Deployment: Faster from in-pocket carry than from clipped

Smaug

Smaug

Joined
Jun 30, 2003
Messages
1,797
I just realized the other day that I can get a knife out and deployed faster from the bottom of my pocket than from a typical pocket-clipped position.

When it's clipped on the pocket, I have to pull it off, then re-position it in my hand, then flip it open.

When it's IN the pocket, I can position my hand on it while it's still in the pocket, so that when I pull it out, I'm flipping it open as soon as it clears my pocket. (no need to re-position my grip)

After making this discovery, I'm thinking that it's better to carry a smaller (3 to 3-1/4" blade) 1-handed knife than a larger one.

There may be other factors, for example if you carry a lot of crap in your pocket with the knife, but other than an Emerson opener, this seems to be fastest. Even an auto is not really any faster to deploy.

Give it a fair comparison and let me know what you think.
 
I just carry mine in my hand. Doesn't get any faster.

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91bravo said:
Why do you need to pull the knife out of your pocket so fast?
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Normally, I don't. A slipjoint pocket knife would be fine. But getting a knife out and deployed quickly is always fun and sometimes necessary.


l1ranger said:
i dont know about your situation, but it takes me longer to get my hand to the bottom of my pocket, than it does to pull the clipped knife and open it.
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You must have very deep pockets indeed!

[|1ranger" said:
you may need to run several time trials on this and present the results
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"Need to"? I don't think so, but it may be fun! I'll think about it.
 
Quiet said:
Tip-up knives are a thing, you know. o_O
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Clearly you missed the point...

When it's clipped on his pocket, he has to pull it off, then re-position it in his hand, and then flip it open.

When it's IN his pocket, he can position his hand on it while it's still in his pocket, so that when he pulls it out, he’s flipping it open as soon as it clears his pocket. (no need to re-position his grip).

See???
 
No I don't see any advantage.
I also don't understand why you are repositioning the knife to open it ?

So if you want to quickly open the knife...
You first need to have your hand in the bottom of your pocket with the knife in the proper position.
Then Surprise a knife is out !!!
 
I'm not so sure I agree. You still have to orient the knife and find the opening controls. A knife that is in the same position at all times will always be faster to access than one that rattles around loose. If you want the fastest deployment, fixed blade is king. I can say I've never once had to quickdraw my knife that I wasn't just horsing around.

When I carried my Skyline I preferred tip down because of the large flipper tab and the pocket clip position. Even tip down I never had an issue getting the knife out, turned, and opened very quickly. It's a practice and familiarity thing. If a pocket carry works for you that's great, we all have our own way of doing things and the world is richer for it.
 
I don’t know how you’re drawing it when it’s clipped but I draw mine tip up with my thumb in along side the knife with my index and middle fingers outside pushing up and sliding exactly in place to flip it open. I don’t pull it out from the end, it’s almost like grasping the knife through my jeans only slightly and then sliding it out into my grasp that’s already established. I can be like I have my thumb in my pocket resting and in a flash it’s flipped out. You might have to practice.
 
Lesknife said:
I don’t know how you’re drawing it when it’s clipped but I draw mine tip up with my thumb in along side the knife with my index and middle fingers outside pushing up and sliding exactly in place to flip it open. I don’t pull it out from the end, it’s almost like grasping the knife through my jeans only slightly and then sliding it out into my grasp that’s already established. I can be like I have my thumb in my pocket resting and in a flash it’s flipped out. You might have to practice.
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Right. Thumb inside pocket, on side of knife; middle finger hooks clip and lifts knife out of pocket. Knife ends up right where it's supposed to be.
 
no matter how slow the draw is with it clipped to my pocket, I much prefer it to having a knife lay sideways an poke more tender bits when I sit down.

For me, the absolute fastest that I can decided to use or not is the Spydie Drop. I don't carry a Spyderco often at all, but dropping it open is super quick but not "automatic" like a waved feature. I like that I can control if I do it or not. My waved ZT630 snaps open with an obnoxious thwack even when I just want to draw the knife and thumb it open quietly. That wave feature is very easy to use.

I dont carry a pocket knife to get to it fast. i carry it have it be convenient. It's better for me if it stays clipped to my pocket and out of the way so I can get to it easier.
 
Regardless of where the knife resides. Unless it's an OTF, you have to reposition your hand so you can deploy the blade anyway.
Also I can't see how it is faster to put your hand in a pocket, find the knife, make sure it's oriented properly, and pull it out. Also factor in if you are sitting down it's a hell of a lot harder to go digging in your pocket for anything. Never mind a small knife sitting laterally at the bottom of your pocket pinned between your thigh and a taut piece of material (in my case, usually jeans). I know I have to shift my whole body when reaching into my pocket while I'm sitting down.
 
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