What Makes You Remove Pocket Clips ? Occasionally or Always ?

Wowbagger

Wowbagger

Gold Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2015
Messages
7,720
Another pocket clip thread by me.
So what's new.
I am combining a couple of questions here :
Most all of my knives have clips on them. I tune them but don't remove them. I've been known to remove metal from them or change them to a different clip entirely.

First question
What situation (handle design, size, type of use) or type of knife do you generally remove the clip from and leave it off ?

I am finding the thicker roundish handle on my Ti Lite Four is making me more aware of the clip and I am considering jettisoning it in favor of a belt pouch. I know, I know, it has the cool pocket hook but . . . I am thinking I would like the in-hand, in-use feel better without the clip. My thinner handled knives I don't notice the clips much at all. I like the clip when in the pocket but it is, perhaps, turning out to be in the way when using the knife.

Second question
Is there a thread or web site that has cataloged which kind of clip comes on which model of knife ? Meaning If I spot a clip in someone's pocket can I look it up to see what knife that clip comes on ?

I saw a knife in a customer's pocket and want to know which knife he was carrying.
The clip was quite narrow and light duty. Appeared to just be a 90° bend across the end of the knife and the screws (two of them) went into the end of the knife meaning when clipped to the pocket the screws would be pointing straight down at the ground into the end of the handle.



 
I won't say much about the first question since I've never had a problem with the pocket clips on my carry knives. Regarding the second point, the last time I saw a pocket clip and wondered about it, I asked the guy what blade he was carrying since I recognized the ZT pocket clip. You could do some research on the Internet looking at different pocket clips to help out, but as far as my knowledge goes, I don't know of any pocket clip database.
 
Thanks Sully
The last time I asked things were too hectic and he never showed me the knife. I believe that one was a Benchmade 940. My loss.

The one I am asking about now . . . he was an older rich guy and I think he would not have liked me to pry . . . but I might be wrong. It is just that I have never seen a screw pattern like that before.

I did search the heck out of the photos of pocket clip knives last night to no avail but I can't seem to let it go . . . I want to know what the heck knife that weird clip comes on. Probably some generic knife . . . but then again . . . I know he had serious bucks so it could have been a custom.
 
From my point of view, it couldn't hurt to ask, and hey, it could open the door to another knife guy to talk to. You could try saying something along the lines of you being a knife guy and couldn't help but notice the pocket clip and not recognize its make, I'd suggest you have atleast one or two knives on you also to show him that you're actually a knife guy. Although since you're a BF member you're most likely already doing so.

That is what I've done in the past and it's worked, actually the guy I mentioned earlier was an older quiet rich guy, I asked him what ZT he was carrying and showed him my Benchmade and we ended up talking for over half an hour about local knife shows and new models and whatnot.
 
You're right,
I should have just asked.
As the song goes "It's a Wonderful World".
 
Hi Wowbagger,

I usually remove the clips on knives I want to carry as deep as possible inside my pocket. These are knives I take when I go hiking in the brush for mushroom picking/varmint management/chill out. Forest is quite dense and there are a lot of branches that are snagging on me and I had a couple of knives that were clipped that went loose.
Fair warnings :)
If the knife allows it, I now put a long Paracord lanyard with a big knot that I let run loose outside my pocket. if I want to take the knife all I have to do is to pull the lanyard.

6PXmfPBl.jpg


Here is a knife I often carry with camo pants, so it's really long.

I do the same with some other knives, with shorter lanyards adapted to casual jeans or pants pocket depth, when I feel that an openly carried knife could get too much attention.


Can't answer second question, as I am not interested so far in aftermarket clips.
 
I basically just remove the clips to bend then back into shape when I snag them on something. And a catalog of pocket clips seems like a huge, yet awesome project.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I never use pocket clips and frequently take them off, but some knives, like the Leek, are much harder to get a good grip on without the clip.
 
FullMetal,

Here is a knife I often carry with camo pants, so it's really long.
Click to expand...

THAT is such a Hot Knife !
As in "She is so Hot".
You shouldn't post stuff like that : Makes me feel so funny, makes me want to spend my money . . .

Do you recognize that old song ? Yah . . . like that.

Thanks for the heads up on the bush thieves. I never would have thought.
 
Ace,
some knives, like the Leek, are much harder to get a good grip on without the clip.
Click to expand...
Yah, the Manix is kind of that way. Closing it anyway. The Manix clip I never notice. This Cold Steel is like a fifth leg on a dog.
 
To me a pocket knife is a sub 3" closed folder that drops loose in the pocket, so if it's any bigger and or clipped it's not a pocket knife but a folder.
I would only remove the clip if it came with a nice piece of leather to put it in on my belt.
 
Last edited:
I took the low-ride clip off my Al Mar SERE 2000 because I don't like low-ride clips. I chose instead to carry the knife in an open-top belt sheath (pictured).

I also took the clip off my Viper Start folder because I don't want to carry a knife that big in my pocket. When I carry that knife I also carry it in an open-top belt sheath (no pictures).

I don't think the type of clip one is showing is any clear indicator of the knife. Many people swap clips or buy aftermarket clips. I took the original short, shiny clip off my Bradley Alias and replaced it with a longer, black clip from one of my Benchmade AFCK's.

P1000996 800x600_zps0y5oh6ou.jpg

P1000995 800x600_zpsaz9higvg.jpg
 
Wowbagger said:
FullMetal,



THAT is such a Hot Knife !
As in "She is so Hot".
You shouldn't post stuff like that : Makes me feel so funny, makes me want to spend my money . . .

Do you recognize that old song ? Yah . . . like that.

Thanks for the heads up on the bush thieves. I never would have thought.
Click to expand...

Benchmade can actually make very good knives at decent prices :)
Actually, I should say "a knife" :p
This one is a tank. Go for it :)
 
I just took the clip off my Lionsteel SR2. It just didn't feel right & decided to try it clipless. Now I love it.

I think a lot of effort was put into designing a nice knife, & the clip added as an afterthought.
 
I'm very reluctant to use anything but a deep-carry clip these days. If it ain't discrete, it probably won't ride with me.
 
The only knife I currently have clip-less is my Delica. I bent it one day and took it off to fix - but now I like it. I carry it when more discreet carry preferred.
 
I seem to be the odd one out here , because I have changed from a no clip guy to 100% clipped now .
I won't contemplate buying a knife without a clip anymore .

Ken
 
Like Aquaman, I often carry a clipless Delica in dress pants. The Stretch, Endura, Pac Salt, and PM2 always ride clipped. Anything longer than a Delica can get wedged sideways in the bottom of my pocket, making it difficult to remove for use.
 
When the clip broke on one of my Benchmades, I took it off. That's the only one. Most of the knives I carry don't have clips.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top