Exploring, yet again, the mirky mysteries of pocket clipdom.

Wowbagger

Wowbagger

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I am posting this in the Spyderco forum partly because I am all about Spyderco today due to my latest treasure trove discovery, The Gayle Bradley first generation in M4.
(I have M4 now . . . M4 I tell you ! ! ! I am still swooning when I think of it)

And mostly posted here because Spyderco developed the pocket clip from the very beginning.

Without further a due and using the latest in Elf Graphics. Candy cane pointers. Fresh candy canes no less.

Why . . . is the opening gap of the clip, first photo, smaller than the "capture" area of the clip (see second candy cane pointer equipped photo) ?

Or maybe a better way to say it is WHY is the capture area larger than the opening's gap ?

I ask partly because to get the clip on my thicker pants I need to pry this clip up with my finger tip . . . so the opening of the clip is . . . in use . . . too small to be used with ANY pants pocket that would """"need"""" the large capture area.

One possibility that came to mind and you all can tell me if ANYONE uses this carry option : The capture area is as large as it is so it will accept a belt threaded through it.
but
once pulled off the belt it would be hell to get it back over the belt to put the knife away again.

Interestingly enough the Benchmade 710's stock clip with a similar and perhaps smaller capture area will go on and off my pocket without prying the opening open each time with my finger tip. That's because the opening is slanted away from the knife at an angle to better funnel the pocket top into the clip.

I'm not saying good or bad.



 
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Hi Wowbanger,

I can't explain as to why the opening gap is less than the gap for the capture area. If it bothers you, try replacing it with another clip. I just checked and the clips on the PM2 have the same gaps for the capture area and the opening area. This should solve your issue if you are having issues with pocketing your knife. Spyderco sells replacement clips. Hope this helps.

JonesE
 
That does look lower than normal. Just take it off and carefully bend it up. You'll probably have to bend right at the part where the screws are after that to lower the whole thing back down too, so it's not loose.
 
JonesE,

Nah . . . I love this clip. And from the reviews the finish is very robust.

Just curious.

I might tweak the tip up a little so it angles away from the knife but I understand why it is parallel to the side as it is.
 
The reason the Benchmade clip which is simmilar but easier to get off has to do with the tension of the pocket clip. The first part of the clip where the seam of your pocket first goes through before being caught in the In the main part; it is smaller so that way it is less likely to get caught on things and pull the knife out your pocket.


BTW, just bend that first lip up that way you won't warp the part of the clip by the screws. If the clip was clipped to your pants this first lip would be the bottom part of the clip closest to the ground.
 
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What kind of pants?

On quick visual inspection of my PM2 clip I see it's the same as yours. On any of my pockets, even the over thick Kuhl ones it slips in with normal downward pressure.

I think if the tip was a the same distance it would severely increase the snagging risk and we've all read the threads about lost knives that snagged seat belts and the like that vanish forever.
 
What kind of pants?
Click to expand...

Duluth Trading Co. work clothes Sweat Pants

I don't want to make a big mishmash out of solving this for those pants. Just curious why the other part has such a big opening.



Yah not the smartest thing to put it in back pocket but I do it some.
This Dragonfly sure is versatile isn't it ? !



Some times a tool belt pouch. Note the only one that was impossible was my Cold Steel Holdout III. I eventually put a clip on it from a Holdout 1. That clip is much longer and more versatile.

 
It's probably wider to make sure it clears the stitching etc. along the edge of the pocket on jeans.
 
Now, Cold Steel makes nice knives, but their clips are crap. They won't go over stitching, and are way too tight.
 
I carried the GB1 today for the first time at work. Clipped to normal weight, indoor pants (not those thick sweat pants). Turns out the clip was too tight for those. I had to two hand it all day to keep the top of my pocket from rolling / folding over during a one hand effort.

I just came up from my home work shop; I took the clip off and I unbent the clip some and tipped the tip out a little. Goes on the thick pants fine now.



Two things I learned I thought I should pass on :
1. The clip is easy to bend and it is easy to over do it. Compared to what ? you ask. Compared to my Spyderco Tasman Salt which has a clip on it that could substitute for dually truck springs though not super ridged that spring is nearly unchangeable. Here is a photo . . . if I had done that with the GB it would have stayed about that far from the knife when I took that "wedge" out. Not the Tasman; it went right back where it had been / unchanged.

2. The screws on the GB seem to be a tweak short for their task / be careful . . . it might be possible to strip the threads easier than you are used to because there doesn't seem to be a full liner thickness of engagement. I didn't damage one, knock on wood, but I was paying attention.

This gap looks like a bunch. Perhaps it is too much. Works super well for the thick pants / will see how it is on the thinner pants tomorrow at work.

That gap is the same as seven sheets of printer paper or 0.65 mm (measured with a dial caliper tight down on the stack of paper I used to measure the gap).

I over did it twice and wound up back to zero twice plus some in-between not-quites. I tuned it until it felt just right on the pocket.

So it is for now.

Here's the Tasman. I never did take it off to bend it and never got it to bend doing this. The clip is supposed to be Ti and is indeed non magnetic. The clip on the GB is magnetic.



Tasman went right back to zero and some tension. NICE CLIP ! ! ! ! and not too thick so it is not too tight even as is.

 
Cold Steel makes nice knives, but their clips are crap. They won't go over stitching, and are way too tight.
Click to expand...

Yuuuuuuup !

Here is an extreme mod I did. I just refused to quit until I was happy with a clip on my Holdout III
I'm totally happy now. Note there doesn't even have to be a gap to be good to go on the thick pants.
That is the clip off a Holdout I (the big monster six inch blade Holdout).

Two ways to get a clip like that : buy a Holdout I , take off the clip, throw the Holdout I knife away. Or . . . hang around the Cold Steel offices and eat their children until they sell you a clip. YMMV.



Old clip shown here. Yes I cut the slot in it trying to lessen the spring rate.

PS: I found no alternative clip at the time. I would have loved to get a Ti clip for it.

 
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