Readyrod
Member
Whats your favorite position for the pocket clip on your folder? And why? I was thinking blade up but since you can choose blade down I'm wondering if I'm missing something.
Pocket clip position question.
- Thread starter Readyrod
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bikerdoc
Moderator In Memoriam
Form me, Tip up as I find it easier to deploy.YMMV
Sam1911
Moderator Emeritus
There have been instances where a blade spring loses tension and/or the blade gets snagged so that it is partially open and then you jam your hand into the pocket and... ouch.
(I have a knife in my possession that did that to its former owner.)
All of mine are carried tip down, mostly because that's what I'm used to.
(I have a knife in my possession that did that to its former owner.)
All of mine are carried tip down, mostly because that's what I'm used to.
Tip up, but that's the way the Sebenza comes.
Readyrod
Member
Sebenza? What's a Sebenza? Is that like a vorpal sword? Cause I WANT one of those.
Seriously tho, if it's tip down then you need to flip it before you flick it don't you? Is that better than the other option?
Oh yea, definitely ouch. I hear you.
So is it tip up?
Readyrod
Member
Ok I got it.
Blackhawk30
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I carry mine tip up in my right hip pocket.Its an easy quick draw.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
It depends on the knife design.
I have a Benchmade AFCK thay works best tip-down because of the tapered handle shape. It would stick out of your pocket too far if the clip were on the pointy end of the handle.
Another Benchmade Axis-Lock that works best Tip-up.
Three old Spyderco Clip-Its Tip-down, because that is the only option they gave you.
My latest, a Kershaw Leek, gives you both options, and tip-up would come out of the pocket ready to open faster.
However again, the rear of the handle tapers enough the clip must set another 1/4" further down the handle to fit.
So it sticks out of the pocket too far tip-up, and would be easily lost.
rc
I have a Benchmade AFCK thay works best tip-down because of the tapered handle shape. It would stick out of your pocket too far if the clip were on the pointy end of the handle.
Another Benchmade Axis-Lock that works best Tip-up.
Three old Spyderco Clip-Its Tip-down, because that is the only option they gave you.
My latest, a Kershaw Leek, gives you both options, and tip-up would come out of the pocket ready to open faster.
However again, the rear of the handle tapers enough the clip must set another 1/4" further down the handle to fit.
So it sticks out of the pocket too far tip-up, and would be easily lost.
rc
Wolfebyte
Member
all my CRKT models were point down.. took me forever to get used to the Benchmade Barrage, kept trying to flip it over to open it.
I prefer point down...
I prefer point down...
mdauben
Member
I could care less. I own pocket knives with clips both ways and I never really notice any difference.
Big_John1961
Member
Since I've started to get into Benchmade's, I've taken to tip up carry. Like someone else said, you can bring the knife into play quicker.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Not if it's a fairly big tip-down opener design.
If it's a 4" Carson Flipper like a CRKT M16, or some of the assisted openers, tip-up would be upside down for fast opening.
And you will have to do a double or triple shuffle out of the pocket to get your hand far enough down on the handle to open it.
rc
If it's a 4" Carson Flipper like a CRKT M16, or some of the assisted openers, tip-up would be upside down for fast opening.
And you will have to do a double or triple shuffle out of the pocket to get your hand far enough down on the handle to open it.
rc
I've taken to carrying tip up, since I learned to open my knives by flicking my wrist, rather than using the stud/hole/flipper/lever.
If I draw by sliding a thumb down the scales, it brings the body/clip naturally into my fingers to begin the opening motion as soon as I clear the top of the pocket.
If I draw by sliding a thumb down the scales, it brings the body/clip naturally into my fingers to begin the opening motion as soon as I clear the top of the pocket.
Readyrod
Member
I'll try the tip down just to see but I think I prefer the tip up. Thanks for the input folks.
One of benefits of tip down is that the blade is supposed to be less likely to injure you by coming open in your pocket. Carrying the knife clipped to the trailing edge of your pocket keeps the spine of the knife against the trailing edge of the pocket to further help keep the blade closed so unless you were carrying the knife clipped forward you don't have much of a chance to slide your hand into your pocket and onto the point of an opened knife.
Blackhawk30
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Only knives I have ever opened up in my pocket were CKRT knives.I don't carry them any more.
Deltaboy1984
Member
Tip down so far.
Anyone interested in exploring the topic from a defensive standpoint should check out this article by the venerable Chris Fry:
http://www.mdtstraining.com/A Students Guide to Tactical Folding Knife Selection.pdf
He has a good perspective that may ring familiar to many people here but still, a good topic to review if one intends to carry a folder defensively.
I think the single most valuable part is the S.T.A.B. acronym (slap, tuck, access, brace) for accessing the folder. I personally find that with my current Native 5 carry, this works best if I carry the knife tip down (despite his recommendation to carry tip up).
http://www.mdtstraining.com/A Students Guide to Tactical Folding Knife Selection.pdf
He has a good perspective that may ring familiar to many people here but still, a good topic to review if one intends to carry a folder defensively.
I think the single most valuable part is the S.T.A.B. acronym (slap, tuck, access, brace) for accessing the folder. I personally find that with my current Native 5 carry, this works best if I carry the knife tip down (despite his recommendation to carry tip up).
Interesting article.
I'm surprised you have chosen, after reading it, to still carry with the tip down. I have knives which are set up both ways and when compared on a timer, the extra step takes a lot of extra time...to say nothing of the fumbling involved in turning it 180 degrees
I'm surprised you have chosen, after reading it, to still carry with the tip down. I have knives which are set up both ways and when compared on a timer, the extra step takes a lot of extra time...to say nothing of the fumbling involved in turning it 180 degrees
Tip up:
1. Tip up puts the hinge down which makes it less likely that crud will fall into the hinge and cause problems.
2. The tip end of the knife is usually smaller than the hinge end which means that what sticks up out of the pocket is smaller and less noticeable.
3. I find tip up slightly faster to access/open.
1. Tip up puts the hinge down which makes it less likely that crud will fall into the hinge and cause problems.
2. The tip end of the knife is usually smaller than the hinge end which means that what sticks up out of the pocket is smaller and less noticeable.
3. I find tip up slightly faster to access/open.
JTW Jr.
Member
With tip up , I cant see that happening, and in over 25 years of carrying a folder that way have never had a tip up folder open in my pocket. Carrying it at the rear of the pocket , the spine of the blade is always against the seam of the pocket.
Of course you could just carry a fixed blade and negate the whole tip up/ down thing
Quickdraw Limpsalot
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Not true at all for me. I've carried an M21-04G for going on three years (as well as other versions of the M21s and M16s) and have to switch them all to "tip up" orientation with the blade spine against the rear corner of my right pocket. Some of my coworkers like to have impromptu "quick knife draw" showdowns when we meet in the hallways (obviously just for fun.) I don't often lose.
Readyrod
Member
Wow I like where you work. I can't imagine the stuff I'd catch if I did that at work. I gave a secretary a panic attack once when I pulled out my mini keychain sak to open a package.
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