No more tip up carry for me!!!

I have tried to carry a few knives tip up before and they all opened on me. Loose in my pocket the only knife i have had open is my CRKT M18 the others were fine loose. I do carry my Buck 110 alot loose in my pocket and it has NEVER opened on me, one advantage to lockbacks i guess.
 
My wife suggests that people who have knives open accidentally while in their back poockets no matter if it's tip up or tip down must have gigantic prehensile butts that reach around and wrestle the blade from it's resting place......

I think the whole debate is silly and it comes up over and over. I'll put a clip on either end of a knife and I really don't mind one way or the other....if the design will allow for it that is.
 
My first experience with a folder is a cheapie lockback that's tip-up, and I've almost bitten my finger. Probably in part of the placement, but I prefer to carry my knives on the front pocket. If I put the spine of a tip-up to the seam, it make reaching for other things in the pockets more inconvenient.
I've also almost bitten with some of the tip-downs, but mostly because I wasn't careful when I put it in my pocket anyways.
I tend to draw faster with tip-down, so I'll stick to it unless the knife is great with the tip-up.
 
I carry a CS Voyager tip-up, and it has never come close to opening when it's not supposed to. The lock spring is pretty stiff, stiff enough to counteract gravity. Plus, I carry it at the back of my pocket, so the blade is held in by the backside of the inner pocket. I'm not sure I would trust a liner-lock tip-up, though.

Asha'man
 
If safety is your major concern, carry your folders sheathed.

If I'm carrying clipped, it will be tip up.
I will not carry tip down. I have had tip down open when pulling something out of my pocket. I have never had tip up open on me. Tip down just isn't natural to me.
Personally I prefer no clip, carried loose in the pocket. I have never had a QUALITY knife open up on me because of gravity.

Paul

BTW, there are those who should STFU and learn from those who have a little more knowledge and experience.
 
Just had to chime in here. I carried a right handed folder clipped backwards in the left pocket for about 2 years. It was a lockback from a well known maker, and I had no problems. Carried a 710 also, with no problems. Tip up was one feature on the ideal folder when I was looking for one. Now that i think about it, I dont think any of the liner locks I've carried were tip up. The two mentioned above as tip up carry are noted above as having a strong spring holding the blade closed that will pull the blade shut if it is open a little.
 
I went into my left pocket for some currency. Damn if I didn't feel a sharp pain while retrieving the currency. My Mayo TNT had slightly opened and let me know it was there. No serious damage though. I prefer tip up so that I can keep the blade side against my pocket. I think that tip up or tip down, either way if not careful you can get cut. I've had the best luck with my Sebbies. With the blade side against the seam at least I can go in the pocket and retrieve something without touching the blade.:D :cool: :eek: ;)
 
Having a knife in your pocket carries some risk regardless of tip up or tip down or bottom of pocket. Is gravity a friend with tip-down carry? Sure, but it's close cousin, momentum, doesn't care whether its tip-up or tip-down. A knife with a loose enough action for it to be jarred opened in a tip-up carry is just slightly less likely to also have it jarred open in a tip-down carry. If you are standing up, things are cool. If, however, you are sitting down at a table, bump the table (causing the tip-down blade to be jarred out), and you sit down, that tip might just be headed into your thigh. I've had this happen. And, the same action of bumping a table as you sit might just hit the blade post (or hole) in a tip-up carry and open that one as well. It might end up in your leg, stomach, or side. Where was gravity in these cases?

Gravity as a catch-all argument against tip-up carry is not valid simply because the effect of gravity can be easily lessened or even overcome by momentum or by any force that has a directional component opposing it. Gravity's effect isn't necessarily headed in the right direction. And, even if it is, if your body is falling, gravity is no longer helping that tip-down to stay closed. When we are standing on our feet, our mass causes an equal and opposite reaction to gravity - we press on the earth. These forces cancel out, or we'd either sink or start floating. Because our feet stop us from sinking, gravity continues to pull the tip-down carry, and the relationship of the components of the knife as they interact with gravity helps to keep it closed. If you're falling though, all parts of the knife are falling at the same speed. Gravity does not distinguish between the blade and the rest of the knife. This means that as far as the mechanics of the knife's components are concerned in relation to each other (ie, opening up), gravity has no effect. We don't spend our life's vertical, but in lots of orientations. I may have only finished my junior year towards a degree in engineering science & mechanics before switching to computer science, but I do remember a little about static forces, dynamic forces, and angular momentum.

Besides, when do the un-intentional openings occur? It isn't when we are standing up and not moving. :rolleyes: Yes, gravity can aid in tip-down carry in some cases. It can also work against you in ANY style carry. I'd much prefer to trust a well-made knife to prevent a serious cut than gravity. Gravity is not always a friend. Any knife with a reasonable amount of force keeping the blade closed will do so regardless of it's orientation, not withstanding the existence of a greater force of opposite direction. Any knife without a reasonable amount of force to keep the blade closed can open and cut you regardless of it's orientation.

The only truly safe way to carry a folder in a pocket is for the blade to be welded shut - and the weld better be good. Even a safety lock can get bumped.

There is no clear cut, single answer here. Just opinions and preferences.

Lesson over - knifeknut exiting podium.

I prefer tip-up. I also prefer that you use whichever you like!
 
Wow, I didn't think this thread would see this much action! I didn't mean to start a debate really, I was just posting something that happened to me. Whew!

My wife suggests that people who have knives open accidentally while in their back poockets no matter if it's tip up or tip down must have gigantic prehensile butts that reach around and wrestle the blade from it's resting place......
Lmaooooo Peter, that line is hillarious!!!!!!
 
The only problem I ever had was with a Kershaw model 1415, now discontinued. The ball detent fell out...How WIERD. Luckily I didn't cut myself. I took it back and decided to get another knife. Someone please kick me in the nuts as hard as possible. Why did I do that?:(

Regards,

Steve C.
 
One solution to knives opening is a pocket sheath (holster) for a folder. Obviously not for everyone, but I had excellent results with a pocket holster for a S&WM60 for many years. Where can I find such a holster/sheath for folding knives? I've seen pictures of pocket knife sheaths in magazines but never any info on where to get them.
 
There are a few things I've never understood. Like the claims that tip-up is faster, or that tip-down requires a grip change. I carry my wallet in my right front pocket, so my knives are always clipped against the seam. Tip-up is fine with me as long as there's spring tension against the blade. The only knife I have that is contrary to this is an LCC. That one came from MT with a stiff pivot, and it's going to remain with a stiff pivot. It's not my fastest to deploy, but it's a little safer and not something I carry when I expect to do alot of cutting.
 
How about making the detent that holds the knife closed stronger/better?

Some liner locks have notably better detents than others. For example, my Buck Odysseys (182 & 181) have a noticeably better ball-bearing detent action than does my Spyderco Starmate. The detent on the Odyssey sucks the knife into a closed postion, and then keeps it closed, a fair bit better than on my Starmate. And opening the Odyssey is not more difficult due to the better detent. Both knives are tip-down, but I would trust my Odysseys alot more, in tip-up position, than I would trust my Starmate.

The idea of having to position a tip-up knife properly in the pocket to make it safe for carry seems kind of ridiculous to me, and too fussy a solution. Just make the detents better/stronger. It can be done.
 
A lot of it depends on the make and model.I have never had a Microtech,or Emerson model that I have encountered this with.
 
The more I think about it, tip-down carry just plain sucks. Tip-up to me just seems natural. Pulling out a tip-down knife from your pocket and trying to open it is awkward.

The first thing I did when I got my Endura II is change the clip for tip-up carry. I commend Sal and Spyderco for offering this versatile feature.

I also have a full size CRKT M-16, which is tip-down, which has opened up in my pocket. Needless to say, it stays in my knife drawer.
 
I carry in both modalities.., prefer tip up, but also don't think it makes much difference at all with a wellmade knife.


"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what they [NEED]"
 
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