On clips

Joined
Nov 24, 1998
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993
I’m a newcomer to knives with clips. A newcomer is somewhat of a stretch but I mean to say that throughout my life of much hunting and fishing I have rarely taken a knife with a clip on the field, lake or ocean.

In any case, during the past couple of years that I’ve been regularly buying knives with clips, and I’ve noticed that I feel more comfortable carrying the knife in the bottom of my pocket. I can’t get used to the knife clipped on the upper part of my pants pocket. As a matter of fact, I just order two tabs to remove the clips on two XM-18 knives. They are rather big and heavy so I have a belt pouch for them.

Of course, I understand how very popular it is to carry a knife clipped to your pocket, but are there others that prefer their folding knives without a clip?
 
I mostly carry traditional slipjoints so I’m used to that. However I do have a few knives with clips and while it doesn’t bother me per say, it’s just different. The thing is though, I like to keep the knives with pocket clips the way they are, not remove them. Sometimes I clip them to my pocket, other times I just drop them in.
 
I actually like carrying with a pocket clip, but they have a tendency to work themselves out of pockets sometimes. I hate that.
 
Clips are convenient but slip joints in pockets has been around forever.
For what it's worth, I like Cold Steel knives, but their clips (as supplied) not so much.
 
I have owned a bunch of knives with clips in the past, but have transitioned almost entirely to slipjoints (with no clips). Not a problem, because I usually didn't use the clip anyway. I say 'almost' there, because the one "modern" folder I love and am keeping is a Mini-Grip in 20CV/G-10. This variation comes with the deep carry clip, and I tried that for a bit, but I ended up not using it much, and removed it from the knife. I like it much better without the clip.
 
The only place I will carry a clipped knife is on my back pocket (right rear). I remove it before sitting on car seats. As time moved forward on knives, most of my clipped knives are small enough to carry without the clip in my pocket, but I'm lazy and leave knives as they come from the factory. They either get used or get tossed in my knife tub once I buy them. A clipped knife is generally my secondary knife or the larger of the two and only need it occasionally..... so occasionally that I often just leave it at home.

Which clipped knife you ask??? ;) Benchmade Mini Presidio II (aluminum handles) or the Spyderco Kiwi 4. I don't experiment as much as I used to and have settled into a comfortable predictable knife mode.

Had to do the hospital thing today. Yep, knife in my pocket. Was at the hospital at 5:00 AM. Just call me sleepless.
 
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Yuck, yuck, yuck. All knives, flashlights and multitools should come with pocket clips. And not crappy ones either; good ones. I am a clip nut through and through. :)
 
I appreciate the convenience afforded by clips. I can access the knife more quickly without having to rummage through my pockets. With most of my knives riding low and with a nice untucked shirt, clip carry can still be fairly discreet. You can’t really tell whether it’s a Voyager XL or a Para 3 in my pocket.

If I throw a knife in the pocket without a clip, it’ll probably be the Izula.
 
Even for clipless knives, I have a few pocket slips with clips on them to carry with lol.

I think it just depends on how you've decided to arrange your pockets. Namely, for me, letting a clipless knife sit at the bottom of my pocket with my keys would feel too bulky.
 
I’m just not a clip guy. I tried the clipped approach many times but it’s not for me. I like my knife down in my pocket lying in wait. So I remove the clips from all of my folders once I get them.
 
Like I said above, no clip, no purchase but, I do sometimes let the knife ride deep in my pocket with my keys. Not very often though.

The exceptions to all of this are my SAKs and Gerber LST. The LST just rides with my keys and the SAKs normally ride in the pocket of a coat or vest.
 
....The exceptions to all of this are my SAKs and Gerber LST. The LST just rides with my keys and the SAKs normally ride in the pocket of a coat or vest.
I downsized my SAK that I carry to avoid the mixing it with keys. It goes in a watch pocket or if I have cargo type pants with no watch pocket, it goes in one of those pockets but not with the keys. I am comfortable with just a SAK and I have found over time that I don't need the larger 111mm one I used to carry for many years. I like not having stuff mixed with keys and that includes coins. I keep a small plastic container in my pickup for coins (dip container with lid). That replaced the ashtray approach as I found that I seldom ever removed them from the ashtray. They just sat in there for years. This way the coins stay in one place and are clean and available for use say in a drive through fast food place.

I have absolutely nothing against clips. I just don't carry a larger knife now regularly.
 
Not a clip user either. Usually I just carry my knife in my pocket or if in the woods, a belt pouch. I di have sime dexteruty issuesvin my right hand so iften the clip gives ne a little more to grip when opening a knife so leave the clips on.
 
The clip gives me an extra layer in my pocket. Sebenza clipped to rf pocket, SAK in bottom of same.
Knife of the day loose in left pocket. I removed the Teckloc from 3 of my small fixed and slip one in the left front also.
 
Definitely a clip, or belt sheath for me. I used to have a decent collection of GEC and Case knives, but couldn't get used to them sitting loose in my pocket. I have since pretty much pared down to Buck (clipped, or in a sheath), SAK Alox Cadet or Pioneer in the watch pocket of jeans, or cargo pocket in pants for carry. I also have a few Case Peanuts, not to carry...just cause! :D
 
The clip gives me an extra layer in my pocket. Sebenza clipped to rf pocket, SAK in bottom of same.
Knife of the day loose in left pocket. I removed the Teckloc from 3 of my small fixed and slip one in the left front also.
You carry 4 knives at once?
 
I require a clip too.
I find knives tend to fall out of my pockets to easily without a clip.
Also clips give me more carry options.
 
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