Pros: Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Handle Feel, Weight, Blade Sharpness, Lock Ease of Use, None
Cons: Weight
Excellent Quality; Be Careful
So, I'm relatively new to balis, but definitely not to knives. I've carried for decades and don't go anywhere without a good blade (except a gov't building or place where they're prohibited, of course). I didn't buy this specifically for flipping and I have no aspirations of being anything more than a fidget/hobby flipper. I wanted this as a fun/high quality edc addition to my regular carry complement. This is a high quality knife right out of the box. Fit and finish are top notch and the action is very smooth. The whole thing is very sturdy. The D2 tool steel is solid and made to last with some minor maintenance. For edc, I love the weight. It's a bit lighter feeling than my normal edc SOG Trident Tanto and I can barely feel it in my pocket if I'm around the house and wearing light shorts. The deep carry pocket clip is a huge plus for me and the easily operated lock lets me deploy it easily and put it away just as fast. The blade is literally razor sharp out of the box. I can shave hair off my arm with it, which admittedly is a little overkill for an edc (for me), but is definitely a "nice to have". As a tool, it's definitely useful, and a bit of a fun thing when you nonchalantly whip it out, cut whatever you need to cut, then flip it right back into your pocket and get the wide-eyed looks from people who had no idea you even had a knife on you, let alone that you can manipulate it well. (It probably makes me look like a criminal to some people, but that's not always a bad thing when you want to be left alone. My SOG's assisted opening mech has a similar effect when people think it's a switchblade.) On to the Bali part. As I said, I'm relatively new to the Bali world and have no major ambitions. I'm kinda fidgety (ADD) and having something with me to get that out of my system is helpful. I've been learning on a knockoff Alphabeast trainer, and the weight difference is astonishing. This will definitely take a while to get used to since the handles are so much lighter. The weight that I love as an edc makes it a little harder to flip since it doesn't work up the momentum as easily. I'll adjust eventually to all the extra motion I have to use, but it's definitely a consideration when I learn something new on the trainer and want to move to the live blade. As I said earlier, the blade is shaving sharp right out of the box, which is a double edged sword (pun intended). As an edc I can cut anything I need to, but when flipping it is super easy to slip up and need a band-aid. I bit the cuticle on my index finger in the first few minutes on a wrist pass using the bite handle to deploy the cutting edge out, something I've done dozens of times with my trainer with no issue (it's called a bite handle for a reason, right?). Being so sharp means that the cut was very clean and sealed up tight after a couple of minutes with direct pressure. The crowned rear edge and low weight also prevent bruising when I inevitably hit my knuckles harder than planned, which is not a thing with my trainer (it bruises every time). The learning curve is high, but that's expected with live blade work, especially when you're used to much heavier equipment. All in all, I'm very satisfied with the 51 Morpho. It's different from what I'm used to for edc, but that's not a bad thing. It's a much more precise tool than my regular tanto, I swear I could do minor surgery with this thing. It also forces you to be a more conscientious flipper since the super sharp blade can give you a clean, but very bloody cut with just a light tap. I'm sure I'll modify it in the future because that's just how I am, but for now, it's exactly what I was looking for.