One feature that makes our folding knives superior to many other known brands is the ceramic ball-bearing pivot mechanism.  It is common for flip-assisted folders to have simply Teflon or phosphor bronze washers acting as bearings between frame and blade.  These will wear out, and don't give the knife the glass-smooth opening action that ball bearings do.  Note the picture at the right, showing a sealed brass bearing race on each side of the blade containing ceramic ball bearings.  There is also no spring needed to initiate opening, because a simple flick of the finger (or thumb stud) provides the inertia to snap the blade open.