After about one year of alternating my EDCs including several different Spydercos, Military and Techno, I have found the pocket clip design on these to be shaped/curved, especially at their tips to catch on items, such as steering wheel covers, more so than any of my other EDCs. The Techno, I have found to have the most yuppy wire clip of all and when I look at Marcin Slyz's original Mouse folder which the Techno is directly taken from I see that it has a solid clip that appears to be significantly superior to the Spyderco Techno alternative. My question is: Why would Spyderco put a significantly different clip, and a poor one at that, over a perfected one such as on the original Mouse? Is it cost or to appeal to the fashion office crowd, because it certainly does not appeal to a tradesman such as myself who uses folders regularly and would of expected a greater consistency from Spyderco. I have ditched the wire clip since then and have attached a lanyard instead, but it has diminished my opinion of Spyderco and I will unlikely purchase another of their products in the near future.
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Spyderco Techno
- Thread starter Sal Zane
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powernoodle
Power Member
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Welcome, Sal. The wire clips have wide appeal, and are my personal favorite in the Spyderco lineup. I would not characterize them as "yuppy", but rather for the person who likes a minimalist, deeper carry clip that does not draw attention to one's hip bone. But if you don't like them - and that's fine - the are plenty of other makers out there. Yours is the first complaint I can recall about the wire clip specifically or Spyderco clips generally. Rock on.
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I also have a similar disdain for the wire clip. I've done the exact same thing with my Techno: Removed the clip, put on a paracord lanyard and keep er in my left pocket floating around. However I wouldn't write off Spyderco just because of the clip. I do appreciate the clip on the MS Mouse and would love to have a mod done to my Techno to accommodate a better clip.
Personally I like the black clips that have been coming on the recent Taiwan spydies. The wire clips don't look as nice but I appreciate them when I'm wearing slacks since the tension is not as strong as the other clips so they don't tear up the pockets on my nice pants. Now that you know that you don't like wire clips just purchase one of the other myriad of knives with different clips.
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- Sep 10, 2012
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I found that the wire clip on my techno does get snagged on a lot of things, what I did was place the clip backwards, ( so that the clip is pointed in the opposite direction of the blade) then bent it down a bit to increase the tension. I also placed a bit of tape on the end of the clip (so that it doesn't get scratched) and bent that down with pliers approximately 25 degrees from the horizontal, and I know find that it does not catch itself on objects when i bump into them any more.
choombak
Gold Member
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I have used knives with solid clips, as well as Spyderco's "wire clip" design, and find the Spyderco clips superior on two counts:
(a) springiness factor - easy to bend back in shape and do not break so easily on lateral stress. Though it may catch on things, its very easy to bend it back in shape, and you could probably do it a few dozen times w/o breaking it.
(b) ease of one-handed clip-unclip - easy to clip and unclip single handled, because of that slightly raised tip. I find this a huge plus, as I do not like the elaborate routine of using the other hand to stretch your pocket, and then clip the knife to it.
As others have commented, Spyderco is much more than the wire clip, and you should probably hang around the Spyderco forum here a bit more before checking out. Welcome to bladeforums.
(a) springiness factor - easy to bend back in shape and do not break so easily on lateral stress. Though it may catch on things, its very easy to bend it back in shape, and you could probably do it a few dozen times w/o breaking it.
(b) ease of one-handed clip-unclip - easy to clip and unclip single handled, because of that slightly raised tip. I find this a huge plus, as I do not like the elaborate routine of using the other hand to stretch your pocket, and then clip the knife to it.
As others have commented, Spyderco is much more than the wire clip, and you should probably hang around the Spyderco forum here a bit more before checking out. Welcome to bladeforums.
The wire clip's retention bugs me at times, but I find it to be very useful for quick removal and insertion back into a pocket. I've never found a perfect pocket clip on any item. Some are too hard to the point that you worry about it messing up your pocket (or it simply takes much longer to put the item in correctly) and others are extremely weak to the point that you wonder why the clip is even there. On custom knives, I've found the clips no better. The Spyderco wire clip, with a bit stronger retention would be ideal...IMHO. Though my issue with it could be moreso due to the size of the Techno and it's uncommon weight distribution (small, beefy knife).
Hey 78LilRed! I did not join BF just to tell you I no longer plan to purchase Spyderco because of their clips and I am satisfied enough with the Techno to continue using it as an EDC. I just want an honest answer from the designer as to why he allowed a wire clip to be used on such a robust little knife.
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I prefer the wire clip and find that they overall hold just as well as solid clips.
Now, onto the Techno, I agree that the clip on it isn't as well done. It seems more flexible or something than the other clips I've seen from Spyderco. More pliable and I've actually had my techno come out of my pocket once with little pressure. It is the only blade with a clip that has done it to me.
While the techno is fantastic, the clip isn't great but yeah..... I still love me some Spyderco.
Now, onto the Techno, I agree that the clip on it isn't as well done. It seems more flexible or something than the other clips I've seen from Spyderco. More pliable and I've actually had my techno come out of my pocket once with little pressure. It is the only blade with a clip that has done it to me.
While the techno is fantastic, the clip isn't great but yeah..... I still love me some Spyderco.
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You catch your knife clips on steering wheel covers? I'm scratching my head here.
I have had more trouble with the solid clips than the wire clips. My experience. Lost my cf stretch for a day when I fell climbing over a fence and it clipped onto some brush and put a big hole in a leather chair with my D2 para. I frankly like the fact that I am not advertising a knife carry - the wire clip just about disappears. Spyderco puts a fantastic product on the market, sorry you will not be enjoying them.
Welcome, Sal. The clips on the Spyderco knives are indeed designed to catch on a particular item: your pocket. I find the Spyderco clip design is generally a good balance between: good retention, ease of draw, ease of return to pocket, comfort in hand, and unobtrusive carry. These are obviously battling concerns, so a compromise must be struck. From your post, it seems you have had trouble with several Spyderco clip designs, and the wire clip is the worst for you. So it would appear that you don't like the way Spyderco has dealt with the aforementioned compromise. People certainly have preferences, but many people prefer the wire clip, and have even made modifications to their knives to add them when another design was used. So it's inaccurate to say that the wire clip is an objectively worse design.
My question to you would be: what pocket clips have you preferred and why? What features about them are different from the Spyderco designs, and how do they make your life easier? This is known as constructive criticism. You say that the Mouse design is "perfected" but what about it appears (because you have not actually used it) to be superior? Looking at a picture of it now, I don't see how it would catch on things less than the wire clip, as it ends in an angle away from the pocket. This is exactly how the clip on my PPT ends, and it is actually the most guilty of catching on things in my experience.
Declaring some design feature objectively inferior, and then demanding that the designer justify why they have forced you to endure this inferior feature is not likely to start a productive discussion.
My question to you would be: what pocket clips have you preferred and why? What features about them are different from the Spyderco designs, and how do they make your life easier? This is known as constructive criticism. You say that the Mouse design is "perfected" but what about it appears (because you have not actually used it) to be superior? Looking at a picture of it now, I don't see how it would catch on things less than the wire clip, as it ends in an angle away from the pocket. This is exactly how the clip on my PPT ends, and it is actually the most guilty of catching on things in my experience.
Declaring some design feature objectively inferior, and then demanding that the designer justify why they have forced you to endure this inferior feature is not likely to start a productive discussion.
Not sure if Marcin posts on BF or not, Mr. Glesser may chime in if he finds the thread. The only pocket clip I've had snag on a semi regular occurrence was an aftermarket TI clip for a Benchmade. You could also try contacting a custom clip maker like STR to make you a more robust/different clip for the Techno.
I have numerous EDCs and the Spyderco clip shape at the engaging end is shaped in such a manner that tends to catch on items moreso than my Benchmades, ZTs, Striders, C Reeves, and even Kershaws. My 85 year old machinist friend and I will get together soon and produce a titanium clip similar to the original Mouse clip to fit the Techno and I will shape it as I see fit to suit my personal preference for the length and shape of the clip. In conclusion, I ask if the wire clip design is so effective, then why have the other production knife companies not also made them for their folders? Spyderco produces decent knives, they could just do better.
Sal Glesser
Moderator
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- Dec 27, 1998
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- 11,690
Hi Sal,
Welcome to our forum. Sorry for your disappointment.
In answer to your first question, I carried and used the Slys mouse quite a bit before we went into production. I found the clip to be a bit of a problem in areas that we had aleady solved. Perhaps you ran into different problems with the wire. We've designed and improved many clips over the past 30+ years and we pay a great deal of attention to their function. I was the one that decided to replace the original clip and most seem to be satisfied with the current solution. (Can't please everyone
) We can relook at it, but I don't know that we would make a change. This is the first complaint we've heard and there are quite a few out there.
As far as the 2nd question, As the creator of the fist Clipit, I can say that while most knife companies have followed our lead with clips, I don't think that many pay as much attention to the function as we do. More pahy attention to the appearance. There are a few already copying our wires, it took a while for them to make clips at all in the beginning. We also see a few copying our hourglass clip shape. I imagine more will follow with a wire as they watch their popularity. The wires do cost more to make and many must be made to justify the costs.
Thanx for sharing your thoughts.
sal
Welcome to our forum. Sorry for your disappointment.
In answer to your first question, I carried and used the Slys mouse quite a bit before we went into production. I found the clip to be a bit of a problem in areas that we had aleady solved. Perhaps you ran into different problems with the wire. We've designed and improved many clips over the past 30+ years and we pay a great deal of attention to their function. I was the one that decided to replace the original clip and most seem to be satisfied with the current solution. (Can't please everyone
) We can relook at it, but I don't know that we would make a change. This is the first complaint we've heard and there are quite a few out there.As far as the 2nd question, As the creator of the fist Clipit, I can say that while most knife companies have followed our lead with clips, I don't think that many pay as much attention to the function as we do. More pahy attention to the appearance. There are a few already copying our wires, it took a while for them to make clips at all in the beginning. We also see a few copying our hourglass clip shape. I imagine more will follow with a wire as they watch their popularity. The wires do cost more to make and many must be made to justify the costs.
Thanx for sharing your thoughts.
sal