Tip up or Tip down folder carry ?

S

scriverdog

Joined
Jan 10, 2009
Messages
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is carrying a folder tip up or tip down just a matter of preference or are their functional reasons for deploying one versus the other?:confused:
 
I carry mostly kershaws (EG Comp Leek, shallot) and find that once or twice the flipper portion of the blade can be activated slightly, which leaves the tip of the blade pointing against you fingers as they go in the pocket. Prefer tip down with spine activated AO, seems more natural to me that way. I tried my shallot tip up and do not like the position of the clip when holding the open knife.
 
Ultimately it is preference, but there are a few things which come into consideration. *only considering pocket carrying here*

(this is all just my opinion)
1) Hand size - If your hand is on the smaller side or you're just not too dexterous, a tip up carry might be awkward for you to deploy the blade (quickly) while pulling it from your pocket. You may find you establish a grip on the knife to pull it from the pocket and then establishing a new grip which puts the knife in a better position in your hand for which to deploy the blade.

2) Knife size - If the knife is rather large, it can cause the same problem as above.

3) Clip positioning - If the knife rides extremely low in the pocket - you could yet again face that same problem mentioned above =P

4) Blade retention - If the blade retention is not that strong and you are able to simply flick your wrist (no thumb action required) - this can overcome the aforementioned problem because you won't need to switch grips to maneuver your thumb to the deployment stud / hole. Then again if the retention is so little that the blade may open on its own while in your pocket, you run the risk of poking yourself when going into your pocket for the knife due to the tip being up (happened to me with my Gerber EAB... I poked my index finger, said ow, and wondering what just stabbed me, shoved my hand back in there and poked my finger again... I'm a smart one :P)

5) Position - Depending on whether you have the knife clipped to your front or rear pocket, a tip up or tip down may lead to a more natural gripping for you. Personally, the front pocket feels better with tip down while the back pocket feels better with tip up.

6) Flipper - I don't personally own a flipper (yet), but I think a blade with an extended tang flipper deployment may accidentally deploy pulling out your knife when it is carried in tip down (like a reverse wave feature)... Then again, this could be what you are looking for :P

Maybe there's more, maybe this is all just drivel - but this is what I've thought about when considering how I wanted my knives to be carried =P
 
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Lock pretty much summer it up. It's preference, with the reasons above contributing to your preference.

I like to carry my knives tip up because I can deploy the blade faster.
 
I am a tip down guy all the way....it just feels much more natural. Further more, most folders look really fuckin' goofy tip up in a pocket IMO.
 
I like tip up with the knife near the back seam of my front pocket. A good strong clip will keep the knife in position so the blade has nowhere to open while in the pocket. YMMV.
 
It's preference.

I have small hands and typically carry in my back right pocket, tip up. I find the motion to be more rapid and natural as compared the tip down, but either works fine. Tip up is the only option for wave-openers though.
 
Tip up on 90 % of my folders. Tip down is cross draw for left pocket carry.

Increased safety and deployment for me with tip-up.
 
I've also wondered this....being an established accumulator, with various kinds of folders, i've never even thought about this..

(Strider SNG In left pocket, Spyderco Caly III in right pocket...both tip up) and i'm left handed....I must be a noob
 
I prefer tip up with the blade towards the back seam of my front pocket. However, I love my para mili so much that I am willing to make the sacrafice.
 
I like tip down, and carry in my right back pocket. The spine sits against the seam, so there's no chance it will open accidentally, and I can get to it pretty fast, by pinching the knife at the pivot, and rotating the handle into my hand as I lift it out.
 
I prefer tip up in my right front pocket. It is just my preference, my first real knife was positioned this way and I got used to it.
 
I like tip up but that won't stop me from buying a tip down knife, like my D2 Para and my BM 913D2 which are my two most recent purchases.
 
I guess that my ultimate preference is for tip-up, right pocket, blade against the seam. It just seems to make for a smoother draw, and keeps the blade from accidentally opening. Even better if the locking mechanism has some sort of spring assisted method of keeping the blade closed, such as a lockback or Axis lock.

But tip-up/tip-down isn't really a large factor in my decision making process.
 
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