What determines tip up or tip down?

[3Guardsmen]

So, if there is no ball detent, any idea on why tip down was chosen for the Para? Does the "liner falling in a slot" hold better than a ball detent?

Since the Yojimbo is also a compression lock, and is in the same size & shape range as the Para, yet is set up for "tip-up" carry, that nullifies the "accidental pocket opening" hypothesis.

My guess, and this might be a longshot, is that it has to do with weight, and the nested stainless steel liner shape in the Para. In order to make the Para able to accept a "tip-up" carry, more steel length, a lot more, would need to be added to the nested liner/s, because Spyderco tends to stay away from threading clip screws directly into materials like G10 and FRN, to avoid strippage (?if that's a word?).

Larger steel liners in the Para would up the weight of the knife considerably, and I believe Spyderco wants to keep the weight to an absolute minimum in their "Military" (including the Para) knives.

I guess this whole weight issue could possibly be negated if Spyderco were to do what Benchmade does, inserting tiny threaded steel inserts into the portion of the G10 that would house the clip screws, but that extra machining might drive the price up.

There you have it, my theory.

Best wishes,
3Guardsmen

 

[TAH]

That's a good theory, Guardsmen. The Para's low weight was a real plus for me.

As much as I like the looks of the curved clip following the curve of the handle, the curved clip would not allow for right hand, tip up or left hand, tip down carry. As Slvgx stated, that design probably has lost some sales.

Heck, let's find out. Anybody here not buy a Para because of the right hand, tip down carry only?

 

[Gerard Breuker]

Anybody here not buy a Para because of the right hand, tip down carry only?

Although I am an incurable spyderholic the main reason I don't own a (Para)military is the fact that it is tip down only. I do own other tip down only knives but I prefer tip up for EDC. As it would be a shame to own but almost never carry these models I didn't buy them (yet). CF Military is still very tempting though.