Best flipper knives 2018 for your budget

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For those who are looking for an EDC knife which is quick and easy in an opening, a flipper knife is also a perfect option in this situation. The flipper knives are made with a small part of the blade which you need to push them by the index finger to snap the knife open. By doing this, you do not have to use both hands to open it. Thus, you will save your time and improve the safety when using.

To boost the smooth journey, you need to pick a great flipper knife to support you, but it is not easy to select the best flipper knives in the competitive market nowadays. Keep on reading the article and you will find out your own answer clearly.

Best flipper pocket knives list

1.  Spyderco Southard Folder G – 10

A glance of the Spyderco Southard Folder G – 10:

• The length of the blade: 3.46 inches
• The overall length: 7.96 inches
• The overall weight: 4.1 ounces

The Spyderco Southard Folder G – 10 is a famous brand of the knives, and it is rated one of the best flipper knives in the market today.

The knife is made from the high – quality materials (the G – 10 stainless, the titanium materials) with the flipper blade could be an opening device with the essential locking platform.

With the hollow-ground blade, the product could grip the target quite well and strongly tight to prevent the potential accident when closed.

The opposite flake is inbuilt from the G-10 stainless with the Earth-brown structure to have a positive clutch. On the one hand, the knife also has a pocket clip to offer you could bring the knife smoothly.

Pros

• The tool has an ideal size for the pocket.
• The knife is lightweight.
• It is razor – sharp enough for self – defense purpose.
• It has an ergonomic in design.
• It has a comfortable handle to carry.

Cons

• The knife has the lock structure, so beginner will get stuffed to adjust.
• Some buyers complain that the blade is not easy to open.
• The full tang could be more grinding than other knives.

2. Benchmade – AXIS Flipper 300

A quick overview of the Benchmade:

• The overall weight: 4.85 ounces (= 137.50g)
• The overall length: 3.18 inches (= 8.08cm)

The knife is made from the American made (154CM material) as this is a high – quality material for durable industrial implementations such as the corrosion resistance, the sturdiness quality, and the edge. Thus, the Benchmade is rated one of the best flipper knives in the latest market.

The handle is made from the G – 10 stainless steel which pointed out the best durable materials in the automotive industry because it is lightweight and strong enough to support the users, it could not absorb the wet environment as well.

The knife also has the deep-carry capricious platform to help you get the goal in different way. On the flip side, the ambidextrous form (in design) might get the double Omega – style springs in each of the liner to catch the knife tang smoothly.

Pros

• The blade is sturdy and ideal for the flipper knife.
• The pocket clip is low in the pocket and it is suitable for the left pocket carry.
• The blade is razor – sharp to cut your target easily.
• It has a sharp edge.

Cons

• The flipper point of the knife is not good at all.
• The blade has not fixed in one place when closed.
• The axis lock in the flipper is too cling and it is not easy to control the flipper tab.

3. Columbia River Knife and Tool M21

A quick overview of the Columbia River Knife and Tool M21:

• The overall weight: 5.7 ounces
• The overall length: 25 inches
• The length of the blade: 3.75 inches
• The open length: 9.25 inches
• The closed length: 5.375 inches
• The blade length: 3.99 inches

The Columbia River Knife and Tool M21 has the LAWKS structure which is safe and automatic to the users to take them every day and increase the comfort.

With the best flolding flipper knives like the Columbia River Knife and Tool M2, you could open and fold the blade easily as the platform also has the locking safety.

The blade is an alternation drop – point model with high flat travails and ideal edges as well as the sharp tip to make a strong traction in your cutting target. On the other hand, the belly of the blade is suitable for usefulness work in general.

The handle is made from the aluminum material with the deep – bellied and triple point serrations in the spear point to support the users could tight the handle significantly and adjust the position without much hassle.

Pros

• The price is affordable for most of the users.
• The knife is well – balanced and lightweight to carry.
• The blade is sharp and strong when it comes out of the box.
• It is easy to open the blade.

Cons

• The tool does not have an extra clip.
• The knife is quite big to be suited on every pocket.
• The handle does not grip well.

4. Zero Tolerance ZT0560 Hinderer

A quick overview of the Zero Tolerance ZT0560:

• The length of the blade: 75 inches
• The overall weight: 5.8 ounces
• The overall length: 8.8 inches

The Zero Tolerance ZT0560 is made from the aluminum material with the blade is inbuilt from ELMAX – a kind of strong steel in the construction, so the edge of the blade is sharp, sturdy and tough.

The blade also could roll in and roll out easily so that you might adjust it instantly and meet your requirements.

With the handle, it is 3D design and combines the G – 10 in front of the handle and the titanium material in the back.

Because of the locking in the structure, the knife could lock the blade automatically when closed and prevent the possible accidents.

Pros

• The blade could lock and hold tightly in a great edge.
• The blade is sharp to aim the right target and easily cut.
• The knife could stay well in the pocket.
• The shipping time is so fast.
• The new locking structure reduces the stuck state and replaces the new one easily.

Cons

• The knife is a little heavy.
• The tool is hard to fold and control.
• The blade tip is not recessed when closed.

5. SOG Twitch II Assisted Folding Knife

A quick overview of the SOG Twitch II:

• The length of the blade: 2.65 inches
• The overall weight: 2.4 ounces
• The overall dimensions: 2 x 1.1 x 0.6 inches

The blade of the SOG Twitch II is made from the AUS – 8 steel which is strong, endurable and flexible when taking. Furthermore, it has a straight edge with a drop point form and a folding appearance.

The handle has a well – balanced contour due to the graphite and the aluminum, so you will much more comfortable and fit on your hand perfectly when holding in a few hours.

The SOG Twitch II also has an opening blade which you could control it by hand so that you do not concern about the safety in the blade as well.

On the flip side, you are able to open the knife with the thumb stud easily instead of taking the kick in general.

With full of tremendous features, we could not be surprised that the SOG Twitch II is also the best pocket flipper knives in many stores right now.

Pros

• The tool has a limited lifetime guaranty.
• The knife has an acceptable price for most of the users.
• The blade is sharp.
• The blade is covered in oil.
• The belt clip could easily remove.

Cons

• The spring is not have a great design.
• Some buyers complain that they have the slipper comes out the blade.
• The spring assistance has been broken for one month.

Before making an ideal knife, think of these factors in your mind

Whether you want to own a fixed blade, a folding knife, a flipper knife or a classic one, you always think of factors around the knife story before making a hole in your wallet. Thus, you should spend a few hours to do your own research to find out the best flipper knives if you want to have a flipper model.

The cutting aim

Slicing a piece of foods, cutting the packages, trimming woods or something like that are totally different kinds of tasks which knives undertake. Each of these tasks refers dissimilar requirements on a blade.

When looking at a blade, you should keep your eye on the shape, the heat treat, and the steel because three main factors could describe the quality of one blade quite well. And the shape of the blade will offer the cutting aim of a knife.

Experienced hunters and users often draw attention to the drop points, clip points, and the leaf-shaped blades to check the sharpening ability of the blade.

Your demands in a flipper knife

Each of the knives also has different platforms and their target on using. Once you know the function of a flipper knife, you need to recognize your demands. What will you do with a flipper knife?

The type of material of a flipper knife

The kind of the material on a flipper knife also offers the quality of this product due to the level of the metal and other materials.

Are they strong, sharp and strong enough? Could they prevent the wet environment? Do not miss out the material in the blade and the handle as they also decide the state of a flipper knife.

You should study the benefits and drawbacks of the materials before looking at the material of the flipper knives.

The design of a flipper knife

As the flipper knives provide various models in the market today, you should think of your own style firstly.

Are you a conventional person or modern one? Some flipper knives also have the thick blade and the chunky grinds with the full of lavish versions.

On the flip side, some thinner blade with severe grinds creates several traditional knives work well like a cutting machine.

The price tag

When you focus on the features and their functions of the flipper knives, do not forget to see the price tag to estimate the cost on your budget.

The guaranty

Many patrons do not pay attention to the guaranty of a flipper knife as they think that this knife could be a normal product, and it is not endurable for a while.

The warranty of a knife also refers the quality of it from the producer, and it builds the reputation on the customer mind as well.

Some materials of the blade in a flipper knife

A perfect blade is the one that could have the corrosion – resistance, the waterproof and other assistance.

To have these features, the blade has to build from a great material. With the blade, it has two main kinds of materials that producers often apply.

The stainless steel

• The 420HC: it is the corrosion assistance and sharp to cover the inside part of the blade.
• The 154CM: this is an update of the stainless steel with the solid one because it could be increased an amount of carbon.
• The S30V: this is the luxurious stainless steel with the vanadium to keep the edge stronger.

The high – carbon steel

The material is more solid and sharp in the edge but it could not have the corrosion assistance. The good news is producers prefer using the stainless steel instead of the high – carbon steel in the blade of a flipper knife.

Interesting facts about flipper knives

The Rise Of Flipper Knives

Despite the fact that no one knows exactly who invent the first example, flipper knives have attracted a large number of users over the years. Compare to other mechanisms found on pocket knives, flipper knives permit rapid, one-hand deployment which comes in handy in a wide variety of situation. Simple to use and easy to maintain, flipper knives provide people with sharp cutting tools and versatile self-defense weapons. Generally speaking, pretty much every knife brand on the market nowadays offers several different models which utilize the flipping arrangement. That speaks a lot about the popularity of flipper knives.

Working Principles Of Flipper Knives

The majority of flipper knives employ more or less the same construction: The blade is held in place by a ball bearing which is connected to a protrusion or tab. Simply by applying enough pressure on the exterior protrusion or tab, you would be able to overcome the ball bearing and the knife is released. As a result, users of flipper knives could deploy the blade in a blink of an eye without much difficulty. In most of the case, you should be able to deploy the blade of a flipper knife with one hand. However, as time goes by, the ball bearing of the knife might wear out and you need to use both hands to operate the blade.  

Proper Storage Of Flipper Knives

Although there are quite a lot of fancy storage methods in circulation nowadays, it often takes little time and effort to properly store flipper knives. Several manufacturers claim that it’s best to store a standard flipper knife in its open position in order to extend the detent ball lifetime. However, experienced knife users conclude that it’s fine to store flipper knives in their closed position, especially when space and safety are major concerns. For most of the time, the primary threat when it comes to knife storage is corrosion which causes rusty blade. Therefore, you should store your flipper knife in a dry and cool place with minimum moisture present in the vicinity.

Cleaning And Maintaining Flipper Knives

Having the best flipper knives around is meaningless if you don’t know how to keep them in good conditions. Therefore, in the case you are relatively new to knives, here are a couple of things you must know regarding knife maintenance and associated issues. Follow the guide down below and you could preserve the quality of your flipper knife.  

• Frequent Cleaning Is Absolutely Essential

For most of the time, one of the easiest ways to keep ordinary flipper knives in shape is regular cleaning. That is often sufficient to get rid of any foreign element that accumulates on certain components of your pocket knife. Overall, lukewarm soapy waters work fairly well but remember to take into account the material used by the flipper knife. Wood, abalone and so on might be damaged if you leave them submerged in water for too long by mistake.  Once you are done, make sure that you allow the knife around 15 minutes to dry properly before doing anything else. Corrosion is a constant danger that all knife users definitely needs to keep in mind.

• Provide The Knife With Lubricants

Flipper knives consist of various moving parts so naturally, lubrication is an important maintenance task. You should prioritize petroleum-based wet lubricants like Sentry Solutions Tuff Glide, Benchmade Blue Lube, and alike for maximum effect. That being said, cooking oils would do in a hurry. In addition to that, the way you uses the knife greatly influence the choice of lubricant: If you use the knife to process foods, you must use food-safe lubricants. In any case, apply an appropriate amount of lubricant on the components and wipe up any excess at moment notice. For safety reason, you don’t want the knife to get slippery while cleaning it.

• Sharpen The Knife Blade Periodically

“A dulled blade is dangerous blade” is an important rule of thumb that owner of flipper knives need to memorize. Attempting to cut with a dulled blade generates a lot of frustration and it could even lead to accidental injury. Once you start to notice that you are unable to get a clean cut with your knife, it’s time for a re-sharpen session. On the nowadays, there are multiple sharpening kits that you could buy and they often require basic knowledge and skill. In the case you are highly skilled at sharpening and want to give your blade a custom fit, you could try out unguided sharpening stones.  

Rusted Knife Blade: Analysis And Solution For Flipper Knives Users

So you have been neglecting the maintenance of your flipper knife and one day, you suddenly realize that there are rusts on the knife blade? Rusted blades are useless and outright ugly so is there a way to return the blades to their original form? Check out the following tips and tricks if you truly wish to get rid of rust on your flipper knife.  

The Nature Of Blade Rust

To put it plainly, rust is the direct consequence of corrosion that takes place when water, oxy and water come into contact with each other. In many cases, rust could form without the presence of actual water as moisture in the air is good enough. That is why you need to keep your flipper knife dry and ensure that it’s not exposed to moisture to moisture while in storage. Depending on the situation, the removal of rust could be fairly easy or extremely difficult. So it’s widely advised that you prevent blade rust from forming on your flipper knife in the first place.

Every Knife Could Get Rusty

“But the blade of my flipper knife is made from stainless steel, it would not rust, right?” some people ask. Well, it’s true that stainless steel (10.5% Chromium) indeed possesses excellent resistance against corrosion compared to standard steel in general. Usually, the higher the Chromium content, the stronger the rust-resistance of the steel gets. Nonetheless, stainless steel is far from perfect and under certain conditions, pretty much every knife in circulation could get rusty.

Get Rid Of the Rust

• Baking Soda   

There are multiple ways to remove blade rust and baking soda is often thought of as the most convenient one. You don’t need to get advanced stuff, just gather some baking soda, cleaning solutions, wools and pieces of cloth. First, create a soda paste by mixing baking soda with water and stir everything up. After that, spread the soda paste across the rusty surface of your flipper knife and start rubbing with the wools.  Needless to say, don’t scrub too hard or you may damage the blade finish. At the end, rinse the cloths with cleaning solution and use them to gently rub all over the knife blade. With luck, the blade rust would disappear after you finish.

• Vinegar

In the case baking soda is not readily available, vinegar is usually an excellent alternative.  Make sure that you only use white vinegar as other types of vinegar could leave stains on the blade surface. Generally speaking, pour vinegar into a cup and proceed to immerse the rusty blade of your flipper knife in vinegar. Use paper towels if you don’t want to completely soak the knife blade but in any case, the immersion time should not exceed 5 minutes. Once it’s dome, wipe the blade thoroughly and throw in some high-quality mineral oil for additional rust protection.

• WD-40

As you probably already know, WD-40 is an oil-based product which people often used to give lubrication and moisture protection to certain materials/tools. Want to remove rust on your knife in a rush? Then WD-40 is exactly what you need for the task. Remember that WD-40 is very harmful if digested so you could only use it for flipper knives that you would not use to process foodstuff.  Aside from that, just spray WD-40 on the rusty parts of the blade and sand them down using very fine sandpapers (roughly 400-grit or so). While sanding, stay away from the edge or you are going to mess it up.

Important Note: Don’t have any of the material above? If that happens to be the case, you could try out traditional rust removal methods. Just head to the fridge and grab a couple of potatoes or onions from there. Now, stick your knife right into the potatoes and wait an hour for the oxalic acid to do its job. That acid works extremely well at removing rust and potatoes got a lot of it. About the onions, use the blade of your flipper knife to saw back and forth into them for a bit. Similar to potatoes, onions contain sulfenic acid which is also able to remove blade rust.

What You Must Never Do While Handling A Flipper Knife

At this point, you should have a firm grip on the maintenance of flipper knives as well as how to remove rust from their blade. Nonetheless, it’s of utmost importance that you know the proper way to use your knife without causing unintended damages. Flipper knives are tough but still remain far from indestructible.

• Prying With The Blade Tip  

Considering the handiness of flipper knives in general, some novices think that it’s totally fine to use the blade tip as a prying tool. In reality, most flipper knives available for purchase are not designed to endure the excessive force associated with prying actions. That means you would risk breaking the tip of the blade if you keep prying stubbornly with your flipper knife.  Want to pry with knives? Then it’s strongly recommended that you attempt to acquire dedicate, purpose-design models instead of using the flipper knife for such an inappropriate task. The knife market got a couple of solid examples that are specifically made for prying.

• Tighten And Loosen Some Screws

Given the fact people mostly use screws like cross and slot drive, the tip of flipper knife seems to be a convenient alternative for screwdrivers. However, if you value your knife and wish to preserve its quality, you must never use the tip of the blade to tighten/loosen screws. The shape of the blade would sustain damages as you continue to drive/remove screws. Not to mention that your flipper knife is essentially a cutting tool, there is a chance that you could slip the blade and injure yourself. That is why if you want to manipulate screws and cut at the same time, just use a multi-tool.   

• Strike The Blade With Hammers

It sounds weight but certain people think that if striking steel with hammers could let them start a fire then it’s possible to do that with flipper knives too. Unfortunately, the moment you actually hit the blade of your knife with hammers, the result should be a broken knife. Therefore, don’t copy survival shows and proceed to push your flipper over its limit as that would end well. If you want to start a fire on an outdoor adventure, bring along lighters or fire starters and reserve your flipper knife for cutting tasks.   

Reputable Brand On The Market

Technically, you get your flipper knife from pretty much any manufacturer as long as you are certain that the knife suits your needs and requirements. That being said, it’s a good idea to prioritize models from well-known names. Competition in the knife market is fierce so if a brand is unable to provide quality products and reasonable customer supports, it would not survive.  So if a manufacturer is held in high regard by many knife users, the brand must have done something right. Here are some names you should keep an eye out for while at the store.

• Spyderco

Pioneered various features found on modern-day folding knives, Spyderco is widely thought of as one of the most reputable manufacturers in the knife industry. Founded in 1978, Spyderco managed to attract a huge number of loyal customers over the rears. Products that come from Spyderco often receive many praises for their robustness, ergonomics and simplicity. By using up to 20 different blade materials as well as numerous technological innovations, Spyderco is fully capable of meeting the demands of most knife users. As a result, make sure that you take a good look at any Spyderco flipper knives that you come across.

• Benchmade

Based at Oregon, United States, Benchmade is a rather familiar name on the knife market, its knives see worldwide service in the hand of military personnel along with law enforcement. Benchmade knives are designed to withstand a lot of abuse and less than ideal operating conditions which truly make them ideal choices for challenging tasks. Furthermore, Benchmade happens to be among the few manufacturers that offer high-speed steel for knives and that is why people look to it when they need sharp cutting tools. So if you want a solid, US-made flipper knife, Benchmade has what you need.

• SOG

Famous for its reproduction of Vietnam-era special operation knife, SOG provides the markets with several high-quality flipper knives. Most of the brand examples place emphasis on mobility and compactness which mean if you want an EDC knife, SOG has a lot to offer. Moreover, SOG folding knives are manufactured and assembled in the US so users of SOG knives could rest assured knowing that they made good investments. The brand post-purchase supports are excellent and if you experience any difficulty, you could always count on the customer service to offer timely assistance.  

• Kershaw

Shopping on a limited budget? Then Kershaw got a couple of quality and affordable flipper knives for you to choose. Specialized in making highly affordable knives, Kershaw is exactly the name to look for if you are unable to go after high-end flipper knives. The brand assisted-opening mechanism (know as SpeedSafe) ensure that Kershaw customers could deploy their knife both quick and safe. Considering the price, some users are surprised to see that Kershaw examples are quite competitive. When it comes to the matter of cost-effectiveness, no knife brand could outperform Kershaw.

• Zero Tolerance

Highly lauded for the dependability and reliability of their designs, Zero Tolerance is a well-known manufacturer of flipper knives. People that have money to spare like Zero Tolerance products due to the presence of premium steel, expert craftsmanship and top-notch attention to detail. Couple with the fantastic warranty policies and terms, Zero Tolerance easily proves itself to be among the most notable brands on the flipper knives market. If you appreciate quality over everything else and could actually afford it, Zero Tolerance flipper knives would not disappoint you.

Most Frequently Asked Question About Flipper Knives And Associated Issues

• Is It Legal To Carry Around A Concealed Flipper Knife?

Regarding flipper knives as well as pocket knives in general, lawns and rules often vary substantially from place to place. That means in certain cases, it’s illegal for you to bear any type of knife, let alone flipper knives.

As a result, it’s a good idea to have a firm grip on the local regulations and follow them. In most of the case, through the Internet and alike, you should able to acquire everything you must know about knife carry in your place.  The last thing you want to do is to get into trouble with the authority and get a hefty fine or end up in jail.

• Should I Bring Along A Couple Of Different Flipper Knives?  

Considering the fact that flipper knives have rather modest profiles, some novice users like to carry several ones at the same time “just in case”. Well, your pockets have limited space so carrying a bunch of flippers knives is impractical. Not to mention the added weight, having too many flipper knives in your pocket would definitely attract unwanted attention due to the bulge they create. Therefore, choose the knife that you like the most and then leave the rest at home once you head out. In the case you really want to put all of you flipper knives to use, carry them alternately instead of stuffing everything into the pockets.

• Clipping Knives On The Outside Of The Pockets Ease Deployment?  

Various modern-day flipper knives come with belt clips and a lot of inexperienced knife users casually leave their knives handling outside of the pockets. Sure, it looks kind of good and let you deploy the knife reasonably fact but you should not do that. By clipping flipper knives like that, you risk dropping them after you lean against something. In the worst scenarios, you may even end up with a very nasty scratch.    

• What Is HRC And Its Importance While Shopping For Knives?

Generally speaking, HRC (or Rockwell scale) is simply a measurement system used to determine the hardness of a particular material. The higher the rating, the harder the material but that doesn’t mean high HRC is always good, especially when it comes to flipper knives. Namely, knives that use high HRC steels tend to experience certain chipping issues if misused. Aside from that, it often takes a long time to restore the sharpness of these knives if they get dulled. On the other hand, most high HRC knives could retain the overall sharpness of their blade for quite some time.

• Could I Wash My Flipper Knives In A Standard Dishwasher?

So you have been using your flipper knives to process food and think that it’s not hurt to let the dishwasher handle the cleaning? In reality, it’s very unwise to use the household dishwasher to clean flipper knives or any type of knife.  There is always a chance that the blade would be damaged as it gets knocked around during the washing cycle. Aside from that, the deterrents used by the dishwasher could contain corrosive chemicals which lead to problems like corrosion and pitting on the blade steel. So it’s best to play it safe and wash your flipper knives by hand.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, select the best flipper knives is not a daunting task once you understand their features and consider your own situation to make a right decision. You are able to ask the advice from an experienced user, but do not forget to look further the selected products from our recommendations.