Spyderco Para2: tip up vs tip down?

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Nikkogi

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Jan 19, 2009
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As we all know, the Spyderco Para 2 is a fantastic design. How do you carry your P2? Tip up or tip down? I like tip up on my knives but it doesn't really matter in my experience.
 
I actually go tip up, but it is also carried in my left front pocket, usually to complement the Military in my RFP. The clip feels better tip up when set for left hand carry. Right hand carry I usually go tip down.
 
My requests for custom clips are normally mostly for tip up if that is any indication of what knife nuts seem to prefer. I'd say its probably like 80% tip up carry requests x 20% tip down requests with a plus or minus for some leeway. It seems for every 20 clips I make that one or two of them would be for tip down. Most of the tip down requests I get are predictable for me because they are usually for the Military by Spyderco and/or the Kershaw JYDII.

I find I prefer tip up with most folders. Very rarely one will come along that seems to just work better for various reasons in tip down and I'll carry it that way when I do have one on me. I feel I can safely say that as far as forum members go it is pretty evident to me that tip up is the preferred carry mode for the majority of knife nuts here and off a couple other forums.

STR
 
I believe tip-up is a superior orientation because:

Tip-up orients the knife in a way that when grasped correctly, can be pulled from the pocket with minimal repositioning of the grip. Tip-up also snugs the blade safely against the inner corner of your pocket, placing the blade away from the path of your hand, minimizing the chance of the blade swinging open inside your pocket and performing some type of unwanted sexual surgery.

I also don't like the way the grip feels on a tip-down knife. The clip is so much more ergonomic in the tip-up setting.

The only knife I can tolerate being tip-down is the Millie.
 
Tip up or down works for me in a shorter knife like the para 2. It doesn't really matter to me if I have to change my grip since this is not an SD or otherwise fast use knife for me. For longer knives like the military, chinook, endura, etc.,which may be used for SD(hopefully never), I find that tip down gives me a better position on the knife as soon as it clears my pocket.
 
I don't mind either way tho with spydies I always prefer tip down for the spydie drop ! Any folder with studs I prefer tip up carry but neither way is ever a deal breaker...
 
tip down. unless clip comes tip up bc i am usually to lazy to change it bc idc either way really.
 
I like all mine to be tip up RH carry. My thumb is right on the hole for easy opening as I pull out of pocket.
 
I was firmly in the tip up camp until I got a Military and then a P2. I've discovered I like drawing the knife out of my pocket by hole and with the P2 and the Mil the drop opening works so intuitively and well. So, at least with these knives I'm a convert to tip down.
 
i carry mine tip down. mostly because of muscle memory and to keep pocket lint away from the pivot.
 
Tip up if I want to carry it in my right front pocket. Tip down if I want to carry it in my right back pocket. I'm fine with either. The para 2 feels comfortable in both positions, and is honestly easy to get to and open either way, unless I'm sitting.
 
It has been "burned" into my brain to carry Millies and Paras tip down and it has become as natural and quick as can be. Since I am pinching the knife out of the pocket with the last inch or so I find a need to re-position the grip much more with tip up and you can forget the drop.
 
I don't clip mine, but I prefer the clip in the tip down position because of how the knife sits in my hand in that position.
 
Tip up all the way. I carry all of my knives this way for commonality and to help muscle memory when deploying them.
 
I usually prefer tip up, mostly because I prefer the bulk of the clip to be at the rear of my grip when the knife is open and in hand
 
God intended knives to be carried tip up, so one's thumb falls directly on the Spydie hole during extraction.

But I carry my folder on my weak side, so it goes tip down. This is a better configuration for transferring the knife from the weak side hand to the strong side hand. Additionally, it removes the possibility of the blade opening up in my pocket and stabbing me, which has happened more than once.
 
powernoodle said:
God intended knives to be carried tip up, so one's thumb falls directly on the Spydie hole during extraction.
Click to expand...

Here is where I see it different. I am experimenting with a P2 as I type and when tip down, the thumbhole is literally a 1/2" from the clip. If I reverse it to tip up then the thumbhole is over 2" from the clip. When I reach for my knife tip down, the thumbhole is right there for either a spydiedrop or regular deployment with ease. If I reach for it tip up I would have to actually put my hand into my pocket to get to the thumbhole. Obviously folks use different "grab" methods but for me tip up has never been quicker. If you don't use a pocket clip and carry tip up then yes you can get to the hole and deploy extremely fast.
 
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