Using my beater Military today (Opening tulip bulb sacks for planting) and it occurred to me that the Millie is nearly perfect- But I'd love one with a nice flipper as an extra option for opening, especially when using thick gloves (like the gardening gloves I was wearing)
Nothing else different- just a deeper choil that results from having the flipper 'tang' when closed....Thoughts.
I like my Domino for that reason- I can open it in a several different orientations with the choice of the hole or the flipper, to suit my needs at the time.
Probably already been mooted- But at some point I'm sure there will be a Millie 2.....
Honestly, price will be the problem. A flipper which opens more conveniently and reliably than a 14mm hole will need a bearing supported pivot, a very stiff detent, quite a bit more blade stock, and it might require an internal stop pin. Probably $50 - 100 more than the current model based on the price of the domino. I'd much rather pay the military price for a 4" Native Chief with the powerlock.
I carry a serrated Robin2 at work, a Cara Cara Rescue 2 in the glove box, and a ZDP Dragonfly or Junior everywhere else. My PM2 sits on a shelf with a small assortment of Kershaws.
Waiting patiently for the Native 5 lightweight and the Lil' Temperance 2.
I admit that I'm very enamored of my ZT 0770 (with the spring assisted "speed safe" flipper action), but the non-assisted flippers I've had (ZT 0560, Spyderco Southward, Spyderco Domino) have left me underwhelmed.
When it comes to full on utility (rather than fondle value), I still have to come back to my good old trusty Manix. The CBBL allows me to flip both open and closed with minimal effort, which gives it truly one handed action, making it much more useful for real world tasks.
I just don't think a flipper Military would do much for me. Now, a Compression Lock Military--there's something I'd be all over.
I 2nd the compression lock military idea. We just need more compression locks period.
I spoke with Sal the other day and he did mention that Eric has been working on a Manix 2 Flipper which will come out of taiwan sometime in the upcoming future. Not sure how far along they are with that idea but they seemed pretty certain it was on the way.
TomAiello wrote:I honestly don't understand the flipper frenzy.
I admit that I'm very enamored of my ZT 0770 (with the spring assisted "speed safe" flipper action), but the non-assisted flippers I've had (ZT 0560, Spyderco Southward, Spyderco Domino) have left me underwhelmed.
When it comes to full on utility (rather than fondle value), I still have to come back to my good old trusty Manix. The CBBL allows me to flip both open and closed with minimal effort, which gives it truly one handed action, making it much more useful for real world tasks.
I just don't think a flipper Military would do much for me. Now, a Compression Lock Military--there's something I'd be all over.
Agreed, flippers are fun to play with, but when you need something you can reliably open in a wide range of environments with or without gloves, the hole is the way to go. And the flipper gets in my way. I don't think flippers are anything more than a fad right now. I definitely don't hold it against someone for having a flipper, though. To each their own. I'm just pretty sure that they probably won't be using that flipper knife 10 years from now.
They who dance are thought mad by those who do not hear the music.
TomAiello wrote:I honestly don't understand the flipper frenzy.
I admit that I'm very enamored of my ZT 0770 (with the spring assisted "speed safe" flipper action), but the non-assisted flippers I've had (ZT 0560, Spyderco Southward, Spyderco Domino) have left me underwhelmed.
When it comes to full on utility (rather than fondle value), I still have to come back to my good old trusty Manix. The CBBL allows me to flip both open and closed with minimal effort, which gives it truly one handed action, making it much more useful for real world tasks.
I just don't think a flipper Military would do much for me. Now, a Compression Lock Military--there's something I'd be all over.
Agreed, flippers are fun to play with, but when you need something you can reliably open in a wide range of environments with or without gloves, the hole is the way to go. And the flipper gets in my way. I don't think flippers are anything more than a fad right now. I definitely don't hold it against someone for having a flipper, though. To each their own. I'm just pretty sure that they probably won't be using that flipper knife 10 years from now.
No, no, you guys have it all wrong. Flippers are neither a fad nor impractical. I got my first flipper 11 years ago, and I still use it today. I now have a Southard, and it is the knife I go for when I'm going to be doing a lot of opening and closing because it's just faster and easier with a flipper. At least that's my experience, everyone's hands are different but mine seem to favor a flipper.
Now as for the Military, I think it's a little big for a flipper. The PM2, on the other hand...[daydream sequence].
Rambo Penguin wrote:I spoke with Sal the other day and he did mention that Eric has been working on a Manix 2 Flipper which will come out of taiwan sometime in the upcoming future. Not sure how far along they are with that idea but they seemed pretty certain it was on the way.
So would it have the CBBL with a flipper?
I'll definitely pick one up to check it out when it comes around, just because I love the CBBL.
The only knife like that I've seen is a Benchmade--I think it's called the "axis flipper." I wasn't interested enough in it to look into it very seriously though.
The Millie is a big knife meant for utility. While on the one hand I say "yay! more Spydercos!" on the other I say this is the wrong platform. I'd love to see a Millie updated to use a 4-way carry clip, maybe a streamlined handle, and a compression lock, to make it a little more like the big brother to the PM2 it deserves to be.
I think the only thing that would really need changed is to an internal stop pin like the Chaparral has so the current stop pin was out of the way of the flipper, and then change the shape of the tang. It would need to be somewhat like the Domino's, so you still have the 50/50 choil in front of the flipper arm. Otherwise, I don't think you'd need a bearing pivot...these knives already flip out so fast and easy with just your index finger.
Evil D wrote:I think the only thing that would really need changed is to an internal stop pin like the Chaparral has so the current stop pin was out of the way of the flipper, and then change the shape of the tang. It would need to be somewhat like the Domino's, so you still have the 50/50 choil in front of the flipper arm. Otherwise, I don't think you'd need a bearing pivot...these knives already flip out so fast and easy with just your index finger.
That was pretty much my thinking- it's pretty flickable already with the mass of the blade moving....I think a decent sized bump would work fine without really changing anything else....
I've never owned a knife with actual roller bearing pivot. How would that kind of knife hold up in an environment like OP suggested (opening dirt bulb, in the dirt/gardening) ? Seems to me they probably have a seal of sorts but in my experience seals only work so well... after a little dirt it would fail to open???
Evil D wrote:I think the only thing that would really need changed is to an internal stop pin like the Chaparral has so the current stop pin was out of the way of the flipper, and then change the shape of the tang. It would need to be somewhat like the Domino's, so you still have the 50/50 choil in front of the flipper arm. Otherwise, I don't think you'd need a bearing pivot...these knives already flip out so fast and easy with just your index finger.
That's a good point. Its what stopped me from getting an auto Vallotton....
A flipper also has to be set at the correct angle to be comfortable. It should be at the same angle as thearea between the pad of your fore finger and the back of the knife. This is something I look at when buying a flipper. I have have had knives where the flipper was at a 90° right angle to back of knife and ifyou sat and flipped it very much your finger would get very sore
Evil D wrote:I think the only thing that would really need changed is to an internal stop pin like the Chaparral has so the current stop pin was out of the way of the flipper, and then change the shape of the tang. It would need to be somewhat like the Domino's, so you still have the 50/50 choil in front of the flipper arm. Otherwise, I don't think you'd need a bearing pivot...these knives already flip out so fast and easy with just your index finger.
I was reading this thread and surprised it took so long for someone to mention the devil in the details here, which is the current stop pin design precludes adding a flipper arm to the current Millie blade. This would require a brand new design, which opens up a lot of other questions/possibilities (not a bad thing!). I like how when the Millie blade is about 2/3 open or so, a flipper-like nub appears and you can use that to flip the blade the rest of the way open. All that said, I love flippers and would love something on the Military-size scale. Cheers, Radioactive :)
It's better to be good than evil, but one achieves goodness at a terrific cost. ––– Stephen King
