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Gareth Bull to Deploy His Smallest Front Flipper Ever

September 1, 2017

South African knife maker Gareth Bull continues to expand his menu of diminutive knives, following up the Offshoot fixed blade with the Jellybean. The new model will be the smallest, least expensive folding knife he’s ever made and may take the crown for the tiniest front flipper ever.

The Jellybean comes in two configurations, the first with a 2.2-inch blade and a pocket clip, and a clipless version with a 1.65-inch blade. Both are dwarfed by the 2.75-inch bladed Small Shamwari, the previous titleholder for the smallest Bull folding knife. The Jellybeans use a front flipper and pivot on bearings. Both have blades made from M390 steel and titanium liner locks.

Bull plans to bring out the Jellybean in three flavors. Two varieties of Kirinite, ‘Very Cherry’ red and ‘Blueberry’ blue, were utilized on the prototypes and will reappear in future runs. But a ‘licorice’ carbon fiber model is also on its way for the ultimate lightweight companion. Bull currently sets the first batch of these candy-themed flippers for a timely release around Halloween.

You might suppose a custom maker of Bull’s stature would carry only high-end knives and have a massive collection of blades. But in reality, he owns just three knives: a Swiss Army knife, a CRK Umnumzaan, and a Spyderco Dragonfly. “The Dragonfly sees the most pocket time,” Bull explains. “I find [it] covers most of the jobs I need an edge for.”

Guided by his own minimalist EDC, Bull pushed the idea of a small but useful knife as far as he could with the Jellybean. Tiny bearings, screws, liners – even making the locking leaf required a unique small cutting wheel. As it turns out, the project was limited by Bull’s imagination and more by available knife making parts. “The final size was dictated by the hardware. It’s literally the smallest I could make the design,” he explains.

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Does a smaller knife mean a smaller price tag? “It’s actually something I’ve mulled over for a long time,” Bull says. Although the work involved in a Jellybean amounts to the same as for a larger knife, he tells us he can’t justify placing a full-size price tag on this tiny flipper. “The Jellybean will ultimately carry a price of $375,” he says. It doesn’t hit the wallet-friendly price of the Offshoot, but it will be the cheapest way to get your hands on a Bull front flipper.

Bull will be testing the waters with the first batch in October. Sales will be conducted through Instagram, and if the Jellybean performs well, Bull says more will follow.

Knife featured in image: Gareth Bull Jellybean

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