PM2 - tip up or tip down?

[bh49]

I strongly prefer tip up carry option.

 

[rljohns]

Tip down for all Spydies, tip up for Benchmades and most other knives.

 

[Converge]

I carry both but more tip up. My delica4 came tip up and I kept it that way, my tenacious came tip down but I changed it to tip up. If I carried mainly in right front pocket I would have more tip down spyderco setups so that the drop open technique could be used, however 90% of the time my folders are carried on the right side of my back right pocket next to wallet. Can't grab the Spyder hole that well back there to deploy with the spydie drop. When I pull out a spyderco from my back pocket that is oriented in tip up carry my hand is positioned perfectly to open the blade. I carry which ever way works best for that typical knife or place of carry.

 

[Guest5160]

I find tip up in the RFP to generally work best for me on any knife, as the natural position on the draw just feels better to me than tip down. Spyderco's with their comparatively wide blades, tip up also seems to nestle the knife out of the way a bit better. Keeping the jimping on the thumb ramp from assaulting my hands when retrieving other things from that pocket.

I don't do lanyards or fobs and have little delusions about expensive tools being used to dispatch would be aggressors. I have a feeling that adrenaline and the lack of fine motor skills that come with it would slow down my draw far more than any perceived disadvantage based on carry position.

 

[Lycosa]

I now prefer, tip down, big-time.
rolf

 

[Evany]

I go back and forth. On the Para 2, tip down seems like a slightly easier way to deploy the knife, but it also puts the widest part of the knife right at the edge of my pocket, making it difficult to get my hand into the pocket, past the knife. It also makes it difficult to take the knife out without scraping the jimping against the the top edge of the pocket. This eventually results in a frayed pocket edge. I have a few pairs of jeans that have a lot of life left in them, but pocket where I carry the knife is practically destroyed. Because of this I've switched to tip up carry on my Para 2. It's slightly slower, but my jeans last longer.

 

[rsngfrce]

I find tip up in the RFP to generally work best for me on any knife, as the natural position on the draw just feels better to me than tip down. Spyderco's with their comparatively wide blades, tip up also seems to nestle the knife out of the way a bit better. Keeping the jimping on the thumb ramp from assaulting my hands when retrieving other things from that pocket.

I don't do lanyards or fobs and have little delusions about expensive tools being used to dispatch would be aggressors. I have a feeling that adrenaline and the lack of fine motor skills that come with it would slow down my draw far more than any perceived disadvantage based on carry position.

I go back and forth. On the Para 2, tip down seems like a slightly easier way to deploy the knife, but it also puts the widest part of the knife right at the edge of my pocket, making it difficult to get my hand into the pocket, past the knife. It also makes it difficult to take the knife out without scraping the jimping against the the top edge of the pocket. This eventually results in a frayed pocket edge. I have a few pairs of jeans that have a lot of life left in them, but pocket where I carry the knife is practically destroyed. Because of this I've switched to tip up carry on my Para 2. It's slightly slower, but my jeans last longer.

Both of you make a REAL good point regarding the width of SpyderCo blades... one of the things I tend to dislike about SpyderCo's is that the width of the blade tends to interfere with putting my hand in my pocket (doesn't bother me with the PM2 for some reason)... it had not occurred to me that switching to tip up, so the blade is facing the other direction, might mitigate that issue somewhat! :thumbup:

 

[Redmasta]

Tip up. The first thing I did when I got a PM2 was move the clip.

 

[Surfingringo]

Tip up, for right front pocket anyway

*It is safer for right front pocket. Ever dropped a knife and had it pop open? If you should happen to fall with a knife tip down right front pocket, it could pop open. I don't need to explain the rest. You may go years and years without an issue, but it only takes once and peace of mind is worth a lot to me. Right front tip up puts the spine of the blade trapped against the outside seam of your pants, it cannot open.

*When handling knives esp., choked up in choils like so many Spyderco's, it gets more of the clip out of your palm. It is more comfortable in all cases I have played with.

*I believe there are more tip up only knives than tip down only knives so it would be easier to be consistent. That may not be important to you at all. I like having my knives orientated the same. So much so I converted my Military to tip up. I just bought the new K2 and it is tip down only and Ti. I probably won't be converting that knife, we'll see.

*For me, speed of drawing and opening is a completely useless argument. It seems like the argument gets stuck here a lot. I don't really care, that apple I want to cut up isn't running away. If I need a self defense tool, my pocket knife is not my first option. Arguing about fractions of a second and how I need to move my fingers or thumb here or there is silly imo.


At the end of the day, carry it both ways for a while and see what you like. Everyone has different criterion and some are more passionate about it than others. Just be happy the PM2 is four way drilled so you can figure it out for yourself!

^This!! It really doesn't matter to me. It's just a knife with a clip on it. Tip up, tip down, whatever ya got. I would agree with Nccoles point that tip up in rfp is probably less likely to ever bite you.

 

[nccole]

Both of you make a REAL good point regarding the width of SpyderCo blades... one of the things I tend to dislike about SpyderCo's is that the width of the blade tends to interfere with putting my hand in my pocket (doesn't bother me with the PM2 for some reason)... it had not occurred to me that switching to tip up, so the blade is facing the other direction, might mitigate that issue somewhat! :thumbup:

I forgot that one, but the Military I converted to tip up rides so much nicer in my pocket and gives plenty of room to actually put my hand in that pocket with the knife in there as well. The only knife that is a bit wide no matter tip up or down (but manageable) is the Manix 2. Having thumb ramp jimping scrape your hand is no fun.

 

[RustyHammer]

Tip up ... seems more natural for me. Has anyone else noticed the only real way to carry a Spyderco with a lanyard attached is with it tip up? (At least with cord attached to the top most part of the knife - in the models I own.) I'm fairly new to them .. am I missing something?

 

[nccole]

Unless you put a laynard through a hollow pivot or attached to a clip tip up is the only way to use a laynard well.

 

[Spiff_P239]

I always carry my knives tip up. I've found that they are quicker to deploy and I like having them all set up the same way.

 

[danthaman1980]

One of my first knives with a pocket clip was a Kershaw Leek. Great knife that comes tip down from the factory. I always carried it that way, but always locked the blade before I put it in my pocket. Except for the one time I forgot. And the (assisted opening) blade came open in my pocket. I was lucky, the blade stopped halfway; I noticed it right away and carefully closed it before I cut myself (or my pants) up.

For that reason, I think it is much safer to carry with the spine of the blade against the edge of the right front pocket. Tip up makes more sense in this configuration.

 

[RayseM]

Is there a good video out there that shows deploying a Spyderco out of a pocket from a tip down position?
Not being critical here. (Who cares to make that into a right or wrong equation ?) I just can't make tip down work and so I want to see how someone does it.

I am a TURFP guy. It's not a question of speed as much as one of efficiency. The knife comes out of my pocket with a pull up and the blade opens with a flick of the thumb - so easy and the knife never changes orientation in my hand.

Not possible with my newly obtained TUSK. I understand why there is not an option on that otherwise superb little piece of craftsmanship, but it makes the Tusk a 2 hand opener for me. Would like to watch someone else do differently than me. Just askin'. Thanks for taking the time...

 

[GuestWho101]

I now prefer, tip down, big-time.
rolf

Hi Rolf,

Could you elaborate on why you prefer tip down "big-time"? Lol, seems you may have a story to tell, and I'm all ears .

Thanks!

 

[Lycosa]

I can grab the hole and Spyderdrop the knife open.

 

[singularity35]

Is there a good video out there that shows deploying a Spyderco out of a pocket from a tip down position?
Not being critical here. (Who cares to make that into a right or wrong equation ?) I just can't make tip down work and so I want to see how someone does it.

I am a TURFP guy. It's not a question of speed as much as one of efficiency. The knife comes out of my pocket with a pull up and the blade opens with a flick of the thumb - so easy and the knife never changes orientation in my hand.

Not possible with my newly obtained TUSK. I understand why there is not an option on that otherwise superb little piece of craftsmanship, but it makes the Tusk a 2 hand opener for me. Would like to watch someone else do differently than me. Just askin'. Thanks for taking the time...

Dunno about good but here's one I made a while ago.

[video=youtube;8_aW3x_d6FA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_aW3x_d6FA&list=UUemCv9Cb0ihg8flgeP8IZFA[/video]

 

[Knifein]

Every knife company should give the option of a reversible pocket clip in every model of their folding knives with a clip.

Tip up carry is always better than tip down. It is not a matter of opinion, it is simple truth.

 

[Lycosa]

Why is TU better?^