when I'm idle, though. I'm fairly good at it, I use mid-backlock knives almost exclusively & I can Spydie-flick them with either the index or the middle finger easily with no need for wrist action. Most of the time, however when I feel like fidgeting with my knife, I just use it like a worry stone.

[Larry_Mott]

I can do it if i want to but i don't want to It just doesn't feel better or even as good as thumb flicking, or most often at work, thumb opening.
Now i don't like to call things dumb just because they're not for me so let's call it just that - it's clearly not for me. Can't see the point.

[TomAiello]

I use the thumb. Spydie flicking is a fidget. I prefer to fidget with flippers, and use my Spyderco knives.

[JaseRicco]

I alternate between thumb flicking and spydie flicking. The action on my Para 3 LW allows each to be done with ease. I don't ever spydie drop though, for one reason or another.

[Bloke]

I am a climber

[Tucson Tom]

I tried it. Didn't seem natural. It wasn't something I wanted to work on to "be cool" so I shrugged and moved on.

Opening the knife with my thumb is simple, natural, reliable, and it just "works for me".

So I guess it just ain't for me. And I take note of people saying that it might not be the best thing to be slamming the knife open.