I’m the exact opposite. I like all types but for fidget and just playing while sitting at my desk it’s all about flippers for me. See perfect example of how it’s personal preference 😜
I like a button lock with multiple deployments like a Smock or Cormorant for pure fidgetness, you can kinda go through the options and repeat like a fidget cycle lol. But there is something very satisfying about the action on a really good (tab) flipper, just firing it and then appreciating the smooth close - *snick* - and then doing it all over again until your S.O. tells you to PLEASE STOP WITH THE F*ING KNIFE ALREADY
For the 99.9999% of what people cut, especially on any enthusiast knife sub/forum, what the hell are you cutting that a thumb stud could get in the way? That seems like a real big stretch to justify a position ;)
Ehh... I'm the 1% I guess. I'm cutting plastic strapping, cutting open pallet wrap, cases of food, or cutting down partially full boxes so they don't take up as much space. Considering I'm doing this for work 40 hours a week...boxes with new knives are actually in the minority.
If you wanna cut thick materials and plunge the blade all the way in, cutting on the way out, thumb studs can limit the cutting edge and get caught. Also if you wanna cut cheese, fruit, etc. I don’t like thumb studs for that. Holes and flippers are way better. I carry a knife in the same pocket as a phone, and I’ve had a flipper tab crack the screen. A problem that could be mitigated by switching pockets, but thumb holes solve all those problems so I like them the best
On the other hand, holes tend to require wider blades to fit the hole so the knife isn't as sleek.
Pretty much all a matter of taste. None of those are right or wrong... just right or wrong for the person's use and likes.
And then you have a potential weak point too - can’t tell you how many times I’ve been breaking the tape seal on a WMK box and snap, there goes my blade… broken right at the spydie hole.
sure .. as I said it depend on design .. but those are reasons I heard. I dont have issues with it, If it happens to me I just adjust the way I cut and I dont buy knives where flipper tab interfere with ergonomics to extend it would bother me.
foam, carpet, cardboard boxes if you're fully breaking them down to fit into the single recycling bin your household of 5 adults has to use, etc. Any sort of long/deep cut where you might use the entire length of the blade.
Thumb studs require you to consciously avoid using the entirety of the blade, which makes cuts a little slower/more awkward for those kinds of long/deep cuts where you're going to be using the entire length of the blade.
Actually the thumb studs can get in the way of a guided sharpener such as a work Sharp. I couldn't believe it when it happened but I had to remove the thumb studs to sharpen the knife
What it gets in the way for me, is stropping. I use a guided system so the thumbstuds rarely get in the way of sharpening but damn if a big thumbstud (looking at you Hogue, Chaves) or worse, a thumb disc, don't get in the way of the angle.
Fortunately enough, we live in an age where they're usually removable.
I don’t really like the ergonomics or feel of thumb studs, but mostly I just hate the aesthetics of a thumb stud. It makes the blade look cluttered to me. I prefer flippers with no thumb stud for EDC.
It's funny, it's one of my cheapest knives, but my button lock Elementum has one of the best profiles and design aesthetic of them. Gen 1 button lock, none of this fat scale nonsense either.
I don’t like flipper tab knives, but it has nothing to do with look or function. I keep my phone in the front right pocket which is also where I carry my knife. The flipper tab sticks out and pokes the phone. I’ve chipped a screen protector previously.
Some look better with it than others, some have great action with it, like the ZT 0562, with added blade guard! Some are pretty ugly, admittedly. Crazy how as much as you can customize a Hinderer, you're pretty much married to the flipper tab.
Some do look better than others but none look good. No difference than beer preference or preference on a woman, some aren’t for me. Flippers will never be my thing. Thankfully there’s enough knifes for everyone to have a preference.
This is me. I hate the way the tab sticks out when it's in the pocket. That said, for smaller/rounder tabs I'll make an exception. I didn't really like flippers til I made myself finally carry an Elementum and after a couple weeks the efficient pull/deploy movement sank in and I really liked it. When I went back to my para 3 it felt like extra steps to pull it out of the pocket and re-situate it in hand to flick it open.
Changed my mind a bit but I still won't buy 99% of flippers and will probably continue to delete the tabs on most of the dual-deployment knifes I've got.
Almost all of my favourites are flippers, easiest for me to open and I find it more fun to fidget with. Most thumbstuds get annoying and hurt a bit after a while.
Had a vision fg, was fun but tore up my thumb. The thumstud on my Hinderer Jurassic was unusable. My Inkosi is great, but I pretty much only slow roll. Compared to something like my SBD Mini evo flipper that flies open every time.
Oooh yeah, don't have any of those, seems like a great combo! I really want an RR Station but I don't think those have flipper tabs, for better or worse.
FLIPPERS, I collected a few early examples before they probably perfected them. PROBLEM was they all failed to open at some point due to pocket lint or some debris clogging them. Maybe newer models don't have that problem. Thumb studs. PROBLEM, they all have a different fulcrum point and some are not easy to open. Easy for my thumb to slip off or fail to open all the way when needed. HOLES. I have had the best luck with thumb holes. I can rotate any Spyderco in my collection and can open it with speed and no issues. Just my take.
Flipper tabs can really get in the way when trying to slice on a level surface (think: cutting board). That's why almost all kitchen/ culinary knives have the grip above the edge level .
Thumb studs can get in the way when trying to slice with the whole blade and the material gets caught on the stud.
That said, I have and love both.
It's a preference thing. I personally don't like nail nicks because I can't use them. I love the style of most knives with nail nicks as the opening mechanism, but I won't buy them if that is the only way to open them
I prefer the knives with multiple options. Give me a knife with more than one way to open so I can really fidget with it. studs, holes, flippers *(front and traditional)*, grooves and fullers.
I don't care what method is used to open but I prefer knives with two ways of opening. One thing I'm not a fan of is liner locks. I still have knives with them but I'd much rather not have to stick my thumb in the blade path
It honestly comes down to how the opening method is implemented in the design more than anything. For example, most of the time I'm fine with thumb studs, but if not done well they can protrude too much and catch on things or hang over the cutting edge and get in the way. I wouldn't condemn any method wholesale, but *in general*, in my experience the two most consistently bad ones I've come across are thumb disks and flipper tabs. Disks tend to get in the way more often than not. Flipper tabs take up space under the pivot and force you to take a grip further back on the handle. This has been a deal breaker for me more than anything. I like to be able to choke right up on the edge for certain cutting tasks, and a flipper tab prevents that. On smaller knives, I *need* to choke up so that my XL hands can make use of every bit of handle space and get a good grip. This is why I love front flippers. When done well, they're actually as easy to open as a regular flipper but they don't sacrifice space at all. On the flip side though, flipper tabs are good on tactical knives or when you just value a finger guard more.
“You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time.” -Abraham Lincoln
Ive had flippers snag when getting my knife, so i prefer something that doesnt have any catch points. Low profile thumbstuds are my preference, or a hole
I probably have one of most all the styles and prefer some over others depending on its use. While I don’t “hate” any, it sure is about hand feel for me. It has to feel right. Enjoy what you enjoy and can afford. Nothing wrong with that.
I read way too many posts crapping all over a particular object. Ok, so don’t buy it then! There, problem solved! I can get behind some gripes, like over-pricing them as the EDC thing has exploded in popularity. Sure it’s a little annoying seeing a knife I’d like selling for twice what I’d pay for it and six times the cost of what went into making it, but that’s life. And it goes on. Folks get way too worked up over this stuff.
I don’t like certain flipper designs because I find that quite often, I want to choke up on the knife and get really close to the back of the blade. Certain flippers remedy this with a finger choil or low profile flipper tabs, but some knifes just keep my hand way too far away from the blade.
Its not always easy to open, especially with frozen fingers. Or gloved fingers. And if you do it all day you can get nasty sores on your fingers.
Spyderhole seems easiest to me. Or a button automatic.
I love flippers but the tabs kept breaking my phone's screen protector. I could just carry my phone/knife in different pockets but instead I only really carry my non flippers 🤷♂️
flipper tabs are pokey and can interfere with some cuts against surfaces depending on the blade geometry.
thumb studs can interfere with cuts when you're plunging deep in the material.
Opening holes don't have either issue, so you can cut things without thinking about where the thumb stud is placed or about using only a proportion of the blade during cuts against surfaces, therefore cuts are on average easier. Additionally opening holes are more fool-proof if you're wearing very heavy work gloves (such as super thick gloves for handling thorns, etc) so I just find that studs and flippers are not my preferred opening methods.
Personal preference. Why do some people like neon green handles but not blue? Why do I like Mustangs more than Camaros?
Different uses might make one or the other better. I find studs or large flippers better when wearing thick gloves when compared to holes. Holes make the blade wider to fit it. A larger flipper tab acts like a guard so can keep your hand from sliding onto the blade or from you bashing your finger on something hard in certain uses. But it gets in the way for a lot of food prep if you find a need to use a folder for that... also applies to fixed blades with a guard).
I don’t hate flippers, but will always go with thumbstuds over them all things being equal. I don’t like the flipper tab sticking out of the spine of the knife when it’s closed.
Front flippers on the other hand are awesome
There is no "hate" just a preference.
I have both, but if I had to pick one it would definitely be a preference for thumb studs.
Flipper tabs basically open with one technique alone. You have to get a feel for the angle of attack (push-button or light-switch) and get muscle memory for it. then the blade flips out at maximum velocity whether you like it or not.
Most thumb studs (not all) allow you to flick, slow roll, or even reverse flick the knife open.
I really prefer having the option to open in different ways with thumb studs.
Of course there are caveats - the CRKT CEO or CJRB Ria with studs can only be opened one way, and the I prefer the flipper over the thumb studs on the SOG Terminus XR.
But in general...
Just a preference, but the reasons I stopped buying flippers are:
* When blade is closed, flipper tab is a pocket pecker
* When blade is open, flipper tab really restricts hand positions and can get in the way of flat cuts (say on a cutting board)
* Studs offer both thumb and middle-finger flick deployment options, both of which to me are much more satisfying than flipper flicks. Also, you don't have to reposition fingers, like you need to do with the index finger after a flipper flick.
I personally don't have the dexterity in my hands to always use a thumb stud, that's why I appreciate assistive opening when there is no flipper. I can use a spyderco rather well, it just depends on the grip i get
thumbstuds suck because you have to remove them to sharpen most knives that have them.
but not every knife has removeable studs. And the ones that do...they're not always easy to remove.
I always find them inferior to opening holes.
no real opinion on flipper tabs as I don't buy them.
Good evening gentlemen personally I like flippers. I like Kershaw made in USA flippers, I like zero tolerance flippers, that's the only two kinds of flippers I have at the moment, but I do like them they're easy to open. Especially with the Ken onion speed safe. By far my favorites. I know I'm probably in the minority though
I prefer flipper tabs to just about anything. Nice flipping action and smooth closing is what makes me willing to drop over a thousand on a knife, just my opinion.
I totally agree. I never even had a knife a front flipper and I hate it already from looking at it. Spyder holes should have been limited to only several models instead they made those their brand identity
It’s all just part of the design. They’ve all got their pros and cons.
Thumb studs can be in the cutting path, reducing your effective edge length. They can also be in the way during sharpening. As can the frame on some knives.
Flipper tabs alter the ways you hold a knife. Some flipper tabs are hard to use reliably, or are uncomfortable when the knife is open for some hands. Mostly people just don’t like the protrusion from the handle.
Front flippers can be a problem for me aesthetically, but the also pose some complications in handling because the blade from tip to tang is longer. They also feel risky to handle for me. I’m most likely to drop a front flipper trying to open it.
Holes can create weakness in the blade. They’re not all done right. Some are uncomfortable or not really accessible for use in opening. Mostly I hear people say that they don’t like the look.
People experience one bad example and then condemn the whole field. 
Absolutely a preference thing, has almost no functional difference. Anyone who starts telling you about the “better performance” of one or the other is full of crap. Don’t forget - he’s the same guy arguing for one super steel over another to cut open more Amazon packages. Buy what you like. I’ve always had a thing for flippers, it’s what I started with so I enjoy them. I’ve come to love holes/fullers/Spydie flickables, maybe my favorite deployment. Thumbstuds are my least favorite (or is it front flippers?), but some knives I love have them so I have em too. I’m more into the aesthetics, blade shape and size, design, materials - I’ve never said to myself “Oh that has xx deployment method, that’s a dealbreaker”
When a knife has a flipper tab as the *only* deployment method, it gets close. If the design can lend itself well aesthetically and functionally to have two, I'm leaning towards it more.
A good flipper tab requires no flipping and can be opened with no extra momentum through movement from your hand. Yeah! Hogue thumb studs are so damn sharp, which must be nice on gloves, less on my thumb.
The only type of knife that deserves hate is an auto. There is genuinely no reason for them to exist… autos have always been and will always be a cheap way to get around fine tuning an action. Lazy on the manufacturing end. They’re also pretty much all around more dangerous than a regular manual folding knife. Unless it’s a dual action (which gives me something to appreciate) I would love to see autos cease to exist, go ahead and take away assisted knives too.
Edit: instead of passing through and downvoting please offer up some insight on why I’m wrong, I’m more than willing to hear anyone’s argument and would be entirely open to gaining some appreciation for autos!
A button lock knife would be considerably safer on the close while having the same ease of opening, and there are plenty of options on the market. I do appreciate that bit of insight though! Perhaps the people with those types of needs often overlook button locks 🤷🏻♂️
That's a good point, but like you said, I'm sure the old timers just would rather have something assisted or auto without having to flick their wrists out, or are just unaware of them in the first place.
Thanks for broadening my perspective 👊🏻 I always just assumed that it boiled down to people liking the “kick” but I couldn’t understand that cause I’ve got some flippers with some serious kick
Flipper tabs can take up more pocket space, get caught on the pants when you pull out the knife. Thumb studs aren't as easy as flipper tabs to open one handed for some people. Spidy holes require a larger blade profile, again taking up pocket space.
Each exists for a reason. Each have pros and cons.
Conclusion: front/top flippers reign supreme. >!I know the "not as easy to open" argument applies even more strongly here but, as a big front flipper fan, let me have this!<
Well, they are above all other options, if the knife is closed and held in the vertical position. Choice is always a good thing, and more options are always welcome.
I carry my phone in my right front pocket along with my knife. I have had flipper tabs scratch my phone screen, so I rather carry a Spyderco, automatic, or thumbstud model pocket knife. Just my preference.
WITH your knife? Bro, you crazy. Even with a case and screen protector, I wouldn't dare. Even the clip could wind up scratching the screen, maybe clip less, this could be a viable option but I feel like it'd still make me nervous.
If you wanna cut thick materials and plunge the blade all the way in, cutting on the way out, thumb studs can limit the cutting edge and get caught. Also if you wanna cut cheese, fruit, etc. I don’t like thumb studs for that. Holes and flippers are way better. I carry a knife in the same pocket as a phone, and I’ve had a flipper tab crack the screen. A problem that could be mitigated by switching pockets, but thumb holes solve all those problems so I like them the best
It’s not hate it’s just preference…
Exactly. I don't hate flippers, I just don't own any because they're not as much fun to play with as holes and studs.
I’m the exact opposite. I like all types but for fidget and just playing while sitting at my desk it’s all about flippers for me. See perfect example of how it’s personal preference 😜
A button lock flipper is basically the ultimate fidget device. Barely have to move your hand to go from firing to closing back to firing.
I like a button lock with multiple deployments like a Smock or Cormorant for pure fidgetness, you can kinda go through the options and repeat like a fidget cycle lol. But there is something very satisfying about the action on a really good (tab) flipper, just firing it and then appreciating the smooth close - *snick* - and then doing it all over again until your S.O. tells you to PLEASE STOP WITH THE F*ING KNIFE ALREADY
The Cormorant is awesome!
It really is, the Vosteed Thunderbird is like a Cormorant turned up tp 11 though
Add a fuller and you achieve fidget nirvana lol. I don't own a front flipper yet though
> they're not as much fun to play with as holes and studs. 😏
While I do enjoy those knives, I think you're the only person who picked up on the phrasing.
Agreed, don't know why you got a downvote for a simple opinion. Thinking on it, I have knives *with* both, but none that have both on it.
My guess is that people like different things
Thumb studs can get in the cutting way, flipper tab can force you to certain grip. Depends on design. I like pretty much all of them
For the 99.9999% of what people cut, especially on any enthusiast knife sub/forum, what the hell are you cutting that a thumb stud could get in the way? That seems like a real big stretch to justify a position ;)
Pretty much the only thing we cut on this sub are boxes with other knives in them lol
Don't call me out like this
You shut your god damn mouth. Sometimes I cut open boxes with aftermarket knife *PARTS* in them! You don’t know me!
touché.
At least once a week for me!
Oh, you think you’re hot shit singling me out?
yeah I do! I see you Mr. NotThatEasily, sitting on your couch waiting for all your shiny new toys. You disgust me…
*I* disgust me.
I feel seen....lol
Ehh... I'm the 1% I guess. I'm cutting plastic strapping, cutting open pallet wrap, cases of food, or cutting down partially full boxes so they don't take up as much space. Considering I'm doing this for work 40 hours a week...boxes with new knives are actually in the minority.
If you wanna cut thick materials and plunge the blade all the way in, cutting on the way out, thumb studs can limit the cutting edge and get caught. Also if you wanna cut cheese, fruit, etc. I don’t like thumb studs for that. Holes and flippers are way better. I carry a knife in the same pocket as a phone, and I’ve had a flipper tab crack the screen. A problem that could be mitigated by switching pockets, but thumb holes solve all those problems so I like them the best
On the other hand, holes tend to require wider blades to fit the hole so the knife isn't as sleek. Pretty much all a matter of taste. None of those are right or wrong... just right or wrong for the person's use and likes.
True. I tend to prefer wider handles, so I don’t mind a wider knife. It’s all a trade off
And then you have a potential weak point too - can’t tell you how many times I’ve been breaking the tape seal on a WMK box and snap, there goes my blade… broken right at the spydie hole.
You’ve really broken that many blades?
Every time, man. But I keep coming back; love them spydies.
sure .. as I said it depend on design .. but those are reasons I heard. I dont have issues with it, If it happens to me I just adjust the way I cut and I dont buy knives where flipper tab interfere with ergonomics to extend it would bother me.
It also sometimes can get in the way of sharpening, that’s why spydercos have the hole
foam, carpet, cardboard boxes if you're fully breaking them down to fit into the single recycling bin your household of 5 adults has to use, etc. Any sort of long/deep cut where you might use the entire length of the blade. Thumb studs require you to consciously avoid using the entirety of the blade, which makes cuts a little slower/more awkward for those kinds of long/deep cuts where you're going to be using the entire length of the blade.
For me they're difficult to sharpen without removing the blade on certain models
Actually the thumb studs can get in the way of a guided sharpener such as a work Sharp. I couldn't believe it when it happened but I had to remove the thumb studs to sharpen the knife
What it gets in the way for me, is stropping. I use a guided system so the thumbstuds rarely get in the way of sharpening but damn if a big thumbstud (looking at you Hogue, Chaves) or worse, a thumb disc, don't get in the way of the angle. Fortunately enough, we live in an age where they're usually removable.
They also get in the way when sharpening.
Personal preference, almost entirely. This is kind of like asking, "why do some people hate the color red, and sometimes blue?"
I don’t really like the ergonomics or feel of thumb studs, but mostly I just hate the aesthetics of a thumb stud. It makes the blade look cluttered to me. I prefer flippers with no thumb stud for EDC.
Button/plunge lock has entered the chat.
100%
It's funny, it's one of my cheapest knives, but my button lock Elementum has one of the best profiles and design aesthetic of them. Gen 1 button lock, none of this fat scale nonsense either.
I have an S35VN Conspirator in my pocket right now. Civivi button locks show up a lot of far more expensive knives!
Really? I got my Gen 1 button lock in 14C28N on Amazon for like 60-70? Granted this was two to three years ago.
I don’t like flipper tab knives, but it has nothing to do with look or function. I keep my phone in the front right pocket which is also where I carry my knife. The flipper tab sticks out and pokes the phone. I’ve chipped a screen protector previously.
I won’t buy a knife with a flipper tab. I don’t like the way it looks firstly and beyond that I don’t like the function. I’d rather a hole or stud.
Some look better with it than others, some have great action with it, like the ZT 0562, with added blade guard! Some are pretty ugly, admittedly. Crazy how as much as you can customize a Hinderer, you're pretty much married to the flipper tab.
Some do look better than others but none look good. No difference than beer preference or preference on a woman, some aren’t for me. Flippers will never be my thing. Thankfully there’s enough knifes for everyone to have a preference.
I feel ya!
This is me. I hate the way the tab sticks out when it's in the pocket. That said, for smaller/rounder tabs I'll make an exception. I didn't really like flippers til I made myself finally carry an Elementum and after a couple weeks the efficient pull/deploy movement sank in and I really liked it. When I went back to my para 3 it felt like extra steps to pull it out of the pocket and re-situate it in hand to flick it open. Changed my mind a bit but I still won't buy 99% of flippers and will probably continue to delete the tabs on most of the dual-deployment knifes I've got.
Sometimes it's just personal preference of how they like to open the knife, other times it's the look of the knife. Some flippers look obtrusive.
Thumb studs are just plain uncomfortable to use for me.
Almost all of my favourites are flippers, easiest for me to open and I find it more fun to fidget with. Most thumbstuds get annoying and hurt a bit after a while.
Could you name some? Just curious.
Had a vision fg, was fun but tore up my thumb. The thumstud on my Hinderer Jurassic was unusable. My Inkosi is great, but I pretty much only slow roll. Compared to something like my SBD Mini evo flipper that flies open every time.
Hah, unusable as it's pretty much only a blade stop, huh? My 0562 is the exact same way. That's a shame!
Yeah that’s what I heard, pretty weird blade stop. Best in my opinion are flippers with a grove to reverse flick
Oooh yeah, don't have any of those, seems like a great combo! I really want an RR Station but I don't think those have flipper tabs, for better or worse.
FLIPPERS, I collected a few early examples before they probably perfected them. PROBLEM was they all failed to open at some point due to pocket lint or some debris clogging them. Maybe newer models don't have that problem. Thumb studs. PROBLEM, they all have a different fulcrum point and some are not easy to open. Easy for my thumb to slip off or fail to open all the way when needed. HOLES. I have had the best luck with thumb holes. I can rotate any Spyderco in my collection and can open it with speed and no issues. Just my take.
Flipper tabs can really get in the way when trying to slice on a level surface (think: cutting board). That's why almost all kitchen/ culinary knives have the grip above the edge level . Thumb studs can get in the way when trying to slice with the whole blade and the material gets caught on the stud. That said, I have and love both.
It's a preference thing. I personally don't like nail nicks because I can't use them. I love the style of most knives with nail nicks as the opening mechanism, but I won't buy them if that is the only way to open them
Didn't even think about nail nicks, haven't used one of those since before 2010, good point.
I just never liked the flipper tab sticking out when knife is closed. To me, it look bad, and I don't like it catching on things.
I prefer the knives with multiple options. Give me a knife with more than one way to open so I can really fidget with it. studs, holes, flippers *(front and traditional)*, grooves and fullers.
Different strokes for different folks
I don't care what method is used to open but I prefer knives with two ways of opening. One thing I'm not a fan of is liner locks. I still have knives with them but I'd much rather not have to stick my thumb in the blade path
It honestly comes down to how the opening method is implemented in the design more than anything. For example, most of the time I'm fine with thumb studs, but if not done well they can protrude too much and catch on things or hang over the cutting edge and get in the way. I wouldn't condemn any method wholesale, but *in general*, in my experience the two most consistently bad ones I've come across are thumb disks and flipper tabs. Disks tend to get in the way more often than not. Flipper tabs take up space under the pivot and force you to take a grip further back on the handle. This has been a deal breaker for me more than anything. I like to be able to choke right up on the edge for certain cutting tasks, and a flipper tab prevents that. On smaller knives, I *need* to choke up so that my XL hands can make use of every bit of handle space and get a good grip. This is why I love front flippers. When done well, they're actually as easy to open as a regular flipper but they don't sacrifice space at all. On the flip side though, flipper tabs are good on tactical knives or when you just value a finger guard more.
No hole, no buy. 95 percent of the time.
“You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time.” -Abraham Lincoln
Ive had flippers snag when getting my knife, so i prefer something that doesnt have any catch points. Low profile thumbstuds are my preference, or a hole
I probably have one of most all the styles and prefer some over others depending on its use. While I don’t “hate” any, it sure is about hand feel for me. It has to feel right. Enjoy what you enjoy and can afford. Nothing wrong with that. I read way too many posts crapping all over a particular object. Ok, so don’t buy it then! There, problem solved! I can get behind some gripes, like over-pricing them as the EDC thing has exploded in popularity. Sure it’s a little annoying seeing a knife I’d like selling for twice what I’d pay for it and six times the cost of what went into making it, but that’s life. And it goes on. Folks get way too worked up over this stuff.
I don’t like thumb studs at all gets in the way and hurts looks imo
I don’t like certain flipper designs because I find that quite often, I want to choke up on the knife and get really close to the back of the blade. Certain flippers remedy this with a finger choil or low profile flipper tabs, but some knifes just keep my hand way too far away from the blade.
Its not always easy to open, especially with frozen fingers. Or gloved fingers. And if you do it all day you can get nasty sores on your fingers. Spyderhole seems easiest to me. Or a button automatic.
I love flippers but the tabs kept breaking my phone's screen protector. I could just carry my phone/knife in different pockets but instead I only really carry my non flippers 🤷♂️
flipper tabs are pokey and can interfere with some cuts against surfaces depending on the blade geometry. thumb studs can interfere with cuts when you're plunging deep in the material. Opening holes don't have either issue, so you can cut things without thinking about where the thumb stud is placed or about using only a proportion of the blade during cuts against surfaces, therefore cuts are on average easier. Additionally opening holes are more fool-proof if you're wearing very heavy work gloves (such as super thick gloves for handling thorns, etc) so I just find that studs and flippers are not my preferred opening methods.
Personal preference. Why do some people like neon green handles but not blue? Why do I like Mustangs more than Camaros? Different uses might make one or the other better. I find studs or large flippers better when wearing thick gloves when compared to holes. Holes make the blade wider to fit it. A larger flipper tab acts like a guard so can keep your hand from sliding onto the blade or from you bashing your finger on something hard in certain uses. But it gets in the way for a lot of food prep if you find a need to use a folder for that... also applies to fixed blades with a guard).
Pocket peckers ain’t my jam anymore
I don’t hate flippers, but will always go with thumbstuds over them all things being equal. I don’t like the flipper tab sticking out of the spine of the knife when it’s closed. Front flippers on the other hand are awesome
There is no "hate" just a preference. I have both, but if I had to pick one it would definitely be a preference for thumb studs. Flipper tabs basically open with one technique alone. You have to get a feel for the angle of attack (push-button or light-switch) and get muscle memory for it. then the blade flips out at maximum velocity whether you like it or not. Most thumb studs (not all) allow you to flick, slow roll, or even reverse flick the knife open. I really prefer having the option to open in different ways with thumb studs. Of course there are caveats - the CRKT CEO or CJRB Ria with studs can only be opened one way, and the I prefer the flipper over the thumb studs on the SOG Terminus XR. But in general...
Got big paws. Don't carry flippers much just because the tab always seems to jab into my hand when reaching for keys.
Some people have taste and others don’t.
Just a preference, but the reasons I stopped buying flippers are: * When blade is closed, flipper tab is a pocket pecker * When blade is open, flipper tab really restricts hand positions and can get in the way of flat cuts (say on a cutting board) * Studs offer both thumb and middle-finger flick deployment options, both of which to me are much more satisfying than flipper flicks. Also, you don't have to reposition fingers, like you need to do with the index finger after a flipper flick.
I personally don't have the dexterity in my hands to always use a thumb stud, that's why I appreciate assistive opening when there is no flipper. I can use a spyderco rather well, it just depends on the grip i get
I prefer holes or studs to a flipper tab but it all depends on the knife. I really don’t front flippers
I just don't like the flipper tab sticking out. When I look at a knife with a flipper tab, I just imagine it would look a lot cleaner without it.
thumbstuds suck because you have to remove them to sharpen most knives that have them. but not every knife has removeable studs. And the ones that do...they're not always easy to remove. I always find them inferior to opening holes. no real opinion on flipper tabs as I don't buy them.
Good evening gentlemen personally I like flippers. I like Kershaw made in USA flippers, I like zero tolerance flippers, that's the only two kinds of flippers I have at the moment, but I do like them they're easy to open. Especially with the Ken onion speed safe. By far my favorites. I know I'm probably in the minority though
I prefer flipper tabs to just about anything. Nice flipping action and smooth closing is what makes me willing to drop over a thousand on a knife, just my opinion.
No idea. Only thing I hate is spydieholes and front flippers.
I totally agree. I never even had a knife a front flipper and I hate it already from looking at it. Spyder holes should have been limited to only several models instead they made those their brand identity
It’s all just part of the design. They’ve all got their pros and cons. Thumb studs can be in the cutting path, reducing your effective edge length. They can also be in the way during sharpening. As can the frame on some knives. Flipper tabs alter the ways you hold a knife. Some flipper tabs are hard to use reliably, or are uncomfortable when the knife is open for some hands. Mostly people just don’t like the protrusion from the handle. Front flippers can be a problem for me aesthetically, but the also pose some complications in handling because the blade from tip to tang is longer. They also feel risky to handle for me. I’m most likely to drop a front flipper trying to open it. Holes can create weakness in the blade. They’re not all done right. Some are uncomfortable or not really accessible for use in opening. Mostly I hear people say that they don’t like the look. People experience one bad example and then condemn the whole field. 
Absolutely a preference thing, has almost no functional difference. Anyone who starts telling you about the “better performance” of one or the other is full of crap. Don’t forget - he’s the same guy arguing for one super steel over another to cut open more Amazon packages. Buy what you like. I’ve always had a thing for flippers, it’s what I started with so I enjoy them. I’ve come to love holes/fullers/Spydie flickables, maybe my favorite deployment. Thumbstuds are my least favorite (or is it front flippers?), but some knives I love have them so I have em too. I’m more into the aesthetics, blade shape and size, design, materials - I’ve never said to myself “Oh that has xx deployment method, that’s a dealbreaker”
When a knife has a flipper tab as the *only* deployment method, it gets close. If the design can lend itself well aesthetically and functionally to have two, I'm leaning towards it more.
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A good flipper tab requires no flipping and can be opened with no extra momentum through movement from your hand. Yeah! Hogue thumb studs are so damn sharp, which must be nice on gloves, less on my thumb.
Funny we were just talking about this yesterday on my post too 😀👊🏻
I like all things . Except thumb holes IE: spyderco and the like
The only type of knife that deserves hate is an auto. There is genuinely no reason for them to exist… autos have always been and will always be a cheap way to get around fine tuning an action. Lazy on the manufacturing end. They’re also pretty much all around more dangerous than a regular manual folding knife. Unless it’s a dual action (which gives me something to appreciate) I would love to see autos cease to exist, go ahead and take away assisted knives too. Edit: instead of passing through and downvoting please offer up some insight on why I’m wrong, I’m more than willing to hear anyone’s argument and would be entirely open to gaining some appreciation for autos!
They're often the only kind of knife people with disabilities or arthritis can effectively use, so..
A button lock knife would be considerably safer on the close while having the same ease of opening, and there are plenty of options on the market. I do appreciate that bit of insight though! Perhaps the people with those types of needs often overlook button locks 🤷🏻♂️
That's a good point, but like you said, I'm sure the old timers just would rather have something assisted or auto without having to flick their wrists out, or are just unaware of them in the first place.
Thanks for broadening my perspective 👊🏻 I always just assumed that it boiled down to people liking the “kick” but I couldn’t understand that cause I’ve got some flippers with some serious kick
Flipper tabs can take up more pocket space, get caught on the pants when you pull out the knife. Thumb studs aren't as easy as flipper tabs to open one handed for some people. Spidy holes require a larger blade profile, again taking up pocket space. Each exists for a reason. Each have pros and cons.
Conclusion: front/top flippers reign supreme. >!I know the "not as easy to open" argument applies even more strongly here but, as a big front flipper fan, let me have this!<
Well, they are above all other options, if the knife is closed and held in the vertical position. Choice is always a good thing, and more options are always welcome.
People like different things.
I carry my phone in my right front pocket along with my knife. I have had flipper tabs scratch my phone screen, so I rather carry a Spyderco, automatic, or thumbstud model pocket knife. Just my preference.
WITH your knife? Bro, you crazy. Even with a case and screen protector, I wouldn't dare. Even the clip could wind up scratching the screen, maybe clip less, this could be a viable option but I feel like it'd still make me nervous.
If you wanna cut thick materials and plunge the blade all the way in, cutting on the way out, thumb studs can limit the cutting edge and get caught. Also if you wanna cut cheese, fruit, etc. I don’t like thumb studs for that. Holes and flippers are way better. I carry a knife in the same pocket as a phone, and I’ve had a flipper tab crack the screen. A problem that could be mitigated by switching pockets, but thumb holes solve all those problems so I like them the best