My main issue with clipless knives

made2cut

made2cut

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I work in an office and can't wear jeans so most of my pants are dress type. Even on our casual Fridays I sometimes still wear dockers cause they are just more comfortable to me. Here is my issue, knives that don't have clips tend to slide out of my pocket while seated, especially when I'm driving. This happened a while back when I was carrying an AG Russell one handed knife. I thought I lost it but later found it under the seat. This morning I choose to carry my favorite T.A. Davison and half way to work I thought to check it's position and sure enough the little guy was trying to sneak out :eek:! At least I'm conscious of the problem now but it's still a deterrent for me to carry a knife that doesn't have a clip. Belt/sheath carry really doesn't appeal to me most times so that solution is out. I suppose a more grippy scale may help but how many nice slip joints have Kryton on them? :barf:

Anyone else have this problem or am I just too skinny? :p
 
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Just loosely wad up a bandana and shove it down on top of the knife. It ain't goin nowhere.

Carl.
 
I always carry my leek and I use the belt clip to clip it inside of my pockets where nobody can see the knife just the belt clip.
 
I carry my slip joints in a leather pocket sheath made by a member on this forum. Makes them in different sizes and they are pretty reasonably priced. Stay in pocket better and protects them from keys, loose change, etc.
 
I have had the same problem....I just gave up figuring out a way to solve it and just dealt with it. whenever I stand up, I automatically check that it is there now.....just press against the outside of my pocket to know its there

I usually where pocket clips and it is second nature to me to check that I have my knife after getting it caught on a few things and hearing it get pulled out (and losing my Benchmade 580 in the same way)

your best bet is to just always remember to check
 
My experience has been just the opposite. It is knives with clips that tend to slide out of my pocket which is why I remove the clips and keep the knife at the bottom of my pocket. I almost lost a Sebenza once while it was clipped inside my pocket and I haven't used pocket clips ever since.

Have you tried watch pocket carry?
 
Railsplitter said:
Have you tried watch pocket carry?
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I have and do carry blades small enough to fit there. But that is with jeans and I don't have the issue with jeans.

Just loosely wad up a bandana and shove it down on top of the knife. It ain't goin nowhere.
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This is a great idea. I'm one of those guys that carries a hanky in my back pocket - simple solution to move it up front. I'm gonna try it right now :)
 
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I've experienced this myself and almost lost my KHnutbuster on a train during my morning commute. Thankfully an honest woman noticed and let me know before I got off.

I haven't really found a satisfactory solution. I just use one of my more replaceable knives when I wear slacks or khakis. I save the good stuff for the weekends and casual Fridays.

- Christian
 
ARROWHD

Can you share that person's contact information? Thank you.

"I carry my slip joints in a leather pocket sheath made by a member on this forum. Makes them in different sizes and they are pretty reasonably priced. Stay in pocket better and protects them from keys, loose change, etc."
 
anyone ever consider sewing , or having a seamstress sew a bar tack in the corner of the pocket where they slip out...just thinkin' is all...
 
The watch pocket of my jeans makes a nice little home for my slipjoints...otherwise, (wearing other pants) they slide all over the place while I'm driving, or sitting in a relaxed position.
The pocket sheath is a decent solution, but it also adds mass and weight.
Railsplitter, I can't imagine a clipped knife sliding out of your pocket before an unclipped...how does that happen?
 
crazyengineer said:
I have had the same problem....I just gave up figuring out a way to solve it and just dealt with it. whenever I stand up, I automatically check that it is there now.....just press against the outside of my pocket to know its there

I usually where pocket clips and it is second nature to me to check that I have my knife after getting it caught on a few things and hearing it get pulled out (and losing my Benchmade 580 in the same way)

your best bet is to just always remember to check
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I wondered if I was the only one to 'touch' where the knife should be, purely out of reflexive habit. I'd forgotten that I also did the same with clipped knives; I hadn't carried one of those for a while. I always kept my hand more-or-less hovering over it, just to avoid the bumps & brushes that either try to pull the knife away, or end up scratching furniture. :)
 
I've lost knives with a clip due to a variation of this; the clip hooks something and stays behind. I prefer knives without the clip for this reason, and the fact that I have yet to find a clip that feels good in the hand. I discovered years ago that a tailor can fix your pockets with no trouble. it only takes a couple stitches. (this also prevents loss of change too.) Another good way it to have the pocket stitched to make a space dedicated to the knife (a sheath as it were).
 
I check my pockets often. I carry my phone in my right front pocket, which I obviously don't want to leave somewhere or forget at home, and I keep a knife and a comb in my front let. I just feel the outside of the pocket to check for my phone, knife, and comb pretty much whenever I leave an area or get out of a vehicle. I have never had a problem with knives (or anything else) falling out of my pocket except for a few exceptions:

An AG Russell 3" Titanium lockback fell out of my watch pocket, never found it.

Knives with clips sometimes get snagged on couches/untucked shirts (still rare, but it's happened to me maybe three times in my life) and end up getting pulled out, and sometimes with bent clips.

Trampolines and handstands.
 
Yes it is a concern, lot depends of depth and tightness of pocket too, shallow baggy pockets are the worst (formal trousers usually have this)

I carry a treasured Laguiole in the makers custom pouch - it also stops the prominent tang from ripping the pocket. This gives a snug fit and the leather grips inside the pocket very well. Stuffing paper or a rag in here is useful too!

Problem I find with clipped knives is you put your hand in the pocket for change etc and your fingers get scraped and torn by the metal clip or the grippy scales. Swings & Roundabouts?
 
Railsplitter said:
My experience has been just the opposite. It is knives with clips that tend to slide out of my pocket which is why I remove the clips and keep the knife at the bottom of my pocket. I almost lost a Sebenza once while it was clipped inside my pocket and I haven't used pocket clips ever since.
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Same here. The only pocket folding knives that I ever lost had clips (not to mention scratching furniture and paint, and producing holes in the pants). I always wear slacks and dress pants for work and never had a problem with knives falling off, but I do see that it might happen. BTW, all my pants have a small change pocket sewn inside the right-hand pocket, which is where I put the knives I carry. Don't ask me how to do it, they all came with it already, when I bought them.

I wouldn't carry a folding knife in a sheath inside the pocket, it is two steps back from carrying a one-hand opener clipped to your pocket. Have you considered one of those leather sheaths or pouches that attach directly to the belt?
 
My solution has always been quite simple once it becomes habit. Before sitting or reclining in any way I put my hand in the pocket holding the knife and push the bottom of the pocket towards the rear. This will usually put a crease or fold in the pocket which secures the knife. YMMV

jwh
 
HuntBomb said:
Railsplitter, I can't imagine a clipped knife sliding out of your pocket before an unclipped...how does that happen?
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The only knife that I have almost lost was the Sebenza that I mentioned. It was clipped inside my right front pocket. I got out of my car, walked across the parking lot into the building at work, reached down to check for the knife and it was just barely hanging there. It was still clipped to my pocket but it was in a horizontal position with the clip just barely attached to top seam of the pocket. It probably would have fallen to the floor soon if I hadn't felt for it.

My best guess is that it got caught on something in the car that partially pulled it out of my pocket. I have had other clipped knives attempt to work their way out of my pocket but I would always discover it before any threat of loss occurred.

I have much better luck keeping the knives at the bottom of my front pocket and in my watch pocket. I still perform the compulsive "knife check" often but when I do, my knives are always right where they should be.
 
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