Why are the Spyderco Mil/Para-Mil's tipdown only?

A

Azraell

Joined
Dec 27, 2006
Messages
214
You'd figure that they know many knife lovers like tip-up. I love the Para-Mil, but I just don't like carrying knives tip down when I'm so used to the alternative.

Was there a purpose to their decision to only allow one type of carry?
 
Not weird at all. When most of the knives were stainless the drop was eaiser. G-10 is lighter
 
grab the hole between your thumb and index finger lightly and flick youre wrist down.
 
I'd own one if they offered Tip Up as an option. For me it's the only way to go.
 
I sold my paramilitary for that very issue. I just couldn't get used to tip down.
 
The Military was designed to be carried/used while wearing gloves, as such it requires a significant portion of the handle to be above the line of the pocket when carried clipped.

If the clip was tip-up the knife would require re-situating in the hand to deploy and would not be as secure upon the opening sequence. If the clip were reversible there would have to be two pocket clips included with every knife since the clip is side specific and cannot just be flipped to the different side.

Combine this with the fact that the liners on the Military are only partial and, when first designed and produced the knife only had one liner and you get a tip down, right hand only design.

Para is 2/3rds version so I assume the clip was retained for the same reason.

As I understand it the Para and Millie 2 are supposed to be 4-way clips.
 
spoonrobot said:
The Military was designed to be carried/used while wearing gloves, as such it requires a significant portion of the handle to be above the line of the pocket when carried clipped.

If the clip was tip-up the knife would require re-situating in the hand to deploy and would not be as secure upon the opening sequence. If the clip were reversible there would have to be two pocket clips included with every knife since the clip is side specific and cannot just be flipped to the different side.

Combine this with the fact that the liners on the Military are only partial and, when first designed and produced the knife only had one liner and you get a tip down, right hand only design.

Para is 2/3rds version so I assume the clip was retained for the same reason.

As I understand it the Para and Millie 2 are supposed to be 4-way clips.
Click to expand...

Interesting. That would explain a bit, thanks.
Though I still think Spyderco should make another "civilian military" just for us. :D
 
For years I only owned Tip up knives and would ONLY carry a tip up knife, One day I decided to get a Para Mili and Realized it did not bother me at all, I love the knife and could care less either way, Takes nothing away from it's purpose. Amazing knife. I want another.
 
Para-Military 2 which will hopefully drop soon into next year will have the 4-way position clip, also the Military 2 which is a pretty long way off is supposed to have the 4-way clip position as well.
 
Send your Para to STR and have him do a lower rider / tip up pocket clip.
Paratipup.jpg
 
It's less safe than tip-up since the knife is only held shut by the detent and a little gravity.

Tip-up situates the blade against the seam of the pants and generally provides much more closing force against the blade to keep it shut. Tip-up also allows Waved/field expedient Wave use.

For some the preference is ergonomic, depending on how you draw your knife one or the other type will situate the knife in your hand in a more comfortable way. I prefer tip-down for the safety factor and the ergonomics make more sense for me.
 
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