tip up v. tip down...

[Sproles]

well---I know that this should get alot of responses---what do you think: tip up or tip down?
I personally like the tip up carry position for me, but I know that alot of the "top-line" knives make some of theirs one way and some of them the other way. why is that? Is one way more advantageous than the other? What is your opinion?

David P. Sproles
sproles@email.com

 

[Savman]

Oh boy, books could be written on this topic alone! Sproles, you should go to the Spyderco forum and down to the topic entitled, "Starmate....WHEN?", which turned out to be a tip-up/down debate. Check it out.

Take care,
Chad

 

[RJT]

Tip down carry seems much more natural to me.You have to go a good-bit deeper in your pocket to access a tip up knife to get a good grip.That's me anyways.

RJT

 

[ToTKnives]

Tip up, tip down, tip all around. As long as it is a quality knife, I have desided it don't make that much difference. My first knife was Spy. Endura, if you really want to know which I like best, then this aut to tell ya.
Chris, Top of Texas Knives
www.toptexknives.com

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[ToddO]

I agree with RJT. Tip up requires that you get more hand into often tight places. For me, a tip up carried behind the belt clipped to the waist band is a nightmare to draw. Tip downs carried in this fashion are a snap to draw. Tip ups shine when carried in loose places. For example, clipped to the pocket of loose fitting pants.

Best Regards, ToddO

 

[Taz]

I had a Gunsite folder, which is tip up. I carried it in my right front pocket. When I needed it, I just pushed the clip up with my pinky and when it got high enough in my hand, I would grab it and open it. This eliminated having to reach deep into the pocket.

 

[Joe Talmadge]

I'm a little battle-weary on this issue

I've also come around to thinking the way ToT does -- tip up or down is a secondary issue. I care much more about the position of the clip in the sense that it should seat the knife deeply in my pocket (look at EDI for the ultimate good example of this, look at Microtech for bad examples), and that it should not interfere with the ergonomics of the knife (look at the mini-AFCK as a bad example of this, look at the Krait for a good example).

If I like the clip position, I'll buy the knife whether it's tip-up or tip-down. However, given the choice, I'll take tip-up, especially if the knife is not a liner lock. Tip-down draw always requires a pinch-grip at some point during the draw. I like the extra security of tip-up draw -- it is just as fast as tip-down draw, and does not require a pinch grip at any time during the draw. Same speed, more security -- it's the winner for me.

Joe
jat@cup.hp.com

Joe
jat@cup.hp.com

 

[William Johnson]

Sproles,

I have to say I prefer the tip down method. I know for deployment(at least for me) it can't be beat. Military of course.
Besides ToddO and RJT have already given my other reason.

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God bless!

Romans 10:9-10

"Military" Fans Unite!!

 

[Bob Irons]

Machts nichts!

Just so the tip is there only when I want it to be!

 

[Win]

Tip down is a lot more versatile, as long as the knife doesn't have one of those "low-riding" clips. It's just as quick as any tip-up configuration and quicker if you don't carry the handle concealed. It's also a bit safer.

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Win
Knife lover, Philosopher, Humanitarian, and All-around nice guy
(all right, so I'm just a knife lover)

 

[SB]

Clip up or clip down? I wish someone would standardize this, because boy can it do a number on muscle memory.

Beyond that, I don't think it actually matters all that much. And I've already stated my opinions when it came to splitting hair and making a choice.

 

[Double Edge Dave]

Muscle memory is the issue to me. Either way,take one position and standardize! Or at least make clips reversable like the new emersons or benchmade ascents
BE SHARP!
David Baker

 

[cope607]

I think I have a whole new reason for tip up. I recently started a new job as an operator in a power plant and in certain parts of the plant it is very dirty(coal dust). I pulled out my tip down afck and there was so much dirt on the part of the blade that hits the liner lock that it would not allow the liner to slide over. I have since tried other liner locks as well as lockback's and have had the same problem. So now it's either tip up or sheath carry while at work. This really kills me since the MT socom is my favorite carry knife and has no sheath.
Mike

 

[Mighty Jessit]

I have always been a tip-up believer, just because in a self-defense situation I never wanted to chance the sort of "half-turn" that is required when drawing a knife--however, when I finally got my hands on the Gerber covert, I really began to appreciate the "high-riding" short clip and the ease at which one can draw the knife. In addition, as was mentioned earlier--with tight pants, a tip-up carrying knife is a real pain..and slower.

Mighty Jessit.