Pocket knife, how it carries in your pocket vs. how it feels during use.

chickenfried

chickenfried

Joined
Feb 27, 2003
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Recently I was choosing between the sage 1 and mini griptilian. There were other pros and cons I considered. But the Sage 1 ended up winning because I felt I would like it better while in use. So it was worth putting up with the tall profile in the pocket and other things. Very well could've decided the other way that I liked the slimmer profile of the grip in the pocket, almost a coin toss. Just wondering how others feel.
 
I honestly don't really notice any but the absolute heaviest or most awkwardly shaped folders when in pocket, so I almost always go for in-hand comfort, particularly with extended use. That said, I can completely understand the counter argument that prioritizes how well it carries in the pocket, as just about any folding knife will spend far more time in your pocket than in your hand.
 
I bring a few knives when shopping for pants to make sure the pockets are correct; proper pockets make carrying a wide range of knives comfortable. :)
 
Manix 2 is a prime example. Ergonomic bliss in hand but takes up a lot of real estate in the pocket due to its width. I still own/carry 2 regardless of this nuance.
 
When I first started buying knives I never gave the idea of how it carried in my pocket much thought. If it was a design I liked, I bought it. Now that I have accumulated more knives than needed, I almost always look at how much pocket space it takes up and also how aggressive the texture is on the clip side, seeing as how many pairs of jeans are a ragged mess where I clip my knife. The sage 1 is a little wide, but it goes in the pocket smoothly and has no rough edges so when I'm digging something out of my pocket I'm not getting annoyed. Some of my favorites are the ZT 0566,sage,and probably the best of my lot to carry is the bm 940. The ZT 0350 and full size griptillian are 2 that I rarely carry due to pocket space.
 
Insipid Moniker said:
I honestly don't really notice any but the absolute heaviest or most awkwardly shaped folders when in pocket, so I almost always go for in-hand comfort, particularly with extended use. That said, I can completely understand the counter argument that prioritizes how well it carries in the pocket, as just about any folding knife will spend far more time in your pocket than in your hand.
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This is my experience, as well. I think most of the counter argument comes from people who tend to wear lighter pants or suits more often; different things will work better for different people.

I actually like having a big, clunky chunk of badass in my pocket. It's part of the reason I sometimes carry my CS Spartan.
 
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I always consider how the knife feels and how it performs as a priority. But having said that there are some knives I don't carry as much as I would like to due to the way it carries in the pocket. An example would be my CS Ti-Lite VI. I love that big ass pointy blade, but it's just such a pain to carry sometimes. I don't let that completely stop me though. The Ti-Lite still see some pocket time. [emoji41]
 
Ergos and functionality are most important for my EDCs but I find that IWB carry allows the widest possible options for my choice of knife to carry. Appearance wise, there's hardly any difference between a Dragonfly II and an XM-18 3.5 when carried right front.
 
I prioritize in hand comfort. This is a big reason why I prefer tip up carry, don't like the clip at the pivot end when using the knife. It's what kills the idea of deep carry clips on tip down folders for me.
 
I want both. I carry a knife more than I handle it so it has to fit in with my daily lifestyle, i.e., in my pants pocket. But it also has to fit my hand comfortably when I need to use it. Since I've been buying knives for a while now, I've become very selective. I've loved Spyderco knives for almost 25 years but the only one I now carry regularly is the little Dragonfly. Most Spydercos are just too wide in profile for my pockets even though they usually fit my hand perfectly. It's a compromise.
 
In jeans anything goes. But in work (dress) pants I like slippies or very tiny knives. I'm shopping for a mnandi right now.
 
The only time I pay attention to how it carries is when I'm picking a knife intended for daily carry. Then I do pay attention to how it carries because it's going to spend most of its time in my pocket. That's almost as important to me as how it feels in use... almost. I want to know how it feels in the pants I wear and also how it prints (looks to others). Since I carry my knives down in my pocket instead of clipped, I want to make sure that it's not evident that I have a knife in my pocket.
 
I do consider how a knife shape rides in the pocket—particularly when its height (lookin' at you Manix2 XL) makes it difficult to get a hand in and out of the pocket when retrieving a phone, etc. General thickness (dat Vallotton doe) also poses problems for me. Weight almost never affects carry choice for me. But to be fair I'm not often wearing light pants. And when I do, I'm usually in a place where a SAK is appropriate.

All that being said, in-hand ergos always precede the above decision-making process. I had a Spydie K2 that ticked so many boxes for me. Tip-down, very slim in the back pocket, outstanding steel. But it had more hot spots than an industrial cooking range. The thing hurt in-hand just to hold, let alone do any sort of serious cutting. So back it went. Same with the Slysz Bowie and Nilakka.
 
How a knife carries and feels in pocket is a big part of the equation for me. After all, that's where a pocketknife lives most of the time.
 
If it's to the point that the knife is so uncomfortable in the pocket that you don't carry it then its a big deal. Some of my larger folder time to time see a belt pouch for carry
 
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