First pocket clip, when, where, who - history thread.

H

Houlahound

Joined
Aug 2, 2017
Messages
3,121
As a kid so called pocket knives were never understood to be carried in a pocket, they were carried horizontally on a belt at the front under your belly. Utility belts were common for gear with a separate trouser belt to keep your pants up. Tradesman/handyman types in contrast carried in a vertical belt sheath to the side or rear position.

I left that world and grew up etc and by the time I came back to looking at pocket knives pretty much pocket clips were overwhelming the market for all but hardcore collectors of the traditionals.

Who was the first to put a pocket clip on the market, manufacturers, models...etc.
 
Houlahound said:
As a kid so called pocket knives were never understood to be carried in a pocket, they were carried horizontally on a belt at the front under your belly.
Click to expand...

Every adult I knew growing up that carried pocket knives, like slipjoints, carried them in their pockets. The only folding knives I ever saw on a belt were Buck 110’s, 112’s along with their counterparts, or larger folding hunters.
 
Houlahound said:
As a kid so called pocket knives were never understood to be carried in a pocket, they were carried horizontally on a belt at the front under your belly. Utility belts were common for gear with a separate trouser belt to keep your pants up. Tradesman/handyman types in contrast carried in a vertical belt sheath to the side or rear position.
Click to expand...
Interesting. Must be a country/region specific thing - I certainly never saw that growing up in the eastern US.

Pocket knives went in the pocket, “Buck knives” (110s) and “sheath knives” (fixed blades) went on the belt (the same one that holds your pants up).

As for when pocket clips got introduced, I have no clue. Until just a few years ago I still only had the same knives I had since the 1970s and 80s 🤣.
 
The first one I remember seeing was on a spyderco. Plastic molded as part of the handle.

www.spyderco.com

Why the Clip? - Spyderco

Why the Clip? Spyderco was the first company to equip a folding knife with a pocket clip. This revolutionary feature was introduced on our very first folding knife design in 1981 and allows a folding knife to be carried at the top of the pocket where it is easily accessible and does not...
www.spyderco.com www.spyderco.com
 
eveled said:
The first one I remember seeing was on a spyderco. Plastic molded as part of the handle.

www.spyderco.com

Why the Clip? - Spyderco

Why the Clip? Spyderco was the first company to equip a folding knife with a pocket clip. This revolutionary feature was introduced on our very first folding knife design in 1981 and allows a folding knife to be carried at the top of the pocket where it is easily accessible and does not...
www.spyderco.com www.spyderco.com
Click to expand...

Ah, makes sense I figured it could not have been the 70's or earlier and the 90's was too late

Don't know if Spyderco had a patent at the time?

Talk about one idea that changed the industry standard.
 
Jsega51 said:
Every adult I knew growing up that carried pocket knives, like slipjoints, carried them in their pockets. The only folding knives I ever saw on a belt were Buck 110’s, 112’s along with their counterparts, or larger folding hunters.
Click to expand...
That's my experience as well. Grew up here in Alabama and everybody either had a standard pocket knife (Buck, Kershaw, whatever) or a fixed blade carried on the belt, either 3 o'clock or 6 for lefties..

Only within the last 10 or so years have I started to see people actually carrying appendix, scout carry etc..
 
Corton93 said:
That's my experience as well. Grew up here in Alabama and everybody either had a standard pocket knife (Buck, Kershaw, whatever) or a fixed blade carried on the belt, either 3 o'clock or 6 for lefties..

Only within the last 10 or so years have I started to see people actually carrying appendix, scout carry etc..
Click to expand...

I think it's a living tradition based on practicality when riding a horse.
 
thought Spyderco was the first, of course they might be the first production company with the clip, who knows if anyone made their own clip prior to that, people have always been creative. Doesn't really matter either way, it was a great idea and expanded possibilities for all knife makers.
 
I grew up with and around horses and every man I knew carried a pocket knife in their pocket. And most carried a fixed blade on their belts, but the same belt that held their britches up. The Bucks were one exception for folding knives.

I think Spyderco and Benchmade were the two brands I first saw clips on.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top