L45 Flipper with Zirconium and FatCarbon - Stainless Yu-Shoku (Ceramic IKBS)

Product Description for L45 Flipper with Zirconium and FatCarbon - Stainless Yu-Shoku (Ceramic IKBS)

Maker: André E. Thorburn (click to see more by this maker)
Item num: 107098
*** This is handmade and one-of-a-kind ***
Blade length: 3.30 in.
Cutting edge length: 3.20 in.
Total length: 7.40 in.
Blade height (at heel): 0.92 in.
Blade thickness (near bolster): 0.11 in.
Blade thickness (at midpoint): 0.10 in.
Blade thickness (near tip): 0.04 in.
Item weight: 3.20 oz.
Shipment weight: 5.2 oz.
Blade: Stainless Yu-Shoku combining mokume cladding with a premium VG-10W stainless steel core
Bolster: Heat colored zirconium with heat colored zirconium external pivot and collar
Handle: Gold Camo FatCarbon set on anodized titanium liners
Sheath: Zipper pouch
Style: Linerlock front flipper with ceramic IKBS bearing pivot
Description: South African knifemaker André Thorburn creates an exceptional folder. The blade is perfectly centered with silky-smooth, drop shut action. The flipper opening is tremendously easy to use for quick deployment. When combined with the IKBS ball bearing system, the action is exceptional! The Ikoma Korth Bearing System (IKBS) was originally designed to fit balisong knives and uses ball bearings to create exceptional action with no blade play. This special folder is made with ceramic ball bearings. Generally IKBS bearings are made either from tool steel or from stainless steel. Stainless steel can wear away, resulting in uneven action over time. Tool steel bearings can oxidize making the action rough. Ceramic bearings are the best of all worlds -- extremely hard and wear resistant, they are also inert and will not oxidize. Thorburn is a master of the IKBS pivot and the action on this flipper is as smooth as it gets!
The drop point blade is Stainless Yu-Shoku san mai made by Takefu Special Steel in Japan. This san mai features undulating, brightly colored brass, copper and stainless steel sides surrounding a VG-10W core. VG-10W achieves excellent wear resistance and chip resistance at 60-61 Hrc. The effect created by the mokume gane sides is extremely captivating!
Gold camo FatCarbon scales complement the blade and meet perfectly to heat colored zirconium bolsters. The external pivot and collars are also heat colored zirconium. The titanium liners are fileworked and anodized bronze on the flats and purple in the bevels. They surround a carbon fiber backspacer. The 3D machined TiAlN titanium pocket clip with ceramic retention ball is mounted for right-side, tip-up carry.
Excellent work throughout!
BladeGallery.com is proud to be the exclusive distributor and recommended repair shop in the United States for André Thorburn's knives!


Availability: Not currently available