TIP UP or TIP DOWN

Z

ZZZ

Joined
Oct 22, 2004
Messages
14
Getting a FG Manix & a Black Mini Manix next week.
How do most of you carry your Spyderco-- TIP UP or TIP DOWN, is one way easier than another grabbing it from your pocket and opening it up?
ZZZ
 
Mostly tip up - but it depends on the knife. Some designs are simply more comfortable cutting with the clip in some other position. Another consideration is that some AO knives ( not spydies) can have a tendency to open on the way out if carried tip up - most definitly not a good thing. And finally some flippers are also pretty generious or overboard in the size of the flipper - to the point where this can yield a knife that opens on the way out when you don't expect it.
I really like a folder that offers the option of different clip positions - but this is truelly a YMMV situation.
 
Neither matters to me. It's definitely not a deciding factor, and I don't really have a preference.

If I'm carrying a tip-up, I'll grab the knife with my fingers pointing southwards. If I'm carrying tip-down, I'll grab the knife with my fingers pointing rather sideways. It doesn't bother me which I have to do.
 
tip up for me. ZThat way wheni pull it out of my pocket and open it its ready to go, no need to flip it aorund and fumble with it like tip down.....
 
I carry tip down whenever it is an option (bad experiences with tip up carry). Anything with a handle heavy enough gets grasped by the Syderhole, drawn and Spyderdropped open. YMMV.
 
I usually carry larger knives tip down and smaller ones tip up. Usually I am happy with the clip positioning they come with.
 
front right pocket easier to open tip up..........right rear pocket easier to open tip down which is the way i carry 99% of the time tried tip up earlier today on my endura i liked it but only for front pocket carry....oh yeah been lurking for awhile i think this is my first post...
 
Tip down where possible. That said, if it's a tip up only knife, I'll still carry it that way. One exception: I won't carry a tip up liner/frame lock IWB.
 
Used to be tip up carry for years, then I got a Military and discovered that I prefer tip down.
 
Tip up, as God intended. You slip your thumb in your pocket and it lands on the Spydie hole. Pull the knife out and it is sitting in your hand ready for use. If you carry tip down, the knife ends up backward in your hand and you have to flip it 180.
 
Never use the clip, carry mine sideways, in the bottom of my back pocket. Not at all fast, but I don't have to worry about snagging the clip on something and either losing my knife, damaging something, or both. Also reduces the chance of "differences of opinion" with NYPD on the rare occasions I visit the Big Apple.

As for relative speed, tip down, at least in the right hands, can be very fast indeed.

I've seen Sal whip a tip down Military out of his pocket and Spyderdrop it open so quickly and effortlessly that if it were not for the CLACK of the blade hitting the stop pin, I'd have sworn he'd cheated by carrying it open in a pocket sheath.

On the other hand, if you carry a waved Spydie, tip up is the only way to take advantage of the speed it offers. Am sure there are some folks who can deploy a non-waved tip up Spydie quite rapidly too.

Now the first and third probably take more time to learn, but the second causes greater wear and tear on your clothing and requires learning a separate technique to remove the knife from ones pocket closed at times when waved opening would be inappropriate. To paraphrase one of Sal's favorite expressions "puthing's nerfect".

Paul
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Tip Down

I first started carrying a spyderco clipit standard way back when spydie was the only option and they were tip down only.
the clips were stamped out of the scale body.


Now that i have a choice, tip down is what i like and what i'm used to.
 
Its called a spyder drop..... I carry my spyderco knives tip down.... Its much easier for me...... To open them in any way.... It really is just personal preference.... So you really need to try different methods out..
Matt


powernoodle said:
Tip up, as God intended. You slip your thumb in your pocket and it lands on the Spydie hole. Pull the knife out and it is sitting in your hand ready for use. If you carry tip down, the knife ends up backward in your hand and you have to flip it 180.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
powernoodle said:
Tip up, as God intended. You slip your thumb in your pocket and it lands on the Spydie hole. Pull the knife out and it is sitting in your hand ready for use. If you carry tip down, the knife ends up backward in your hand and you have to flip it 180.
Click to expand...

bingo! thats what i was trying to describe, thanks for nailing it! :thumbup:
 
audiopile said:
Mostly tip up - but it depends on the knife. Some designs are simply more comfortable cutting with the clip in some other position. Another consideration is that some AO knives ( not spydies) can have a tendency to open on the way out if carried tip up - most definitly not a good thing. .
Click to expand...

Which ones can open accidentally? I'd like some examples or clarification if possible. I have a few dozen AO knives, all from the same manufacturer, none of them have opened on me on the way out, and they are all in my EDC rotation. The only ones that open on the way out are my waved ones. But I sure would like to know which ones will open most of the time accidentally so I can avoid them.

To answer the OP's question, some of my knives are tip down, some up. I wear dress pants, so how they feel in the pocket as well as how much they protrude is important for me. So I try every different way each individual knife allows for to find the best way for me.

Rik
 
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