Has a pocket clip ever ruined a knife for you?

Kohai999 said:
If you don't like a pocket clip, you can remove it and use set screws in the holes to seal them, it is a handsome look imo, fwiw.

If you don't like the tension of a pocket clip, you can easily tune it to your liking, take it off the knife, bend it carefully in a vise, or some taped up face pliers.

If you are too lazy to do this, perhaps knife complaints are not your biggest issues.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
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LOL Steven... I will most likely fix them, but I was just observing that some manufacturer's seem to put a lot of effort into the knife design, but treat the clip seems to be an afterthought. They can really make or break a knife.
 
The two that jump to my mind are my Boker Kwaiken (AUS8 Blade HQ exclusive version, can't speak to the newer VG-10 version clips). Such a beautiful knife that I still carry despite the terrible clip, but it is so GD tight to the knife it feels like it was designed with paper-thin pants in mind. Tried bending it with a vise and it still isn't much better. Just terrible design on an otherwise gorgeous blade.

The second knife I think of is what BBKoenigsegg was speaking of, is my Spyderco Nilakka. The knife itself is very thick and bulky, but I love the design and how it feels rock-solid in the hand. The pocket clip is just so close to being right that its infuriating. They got the deep-carry part right, but it sits so close to the angular scales on the handle it is very difficult to get it all the way down in your pocket.
 
The after-market deep carry clips that people put on their knives really don't agree with me.
 
Love the kershaw Junkyard Dog. Didn't get it cuz the clip. While I actually LIKE how the clip looks, I would never want my knife to be so conspicuous.
img-kershaw-junkyard-dog-ii-01.jpg
 
The most unusable pocket clip I had was probably on the Spyderco Junior. Combination of tight clip on a grippy g10 handle. Made clipping it a 2 handed job. I removed the clip and kept the knife.
 
I like the convenience of pocketclips as long as they are designed right and don't get in the way of using the knife or aren't difficult to clip to your pocket.

When it comes to aesthetics, there are some clips that look completely out of place and some that are useless. The clips on the Kershaw Blur, Junkyard Dog. The clip on the CRKT Eros, the GSD. And of course, the clips on Cold Steel folders.
 
Kohai999 said:
If you don't like a pocket clip, you can remove it and use set screws in the holes to seal them, it is a handsome look imo, fwiw.

If you don't like the tension of a pocket clip, you can easily tune it to your liking, take it off the knife, bend it carefully in a vise, or some taped up face pliers.

If you are too lazy to do this, perhaps knife complaints are not your biggest issues.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
Click to expand...

Of course then you're stuck carrying without a clip. And potential fixes don't excuse bad design.

I rarely let pocket clips ruin a knife for me, but I'm frequently irritated by them. Some companies are very good, others it seems like they simply throw them on and check off the box. Kershaw catches flack for the clip on knives like the Spec Bump and I agree it's ugly, but it works on every level short of aesthetic. It holds the knife in the pocket witbout making it difficult to withdraw and it conforms to the grip to avoid causing any hotspots. Good, solid, though ugly, design there.
 
I don't care for pocket clips and I won't buy a folder that has one which cannot be removed. DM
 
Insipid Moniker said:
Of course then you're stuck carrying without a clip. And potential fixes don't excuse bad design.
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There are a number of companies that offer clip blanks that can be drilled to suit just about any configuration.

Will it look awesome? Maybe, maybe not, but some popular companies offer clips that mirror aesthetics of a knife, but don't work very well, most everything is a tradeoff.

If you want to shoot a .338 Lapua, or a .50 cal, very few, if ANY muzzle brake configurations will follow the contours of the barrel and work well.....if you work with NO muzzle brake, you will suffer, and eventually, so will your point of aim...so aesthetics suffer from time to time, or you re-configure your expectations of what proper aesthetics will be in that situation.

Make sense?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
The contact point of the wire clip on the Spyderco Slysz Bowie almost did it for me. My pant would constently ball up between the clip and lockbar cut out on the withdraw. Really annoying for such a fine knife. Bought a longer Foundry clip, etched it, and replaced the stock clip. Now it's one of my favs. Glad I didn't give up on it.
 
The only problem I have is clips you can't put on the side for left hand carry.

It sounds to me like the OP just doesn't like clips period.

<shrug>
 
slims_88 said:
If I can't switch a clip to make a knife tip up carry, automatic pass on the knife.
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You usually can....drill and tap it.;)

It isn't hard, I converted two Hinderer knives to Allen head last week in about 45 minutes.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
aquaman67 said:
The only problem I have is clips you can't put on the side for left hand carry.

It sounds to me like the OP just doesn't like clips period.

<shrug>
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No, I do like pocket clips on my knives. The only time I don't use them is on dressier occasion when I carry a smaller slip joint. My favorite is on my Sebenza. Holds tight and is flexible enough to go easily into my pocket.
 
Yes, I will sometimes not buy a knife because of the clip. If it's very ugly, if it's mounted such that a lot of handle is sticking out or if there's no option for tip up.
The Kershaw Leek and Skyline ride too high in tip-up carry.
The Cold Steel Hold Out III has a bad clip that I could never seem to tune correctly in terms of retention. The Cold Steel Mini Lawman rides too high.
 
I didn't buy a Kershaw Skyline for the longest time because of the amount of knife sticking out of the pocket for tip up carry. I eventually caved and picked one up and loved it...once I got a titanium deep carry clip for it. Now it's one of my favorite EDC blades. Ended up doing the same with a Leek. Kershaw, fix your stupid pocket clips!
 
Kohai999 said:
There are a number of companies that offer clip blanks that can be drilled to suit just about any configuration.

Will it look awesome? Maybe, maybe not, but some popular companies offer clips that mirror aesthetics of a knife, but don't work very well, most everything is a tradeoff.

If you want to shoot a .338 Lapua, or a .50 cal, very few, if ANY muzzle brake configurations will follow the contours of the barrel and work well.....if you work with NO muzzle brake, you will suffer, and eventually, so will your point of aim...so aesthetics suffer from time to time, or you re-configure your expectations of what proper aesthetics will be in that situation.

Make sense?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
Click to expand...

I rarely care how it looks, I mostly just care how it works. Aftermarket options are why I generally won't pass on a knife, but I also think it's very valid to criticize companies that consistently get it wrong in terms of function.
 
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