Anyone else dislike pocket clips?

vinnier6 said:
We get it, you dislike the clip....move on, you responded 11 times so far on this thread
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A word to the wise. I said "move on" to someone in a thread a few years ago and received an infraction for making a personal comment. It didn't matter that the person I said it to ended up getting banned. I infracted the forum rules and was dinged accordingly. Don't be surprised if the same thing happens to you.

If you don't like what I have to say, I'd suggest you take it to a moderator or W&C. Thanks. :)
 
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Did not know this was an "archetypal" thread. How many people remove clips and what do they do with the empty holes?

Also WHAT THREAD ARE THOSE HOLES? The fasteners measure 2mm OD commonly.
 
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I also do not use them any longer.

I first went to Spyderco back in the day BECAUSE of the clip (and thumb-hole) but years later I've learned I personally can't do the clip thing. I'm a big guy and have had the knife jerked out of my pocket more time than I care to recall due to seat belts, lawn chairs, etc. I once had one pulled from my pocket in a large store because I turned a corner too closely around a metal shelf catching the edge of it and the knife came out and slid about 10 feet away, the pocket clip broken.

A couple years ago I tried to go BACK to using the clip. One night as I was getting behind the wheel of my wife's car, my knife clip caught against the leather steering wheel wrap and drug down it heavily as I sat down. The result was a long scarred area that feels like the stitches on a baseball. The second result was having my butt chewed out for this.

Also I agree with the OP that any decent-sized knife (if clipped) digs against my hand every time I reach in the pocket-so much I usually dedicated that pocket to knife only.

It's a simple matter for me NOT not carry clipped.
 
Decidedly anti-clip at this point in my life.
1) I hate having my knife get in the way of reaching into my pocket for change.
2) I've come to dislike displaying that I have a knife.
3) I almost lost my ZDP dragonfly in a subway station due to the knife getting caught.
 
davek14 said:
How many people remove clips and what do they do with the empty holes?
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I normally leave the holes as they are and store the clip screws in a small Ziploc bag along with the clip. That way, I don't lose them. I also put a tag in the bag identifying which folder the clip and screws belong to. That way, if I decide to sell a folder at some point, it's easy to locate and reinstall the clip.

As far as the number of people who remove clips is concerned, I suspect there's no real way of knowing. Running a poll here to find out . . . even a properly structured poll . . . wouldn't provide statistically-significant results. But if the demand for clips weren't there, manufacturers wouldn't install them. So I think it's safe to say that most people who buy knives with clips on them retain the clips and use them.
 
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bld522 said:
I normally leave the holes as they are and store the clip screws in a small Ziploc bag along with the clip. That way, I don't lose them. I also put a tag in the bag identifying which folder the clip and screws belong to. That way, if I decide to sell a folder at some point, it's easy to locate and reinstall the clip.
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Tag and bag is definitely the smart way to find small parts at a later date. I haven't had any close calls while using knife clips yet, but do think it can aid in losing ones blade.
 
jon1all said:
Yeah, put me in the pocket clip fan club. I pretty much won't carry a nice that doesn't have one unless it's small enough to fit in my coin/watch pocket. Like Hokie_Fan, I dislike having a knife at the bottom of my pocket. Plus a well-designed clip can give a knife extra ergonomic traction when opening and closing a knife. Yep, honestly, if not for the addition of the pocket clip to knives (thank you Sal Glesser) I probably wouldn't be a knife knut. Oh, I'd still carry a small traditional or something similar in my coin/watch pocket for functionality... but I wouldn't have gotten into knives like I did. Being able to clip them to your pocket and having them stay put is a huge draw toward my enjoyment of pocket knives. So yeah, I guess my mileage does vary. ;)
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I agree if knives didnt have clips I wouldn't of gotten into them either. I will say this though, I do find most clips do tend to give me a blister or hot spot during extend use. Spyderco k2 for example having a 1 year old who's birthday is 2 weeks from christmas insured my living room was covered in cardboard boxes, I removed the clip on the k2 and literally cut cardboars into small slices for kindling in my fire pit
 
In recent years I've taken to carrying quite a few knives that do not have clips and it has been great. Mostly because a lot of knives I like with clips are only for right handed persons, so they are clipped backwards in my pocket. Not a biggie or a deal breaker, but annoying. If I can get a fairly light knife, I take the clip off if I cannot switch it. Heavier knives I have to make do with the clip, which is okay.

Basically I guess both ways have advantages for me... however, if it's a larger knife, even a lighter one needs a clip for me. I tried to carry my new ZT 0560BW without the clip, but it's too big to really get it in and out of my pockets effectively, so I need the clip.

I sometimes disagree with reasons for not using one (i.e. I don't want to advertise I am armed, or other fairly humorous reasons) but I don't disagree with personal choices to use or not use clips, since I kinda have a foot in both camps.
 
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nick21 said:
This too. I love Spyderco's clips but hate some of Kershaw's clips. (looking at you, Junkyard Dog)
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It's brutally ugly and thus looks kinda dumb but I actually like the JYD pocket clip (and it's one of the right hand only knives I reference above, even!)

I don't know why I like it, it isn't really my style. But I do.
 
One reason I remove clips is that I never want a knife I'm carrying to show or "print" on my clothes. Why ask for trouble? It's better to be the gray guy that slips along in the background and no one notices.
 
Some pocket clips are interchangeable with other knife brands if you like it tight or not. Many of the 3-screw clip designs from one brand will work on another. My CRKT M16-12ER is orange with a satin blade, but the clip came black for some reason... didn't really match the knife. Long story short, it now has some satin clip from a Kershaw and looks wonderful. Kershaw's clips are generally looser, Benchmades are somewhere in the middle, and CRKTs are tight as can be. It's all a matter of preference, really.
 
Back in the day, I used pocket clips, but they tore up all my slacks. So, I adapted to not using a clip and putting lanyards on. I typically have my knife riding vertically next to my wallet, and that has been working fine for 13 years. I'd use a clip if my needs warranted a need for very fast access to a knife. Here is my first CRK...
 

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I prefer in-pocket carry. But I put my clips back on. Liked having the option to clip, in situations where I'd be using the knife a lot.
 
My Endura 4 rides clipless in my RRP. It's even more ergonomic without it. Great, lightweight and accessible, plus I don't notice it all day.
 
I just need to have pocket clips on all my knife. I cannot withstand the feel of the knife bouncing in my pocket. Having clips give me the peace in mind that i can stop the bouncing by simply clipping it to my pocket~

Having said that, i don't really clip my knife on my pocket. I have my custom edc pouch to clip it. Thus no movement in my pocket 😁
 
Just wondering for the people who use lanyards, are you ever concerned of knife theft? I mean, some of the people on this forum use 500 dollar knives as EDCs, and putting a lanyard on that and leaving it hanging is pretty much a pickpocket's dream.
 
I wouldnt buy a knife without a pocket clip now although years ago none of my knives had clips. Sal Glesser revolutionized the folding knife market. I agree that I don t want to carry a knife clipped to my pocket in most public places. At work it s ok. I carry my knife clipped IWB behind my belt usually. It s not noticeable and very handy. It s so comfortable that I forget it s there. I ve never had and issue with losing a clipped knife and have good access to my pocket items with IWB carry.
 
First off i havent read all the post.....But i use an like pocket clip knives and its a factor of how much i like the knife if the clip catches on things an chews up my poket or doesnt hold good enough for me then i will like that knife less then a knife with a clip that dosent catch an holds just rite for me. I have two knives ive been carrying lately the clips hold just rite for me but one catches on alot more things then the other dose so it gets less pocket time.
 
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