Folder on a clip: point up or down?

raindog308

raindog308

Joined
May 20, 2022
Messages
36
I have a CRKT Full Throttle (older one from 2006ish) and when I clip it to my pocket or belt, the knife rides with the point down.

I also have a Benchmade Griptilian 556 and when I clip that, it rides with the point up.

I'm not sure what the pros and cons are...if any? Or just personal preference? Is there a non-preference reason why one would be better than the other?

Oddly, I find both open naturally without thinking when I pull them out :)

gripcrkt.jpg
 
raindog308 said:
I have a CRKT Full Throttle (older one from 2006ish) and when I clip it to my pocket or belt, the knife rides with the point down.

I also have a Benchmade Griptilian 556 and when I clip that, it rides with the point up.

I'm not sure what the pros and cons are...if any? Or just personal preference? Is there a non-preference reason why one would be better than the other?

Oddly, I find both open naturally without thinking when I pull them out :)

gripcrkt.jpg
Click to expand...
No clips here. You want the General Knife forum.
 
Yeah, I think this was posted here by accident. To answer the question I prefer tip down. With that said I don`t like pocket clips.
 
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Whatever position orients the blade along the seam of your pocket. For me, that's front pocket, tip up. I will never buy a tip down only knife.
 
I have very few clipped folders. Those I have, I carry just as they came. I didn't notice any problem apart from the fact you have to memorize how this specific knife opens... This said, it seems to me "tip down" is just safer and I see no downsides ever to it.
 
It's all in the feel of the particular knife. I don't know why people are all crazy in the tip-up gang.

Say, the Buck 110 lite. That knife has a long handle and blade, so the tip-up configuration works when you take it out and pop it open. Works well. You're gripping it properly. Then, the PM2, which can go either way, but people really hate tip-down on. The Spyderco Civilian is tip-down, the Matriarch 2 is tip up. I think bigger knives with closer thumb-activators benefit more from tip-up, but really, it's a combo of factors into what leads the knife into the most ready open position, FOR YOU, from pocket to hand.

That's the only reason in my mind to care about TU/TD configs. Also, if you're not relying on a knife for self-defense, or for cutting and cutting all day, it wouldn't really matter in my mind. Take the knife out, open it, and cut. Tip up, clips, all of that, make a few milliseconds of difference that only could matter in life and death encounters, and if it keeps annoying you over and over and over while you're taking your knife out to work. People trip on this issue way too hard though lol
 
Up or down is not so much the issue for me, as which side is facing out. I carry right front pocket, so I want the blade to be jammed against the side of my pocket, not facing into the passway where my fleshy hand bits will be digging for other denizens of my pocket.
 
I only carry tip-up against the seam of my pants, its safer, I have the scars from tip-down to show it. Plus, the ladies prefer tip-up. 🤣 :eek:
 
herisson said:
This said, it seems to me "tip down" is just safer and I see no downsides ever to it.
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I've told this story a few times before, but tip down can be a real problem if the blade partially deploys in your pocket. I carried a Benchmade Aphid for a few weeks and the blade partially deployed in my pocket. When I reached into my pocket to grab my keys, I could feel my the blade start to spike my hand. Luckily, I realized what was happening and carefully took my hand out of my pocket. Just a drop of blood, but it could have been much, much worse. I've never carried a tip down blade since then.
 
I hear you. But tip up, in the case of a free opening blade, would be even worse. People obsess a lot about lock safety of the open blade but the "lock closed" function seems more important to me. Knives with no (or insufficient) "lock closed" capacity should be carried in a leather slip.
 
herisson said:
I hear you. But tip up, in the case of a free opening blade, would be even worse. People obsess a lot about lock safety of the open blade but the "lock closed" function seems more important to me. Knives with no (or insufficient) "lock closed" capacity should be carried in a leather slip.
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This is both true and not true.

If one were to carry a right handed knife in their back right pocket, then yes, it would be worse.


If one carries a right handed knife in their right front pocket with the knife the furthest to right, up against the seam, then it is less likely to even be an issue as the blade is impeded by the pant material from swinging out. (Assuming you're wearing something that is somewhat sturdy. Gym shorts with pockets are not the same as jeans.)
 
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