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Tip up or tip down with a flipper?
- Thread starter Maprik
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2011
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- 833
No....
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- Jan 12, 2011
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- 5,064
I have been carrying (Daily) for years and never had an issue. Tip up (right side pocket) as you described and the Flipper is down and front facing. On removal, a "snag" would actually keep it closed.
- Joined
- May 17, 2012
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DOH!!!!!!!!! Got it... Don't actually have my XM-18 in hand yet, just thinking about it. Should get in on Monday. It's gonna be a long weekend...
A flipper is the opposite of a "wave" device. The wave device is what deploys a blade when you pull the knife out. It seems that the flipper could just get in the way and snag. I think the typical flipper knife carried tip up in your front pants pocket would put the flipper away from the edge of the pocket and that's why they work OK. Carried tip down the flipper might already be clear of the pants pocket.
The flipper is on the opposite side of the knife where the blade is deployed. Therefore, if the flipper was to grab or drag on anything in a tip up configuration, it actually would serve to hold the blade closed. Also, with right side carry, the blade is against the edge of the pocket typically, the flipper in the void of the pocket.
When you carry tip down on the right side, the flipper is against the edge of the pocket and when drawn, you have to be careful not to deploy the blade (but, the blade is being deployed against gravity and upward).
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- Jan 28, 2009
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I carry a gen 3 XM 3.5" flipper tip-up and have never had it open on me while withdrawing it or in daily carry. I do carry it against the seam of my pocket (towards the back of the pocket) which physically prevents the blade from opening.
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- Nov 24, 2005
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So do I, jammed back as tight to the seam as it can get but once every so often when I least expect it - snap! - waved open. I'm wondring if this has anything to do with my use of a generous length of lanyard? I'm pretty big and the XM-24 is a handful but not the 18 (which I edc).
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- Jan 28, 2009
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Thats weird that it still opens on ya. Maybe if you take it out only by the lanyard, that could be why. Is the detent on yours very weak?
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2011
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Is the knife the only thing in that pocket? Other items in the pocket or the fabric of the pocket itself could in theory catch a flipper and begin to open the blade. Since you mention it waves open, I don't see a problem. To wave open, you must be removing the knife from the pocket.
I carry tip-up and most often---center of pocket, not near a pocket's edge. Believe me or don't, but I have not had a misfire. My pivots are not tight and definitely not loose. Each time I break them down for cleaning and lubrication I spend several minutes adjusting my XMs to find the "sweet spot" mix of things. Took an honest hour to get my 24 dialed in, but OMG is it nealy unbelievable how smooth it is without being loose.
I carry tip-up and most often---center of pocket, not near a pocket's edge. Believe me or don't, but I have not had a misfire. My pivots are not tight and definitely not loose. Each time I break them down for cleaning and lubrication I spend several minutes adjusting my XMs to find the "sweet spot" mix of things. Took an honest hour to get my 24 dialed in, but OMG is it nealy unbelievable how smooth it is without being loose.
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2011
- Messages
- 7,247
No loc-tite as of yet. I service my EDCs often. If I notice anything out of alignment or adjustment, I fix it on the spot. I don't mind a bit of tinkering with my gear.
That said, my XMs don't need much if any attention once I dial them in. And I am a little regretful that I did not gently loc-tite my EDC 24, but I had no idea how smooth it was going to be till I was done. Once done, I am hesitant to pull it apart again, it's that nice.
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2005
- Messages
- 10,038
Yeah my detent is a little weak, This XM-18 and another I have are weak. One has lock-tite and one slipped through and is cemented but weak. I can deploy them with inertia easily. I think the reason the blades creep is less the detent which isn't terrible but I wear baggy shorts with nothing in my knife pocket.
When I say I EDC my XM, I mean sitting down getting up moving around up & down all day long. I carry it at home etc.. It comes out at bed time or near then. I think that I give them too many opportunities to jostle around in my baggy pockets which end up on a lot of various positions and once in awhile SHAZAAAM!
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- May 17, 2012
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- 2,779
Wow! That sounds really dangerous! I dont want a shazam to occur in my shorts!
Yeah my detent is a little weak, This XM-18 and another I have are weak. One has lock-tite and one slipped through and is cemented but weak. I can deploy them with inertia easily. I think the reason the blades creep is less the detent which isn't terrible but I wear baggy shorts with nothing in my knife pocket.
When I say I EDC my XM, I mean sitting down getting up moving around up & down all day long. I carry it at home etc.. It comes out at bed time or near then. I think that I give them too many opportunities to jostle around in my baggy pockets which end up on a lot of various positions and once in awhile SHAZAAAM!
