Backpocket knife whose clip won't destroy car seats & furniture?

Joss

Joss

Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
7,353
Surely I'm not the first one to face that problem. I'm looking for a pocket knife I could clip to my backpocket and not scratch furniture and car seats when I sit down. Presumably that would require a shorter clip and/or one with a rounded edge...?
 
How about not using a clip at all and put on a leather lanyard so just the knot hangs out of the pocket?

Easy retrieval, doesn't ding or scratch anything and it isn't hard on you when sitting on it, while minimizing the footprint of the knife especially when stood on end next to your wallet (even you won't notice it unless it is Rather heavy).
 
I carry all of my knives in my right rear pocket. My car has leather seats and I have a leather office chair, so I am always mindful of this aspect of knives I purchase. I find that the tip of the clip is the most important characteristic when it comes to avoiding damage. Clips that end running parallel to the scale will generally cause less damage to your surroundings. An example of this done correctly (at least in my collection) is the Protech BR-1 clip. I find knife clips that terminate headed away from the scale (such as the Benchmade clip on the 490 Amicus) cause the most damage.

I also almost exclusively carry knives with deep carry clips. The larger the portion of the knife that is exposed, the greater the chance it will come in contact with things I sit on or pass by. Deep carry clips protect my seats and my knives.

If you are looking at shorter clips, an example of a clip done very right is the one used on the ZT 0452CF. The larger head screws used to attach it are poor choice, preventing thicker pants from letting the knife carry as deeply as possible, but the size and end of the clip are right on.
 
NJBillK said:
How about not using a clip at all and put on a leather lanyard so just the knot hangs out of the pocket?

Easy retrieval, doesn't ding or scratch anything and it isn't hard on you when sitting on it, while minimizing the footprint of the knife especially when stood on end next to your wallet (even you won't notice it unless it is Rather heavy).
Click to expand...

Yup, great idea. I carried back pocket for a long time because I tried to make my EDC knife fit in with other carry items, instead of putting the knife where it needs to be for safety and effectiveness and placing the rest of the gear around it. There really are no good options for back pocket carry with a clip. Eventually you'll scratch something that really matters and there's no coming back from that (girlfriend's leather sofa...). Even if you avoid damaging something around you, it's also very hard on the clip. Every encounter that doesn't cause damage to your environment will also stress the clip, reducing the grip it provides. This is particularly true with Ti clips vs. stamped steel clips.

Clip-less with a lanyard is the best option for back pocket carry.

Further, if you carry tip up with the blade spine facing into your pocket, it's only a matter of time until you get bit. I have a nice scar thanks to a ZT0561 with a weakish detent.
 
I find that the back pockets on all my jeans go far enough to the sides that I don't actually sit on my knives, so the shape of the clip is a non issue in terms of scratching seats.
 
Hackenslash said:
Yup, great idea. I carried back pocket for a long time because I tried to make my EDC knife fit in with other carry items, instead of putting the knife where it needs to be for safety and effectiveness and placing the rest of the gear around it. There really are no good options for back pocket carry with a clip. Eventually you'll scratch something that really matters and there's no coming back from that (girlfriend's leather sofa...). Even if you avoid damaging something around you, it's also very hard on the clip. Every encounter that doesn't cause damage to your environment will also stress the clip, reducing the grip it provides. This is particularly true with Ti clips vs. stamped steel clips.

Clip-less with a lanyard is the best option for back pocket carry.

Further, if you carry tip up with the blade spine facing into your pocket, it's only a matter of time until you get bit. I have a nice scar thanks to a ZT0561 with a weakish detent.
Click to expand...


My one foray into back pocket carry ended with a big tear in my tractor seat and a badly bent clip on my mille. So now I just go with a slip in the rear pocket or a small knife just loose
 
I've been back pocket carrying for at least 8 years now. I've had no real problems. I did scratch a hardwood stool at work once, but in somewhat strange circumstances. From what I hear, front pocket carry is also susceptible to scratching things (usually I hear about scratches on the side of a car, or chunks being taken out of the steering wheel of their car). So I don't really feel that back pocket carry is really more or less likely to mess things up with the clip.

I do think that the size and sharpness of the edges makes a huge difference. If you're having problems, try sanding down the edges of you're pocket clip. Additionally, while most of the time rear pocket carry doesn't bother me at all, I do sometimes take me knife out while I'm laying on the carpet watching a movie, driving long distances, etc. Maybe thats cheating? Not really sure, but it works for me.

Tip down is much safer for right rear pocket carry, as the spine will be against the edge of the pocket. I guess you could to tip up, and against the inside seam of the rear pocket, but that seems very uncomfortable.

I find that in the clothes I wear, the knife is far enough to the side that I don't sit on it. This may be why I don't like pocket knives with wide profiles. I'm more likely to sit on them. Also, I don't carry my wallet in my same pocket, for whatever that's worth.
 
Last edited:
Spyderco wire clip is what I'd recommend from the knives I own. Their hourglass clip is OK but I've noticed it can scratch things more easily.
 
The outside edge thing works for me too. Without a clip it would sink down sideways and be uncomfortable.
 
I personally prefer back pocket carry. It is just more comfortable and convenient for me most of the time. But I have yet to find a way to do it that doesn't damage things and cause clip related problems. The lanyard idea is not a bad one. The only drawback for me is that I don't like lanyards.
 
I wear carpenter style jeans 99.9% of the time. I use a sewing machine (deal with it) to run a vertical seam 1/2 up my right rear pocket. Knife goes in the outer section. Bandana (not a cell phone - it's an old picture) goes next to it in the other sub-pocket.

I carry beautiful traditional single blade folders, not they-all-look-alike modern folders. :D No clips. No damage to car seats. No hairy-eye balls from local cops in town (Boston has a 3" blade restriction and visible clips are like a "kick me" sign on your back).


Untitled by Pinnah, on Flickr
 
not all Ti clips are created equal. The one on my Spyderco Tasman for example is very resistant to change, don’t think I haven’t tried.



no change



I vote for the wire clip as least damaging. It is a pretty versatile clip too (works on thick or thin pants)


My problem is the reverse, lately anyway, every time I brush something with the clip on my Gayle Bradley I freak out and look to see if I scratched the clip. Ha, ha, ha . . . it is a pretty nice clip . . . I like it and would be bummed if I messed it up .
 
Joss said:
Surely I'm not the first one to face that problem. I'm looking for a pocket knife I could clip to my backpocket and not scratch furniture and car seats when I sit down. Presumably that would require a shorter clip and/or one with a rounded edge...?
Click to expand...

I carry in my back pocket as well. I'm not fond of milled clips for this reason. They tend to have sharp edges and tear up leather seats.

I've never had any issue with any of Spyderco's clips, Benchmade's deep carry clip or really anything from KAI. In general, most production knives have fairly smooth clips.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top