Tip up or tip down carry knife

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drjaysnet

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Jan 2, 2010
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Can anyone comment on the benefits or drawbacks to a tip up or tip down carry picket clip folder?
Thank you
Tom
 
[+] Tip-down knife in any pocket: not likely to open. But it can.


[++] Tip-up knife in correct pocket: very unlikely to open by itself
[--] Tip-up knife in wrong pocket: quite likely to open by itself
If you use them accordingly, it's probably safer that tip-down.

[+] I find it faster to draw a tip-knife - it's already in the best position for me.
 
It's said that tip down is safer as there's little chance of the blade opening while clipped to the pocket. While this may be true, tip up carry can be just as safe, so long as you carry them the way they're supposed to be carried: against the seam of your pocket. I have several tip up and tip down carry folders, but I tend to prefer tip up carry because it's easier to draw out and open. I always clip my tip up folders against the seam of my trouser pocket, and after almost 20 years of carrying folders of various makes and types, I've never had one accidentally open in my pocket.
 
Cosmic Superchunk said:
tip up carry can be just as safe, so long as you carry them the way they're supposed to be carried: against the seam of your pocket.
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Some rather famous, and very expensive, folders are known for having their tip-up blades "try" to open in your pocket, primarily due to a weak detent being used in conjunction with a rather heavy spanto blade design. One of mine "tried" to come open in my pocket several times...not a fun thing.
I sold both of mine in a hurry.
 
The ladies prefer "tip up."

I will not carry tip down period. A properly clipped tip up knife will not open on its own. Tip up is more natural as well, same kind of draw as with a fixed blade or with a pistol.
 
Depends on the knife in question and how you carry the knife. I carry my knife in my right front pocket, so I will only carry a tip up knife. Since the blade rests against the seam of my pocket, it's not going to open. I actually was spiked by a Benchmade Aphid (tip down) when I reached in my front pocket to grab my keys. It partially deployed in my pocket unbeknownst to me. I never carried that knife again.
 
I have done both. It's really personal preference and depends on the design features of the knife.
 
I prefer tip up because it feels more natural when taking it out of your pocket(ie: "deploying" lol).There are a couple of knives that are the exception,like the one in my avatar & just about any Spyderco.I could never get used to a flipper or thumbstud knife with a tip down only option.
 
Tip down for 16 years, and never an issue. Matter of fact I still use that kershaw. I suspect stupidity will get you stabbed faster, that your choice of tip up or down. It's all about how you draw the knife. I carry it in my front left pocket, pushed to the far seam. Kind of tucked in too. Because I wear chained keys, biker wallet, zippo & 5-7" fixed blade on the right. When I grab it left or right handed. The bolster/hinge is already in between my thumb and fore finger. And the only the thumb stud (that I removed ) caused any damage to my pants.
 
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I do tip up on all mine, right handed. Makes it easier to deploy via thumbstud, wave and flipper.
 
Carried right front pocket:
-tip up allows the blade to be pushed against the side of your pocket to restrict it from opening in your pocket, although this has still happened to people using both methods of carry
-tip up moves the jimping and thumb stud towards the bottom of your pocket where they can't scrape your hand when you put it into your pocket
-tip up is needed if you want to use a "wave" for opening the blade
-tip down is faster to draw and deploy, and more secure, for knives significantly over 3" length, there is no advantage for shorter knives

Carried any other way, any other pocket, there are different pros and cons for each carry method.

I started carrying folders with pocket clips about 20 years ago. Back then almost all of them were tip down. The more expensive knives with G10 and liners tended to be tip down, the lower priced knives with molded handles tended to be tip up. Since then that has changed and there are probably more knives available these days in tip up. Of the 12 or so knives in my EDC rotation, they are about half tip down and half tip up, so I get plenty of experience carrying both ways to reinforce the above points.

People tend to pick one or the other, and generally they feel strongly about it. People that like tip down usually list the reasons why they like it. People that like tip up usually don't give reasons, or they like it because the blade supposedly won't open in your pocket.

I find it interesting that Spyderco makes the Para2 which can have its clip on either end, and they ship it tip down. Spyderco also makes the Bradley folder which can have its clip on either end, and they ship it tip up.
 
If you carry in pocket, tip up is a much faster draw & deployment than tip down.

If you carry IWB, tip down is much faster than tip up.
 
For me, it's Tip Down!

I carry in my right side back pocket along side my wallet and tip down provides proper hand placement (thumb in the hole or on the stud) for an open knife when it reaches my front side.
 
I carry tip up in my right pocket. The blade rests against the seam of my pocket. I carry nothing else in my right pocket. My keys are on a carabiner attached to my belt loop and my Zebralight sc52w-L2 rides in my left pocket.
I treat the knife just like a firearm, don't put anything around it that could cause it to "go off" or deploy in the case of a knife. In all the years I have carried a knife I have never had one deploy in my pocket.
 
roosterscrow said:
For me, it's Tip Down!

I carry in my right side back pocket along side my wallet and tip down provides proper hand placement (thumb in the hole or on the stud) for an open knife when it reaches my front side.
Click to expand...

Same here. Tip down in this orientation also puts the spine of the knife against the seam of the pocket. The seam, plus gravity, plus the detent makes this style of carry the safest imo.

I wont even consider tip up only knives, since I'm not likely to change how I'm carrying , and have seen many "horror stories" stemming from that exact configuration (rear pocket carry and tip up).

That said, it doesn't bother me when others have their own preference :).

Cheers.
 
It all depends on how you carry your knife. I strongly prefer to carry in my right back pocket, so for me I prefer right handed tip down, because then the blade is against the seam. If I was going to carry in my front right pocket it would need to be tip up for the same reason.

Tip up or tip down, neither is inherently safer if carried in the the wrong pocket.

I also don't put much credence in arguments about faster deployment for different options. I can deploy my knives pretty fast from my back pocket tip down, because that is what I am used to, and that is what I obsessively practiced when I was younger.

Obviously if you want instant deployment then a tip up waved knife in the front pocket is probably going to be your best bet, but I don't think that I am ever going to be in a situation where a fraction of a second is going to be that big of a deal.

So for me, tip down. But I acknowledge that I prefer tip down because that is what I prefer and it is better suited to the way I carry knives.

Ultimately the biggest consideration is just that the knife should be carried so the blade is on a seam, whichever way you prefer.
 
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