Tip down carry reasons?

sharp_edge said:
Never put small objects like coins in the same pocket as your folding knife (doesnt matter tip up or tip down). At least I never.
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Been doing it now for about 55 years. It started when I was a little fella and I carried change for gum with a funny, a jawbreaker, and all other kinds of stuff the kids treasure with my first Boy Scout knife.

Through all my barlows, my stockman knives, etc., never gave it a second thought until I had knives that clipped to my pocket. I carry two knives to work, 1 ultra-sharp folder in my pocket, and in the same pocket my larger work knife clipped to the same one. As long as the clipped knife is tip up, with the blade towards the seam of my blue jeans I don't have any problem.

Robert
 
If you are worried about the knife opening in your pocket make sure the spine of the blade is against the seam of your pocket, tip up or tip down.

That said, I prefer tip up always against a pocket seam. Not a deal breaker but the knife better be really good like the military.
 
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I have been carrying around a knife in my pocket for decades. I dislike pocket clips and usually take them off. My folding knives have been rolling around free in my pocket, sometimes with other objects. I carry one while riding my motorcycle, fishing, camping, hiking, skiing, falling down, whatever. I never once had a knife deploy or about to deploy in my pocket. I am more worried about getting hit by lightning under clear skies.
 
Halador said:
I've heard several people make the argument that tip down works better on larger folders because unless you have very big hands, it requires less manipulation to get into position than does tip up.

Honestly, the more I've played with it, the more I tend to agree. Though I still far prefer tip up myself.
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Definitely. I wish Cold Steel's large and XL folders had a tip down option for this very reason. As far as smaller knives, I don't really have a preference. The only problem I have is that since I carry both, often at the same time, I occasionally grab a knife from my pocket, attempt to open it, and then realize I'm trying to open a tip down knife in tip up fashion or vice versa. Not a big deal, but a minor annoyance.
 
Tip?? The lanyard hole goes up. If it doesn't have a lanyard hole ( I hate that) I leave the clip in the position that it arrived. I try not to mess with clip screws if I can avoid it.
 
I carry tip down mecause that is the only option on my EDC of choice... the Spyderco Military.

I have found that it has a few benefits.

1- ample knife sticking out of the pocket, allowing easy draw, even with gloves.

2- the lock interface is out of the pocket and remains lint free.

3- with a knife the size of the military, tip down allows the knife to be drawn and land in the hand with the thumb on the spyderhole.

4- with the Military, tip down places the clip in the pocket of the palm and it doesnt feel like it is interfering with the grip
 
The only folder I have ever had to open in my pocket was a tip down folder.
 
Thumb stud or button then I will only go tip down, for the way I "draw" a knife it allows me to pull and open with my hand without needing to reposition. Flipper knife tip up only, again it puts the opening mechanism near the top of the knife in relation to your pocket and the handle falls into my hand as part of opening just like my tip down knives. Only have one flipper and while it's a great knife I don't see ever buying one again although I do want to try a front flipper, Boker has one interested in, I would *assume* I would carry that tip down only.

I am not concerned about blades opening on me.
 
If there's thumb studs, I want tip down to keep from waving open on the draw, I hate that. Been bit by that a couple times and had to file the weak side stud down to keep it from happening. With Spyderco opening hole, tip up/tip down, doesn't matter to me. Never been bit by tip down.
 
greetings all,
tip down for me. had an emerson commander open up. got lucky with no cut. just got used to tip down, spin with 2 fingers and flick with thumb. don't need to "fast-draw deployment" so it works fine for me. best regards to all.
mike
 
2bears said:
I would never carry a knife tip down...ever
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Then don't ever buy on of these......:p

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I carry both ways because they knives that I like come both ways. I prefer tip down because with larger knives you can draw the knife and open it faster. I frequently carry a Manix 2 and to draw and deploy it requires a flip to get it positioned in my hand, a tip down knife is much more direct. Granted with a small knife it works as well either way, but I don't carry small knives. And I've seen people draw tip up knives from pajamas and deploy them easily, but I don't wear pajamas.

I gather that a lot of people are worried about their knives opening in their pockets. If I was worried about my knife opening in my pocket, I wouldn't carry it. I would carry a knife with a lock or carry a knife in a sheath. I carry knives with plenty of detent and have no reason to worry.
 
bdmicarta said:
..I frequently carry a Manix 2 and to draw and deploy it requires a flip to get it positioned in my hand, a tip down knife is much more direct...
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Funny, I find just the opposite with my Manix 2. Tip up, with the blade against the hip seam of my pocket, puts positions the scales correctly in my hand, and my thumb perfectly at the Spydie hole when I draw the knife out.
 
jaseman said:
Funny, I find just the opposite with my Manix 2. Tip up, with the blade against the hip seam of my pocket, puts positions the scales correctly in my hand, and my thumb perfectly at the Spydie hole when I draw the knife out.
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I've seen people on youtube do this with pajamas. I have larger than normal hands but I wear tight jeans and putting my hand as far as I can in my pocket when I pull the knife out my thumb is still over an inch away from the thumb hole. With one hand all I can do is release the knife, move my hand while the knife is loose in the air, and grab it again. This usually works but isn't particularly secure. I don't have to do that with tip down, when I pull the knife out my thumb is at the thumb hole. With a small knife tip up my thumb will be at the opening hole, with a larger knife the thumb hole is too far down in my pocket for me to reach it.
 
I prefer tip down. I've cut myself pretty nicely on a tip up in which the tip of the blade was just outside of the scales. Totally my fault in that the knife wasn't closed all the way,, but I prefer tip down for that reason.
 
The only knife that has ever cut me is the Benchmade Aphid. It somehow became partially deployed in my pocket. When I reached in my pocket to grab my keys, the tip spiked me when I started to pull them out. Luckily, I immediately stopped moving my hand and was able to close the knife in my pocket. That was the one and only tip down knife that I have carried and will ever carry.

I've never had an issue with a tip up knife since I keep the knife blade against the seam of my pocket.
 
bdmicarta said:
I've seen people on youtube do this with pajamas. I have larger than normal hands but I wear tight jeans and putting my hand as far as I can in my pocket when I pull the knife out my thumb is still over an inch away from the thumb hole. With one hand all I can do is release the knife, move my hand while the knife is loose in the air, and grab it again. This usually works but isn't particularly secure. I don't have to do that with tip down, when I pull the knife out my thumb is at the thumb hole. With a small knife tip up my thumb will be at the opening hole, with a larger knife the thumb hole is too far down in my pocket for me to reach it.
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I have very long hands/fingers (I'm 6'2" and lanky in general), which helps. I also find that I only actually put my thumb in my pocket when pulling out a knife, and let the forefinger index over the pocket clip, and slide the knife out that way (had to actually stop and think about it). The Manix slides right up into my palm, in the proper grip, effortlessly his way.

Body mechanics are kinds interesting, when you think about it, and how we're all built differently, affecting how we do things.
 
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