Tried Tip down carry today

L

Lennyo3034

Joined
Nov 27, 2012
Messages
490
So I usually always carry tip up. However a few months ago, I got a ZT0350 in M390. It came set up for tip down carry from the factory, and I decided to carry it like that to test it out. I was doing some moving of various items today in and out of the truck, getting jostled around quite a bit. At one point, I had to slide between the truck and a pile of branches, and by slide I mean tunnel, because my buddy parked his truck IN the pile. At some point I heard a "click" and I immediately knew what happened.

After I got out, I looked down to find this:

AD321C92-C32E-482C-B8FF-735C880AA966-1635-00000435AEE10E64_zpsf54dbd2b.jpg


Now I'm not going to bash people that carry tip down, I'm just going to say it's not for me. Especially not with an assisted opener. The ZT happens to be the sharpest knife I've ever gotten from the factory, able to whittle hair multiple times.
 
WHOA! Good thing you didn't bend down or I'd be sending you my business card (I'm a lawyer)!

I don't like tip down because it just seems illogical and awkward but I never though about this possibly happening.
 
Just more validation why I only carry a knife tip up with the blade facing my leg (not my giblets). That way it can only open into the edge of my pocket where the pocket will stop the blade. And.. also where the blade cannot slice my hand when I stick it in my pocket. Right handed and right side pocket.

I have passed up very nice blades just because of the issue that you bring to the table. Thank You Very Much For The Reminder!
 
I normally carry tip-up as well (right front pocket), but I have been carrying my CB Junkyard Dog user this week, and since I haven't gotten around to drilling and tapping it for tip-up carry yet, I have been carrying tip-down, right rear pocket, the safest position for tip-down carry (especially assisted openers).
 
I carry tip up, but if I ever decided to switch to tip down I would move the clip to the opposite scale from where you have yours.
 
Tip down works great with the Tenacious family. Actually, it's probably best to carry those tip down.

It plays differently when the folder isn't an assisted flipper.
 
My only tip down knife was the Benchmade Aphid. Some time during the course of the day, the blade partially deployed. When I reached into my pocket to grab my keys, I was spiked by the blade. I have never carried a tip down blade since and I never will.
 
I'm probably not the only here that feels this way, I won't buy a knife if tip up is not an option.
 
A) That only happened because it's assisted.

B) I carry tip down a lot. The key is carry in your back pocket.
 
I suppose if a person is really paranoid they could get those little leather sheaths that they put their knife in, for belt carry or inside pocket carry. I carry a one-handed knife for convenience and tip down is the most convenient. I've never had a knife open in my pocket- no matter what type of operation or what type of assist. My only flipper is a ZT 0561 and it isn't assisted. Maybe something bumped the flipper on that 0350. Off the top of my head, my assisted knives are Benchmade 581, 912, 913 and 890. My pants are usually pretty tight, I'm not sure the blades from any of them could even escape from my pocket if they tried to deploy, but that just means they would be in position to poke a leg.
 
IMO no matter how you carry always place the blade against a pocket seam to help minimize this type of accident. I carry both ways based on whatever is lower profile, either RFP(tip up) or RRP(tip down), with no problems no matter what I am doing.
 
Scurvy092 said:
A) That only happened because it's assisted.

B) I carry tip down a lot. The key is carry in your back pocket.
Click to expand...

Yep, and it has a flipper. I'm willing to bet one of the branches hit the flipper. The detent is not terribly strong on this knife.
 
Lennyo3034 said:
Yep, and it has a flipper. I'm willing to bet one of the branches hit the flipper. The detent is not terribly strong on this knife.
Click to expand...

I don't think there is a detent on the 0350 (I could be wrong) and it's just held in by spring tension.

Try carrying it in your back pocket. When you pinch the top to draw, just roll the butt into your palm. Takes practice but you'll get the hang of it.
 
I carry that same knife all the time and have never had that happen. That being said if tip down is not for you then it's not for you.
 
At least you weren't like a guy in another thread who recounted a story of his Kershaw Scallion opening in his front pocket and not noticing until he felt the the blade begin to slice into his scrotum.
 
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Clinto. said:
Just more validation why I only carry a knife tip up with the blade facing my leg (not my giblets). That way it can only open into the edge of my pocket where the pocket will stop the blade. And.. also where the blade cannot slice my hand when I stick it in my pocket. Right handed and right side pocket.
Click to expand...

...Agreed. and I always slide the knife to the far right of my right-hand pocket. If anything did happen, it would be trapped.
 
I carried a 0350 tip down in my right front pocket all day today. Then I read this thread. Aye Carumba.:disturbed:
 
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