Gone for a while: Tip down knives are disappearing?

i can go either way. i prefer tip down for liner/frame locks, especially if im gonna be carrying it in my back pocket. there is something to be said for being able to pull the knife outta your pocket and have your thumb on the stud/disc/hole as you grab it. however i do own a bunch of axis lock knives too which are all tip up (gotta get a 391 socp sometime so i can try the axis tip down), so that works for me too
 
I like big knives. At least big to most people. To me this is just the right size knife. A normal knife. But tip down is a must for it. And I love it so much I’m nodding a few of them to make available for others to experience the awesome potential of the Resilience unleashed.

Pic of wip, still have to convert the other combo to full serrated then mark ‘em as regrind. My edc on the right.

image.jpg
 
The ladies prefer tip up…

I've had tip down knives open and cut me while in pocket. No thanks. I also find them inconvenient when removing from the pocket.

For me, it's an immediate disqualifier.

The advent of flippers has made tip up more popular, as well as unique pivot hardware.
 
My preference is also tip down. I attach a keyring and my car key fob dangles at the bottom.
I have EDC'd a Hinderer XM-18 3" spanto for the last 7 - 8 years. That comes to about $55 per year of ownership.
The knife as a whole has held up so well I don't see myself replacing it anytime soon.
I don't baby the knife, it sees a lot of heavy use. The only thing I did was replace the G-10 scale with a titanium one.
I used to carry a Spyderco Domino, but I wanted a more robust blade.
 
K.O.D. said:
The advent of flippers has made tip up more popular, as well as unique pivot hardware.
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Huh?? Not sure how you're correlating that. If anything, flippers are even worse tip-up, as the tab will prevent the knife from riding nice and close to the outside pocket seam.
I could also see catching the tab on the seam when pocketing the knife...
 
Reswob said:
Huh?? Not sure how you're correlating that. If anything, flippers are even worse tip-up, as the tab will prevent the knife from riding nice and close to the outside pocket seam.
I could also see catching the tab on the seam when pocketing the knife...
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I can see why someone would think that but that has absolutely never been a problem at all for me. Whereas the thumb studs catching the pocket have worked the blade open in tip down carry on me enough times I won't carry tip down ever again.
 
Danke42 said:
Isn't the flipper tab opposite to the pocket seam when it's tip up?
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Flippers are almost always set up tip up because that's the most efficient orientation for deployment of a flipper.

Same for any Spyderco or other keyhole type blade or any wave operated blade

That's why almost all of my folders are tip up, since almost all of my folders are flippers or key hole type blades but tip up also works best for thumb studded blades.

Deploying a tip down blade requires an additional motion to open the blade, which I can deal with but which is unnecessary IMO.
 
Reswob said:
Nope
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Do tell.

Most people are right handed. Most folders are right hand set up. Most people carry in the right front pocket. In those cases you would be incorrect.

If you're carrying a right hand folder in left or rear pocket for some reason then I guess you could be correct.....but you'd also be in a tiny minority.
 
sgt1372 said:
Flippers are almost always set up tip up because that's the most efficient orientation for deployment of a flipper.

Same for any Spyderco or other keyhole type blade or any wave operated blade

That's why almost all of my folders are tip up, since almost all of my folders are flippers or key hole type blades but tip up also works best for thumb studded blades.

Deploying a tip down blade requires an additional motion to open the blade, which I can deal with but which is unnecessary IMO.
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Also buttons, shark locks all the new cool gadgets that are coming out.

It is a nicer action to just punch the lock and have the blade fall out. Which I assume designers of knives are aware of.

 
Just discovered the Gerber Air Ranger is still available and is still a tip down only design:

E8vt0DS.jpg
 
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