I'm officially done with pocket clips...

J

joshf128

Joined
Jul 25, 2015
Messages
125
After two incidents in a week I am not going to use pocket clips anymore.

Last Saturday I was carrying my Urban Trapper and after some errands I noticed a new scratch on my drivers side rear door that could only have come from the pocket clip. Strike one.

Today I was carrying my Manix 2 Lightweight out and about with my wife and son and during one of my subconscious tactile checks (phone, knife, wallet, keys = good to go), I was alarmed to discover that one of those items was missing. You can guess which one.

There are a couple of things that make this a particularly bad situation. The first is that I have only had the knife for 2 weeks which is about as long as my first Spyderco lasted when I got it 12 or 13 years ago. Gotta hate losing knives you just got, especially when they cost $80 or so. Not irreplaceable, but still not real happy about it.

The second and more important point is where I lost it... In the middle of the Children's Museum. I'm immediately having visions of some toddler picking it up and cutting themselves or someone else. I know what my response would be if my son found something like that on the ground and hurt himself with it due to someone else's negligence and I don't want to be on the receiving end of those physical or legal consequences.

A frantic search of the most recently visited areas turns up nothing. Not turned in to lost and found. I retraced my steps all over the museum we have spent the last two hours wandering around.

Finally I returned to the planetarium area where we had spent about 2 minutes before my son decided he didn't want to be there, to see that show was just ending. I rush in to see the seat where I sat an hour or so before empty. No sign of the knife. Just then the employee says "Looking for something?"

"Yes" I replied, not necessarily wanting to broadcast the fact that I have lost a dangerous item around so many children.

"Wouldn't happen to be a nice pocket knife would it?"

Instant relief. Now I just have to deal with the stink eye from my wife for the rest of the day and convince her that I can be trusted around sharp objects again...

So that, gentlemen, is why I'm officially done with pocket clips.

Can someone point me in the direction of the lanyard making arts and crafts section? :)

What about the traditional folders?
 
I do have a slip sheath for the Urban Trapper. The Manix actually rides very well loose in my pocket so that is not a deterrent for carrying it.

Belt sheaths aren't really my thing for EDC.

Thanks for the tips though!
 
Never wanted to. Also don't want to advertise that I'm carrying a knife and never need to get to my knife in a hurry. So I don't use pocket clips either.

My solution? Deep carry unclipped in a dedicated pocket . . . LFP to be precise. Don't need no sheaths. Don't need no slips. Just an empty pocket does the trick. My folder is safe, sound, and secure. And when I carry it, nobody's the wiser. :)
 
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bld522 said:
Also don't want to advertise that I'm carrying a knife
Click to expand...

I don't care if people know I have a knife.
For some reason, they tend to look more at the 48 inch long hawthorn walking stick anyway...I guess people prone to back spasms scare some folks. ;)

Some people have been worried about the brass handled Ipe wood cane at times too; other people hold the door open for me, or lower the bus so I can get on easier.

Scary or possibly partially crippled...I'm a conundrum! :D

But yeah, I really don't care about a pocket clip showing.
 
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Just get yourself any of the excellent Cold Steel models and use the included pocket clip. You will always know if your knife is missing cause it will have taken your pants with it!
 
The urban trapper incident is human error and not the pocket clip...

As far as losing knives, I have carried a folder with a pocket clip everyday for a very long time.
From cheaper productions, to really expensive customs, and everything in between.

Not only have I never lost a knife, but I have never had one fall out of my pocket.

Maybe I am just really lucky....
 
joshf128 said:
Today I was carrying my Manix 2 Lightweight out and about with my wife and son and during one of my subconscious tactile checks (phone, knife, wallet, keys = good to go), I was alarmed to discover that one of those items was missing. You can guess which one.

There are a couple of things that make this a particularly bad situation. The first is that I have only had the knife for 2 weeks which is about as long as my first Spyderco lasted when I got it 12 or 13 years ago. Gotta hate losing knives you just got, especially when they cost $80 or so. Not irreplaceable, but still not real happy about it.

The second and more important point is where I lost it... In the middle of the Children's Museum. I'm immediately having visions of some toddler picking it up and cutting themselves or someone else. I know what my response would be if my son found something like that on the ground and hurt himself with it due to someone else's negligence and I don't want to be on the receiving end of those physical or legal consequences.

A frantic search of the most recently visited areas turns up nothing. Not turned in to lost and found. I retraced my steps all over the museum we have spent the last two hours wandering around.

Finally I returned to the planetarium area where we had spent about 2 minutes before my son decided he didn't want to be there, to see that show was just ending. I rush in to see the seat where I sat an hour or so before empty. No sign of the knife. Just then the employee says "Looking for something?"

"Yes" I replied, not necessarily wanting to broadcast the fact that I have lost a dangerous item around so many children.

"Wouldn't happen to be a nice pocket knife would it?"

Instant relief. Now I just have to deal with the stink eye from my wife for the rest of the day and convince her that I can be trusted around sharp objects again...

So that, gentlemen, is why I'm officially done with pocket clips.

Can someone point me in the direction of the lanyard making arts and crafts section? :)

What about the traditional folders?
Click to expand...
What I really like about that story is that you met an honest person. They can be a rare thing in this world. It's nice to hear that you got your knife back rather than it ending up in someone elses pocket. I'd say your story had a happy ending- you got your knife back, and you got it back due to someones honesty.

As far as pocket clips, I've been carrying clipped folders regularly for around 14 years now and I've never had one slip out of my pocket on it's own. I did have a folder pulled out of my pocket when a large package I was carrying snagged the clip on a packing strap. But I didn't lose the knife.
 
joshf128 said:
After two incidents in a week I am not going to use pocket clips anymore.

Last Saturday I was carrying my Urban Trapper and after some errands I noticed a new scratch on my drivers side rear door that could only have come from the pocket clip. Strike one.
Click to expand...

Man I've done that too..luckily it was just in the door jamb. I've been conscientious of it ever since.
 
OP here. I'm not blaming either incident or the consequences on anyone but myself. I'm very grateful to still have my knife. I will say that the Spyderco wire clips are pretty smooth which on one hand is great for ease of use and not scratching stuff but on the other isn't as good for retention.

My life currently involves a toddler which can lend a lot of uncertainty and distraction. The example of the large package is similar to what I experienced today but I deal with a 30lb wiggly package every day. My knives are more secure deep in my pocket than clipped to the outside so that is what I'm going to do for now.
 
BluegrassBrian said:
Man I've done that too..luckily it was just in the door jamb. I've been conscientious of it ever since.
Click to expand...

Glad to hear I'm not alone in this. It's a tight fit in my garage and my right side will inevitably contact the car on a regular basis (see above RE: TODDLER). Better for me if there is fabric between my knife and scratchable surfaces.
 
I much prefer to carry in a leather belt pouch when possible. For numerous reasons, the one you mentioned being one of the lesser ones.
 
The only time I have a problem with retention is when I wear dress pants. Another reason to dislike weddings. Thankfully I wear jeans 99.9% of the time.
 
I can completely understand where the OP is coming from. I have had multiple knives over the years come unclipped from my pocket.

Most recently, I had my military clipped in my back pocket of my jeans. I got in my 4Runner to move it so I could unload a trailer that was parked in front of it.

About 30 minutes later when my buddy and I were running a little dingo, I needed to cut a tree branch that was in the way. I reached back to find the knife missing. I immediately thought it was lost in all the dirt we were just moving around. But I decided to check in the 4Runner from when I moved it. Sure enough it was sitting on the front seat. Came unclipped when I sat down.

The strongest pocket clips I have encountered and keep your knives locked to your pocket Are the Strider SNG, and the Hinderer XM-18. Both of these clips have superior strength when it comes to holding the knife securely to your pocket.

The downside of these two are that you cannot quickly draw the knife from your pocket. But I'll take that as some insurance that it's not going to easily get unclipped.
 
I have bent my pocket clips by catching it on things, but I prefer not having the knife come flying out of my pocket when I grab my wallet. It would catch the leather on my steering wheel, but a cheap cover for the wheel helped prevent any further damage. Tip up carry with the knife to the side of my body has worked well for a long time with the pocket clip. It is less likely for the blade to come open by accident when carrying it that way. Now that I think about it, the multi-tool pouch on my belt catches many more things than the pocket clip does.
 
Personally I've never had a problem with clips, and given my distaste for things being loose in my pockets, I doubt I'll ever give up on clips.

Then again, I carry in the rear pocket, which in some ways I feel lessens the impact of some of the things you describe (at least the car one... I don't lean up against my cars, but bumping them from the side like you describe is more likely for me). And maybe the rest is just pocket clip pressure to blade weight differences (I tend to like smaller knives for my folders), or perhaps the types of pockets that I have on my pants.

Anyway, good luck finding something that works for you :).
 
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