Front flippers are hilariously polarizing in the IKC. In fact, a lot of things are hilariously polarizing in the IRC. People have strong opinions about a lot of stuff that, in the final analysis, doesn’t really matter. Some people are loyal to brands (which strikes me as silly), some people are loyal to steel (Heaven’s offended by those who dare like mere S35VN), and some people REALLY like traditional flipper tabs. So the pushback on front flippers, like most tempests in a teapot, is kinda dumb.

The first really prominent front flipper was the Gareth Bull Shamwari. That knife itself has been a polarizing topic in the knife community for some time, but I think part of the reason people dislike front flippers is a spill over in hostility towards the Shamwari. But since then a number of really sterling front flipper designs has hit the market. The Kizer Feist was good (and has gotten better since its release), the Pena X Series of modern traditionals have been outstanding, and it appears that the Reate Tribute (damn it, do I wade back into the muddy and turbulent waters of in-house Reate designs yet again?) is pretty decent.

The Exarch—a front flipper from Civivi—however, does not belong in that group of knives. Not only is it significantly cheaper with materials that match its price, it is also not a particularly good front flipper. This knife, unfortunately, bears all of the critical problems folks have with front flippers. The rest of the knife, from the blade finish to the clip, is outstanding, but this is not a fun knife to fidget with nor an easy to deploy knife. Such is like when you design and release 35 knives a year—some are good, some are meh. The Exarch is meh.

Here is the product page. The Exarch costs $48.95. There are four versions—a black, blue, and gray G10 version, and an upscale version with CF handles and Damascus steel. Here is a video review. There are no written reviews.

Finally, here is my review sample (provided by Civivi and to be given away):

Design: 1

If the Burnley Kwaiken design has taught us anything, it is that slim knives have a place. It has also taught us that endless variations on a simple form are possible. I have an unshakeable feeling that the Exarch was trying to be a kwaiken-style folder with a front flipper. That’s not a bad thing. If I were the boss at WE/Civivi and that was someone’s elevator pitch for a new knife, I would have green lit the project faster than Netflix says yes to new shows.

The problem here is that the design of a front flipper, not the knife per se, but the actual tab itself, is very challenging. Here the design is a swing and miss. The tab is too small and too pointy resulting in not enough leverage to easily snap open the blade and enough grit and sharp edges to wreck your thumb. And that is a problem—a flipper that doesn’t flip is not an appealling knife.

The performance ratios average out to good. The B:W is 1.23 (very good). The B:H is .49, which is not good, but the extra handle length is made up of a standoff/lanyard.

Fit and Finish: 2

This is a WE-made knife. Its impeccably made. Every detail is wonderful from the herring bone texture on the chamfers to the blade centering. I am quite smitten with the blade finish. D2 is not an easy steel to make look nice. Lots of folks just grind it coarsely and leave it. But here there is a really nice buff to the satin finish and the result is a beautiful blade.

Grip: 2

With its thin, stick-like profile, the knife is just great in the hand. No weird curves or cuts, just lots and lots of good, grippy G10 and many ways to the hold the knife. You will like this knife in hand, even if it isn’t a hunk of meat, like some other blades.

Carry: 2

Slim and light with a very good clip, the Exarch disappears in the pocket. As the weather gets warmer carry gets more important and this will be snazzy in a pair of summer shorts, no boat anchors at all.

Steel: 1

D2 is probably the very definition of base level steel. Its good, but not great. Its hard, but not insane. Its mildly rust resistant, but nothing special. Its decently tough. For a budget steel, this is a good option, but its not going to set your hair on fire.

Blade Shape: 2

Slim knives are having something of a rebirth and that is a good thing because they are just excellent cutters. Since the Kwaiken we have seen a bunch of these slim blades and with a good belly at the end for rocking cuts, they all tend to work. Drop points are, of course, decent too.

Grind: 2

Fit and finish and grind are paired together and here they follow in lock step towards exceedingly high quality. I love me some grinds on WE Knives. Maybe they could go to Reate and show them how to do this. Handles are nice, but we buy knives for grinds.

Deployment Method: 0

If this review were a video it would be a dashcam video from the mid-00s of a Russian oligarch showing off his new hypercar only to proceed, rear bumper first into a guardrail that propels his car into the air, resulting in a pile of carbon fiber and aluminum that used to be a million dollar car. Deployment is the Exarch’s guardrail. Honestly, even with a good bit of practice it is just too much to bother with to make the knife worthwhile. WE needs to redo the detent and the tab geometry. There is enough good stuff here to warrant iteration, but that is not in Civivi or WE’s business model. Its flavor of the week and then on to something else. It is a shame because a good flipping Exarch would be a real contender for best budget knife.

Retention Method: 2

Stamped clips work and good ones are a blessing. This is a really good design—simple, easy to use, and hides nicely in the hand. It is a mystery why clips having been standardized yet. If they were, this would be a good budget clip.

Lock: 2

Fit and finish is very closely tied to lock up and here, the lock is wonderful. It is easy to engage and disengage. It is also very stable and there is no blade play

Other Considerations

Fidget Factor: Very Low

With finnicky flipping action, there is not much to do here except grind your fingers raw.

Fett Effect: Low

G10 and satin D2 aren’t the most patina-friendly materials. Don’t expect much change unless, you know, you give the blade a mustard bath.

Value: Moderate

For around $50, this is a decent value, but not the best in the world. Or, maybe, I am an old fart that remembers the day of $50 Delicas too fondly.

Overall Score: 16 of 20

This knife scores well, but the flipping action really makes the score unrepresentative. I just don’t like the Exarch. I wish I could because the slim design, great performance ratios, and impeccable finish make it too nice to say the knife is bad. Its not. It needs a tweak, but alas, tweaks never come to Civivi knives. This is a knife that shows how good WE is at producing knives and demonstrates that WE’s weakness comes in two forms—design and iteration.

Competition

The Chronic is the exact same knife with a traditional flipper and is probably just a superior knife. If it is the same knife with better action, it is an easy 18/20. It also has a steel I like better in 9Cr. The Boker Kwaiken is obviously a very similar knife and I like the Exarch better, but for the flipping action. Compared to another slim, WE made knife—the Mini Smoke, this front flipper is worse in every way, but the Mini Smoke is five times the price. The CRJB Ria is another budget knife with better steel and a similar slim profile and price. That knife is also probably just directly comparable but better.

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