Tip up vs tip down carry

C

Charlie_K

Joined
Jul 16, 2012
Messages
4,067
So as someone who doesn't understand the matter all that well, what are the pros and cons of each carry method with regard to everyday utilitarian purposes, and in cases where your pocket knife also serves as a defensive tool?
 
Some people don't like to carry tip up because if the blade somehow happens to open and you reach into your pocket you might cut yourself. Personally, I find tip down carry to be clumsy to deploy, but then I'm a large guy with large hands.
 
Last edited:
K.O.D. said:
Some people don't like to carry tip up because if the blade somehow happens to open and you reach into your pocket you might cut yourself. Personally, I find tip down carry to be clumsy to deploy, but then I'm a large guy with large hands.
Click to expand...

That is only if you carry a right hand knife in your right back pocket. (Vice versa for lefties.) If you carry a right hand knife in your front right pocket that is next to impossible because it sits with the blade up against the side with no room to open.
 
I agree. I carry tip up, but that is the argument I always get. Makes no sense.
 
Purely preference. I prefer tip up because I think it feels better in hand, is faster to deploy, and looks better; for some reason having a pocket clip so close to the blade irks me. I think it clashes too much. But that's just me. I do sometimes carry my Spyderco or "holed" knives tip down...much easier to do a Spydie Drop.
 
It honestly makes no difference to me. I hear people who say tip up is faster when deploying, but honestly, I don't have a preference with that. The difference is only like half a second...
 
I was just going to say that! Tip up unless it has a Spydie hole! The only bad part is it negates the lanyards usefullness when grabbing for it often times.

PaulTR said:
Purely preference. I prefer tip up because I think it feels better in hand, is faster to deploy, and looks better; for some reason having a pocket clip so close to the blade irks me. I think it clashes too much. But that's just me. I do sometimes carry my Spyderco or "holed" knives tip down...much easier to do a Spydie Drop.
Click to expand...
 
Tip up if its too large for the next method or its thumbstud/hole deployment only
Tip down if its small enough to stick my index finger into the pocket and reach the comfortable flipping method, as im more tuned to this method its faster for me.
(I prefer flippers almost to the point where thumbstud only is a negative deciding factor.... {blur not included... :D)
 
benchwarmer380 said:
That is only if you carry a right hand knife in your right back pocket. (Vice versa for lefties.) If you carry a right hand knife in your front right pocket that is next to impossible because it sits with the blade up against the side with no room to open.
Click to expand...

I always thought that too when someone said the blade could open halfway and cut you. But just last weekend I saw someone with a pocket knife clipped in the front right pocket, but not to the outside of the pocket but the inside (next to crotch).

There are other variables as well. I had a small (Kershaw Chive size) automatic knife in my front right pocket, clipped tip down, the button got pressed and I didn't notice the blade was open inside my pocket until the tip put a hole in my pants and I scratched my hand. In my case, maybe if it were a larger blade it wouldn't have had room to open in my pocket, maybe if it wasn't an auto/assisted it wouldn't have opened in my pocket, maybe if my pockets were smaller... etc etc etc....
 
Odin's Son said:
Tip up puts the knife in proper hand position when drawing it from your pocket.
Click to expand...
Actually tip down is in a better position to start cutting, tip up requires you to position the blade higher up (at least to a 90 degree angle) of course in reality the two methods are still only a fraction of a second different, i like tip down just because flipping the knife feels better in that position, but to answer the op, the best carry method is small fixed blade in sheath :), i don't really think there is a right answer because 1 it veries knife to knife and person to person, so its whatever feels best
 
I put a lanyard on everything that has a hole for one, and prefer tip-up because it's easier for me to pocket and deploy - especially on large knives. If I have a big knife that's tip down only, it either gets sold off or not carried. Different strokes, you know...
 
Whatever works best for you. Top down gets a lot of hate but if you know the proper method for drawing it works just as well, if not better than tip up. It's also the only way to carry back pocket.
 
Tip up for me... I carry a large knife ZT560 and tip up worried me. But trust me thats where you want it. It doesn't open at all... even with hand down my pocket and trying to open its pretty hard.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top