Discussion on tip up or tip down carry?

Hugh,

I have just ordered a MAXX 5.5. Can you give me your detailed impressions of this knife, having (I assume) used and carried it for a while?
 
The knives I own that are tip down do not get carried as often, or if I do decide to carry a tip down, I will carry those for some time so as to build that body response....:p
 
Just easier to deploy for me. I don't fine tip down that hard to deploy as my first EDC knife was tip down, but tip up is really more convenient.
-Kevin
 
I think that Morgoth412 said it all. Well put.

In a nutshell, that's exactly how I feel.

-John
 
OK, against my better judgement, I'll wade into yet another of these tip up vs. tip down threads. I strongly prefer tip down. I've been nicked and cut by enough tip up knives to know that the probability of needing that extra millisecond of deployment speed isn't worth it to me for the rather high probability of repeatedly cutting myself (OK, maybe I am just a klutz, but the point stands, for me :p). The only exception to this is my Delica, which is so solidly snapped shut that I never have had a problem with it opening (fingers crossed).

BTW, for all those who care, the presence of an Axis lock does not insure that it will not open in your pocket. I have the scars to prove it!

- Mark
 
Tip down for me. The first 3 1-hand folders I owned where tip down so drawing them like this is now second nature.

If you have a cute knife in your pocket that needs to be played with when you are on the phone, watching telly, thinking, talking to someone you don't like, lying in bed in the dark etc - you will develop the muscle memory to do it quickly and smoothly whichever way you choose.

I've also come close to severing a finger with a tip-up blade. Hmmm microsurgery - expensive......
 
Gotta agree with Chuck Gollnick here. This question has been discussed to death and could have been avoided here with just a little bit of effort on the part of the thread starter
 
All this about the blade coming open in the pocket is pure paranoia. With an automatic, or a cheap folder, it is a legitimate concern. With any knife of quality, it isn't a concern. It is just speculation that makes people think: "If I did this, then that <i>might</i> happen. That is what happens when people think too much about knives ;)

I have two Spydercos, a Walker Lightweight (liner lock with ball and detent) and a Delica. Not only are they both firm enough to never come open accidentally, but most of us carry them in a front pants pocket with the blade against the inside of the pocket such that it couldn't come open even if it were loose. Before the Delica, I had an Endura and it never came open either.

As someone else pointed out, tip-up positions the knife so that you can grab it with your wrist at a normal angle and flip it open easily and quickly. There is no manipulating to get it right. That's why all the old Spydercos were tip-up carry.

After the Endura, I had Gerber EZ-Out, which was so awkward to get out after the Endura, even if it was a looser action. (The clip also wasn't strong enough to hang on tight)
 
Actually it isn't paranoia. There have been many people here who have cut themselves reaching in for tip up knives.

Now, I carry tip up, and IMHO even if you are using a linerlock or other locks that can open very easily you have two options for going tip up. In the watch pocket, or have the blade press against the back of your pocket so it can't open. Both these methods are fool proof and if you aren't using a lockback knife you should probably carry tip up this way.

Yea Smaug, I agree that Spyderco seems to tighten the pivot on their liner locks just enough so that they don't open in the pocket, even when tip up. And their lockbacks are a non issue as they have a back spring to keep it closed. I am curious to see how the DoDo will do. It is a tip up carry with Spyderco's new ball bearing lock.
-Kevin
 
With an automatic, or a cheap folder, it is a legitimate concern.

Hard to believe a Microtech LCC DA could open up in the pocket, I have a littl problem opening it when I want it open the "trigger" is so tight! Anyone have one come open in the pocket?
 
Smaug:

Lets see if it is paranoia. I have a scar on the thumb from a MOD opening thus in the pocket. Is that speculation on my part? Others who have had the same experience?

I have another scar from the Gilbreath custom linerlock doing the same thing. You are right, I'm paranoid of tip up linerlocks doing this, from a practical/bleeding standpoint, of course.

Both were linerlocks. Both were 200+ $ so they weren't on the cheap side of things to my thinking.

Lockbacks are a differnt story. I am now carrying two Enduras for defense[ lockbacks ], they are tip up but because they are not linerlocks they are not prone to opening in the pockets due to the backsprings. Problem solved, I may never carry another linerlock ever, there are more and more lockbacks that are good for defense and the lockback has a more secure lock which is not prone to releasing [ which I've had them do as well as others here ].

BTW--I carried the customs/Mods in the front pockets as well. They opened and bit me. It just hasn't happened to you yet. That doesn't mean it won't if you keep flirting with them in tip up mode.

You are right, it's paranoia that keeps me from carryig linerlocks tip up anymore. Lessons learned the hard way are lessons learned for life, if you are smart.

Bruz, my LCC MA is tight enough not to worry about as well. I don't carry it anymore but would have no problem doing so again even though it is linerlocked and tip up. They are stiff enough to stay closed, but I'd watch it if it loosened up any from use.

Brownie
 
have carried tip down (ie BM 800/910/MT SOCOM elite/Maxx design/crawford kasper and perfigo) and tip up (ie EKI CQC8/CQC7/I&I tanto/SOCFK etc ) and really have no real preference.

the only 2 knives i have had open in my pocket were tip down (ie spyderco gunting and kahlsa) so go figure. on both my finger caught on the horn and started it opening in my pocket unintentionally, sold the kahlsa and got a skunkworks for tyhe gunting, so fixed that prob. incredibly, the kahlsa was my first venture into "high dollar" knives (ie over $50 or so) so i was VERY dissapointed, thought they all were like that, but have since learned diff.

right now into EKI's, so only one way to go, even though my favs arent waved (I&I tanto, CQC8 and P-Tac) but i do like to put a fob made of light paracord type material (like MT does on the SOCOM, etc) to help w/the draw, and do kinda like that, so i guess i kinda prefer the tip up for that reason. a tip up maxx 5.5 would be a bad boy, they do wave pretty good, but i would be carefull carrying one that way, just cuz' DDR says not to, and they do look like they MIGHT be prone to it.

have NEVER had a prob w/EKI's opening in my pocket, not even a little tiny bit, do keep the pivots reasnobly tight though, nor on my buck strider 880 or spyderco matriarch, either. that 880 would be a mess if it opened up, though lol.

agree, a cheap knife can open up but i think tip up/down might not make a diff if the knife is a POS anyway.

must say to me it really dont matter, design makes more diff to me.

greg
 
I stabbed myself in the finger once too many times with tip-up knives. I will always prefer tip-down (though that does not mean I do not known tip-up models).
 
Tip down seems way faster & more natural to me; I guess everyone's different, so the "merits/demerits" (aside from accidental opening concerns) seem redundant.
 

...have NEVER had a prob w/EKI's opening in my pocket, not even a little tiny bit...
Click to expand...

I also carry EKI's and have never had a tip up come open on me.

I used to carry a BM 970 tip down, and liked it, so I really don't have a strong preference.

I think it has a lot to do with how it sits in your pocket, and how snug the pivot is.
 
I like to carry my spydercos on front, right, jeans pocket tip down, since I can deploy them easily holding by the spyder hole.

Wearing a suit, it doesn't matter tip up or down, since I carry them on the inside pocket of the jacket.

And finaly, I do carry my folders on the back, waist, when I prefer a tip up carry, since the blade opening side will be turned up, minimizing the risk of inertial self opening.

Regards,

Andre Tiba
 
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