Pocket Clips

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JTR357

JTR357

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Why can't all companies offer 4 way pocket clip positions?It doesn't seem like it would be much extra work to drill & thread a few more holes.This is one of my preferences when looking for a new folder.It's not a main factor,but it helps knowing I can position the knife anyway I want.Kershaw's JYDII is one of my favorite folders,but it doesn't have any other alternatives concerning the pocketclip.Plus the clip is so huge!I still EDC it,but I took off the clip.I think all clips should be 4 way positionable & be small & functional,like the ZT0200's clip.Just my .02:)
 
Because clean lines are important to some folks, like me. I don't like the swiss cheese look of some folders drilled all over the place. That's why most companies offer similar knives with different configurations. That's my take on it. Take a nice micarta or wook scaled piece, now swiss cheese it - the "niceness" is gone.
 
Pisses me off too.


I have a knock off of an Emerson Wave. Nearly identical, but the pocket clip is set up for left handed folk:grumpy:
I had to drill, and re-position the clip just to make it function. PITA.
 
I hate big clips too. Allen Elishewitz comes to mind when thinking about perfect, short clips on knives.:thumbup:
 
RLR said:
Because clean lines are important to some folks, like me. I don't like the swiss cheese look of some folders drilled all over the place. That's why most companies offer similar knives with different configurations. That's my take on it. Take a nice micarta or wook scaled piece, now swiss cheese it - the "niceness" is gone.
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Point taken.I can understand why there aren't a buch of holes drilled in fine knives like micarta,abalone,pearl...ect.I was refering more to G10,zytel & such.
My one & only gripe with Kershaw for instance is the HUGE clips & limited clip alteratives they have on the bump series & JYD's(some others I can't think of).IMO clips are attached purely for utility reasons,not decoration.
 
Agreed with the Kershaw spoons I've seen on some of their knives. I am a purist - no clip, or something straight and solid that just clips the knife to a pocket. Nothing more, nothing less. So on "tacticals" I'll give you that one - holes for all carries!
 
I think the 4-way clip idea is great, but in fairness, most people have a preference for either tip-up or tip-down and are either right handed or left handed and therefore really only need one clip location as long as it matches their preference. So the demand for 4-way drilling may not be all that great. And while drilling and tapping a few more holes does not seem like a big deal, any extra manufacturing steps translate into costs, prices and market share. And sometimes, threaded inserts are even needed for the holes.

Also, some makers may feel that a particular design is more suited to a particular clip orientation, for instance, a maker might want a liner lock to be tip down for safety. Another example is that the ambidextrous Axis lock would not be as ambidextrous if one side were covered by a clip in the tip-down position.

But 4-way drilling does seem like the natural evolution of the pocket clip and I guess there will be more and more offered.
 
I like the possibility of ambi clip /or 4 way/ being a lefty. But for some shaped clips, the manufacturer would have to offer two shapes of clips as well - a left one and right one - I mean where the clip is curved, f.e. like on the Spyderco Persian, or even the mentioned Kershaw JYD, where the clip has a very specific /but IMO nice/ design.
 
224477 said:
I like the possibility of ambi clip /or 4 way/ being a lefty. But for some shaped clips, the manufacturer would have to offer two shapes of clips as well - a left one and right one - I mean where the clip is curved, f.e. like on the Spyderco Persian, or even the mentioned Kershaw JYD, where the clip has a very specific /but IMO nice/ design.
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Why would they have to be shaped different?The clips on the ZT series are perfect IMO.Small & simple,with 4 way positions.With the exception of axis/arc locks as mention above,I'd like to see more like them.
 
RLR said:
Agreed with the Kershaw spoons I've seen on some of their knives. I am a purist - no clip, or something straight and solid that just clips the knife to a pocket. Nothing more, nothing less. So on "tacticals" I'll give you that one - holes for all carries!
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:DLOL I guess you could remove the JYD's clip & use it to eat your pudding in the bush.

BTW I'm not bashing Kershaw by any means.They are one of my favorite companies.I just have a problem with(some of) their clips & clip options.
 
i think the companies should offer the knives in the other styles but drilling 8 holes in the grips ends up looking bad. my sog twitch 2 has it where you can swap it left or right handed and the position of the screws is really there to be holding the knife together so its not to out of place but a tip down carry would be weird IMHO.

i like a clip on my knives but i and really only like tip up for righthanded because the way i draw my AO's.

the size of clips, ya it may not look great if there is a big clip but you also have to think about the fact that the larger clip may be the difference to a LEO weather or not your are open carrying or concealed carrying

-matt
 
JTR357 said:
BTW I'm not bashing Kershaw by any means.They are one of my favorite companies.I just have a problem with(some of) their clips & clip options.
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In Kershaw's defence the custom versions of the collabs have HUGE GAUDY clips too. Ken Onion and Tim Galyean make beautiful knives but I don't like their HUGE custom clips either. (In fact I modded the clip on my Spec and Speed Bump to make it a little one like Elishewitz would use.) They may follow the lines of the knife when it's out of your pocket but they look like chrome DareDevil fishing lures when they are clipped to a pocket.
 
To me, the wire slip on Spyderco's Meerkat, only set-up for four way carry, is the way to go. That'd be sweet!
 
When I design a knife everything has to balance to my eye. A small pen clip to me looks flimsy and more than anything they look like an after thought. I do however understand why you guys like the smaller sleeker clips. I think this is one of those things where you can not please every one. So thats why my clips are the size, and look the way they are.
 
My two faves are the CRK Mnandi clip , and the Spydie wire clips , like the Caly III and UKPK . No offence to Tim , I like his stuff , but a spoon doesnt do it for me ! I thank a benificent God that the ZT 2 an 300 have small clips .

Chris
 
Tim Galyean said:
A small pen clip to me looks flimsy
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The clip only has to hold the knife at the top of a pants pocket or waistband - how much stronger than a stiff wire would it ever need to be?

The clip on you production JYDII feels perfect in hand, but I live close to an airport and when I'm mowing my lawn, people from all over the USA get to see when I'm carrying my Kershaw Galyean JYD II when their planes land. :p
 
Its not so much that it is flimsy, (the clips like the ZT clip are plenty strong) to me it is just a perception thing.

I like the clip to look like some thought went into it, and besides you want people to know you got a Galyean in your pocket!!! :D

moab_chi071.jpg
 
WANT! JEEZ that's a knife
 
I could agree with just about everyone on this thread so far. It's frustrating to have to look at a knife and say "If only...", especially when the if-only is something as easy to address as the position of the clip. Most the time I would like an old-school "double-wire" clip like several spydercos have/had. There's a time when you may want "more clip" and there's also a time you'd have to shoot me before I'd let you put unnecessary holes in that MOP or Burl. And why cant they make an adjustable clip? I don't want to dig around in my pocket with greasy hands when I'm working, and I don't feel a need to wear a "I have a knife in my pocket" badge on my hip when I'm in class.

Folks, I just want that perfect do-all knife to be...perfect.

Come, let us mourn together...
 
On both my ZT 0200 and my Spyderco mini manix which both have 4 position clip mounts, I e-mailed their customer service dept's for an extra clip. The ZT, I lost the clip overboard changeing position and they were kind enough to send me 2 extra clips and screws and Spyderco sent me a clip when I told them my idea. My Idea was to double side their clips to facilitate left or right side carry. This has worked quite well as it has not changed the way the knives handles for me at all, but I do have large hands.
 
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