Thin Tip-Down Flipper for Shirt Pocket?

C

Cosmodragoon

Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Messages
340
I often carry a couple of pens and a pen light clipped into the left breast pocket of my shirt. Having recently gotten more shirts with a pocket on both sides, I've been exploring small knives for the right breast pocket. The best fit so far is a Tangram Amarillo I got for Christmas. The size is close to perfect and it sits very well with the deep-carry pocket clip. It looks inconspicuous in the context of my other pens. The little screw port at the top hump of the clip actually looks good when visible. The knife itself is surprisingly good for the price.

My only issue is that the Amarillo is tip-up only. I know a lot of guys prefer that in a pants pocket. Drawing from a same-side breast pocket, it's a little awkward. Every time my hand hits it, my finger automatically looks for the tab and my heart fills with disappointment. Does anyone here, on the web's premium knife forum, know of a decent tip-down flipper with a similar form factor?
 
Hey C Cosmodragoon , not sure of your budget, but for tip down flippers, take a look at A G Russell's (RIP) offerings. Here are a couple I thought you might like.

rus-cd14g10-co.jpg

agfr-c2tx.jpg

agfr-c4s-l-c3s-m.jpg
 
I can recommend the Boker Brad Zinker Urban Trapper !
It is a flipper on ball bearings no less.
I have used two others to mod into my Grail. Yes I have three of these.
Page down there to see it in pocket.

Link to photos>>>>>

The model with the scales screwed onto the thinner titanium liners / frame is a bit lighter and thinner than the all Ti handled one. Seen here
Link to Photos>>>>
 
Last edited:
My first thought was the Urban Trapper. But they are tip up, which the OP specifically requested for tip down
 
kniferbro said:
My first thought was the Urban Trapper. But they are tip up, which the OP specifically requested for tip down
Click to expand...
Oh you are RIGHT !
I thought about it and mistakenly thought it was tip down before I replied.
Personally I hardly look at or care which way the tip is. Some how I can use either just fine.
Oh well . . . sorry . . .
PS: probably comes from me carrying my Grails the most over the drilled Ti handled one. I took the clips off my Grails and carry them mostly in a belt pouch.
Still . . . I put them in the pouch tip up.
I'll have to try them tip down in the pouch. Could open up a whole new world for me.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the replies so far. It needs to have a flipper tab. I don't care for thumb studs but if it has one in addition to the finger tab, that's okay. I want to seamlessly grab the top of the knife between my thumb and middle finger, pull it out, and flick the tab with my pointer finger.

While I'd love something in the price range of the Amarillo, my hard maximum for any knife is a hundred bucks. If all else fails, how difficult is it to put new screw holes into G10 for a new clip position?
 
Cosmodragoon said:
Thanks for the replies so far. It needs to have a flipper tab. I don't care for thumb studs but if it has one in addition to the finger tab, that's okay. I want to seamlessly grab the top of the knife between my thumb and middle finger, pull it out, and flick the tab with my pointer finger.

While I'd love something in the price range of the Amarillo, my hard maximum for any knife is a hundred bucks. If all else fails, how difficult is it to put new screw holes into G10 for a new clip position?
Click to expand...

You would also have to drill into the liner (mainly the liner, really) and tap the holes so screws can thread, but it shouldn't be that difficult. Especially if you have experience working with tools.
 
I don't have any specific suggestions, but I would say a good shirt pocket knife should focus on low weight more than anything else.

How about Kershaw Leek? Can those be tip down?
 
I was just about to say a Kershaw Leek might fit your needs. Can be tip up or down ... I normally don't like the speedsafe lock but for shirt pocket carry it might be a nice option.

I'm not sure if Kershaw makes a deep carry clip but I bet someone does for it ... they are lightweight and even more so if you can find a CF scale model or scale for it.

here is a CF version you can look at ...

https://www.bladehq.com/item--Kershaw-Leek-Assisted-Opening-Knife--52168
this version even has upgraded the blade to CPM154

and it looks like MXG Gear makes a deep carry clip ...

I posted a thread on your profile page for a more pen like looking clip you may prefer for offce carry.
 
Last edited:
Indeed, the Leek is thin and carries tip down. I can't believe I forgot about it. My first "good" pocket knife was a fancy anodized Leek. I bought it in the early 2000s for $80. It was very attractive but that ended up working against it. Between how pretty it was and concerns about the tip, there were a lot of jobs where I was afraid to use it! I eventually set it in a drawer and started carrying a beater again. For dedicated shirt-pocket carry, that might be less of a concern today.

Are nice older Leeks collectors' items now?

It looks like I can get some of the non-collectible solid-color aluminum versions for around $40 now. Titanium deep-carry clips seem to go for a little more than half that. Does anyone have experience with the clips or have a trusted source for them?

Thanks again for all the replies and please keep them coming. It will probably be a week or two before I make my decision.
 
I can only second the urban trapper. I modified mine to a sheepsfootish blade and anodized it but it is a great knife from the factory. After breaking in it's crazy smooth (and normal smooth before that).
Ta1F1hQ.jpg

It normally has a clip blade and plain ti scales (or you can get the linerlock version with for example CF or cocobolo)
 
+1 for the urban trapper, tip up works for me:)

IMG_20190117_091523.jpg
 
I just looked at the Dividend on the web. It looks like it might be in the same ballpark as the Leek but with a sturdier tip and no safety doodad. Any ideas on this one? (Also, is M390 worth it at the $80 price?)
 
Cosmodragoon said:
I just looked at the Dividend on the web. It looks like it might be in the same ballpark as the Leek but with a sturdier tip and no safety doodad. Any ideas on this one? (Also, is M390 worth it at the $80 price?)
Click to expand...
M390 is a pretty premium steel, $80 is a very low price for it. It's got a thin blade and handle, fits great in hand and in pocket but doesn't come with a deep carry clip.
I'm not sure I'd want any assisted knife in my front pocket. The assist spring on my Dividend has failed before and it doesn't have a detent hole to hold the knife closed without the spring.
 
... I'm not sure I'd want any assisted knife in my front pocket. The assist spring on my Dividend has failed before and it doesn't have a detent hole to hold the knife closed without the spring.
Click to expand...

I've owned a bunch of Kershaws and the Speedsafe has been pretty reliable for me. I don't know which ones also have a detent but they seem to stay closed better than some of the inexpensive manual flippers I've owned. The Leek is a different story though. I only just remembered that before I retired it to the drawer, I had been carrying it with the safety off. (The safety was an extra step that proved more annoying than anything else.) At least twice, it had come open by just a hair. It wasn't enough to spring open and it was easy to miss. Sadly, it was enough for that radical point to catch skin.

I'm guessing that the Leek was tuned for assumed use of that safety doodad. Not having one, does the Dividend close more securely than the Leek?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top