Tip-up flippers - one glaring problem

Comeuppance

Comeuppance

Fixed Blade EDC Emisssary
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Messages
4,765
So, I can't ever bring myself to buy another tip-up only flipper. That leaves out the new 0770, basically every Microtech flipper, and dozens of other otherwise fantastic knives.

Why?

CUT FINGERTIPS. Every stupid time I buy a stupid tip-up-only flipper, within a week of carrying it I reach into my pocket and slice a fingertip because something bumped the flipper and it partially opened.

So, manufacturers, please, at least allow someone the option to switch to tip-down.
 
Comeuppance said:
So, I can't ever bring myself to buy another tip-up only flipper. That leaves out the new 0770, basically every Microtech flipper, and dozens of other otherwise fantastic knives.

Why?

CUT FINGERTIPS. Every stupid time I buy a stupid tip-up-only flipper, within a week of carrying it I reach into my pocket and slice a fingertip because something bumped the flipper and it partially opened.

So, manufacturers, please, at least allow someone the option to switch to tip-down.
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Damn I am sorry to hear that, I feel fortunate I haven't experienced this problem yet.

What was the most recent knife?
 
:/ I can't stand tip down flippers. I've never had an issue with any of mine. I have 7 different models, 3 different makes. If they were opening in your pocket the detentes were to weak.
 
Comeuppance said:
So, I can't ever bring myself to buy another tip-up only flipper. That leaves out the new 0770, basically every Microtech flipper, and dozens of other otherwise fantastic knives.

Why?

CUT FINGERTIPS. Every stupid time I buy a stupid tip-up-only flipper, within a week of carrying it I reach into my pocket and slice a fingertip because something bumped the flipper and it partially opened.

So, manufacturers, please, at least allow someone the option to switch to tip-down.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure I understand how this is happening to you. With a tip up flipper the blade is nestled against the rear seam of your pocket, putting the body of the knife in between your hand and the blade. So even if if does open a little bit, the positioning of the knife will keep it from opening much and you shouldn't be able to cut yourself. That is, unless you're carrying it left handed and then the problem isn't tip orientation, it's pocket clip positioning.
 
Bigfatts said:
I'm not sure I understand how this is happening to you. With a tip up flipper the blade is nestled against the rear seam of your pocket, putting the body of the knife in between your hand and the blade. So even if if does open a little bit, the positioning of the knife will keep it from opening much and you shouldn't be able to cut yourself. That is, unless you're carrying it left handed and then the problem isn't tip orientation, it's pocket clip positioning.
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This is pretty much what I was thinking. I never have an issue because my hand never slides into my pocket behind the knife. I prefer tip up carry myself, mainly because I think the grip is more comfortable with the clip by the heal of my hand than by my index finger.
 
Sounds like you have some weak detents. Every respectable flipper I have used has a strong enough detent that they have never opened when I don't want them to.
 
Bigfatts said:
I'm not sure I understand how this is happening to you. With a tip up flipper the blade is nestled against the rear seam of your pocket, putting the body of the knife in between your hand and the blade. So even if if does open a little bit, the positioning of the knife will keep it from opening much and you shouldn't be able to cut yourself. That is, unless you're carrying it left handed and then the problem isn't tip orientation, it's pocket clip positioning.
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KrisOK said:
This is pretty much what I was thinking. I never have an issue because my hand never slides into my pocket behind the knife. I prefer tip up carry myself, mainly because I think the grip is more comfortable with the clip by the heal of my hand than by my index finger.
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+1 to this. I carry a Southard pretty much every day, in my right front pocket pushed up against the seam, and I've never had it open. I carry an 0801 in jeans sometimes and that's never opened either . . .

Do you carry them in your left pocket?
 
Can you explain how this is happening to you? If a tip up knife is against the seam of your pocket, I'm not sure how it's possible for the blade to open.
 
When a knife is in my pocket, there is nothing else in it. If I have to reach in there, it's to take out my knife. Still, it sounds to me like you need to change your carry orientation so that the blade spine is up against your pocket seam.
 
I've had this happen. Mainly because I use right rear pocket for my right-hand knife. I guess the solution is more knives, so the right rear and left front pockets can have knives with strong detents!
 
Perhaps the OP is carrying the knife against the front part of his pocket, thus allowing the blade to partially deploy?
 
OP, I can relate somewhat at least. I think I must have put my knife in and had it bump my wallet or something. When I reached in to correct it, the tip was protruding and I cut myself a little. So, while it hasn't happened to me much, it did happen so I can at least understand your sentiment even if I don't agree with it.

One thing I'm confused about, though, is that the Speedsafe of the 0770 should keep it closed. I suppose you might not like assisted though...
 
I've only ever had this happen with one knife: my Kershaw OD-2, and that was only because it's so tiny that I didn't push it far enough back when I stuck it in my pocket. I usually carry much larger knives and am used to sliding them in so that spine meets seam. I didn't take into account how truly narrow the OD-2 is and inserted it at the same point I would any of my larger, wider knives. It bit the tip of my finger deep and hurt like a biatch for days (nothing like having a wound on the tip of a finger), but I learned the lesson. :thumbup:
 
Maybe go custom and order something to your personal taste.

As of late I am intrigued by front flippers.

From heinnie.com

CUS-SA13-29det3.jpg


11234.jpg


You can see a bunch of front flippers here, all running on IKBS.

[video=youtube;EgISsA5CpYI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgISsA5CpYI[/video]
 
OP should get back on some details if anybody is expected to help them out. I can only recall one time that a knife opened in my pocket (Large Sebenza 21) and I'm still not sure if that was on me or the knife. No such issues beside that and in the last few years I have changed my carry position many different times. Sorry to hear you cut yourself, hopefully we can help you figure out what is going on. Besides custom, I really don't know of very many tip down carry flippers.
 
Dr boom, its hard enough to open sebenza with hands, in pocket, thats something else.
 
Comeuppance, try carrying your knife in your front pocket. As others have said before, the knife is pressed up against the seam and can't open.
The Kershaw Junkyard dog is a nice tip down flipper. Might wanna give it a try.
 
DR.BOOM said:
OP should get back on some details if anybody is expected to help them out. I can only recall one time that a knife opened in my pocket (Large Sebenza 21) and I'm still not sure if that was on me or the knife. No such issues beside that and in the last few years I have changed my carry position many different times. Sorry to hear you cut yourself, hopefully we can help you figure out what is going on. Besides custom, I really don't know of very many tip down carry flippers.
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CRKT Ripple and I believe Eros.
 
I carry in my right back pocket and this has happened to me. But only with my ZT 0560, that big flipper just gets bumped sometimes. It's happened twice, so know I'm a bit more careful.
 
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