Tried Tip down carry today

[amflud]

What you're describing is referred to as tip down.

 

[OrdnanceBubbaUSMC]

I'm still confused. Sorry. I will give you an example with a Cold Steel Tuff Lite..... the clip is on the pivet end of the knife versus butt end (where a lanyand hole might be). Clipped to your pocket, the closed "tip" is down, but if you could actually open the knife while still clipped to your pocket, it would be sticking straight up toward your waist like the OP's example. Tip up or Tip down?

Tip down if it is pointed down when clipped to your pocket

 

[Goosey]

I prefer tip down. It's faster and easier to grab a knife and open it. Tip up works for smaller blades, waved knives and flippers but I don't understand it on larger manual knives. It feels slow and awkward.

 

[bdmicarta]

I prefer tip down. It's faster and easier to grab a knife and open it. Tip up works for smaller blades, waved knives and flippers but I don't understand it on larger manual knives. It feels slow and awkward.

I feel the same way personally, but there are a lot of other factors involved.

I carry righthand front pocket, relatively large folders, and they work better for me tip down. I hvae tip up and tip down knives in my EDC rotation so I use both.

Some people carry back pocket, lefthand front, inside coat pocket, overalls pocket, whatever, so they may prefer their clips in different positions. Certainly waved knives must be tip up or the wave won't work. I have not had a problem with assisted knives but for maximum safety with some knives maybe tip up against the pocket seam is better.

When I started buying knives with clips, most of them were made for tip down. In more recent years I've seen a lot more knives that come for tip up. Lock types such as axis locks and BBL locks pretty much require tip up. From reading threads I gather that most people these days prefer tip up. This doesn't seem logical to me based on my circumstances but other people have different circumstances and people like what they like. For me for knives such as the mini-grip or smaller, tip up works well enough for me, for longer knives it doesn't.

My second or third knife with a pocket clip was an old AFCK, almost 20 years ago. That knife either had very little detent or no detent. Once I closed the blade and rotated the knife to put it back in my pocket, tip down. By the time I started putting it in my pocket the blade had opened 1/2" and it put a nice slice in the outside of my jeans. All of my knives since that era have a lot more detent and I don't worry about them opening at the wrong time.

 

[Rasco]

I'm probably not the only here that feels this way, I won't buy a knife if tip up is not an option.

I make an exception for knives I really love. Like the Spyderco Military.

 

[bdmicarta]

I make an exception for knives I really love. Like the Spyderco Military.

I do the same (except I like to carry the Military tip-down and I carried mine all this past week).

Right now I'll say that I have 11 different knives in my EDC rotation, 7 are tip down (which I personally prefer), 4 are tip up (Benchmade 581, Benchmade 730, ZT 0561 and Spyderco Bradley Folder).

11/4

 

[Blinkknives]

Yikes!! That could have been bad.

 

[dewildeman]

Tip up or down is a personal preference, what ever works for you. Spine along the pocket is good advice but I have decided to carry all mine tip up. I've made the decision to standarize my carry so I don't have to think about it. I've weeded out my tip down only knives and I've passed up buying some knives I really wanted because tip up carry wasn't an option. Life was simpler when we only had fixed blades and pocket knives.

 

[Fish30114]

I don't (won't) have a waved knife, but looking at them it seems like you would want them tip up? Carrying tip down caused the only serious cut (needed stitches) I ever got from a knife, it was a Kershaw Leek, which was pretty damn new, and sharp as piss, and it had opened while sitting at the Gun Range, so I didn't hear it, and when I reached into my pocket it cut the dog out of me. I am in the camp that passes on knives that don't offer tip up carry, and I always wear any knife where if it opens it unfolds against a seam in my pants.

 

[John_0917]

I don't (won't) have a waved knife, but looking at them it seems like you would want them tip up? Carrying tip down caused the only serious cut (needed stitches) I ever got from a knife, it was a Kershaw Leek, which was pretty damn new, and sharp as piss, and it had opened while sitting at the Gun Range, so I didn't hear it, and when I reached into my pocket it cut the dog out of me. I am in the camp that passes on knives that don't offer tip up carry, and I always wear any knife where if it opens it unfolds against a seam in my pants.

A waved knife has to be carried tip up in order to use the wave opener, it catches on the edge of the pocket as it's being pulled out and opens the blade, fastest deployment there is for a folder.

Out of curiosity, why won't you ever own a wave knife?

 

[pnsxyr]

I only like tip-down on Spydercos so I can do what others have called the "SpyderPinch" in which you pinch the hole, pull the knife out, and use a wrist motion to flick the knife open. I only do with models with a very strong detent, like the ParaMilitary 2, which you'd have to practically be dry humping a tree to get it to open on its own.

I try not to carry anything assisted tip down for the reason you discovered. I like how the friction created by the clip holding the blade against the outer border of the pocket helps keep the knife closed, even if the opening mechanism is accidentally engaged.

 

[Fish30114]

Out of curiosity, why won't you ever own a wave knife?

I just feel that is an answer to a non-existent problem. I prefer flippers and AO's if not straight old school lockbacks or slipjoints.

 

[@LeathermanGX]

Well I tried, but my Szabo fell out of my EDC rotation because of tip up. After drawing it I would have to push it into my side in order to reach the spidiehole. A counterproductive move. I couldn't live with it that way. I'm happy to feel the spidiehole when I stick my thumb in my pocket.
I now only have one tip up knife. It's small enough to reach the spidiehole though. All's good.

 

[mmarkh]

I hate tip down.

 

[uxo2]

I hate tip down.

And I pass up knives that are only tip up.

 

[EChoil]

Most of my carry is tip-up...but it doesn't really matter.

Two solutions for those getting "bitten" in this thread, and yes, you can still carry "clipped" with either just like you always do:

1.) http://www.knivesshipfree.com/folder-sheaths/?sort=alphaasc

(scroll down to the free-carry pouches)​

2.) http://www.knifekits.com/vcom/produ...cts_id=2710&osCsid=i4dv2c1qb1fg595mk51eshbke2
​

As I said in another thread....
Best thing I've discovered in a long time is a pouch or slipcase. Not only do they make a knife more comfortable to carry and far less obvious in profile in your pocket, they protect it from the number one killer of knives cosmetically--getting beat up by keys or other things in the same pant pocket. And you can still use a clip if you prefer--just clip it to the slipcase which then allows the clip to still be attached to your pocket in traditonal carry. At first I was afraid of added bulk in the pocket but it doesn't happen...and the increased comfort in the pocket is well worth it.

Further, it keeps the knife clean and eliminates the lint problem too.

Of course, if you're of the knife-fighter mentality it would be a no-no because it would cost an extra second in deployment to be slipcased. :highly_amused:

 

[Fred Sanford]

AO is so unnecessary. No idea why people still use it.

 

[@LeathermanGX]

Putting my clip knife in a sheath is not a solution. :suspicion:

 

[EChoil]

Putting my clip knife in a sheath is not a solution. :suspicion:

Was addressing those with the getting bit problem and those getting rid of knives they like due to it. Thought it was obvious but I'll add it.

And you can still carry clipped...as it says.

 

[@LeathermanGX]

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