What Makes Tip Down Carry Bad

[AZAndy]

What a coincidence! I was just thinking about this issue the other day. I have a Gerber side-open switchblade where the clip forces it to be carried tip-down, and I thus have to turn the knife around end-over-end to get to the operating button when I pull it out to use. It strikes me as stupid, and there's no option to put the clip on the other end. It bugs me enough that I usually just carry an out-the-front that doesn't have that problem, even though it's harder for me to operate because of some hand strength problems.



(Edited to add photos for clarity)

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I have a Hougue knife that came tip down oriented. It never felt correct in the hand, until I switched the clip around. It also felt like a more natural draw and deployment.

It's just a preference thing IMO.

 

[dogtown tom]

... one of the most serious cuts I've suffered was from an extraordinarily sharp automatic, carried tip up, that opened without my knowing. I didn't know I'd been cut until the blade snagged on bone.

A very good friend of mine is Secret Service. He bought a rather expensive automatic knife made by a well known company. First time he carried it was on an airplane. He sat down, it opened, poking a nice clean hole in his pants. He didn't get cut, but said that was the last time he carried that knife and traded it away before the return trip.

 

[hso]

Clear enough?

 

[Zaydok Allen]

A very good friend of mine is Secret Service. He bought a rather expensive automatic knife made by a well known company. First time he carried it was on an airplane. He sat down, it opened, poking a nice clean hole in his pants. He didn't get cut, but said that was the last time he carried that knife and traded it away before the return trip.

LOL!

 

[Bazoo]

A very good friend of mine is Secret Service. He bought a rather expensive automatic knife made by a well known company. First time he carried it was on an airplane. He sat down, it opened, poking a nice clean hole in his pants. He didn't get cut, but said that was the last time he carried that knife and traded it away before the return trip.

Do ya know what model of knife?

 

[dogtown tom]

Do ya know what model of knife?

It was a Microtech I believe.

 

[Bazoo]

It was a Microtech I believe.

Thanks for letting me and all know.

 

[SteadyD]

Tip down, back right pocket, all the the way to the right of the pocket works well for me.

 

[BigBlue 94]

I carry a Case Sod Buster Jr every day. Have been, for going on 15 years now. It gets used multiple times a day at work. It goes in my right front pocket, any which way. It just floats around in there; whether in athletic shorts or properly fitting jeans. There is zero chance of it coming open due to the strong spring lock and a shrouded tip when folded.

 

[joneb]

I prefer tip down for most of my folders, I have easier deployment when I can pinch the blade pivot with my thumb and index finger.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

I think this is kind of like people arguing whether electrical receptacles should be installed with the ground plug up or down. Lots of views as to why for either way when people debate, but my view is "pick one that works for you, then make sure ALL your receptacles are installed the same way".

I'm a person who thinks tip up or tip down should serve a personally practical purpose. When I reach for my knife, for example, I want it to come out in my hand oriented ready for use.

That might vary from knife to knife for the same person, too. Perhaps even from pants to pants.

The little folding ceramic knife I typically carry in my pocket nestles horizontally in the bottom of my pocket. It rarely flips end-for-end, though it might flip over. It's carried such that when I reach for it, it comes out in my hand tip in palm and hinge at my thumb so I can easily thumb the blade open.

When I carry my three bladed Old Timer, it's pocketed such the when I grab it, the longest blade is tip in palm because that's the blade I'm most likely to use... and I automatically know the positions of the other two blades if I need them.

Tip up or tip down just needs to make sense to YOU because you're the one carrying and using your knife.

 

[joneb]

I found this of interest,

 

[GoWolfpack]

I carry a Case Sod Buster Jr every day. Have been, for going on 15 years now. It gets used multiple times a day at work. It goes in my right front pocket, any which way. It just floats around in there; whether in athletic shorts or properly fitting jeans. There is zero chance of it coming open due to the strong spring lock and a shrouded tip when folded.

My experience is that anything not clipped in place is subject to floating around randomly.
Perhaps other responders have very small pockets?