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

[DukeNiemand]

I primarily spydieflick. I find it to be easier, faster, and more reliable than tumbflicking. It also lands your hand in a more natural grip when the blade is deployed.

[rangefinder]

Michael Janich is fairly well versed in such endeavors:

https://youtu.be/cfq1YEYQxs8

Just watched, I didn't see a Spydie-Flick. I will say the inertia openings seem like a lot more work, but then I don't use my knives as self-defense tools. I'm sure if you practice it gets easier, and the trade-off in applied force gets you speed.

Honestly, I don't even know what the Spydie-flick is. I've been following MJ for years and I can't get a visual about how the middle finger ever comes into play.

Start watching this video at about the 14:30 mark; he goes through every common opening method:

https://youtu.be/1ddOdONCCqU

In the next minute or so, he goes through straight thumb push, middle finger flick, thumb flick ("marble" opening, since it's like shooting a marble), ring finger flick for reverse opening, drop opening, inertia opening.

[JacksonKnives]

If you want to flick a knife open, the Spyder-flick is more reliable than just about any other method. It takes practice, and a finger-tab flipper is easier to learn, but IME the Spyder hole is far more versatile, ergonomic and fun to flip with.

Using the detent to control force, it's actually a little bit more reliable (for me) than gravity opening with a lock I can fully release the tension of (compression, BB, axis, etc.). Not that it's easier to start, but letting the lock stay sprung against the tang is more reliable than trying to manually pull back and re-engage at the right time.

Compared to a thumb flick, the finger-flick is far less likely to result in a sliced thumb if you misfire.

[bbturbodad]

The Spydie flick is so natural for me on most models I hardly even realize I'm doing it. In public I use a slow thumb roll because the flick seems to freak people out. I don't see much point in the thumb flick. If I'm using my thumb the roll is more stable in the hand and arguably just as fast as a flick.

I think hand/finger size and shape play a roll in what works best for each person.

[Doc Dan]

I see no real value other than it being fun. However, once a flick is done the hand has to be repositioned so I find it not any faster than simply opening the knife with my thumb in the normal manner.

In a real emergency, where fine motor skills go away, a "Spydie-flick" could be disastrous due to a misfire and a second attempt being needed. I prefer solid control always.

[prndltech]

I don’t have anything to spydieflick but I been known to spydiedrop a military in my day

[kennethsime]

I'm not a flicker. And my fingers are too long to middle finger flick. The first time I saw it, I didn't even understand how people made it work, then I realized they must have smaller hands.

Thumb rolling is plenty fast for me.

I kind-of think this is my problem as well. My dad does Genealogy and he's show me a lot of wills from our ancestors. Turns out they all have pretty terrible handwriting, and our explanation is with hands like ours, anything smaller than a shovel handle is just uncomfortable.

[kennethsime]

It is absolutely hilarious the things that people will demonize and vilify just because they don’t like it, or don’t do it themselves.

I can just imagine people sitting here angrily typing “stop liking what I don’t like!”

This really wasn't my intention with the thread, and I think most of us have been pretty respectful.

I just spent 15 minutes watching YouTube how-to videos and practicing with my Para 3 because I thought "maybe I really am missing something."

My hand is tired. I got it 2/50 times, I think. I'll stick with my thumb for now. :-)

[Ric]

Keep trying. 3 times every few days.
You will get it sooner or later!

[curlyhairedboy]

it's definitely much harder to do with large hands and a small knife than with other combinations.

[Brock O Lee]

The Spydie-flick is my favourite way to open knives like the Military, Manix, PM2, Shaman etc. :)

Back locks, slip-joints and Tuff = nope.

[Wartstein]

The Spydie-flick is my favourite way to open knives like the Military, Manix, PM2, Shaman etc. :)

Back locks, slip-joints and Tuff = nope.

Try with a (larger) backlock, it´s fun!
Though actually easier with the ring- instead of the middlefinger...

[Wartstein]

it's definitely much harder to do with large hands and a small knife than with other combinations.

(To be clear: THAT`S a real knife-nerd discussion, and of absolutely no practical use and implication... :D - still fun!)

I am sure it´s harder to do with a small knife (partly due to the most times lighter blade), but not so so sure that it´s actually harder with large hands, but not even easier...

Normally you can place a larger hand just further back on the handle than a smaller hand, so create about the same (and optimal) distance to the opening hole.
Given that a larger hand on average will have longer finger, due to that longer fingers you can accelerate the blade over a longer distance before the finger has to release the opening whole... also the tip of the finger, just by physics, should move a bit faster on a longer than on a shorter finger...

Anyway, I myself have (just) average sized hands for an almost 6.2" male. But of course that means I will have bigger hands than the average person and have no problems flicking even backlocks.. but then, I "unintentionally" practiced a LOT, cause I carry backlocks all the time and play with my knives rather often.... (sadly much more than I actually get to use ´em... :o )

[Wartstein]

I am a climber

:p :p :p

Alex, I am honored and glad to having gotten "bloked" for the fourth or fifth time already!! :)

But you know what makes me even more glad?:
That you obviously are still in a rather good mood and haven´t lost your sense of humor, despite the horrible bushfires down under!!

Hope still all is well with your family and you!!

Best wishes,

Gernot

[DSH007]

I've never really given it much consideration, but thinking on it now.. I'd say I typically thumb-roll open my knives a large majority of the time. I find this to be reliably fast and efficient across all lock types, and because I rotate my carry pretty frequently, thumb-roll opening just makes the most sense to me for this reason..

I do notice that I sometimes tend to just naturally middle finger spydie-flick open my compression lock knives though, especially ones with the larger round hole.. PM2, Para 3, etc. I find it easy and reliable on these knives.. not a fan of this method for back-locks..

As far as it being "trendy" or polarizing or whatnot.. haha I suppose as long as you can open your knife without losing a digit, then who am I to judge?.. that said, I certainly have no interest in watching some clown flick their knife open on the youtube..

[ChrisinHove]

I learnt how to do it, and now I can’t help myself.

[Bloke]

:p :p :p

Alex, ...

Ah, hahaha! Many Thanks, Gernot! :)

When you stop and think about it, if we ever loose our ability to laugh, particularly at ourselves ... it’s all over and they may as well put us in the ground.

[Haunted House]

Some people, whose main purpose for knife carry is self-defense, believe the “Spydieflick” or such is necessary to deploy it as quickly as possible. I’m no expert in knife combat and don’t really carry my knives for that purpose, but I do know from experience that under real, sudden pressure, such as in an actual fight, fine motor skills can go out the window. True, lots of training and experience increases what you can do efficiently under stress, but I would imagine that if getting one’s knife open under such a situation was a concern, that just getting the knife in hand and using a more controlled thumb opening would generally be more preferable. Trying to do something tricky or complex under stress can cause one to flub the opening or even drop the knife, even if the action can be accomplished quickly and naturally under normal, relaxed conditions.

Jim

Aye. “Slow is smooth and smooth is fast”.
But hey, what do SF instructors know?

[D13Z3N]

I heard once that it was invented by someone who was missing the tip of their thumb, and had a hard time using the traditional thumb flick to open their knives. I don't know if this is true, but it makes a lot of sense.
It doesn't really serve a "purpose" (people claiming it's for "self-defense" purposes, and that it's somehow faster or easier to to in a "combat" situation (than a traditional thumb flick) are FoS.
I just think of it as as a fidget trick, comparable to the myriad balisong flipping tricks. no reason for them to exist except they're fun to do. If you don't enjoy it, that's fine, a lot of people don't enjoy flicking bali's either.
That being said, most people who are good at it can do it without excessive wrist flick (or any at all).

- D

[Wartstein]

I heard once that it was invented by someone who was missing the tip of their thumb, and had a hard time using the traditional thumb flick to open their knives. I don't know if this is true, but it makes a lot of sense.
It doesn't really serve a "purpose" (people claiming it's for "self-defense" purposes, and that it's somehow faster or easier to to in a "combat" situation (than a traditional thumb flick) are FoS.
I just think of it as as a fidget trick, comparable to the myriad balisong flipping tricks. no reason for them to exist except they're fun to do. If you don't enjoy it, that's fine, a lot of people don't enjoy flicking bali's either.
That being said, most people who are good at it can do it without excessive wrist flick (or any at all).

- D

Welcome to the forum! :)

As you say: spydieflicking serves no real practical purpose, but I think it's fun and indeed possible without any wrist motion with some practice. Even with lockback knives.