Brad Southard is an amazingly talented custom knifemaker who specializes in high-performance folder designs. His first collaboration with Spyderco features a “flipper”—a novel blade-opening device that was pioneered by custom knifemaker Kit Carson. A Carson Flipper consists of a small lever that extends from the base of the Southard’s CTS 204P hollow-ground blade and protrudes from the back of the knife’s handle when closed. Pulling on it with your index finger creates a tension against the detent mechanism that holds the blade closed. When the detent is overcome, the blade rotates on a special captive ball-bearing pivot system and snaps authoritatively into the open position.

The Southard’s handle combines a textured Earth-brown G-10 scale and thick titanium liner on one side with a solid titanium scale on the other. The titanium scale forms the foundation of the knife’s sturdy Reeve Integral Lock (R.I.L.) mechanism and features a small inlaid G-10 panel that acts as an overtravel stop when releasing the lock mechanism. It is also home to the knife’s matching stainless steel clip, which supports right-side tip-up carry.

Offering an amazing synthesis of ergonomics, functionality, and state-of-the-art materials, the Southard is one of the most advanced Spyderco folders ever produced.