Free Your Ergos, Remove The Clip

[Slice O Life]

Hey all, I just wanted to tell you something. Of course, do this only if you want, and if it's legal for you to do so. Take off your clip and just throw that puppy right in your pocket. The tab CRK offers on the website to replace the clip is also nice if you want something there. The pocket clip is perhaps the only sharp part of your CRK. Of course that might not be true if you bought an aftermarket clip. In the base model though, the CRK clip adds a decent amount of thickness and pokes out needlessly. Pocket pecking, you could say. Not knocking the CRK clip for the function though, it does a great job as a pocket clip. The nature of pocket clips though, will add some sort of thickness and asymmetry to whatever CRK you use.

The first barrier you need to get over, might be if the idea of having no pocket clip is worth persuing. I realized this was the case, at least for myself, by using really good slip joints. I had the Impinda, which led onto Great Eastern Cutlery, and the slip joint black hole captured me within its event horizon. Traditional slip joints usually do not, or actually... I think never have pocket clips. This makes the ergonomics amazing, because it is essentially like holding a fixed blade, outside of the space that is empty for the blade to close into. A handle, with nothing on it. Just a handle. Imagine with me for a second what a chef knife would feel like with a pocket clip placed onto the handle. That would probably make the handle slightly worse in your opinion, would it not? Maybe for you it wouldn't but for me, I would like a chef knife without a pocket clip on the handle. Which means, I would like a fixed blade without a pocket clip. This leads us to the idea, that I believe most of us would prefer the feeling of a handle without the clip.

The second barrier, how do you carry a CRK in the pocket without it being annoying? Well, it's really not too bad to have a CRK loose in the pocket. As far as dimensions go, and weight, a CRK is usually pretty darn easy to carry loose in the pocket for most people. If you want your CRK to be protected, you can of course get a leather pouch to put your CRK into. Lanyards usually assist when taking a CRK out of a leather pouch, easy to grab. People do this with slip joints and traditional knives all the time. Once you get used to it, you don't really mind. Think about this, your wallet, phone, keys, probably do not have a pocket clip. I never see anyone having a hard time grabbing their phone without a pocket clip (especially at work or while driving). Alternatively, you can go the fixed blade route, which would be to say a leather sheath. You can get leather sheaths for a CRK, and they basically carry like a Leatherman Wave. I never have seen anyone that wears a belt, have a hard time carrying a Wave. You might of course, find that you just don't like either option over the pocket clip. For me, it was easy to get used to over time. The ergonomics that it brings, over the utility of having a pocket clip (which usually just means quicker access), is worth it for me.

The third and final barrier, is adjusting to opening and closing your CRK without the clip. A lot of people open and close their CRK while having a couple fingers on your opening hand, rest on the pocket clip. When you take off the clip, this can be something you need to adjust to and it can take some time. It is completely possible, and quite easy to open and close any CRK without a clip once you get used to it. In fact, I think having your fingers that would be on a clip, resting on a flat surface, a much nicer experience.

So hopefully you give it a try, I enjoy it and I rarely see anyone carrying this way. I'm not sure if it's for legal purposes or what, but I figured I would tell you all why I carry this way.

 

[Slice O Life]

 

[TreesNoDummy]

I actually tried this when I had an impinda. I didn't hate it, but you're missing what was my major barrier - falling out of the pocket. I often lay on the couch while reading, and the knife would just end up out of my pocket. After it happened twice, it was no longer a viable option, especially with a 3yo in the house. I will admit that the impinda was really comfortable in the hand without a clip ergos wise. So I agree there.

 

[rishma]

Always clipless for me.

The biggest barrier for me was always the knife turning sideways in the bottom of my pocket. That is annoying! This is completely solved with a safety pin in my pocket, creating a little pouch that ensures my knife stays vertical. Problem solved.

I find it more comfortable in my hand, I prefer my knife out of sight, and I feel much less likely to loose it carrying it in my pocket this way vs clipped.

 

[mlamb]

Like the clip, rides higher in the pocket.

 

[Slice O Life]

I actually tried this when I had an impinda. I didn't hate it, but you're missing what was my major barrier - falling out of the pocket. I often lay on the couch while reading, and the knife would just end up out of my pocket. After it happened twice, it was no longer a viable option, especially with a 3yo in the house. I will admit that the impinda was really comfortable in the hand without a clip ergos wise. So I agree there.

Hasn’t happened to me but I usually have deep pockets, not money wise though

 

[Slice O Life]

Always clipless for me.

The biggest barrier for me was always the knife turning sideways in the bottom of my pocket. That is annoying! This is completely solved with a safety pin in my pocket, creating a little pouch that ensures my knife stays vertical. Problem solved.

I find it more comfortable in my hand, I prefer my knife out of sight, and I feel much less likely to loose it carrying it in my pocket this way vs clipped.

I too perfer my knife out of sight. I can legally carry one this way. I don’t consider my knife a self defense weapon, so I don’t need it to be clipped. I can take the extra couple milliseconds to grab it from my pocket rather than from a clip.

Ive noticed some people are bothered by a knife clip seen on the pocket, I just do this so I can still have a tool but make sure those people aren’t offended.

 

[Slice O Life]

Like the clip, rides higher in the pocket.

This is true, if you do wear belts most of the time, I will say that the leather sheath is nice too because it removes it from your pocket entirely.

 

[sailfish]

I still prefer the clip because I hate the feeling of loose objects at the bottom of my pocket. It's also really hard to get my hand in that deep. I carry small traditional knives in the coin pocket to get around this issue with them.

 

[Fonedork]

I think the bends in the CRK clip fit really well between my fingers actually

 

[rishma]

I still prefer the clip because I hate the feeling of loose objects at the bottom of my pocket. It's also really hard to get my hand in that deep. I carry small traditional knives in the coin pocket to get around this issue with them.

Agree I don’t like them loose. My safety-pin creates a narrow pocket that fits snugly and keeps is vertical.

I also like a traditional in my coin pocket

 

[rishma]

I think the bends in the CRK clip fit really well between my fingers actually

I agree actually, it’s not bad at all, brilliantly designed. I find clipless even more comfortable.

 

[Ppop]

https://imgur.com/a/DgMGtmF

This is my preferred way to carry. The pocket sheath keeps her looking nice and pretty too!

 

[rishma]

I figured I’d snap a pic of my safety-pin…worth a thousand words.

 

[Slice O Life]

I agree actually, it’s not bad at all, brilliantly designed. I find clipless even more comfortable.

Like I said in the original post, not knocking the CRK clip. In fact, probably one of the best clips ever made. But clipless, the ergos are improved in my opinion.

 

[TC]

The pocket clip is perhaps the only sharp part of your CRK.

You are aware that there is likely a "blade" part to the knife that when you fold it out of the handle is usually really sharp along one side?

 

[Modernflame]

View attachment 2038559

I figured I’d snap a pic of my safety-pin…with a thousand words.

Never would have thought of this. Brilliant.

 

[Slice O Life]

You are aware that there is likely a "blade" part to the knife that when you fold it out of the handle is usually really sharp along one side?

Interesting, what is that blade thing supposed to do? Seems dangerous.

 

[Ratatoskr]

I think the Impinda suffers without a clip. It's just too thin for me.
I'll add my voice to the "it'll get lost super-pronto" crowd.

 

[rishma]

Never would have thought of this. Brilliant.

I didn’t invent it, I learned it in the Traditional Forum. I’d give credit if I could remember who I learned it from.