Why aren't more folders lefty friendly?

Caffeinepirate

Caffeinepirate

Joined
Jan 29, 2009
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326
Is it really that expensive for manufacturers to pre-drill the holes on other side of the handle so you can reverse the clip? And if so, wouldn't higher sales volume from leftys offset the cost?

Some manufacturers like Kershaw make a ton of folders that are even pre-drilled for tip up or tip down carry, but only do one side. What gives?

I'll admit I am naive on the cost of manufacturing knives so please don't slam me too hard :-)
 
Being a lefty myself...I assume it is cost. About 1/5th of the population is left handed...so only 1 out of 5 knife buyers are left handed. Instead of having to drill holes on thousands of knives which could add SOME cost, it is just cheaper not to (and miss out on the low percentage of potential buyers). BTW, Not every lefty only buys left handed knives, either. I have been known to carry a firearm, so I carry the knife reaction hand anyway.
 
I wonder too. Although I suppose it would cause twice the wear and take twice the time for those production steps.

I also wish lefty accessibility was more common, even though it's much better than it was when I first got into knives back in 2003 the trend seems to be slowing and we're seeing a lot of mid-range knives with right-handed options only.

The knives that feature lefty carry from a given manufacturer seem so random at times as well. Some of the most expensive Benchmade knives have lefty mounting options (the M4 Griptilian) but a upper-mid range folder (741) doesn't because it would need an extra clip in the box. Something that lower end knives from Cold Steel and CRKT routinely do.
 
If I were a knife maker I would not ever drill a liner or frame lock made for left handed people unless the knife was a left handed model. And for knives without a really good detent I would be hesitant to send it out with a tip down option since I personally believe tip up to be the safest for the front pocket due to the seem of your pants. I like tip down, but I carry it back right.

Most production lockbacks and axis/ball lock/etc seem to be drilled on both sides though.
 
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I have this problem on only two of my knives, a Kershaw Blackout and one of those cheap KaBar K2 folders. I find that most knives are either reversible, dual sided, or thumb hole which is inherently ambidextrous. I don't see that many that are not reversible or otherwise ambidextrous. The side the clip is on doesn't bother me at all although I usually take them off because I don't much care for clips.
 
Thomas W said:
Sorry for the confusion...it was more of a sarcastic remark. :)
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I was actually hoping that you would give an answer about why Kershaw isn't showing the love. Your company's knife designs are awesome, and many times I would have bought one of them if only it was lefty friendly. Can you tell me why you guys don't?

GWashington1732: Spyderco, Sog, and Benchmade do a good job of at least making many of their knives lefty friendly, but not all of them. Then other companies have near zero or absolutely zero of their knives that have reversible clips. I'm about ready to sell all my Leeks and my Spyderco Harpy if I keep thinking about this issue :-/
 
Sometimes we are thought of but its not often knives are made to be lefty friendly. The lh millie has filled my needs but everyone likes a different cup of tea.

Cost, low percentage of us or whatever the reason just remember were in our right state of mind ;) what makes sence to us may not sound right to others :)

Ya just gotta keep hoping for more LH knives.
 
And, are we ever going to see any more Hawk-Locks? They're the best unintentional left-handed lock ever!
 
Caffeinepirate said:
I was actually hoping that you would give an answer about why Kershaw isn't showing the love. Your company's knife designs are awesome, and many times I would have bought one of them if only it was lefty friendly. Can you tell me why you guys don't?

GWashington1732: Spyderco, Sog, and Benchmade do a good job of at least making many of their knives lefty friendly, but not all of them. Then other companies have near zero or absolutely zero of their knives that have reversible clips. I'm about ready to sell all my Leeks and my Spyderco Harpy if I keep thinking about this issue :-/
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We do show the love IMO. Over the last few years we have brought on a gang of flippers that lefties can have their way with.

Lock's and clip are different stories. I guess it never made too much sense to me, putting a lefty clip on a righty lock. Maybe I'm not seeing this clearly?
 
Up until a few months ago I would have disagreed. I used to buy knives that had right-handed locks but also had to have lefty pocket clips. At the time it made sense, if I could carry the knife I would open it and use it effectively and then sort of fumble through closing. The closing hassle was worthwhile to get to use some of the more interesting designs.

Now I just buy left-handed or ambidextrous knives. Right-hand locks just aren't worth the hassle anymore, I've sold off most of the ones in my collection and constantly think about dumping the rest.

So I guess I can see how it makes sense not to put a lefty clip on a right-handed liner/frame lock. But I still feel the cold sting of neglect whenever I see it.
 
Thomas W said:
We do show the love IMO. Over the last few years we have brought on a gang of flippers that lefties can have their way with.

Lock's and clip are different stories. I guess it never made too much sense to me, putting a lefty clip on a righty lock. Maybe I'm not seeing this clearly?
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Consider the Leek. Although the flipper makes it easy for a lefty to deploy once it positioned in your hand correctly, it is a pain to actually get it in that position. If it is tip up, I would have to draw it from my pocket, and then rotate it around in my hand so that can touch the flipper or thumb stub appropriately (it is backwards if you don't do that and you're a lefty). I might add that doing that rotation can occasionally cause your finger to hit the flipper as you are rotating it and cause the blade to deploy on your hand, which is no bueno. If it is in tip down position, I can't even grab the knife right unless it is clipped in my pants right next to the family jewels. And that makes walking uncomfortable.

However, I have no problems disengaging the lock even though I am a lefty. I don't think I'm more dexterous than others, it just isn't that hard to do. I am just pulling the lock with my thumb instead of pushing it. Easy. For all practical purposes I consider the lock ambidextrous.

Edit: VR4: Really, you wouldn't be a righty liner lock even if it had a reversible clip and ambidextrous thumb stubs? I can disengage the lock on the The Leek, the Buck Vantage Pro, and all other righty liner locks just as fast as rightys can. Why is it is a turn off for you?

So why can't you drill holes on the other side of the Leek so I can put the clip on it? The clip really doesn't curve much one way or the other so I don't believe it would look too "off" if I took the screws and clip off and put it on the other side.
 
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Thomas W said:
Lock's and clip are different stories. I guess it never made too much sense to me, putting a lefty clip on a righty lock. Maybe I'm not seeing this clearly?
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No, you are. As a lefty, I'd never buy a righty liner lock - even if it had a clip for lefty carry and ambidextrous thumb studs.

I'd really love for Kershaw to offer some of their knives with lefty liner locks... I have no idea if that would be feasible with their current business model but it sure would be nice. I've said this before, but I'd kill for a lefty model of the ZT30x line... don't think I'll hold my breath for that one.

Perhaps you could put a suggestion in from all the leftys out there, Thomas?
 
I used to drill and tap my right handed folders for left pocket carry. A minor bother but made the knives more user friendly for me.

Wiki says that the lefties make up 7-10 percent of the world's population. While not high, I would think that it is enough for manufacturers to take seriously. Most high-end products can be had in left handed models; rifles, guitars, golf clubs, Fencing equipment, compound bows, etc. I buy (when I can find them) left handed kitchen tools, notebooks, and, of course, knives.

Making a left handed frame lock would certainly involve greater expense than making left handed pocket clips, but I think carpets and curtains have to match. Carrying a knife in my left pocket means I want to be able to open it with my left hand. This was one of the real joys of finding a good axis lock!

Now, if they would just make a good left handed remote control for the TV...:rolleyes:

Stitchawl
 
Because we're the minority and most companies care about profit. I wish there were more lefty friendly clips.IE spyderco centofante 3.
 
stitchawl said:
Making a left handed frame lock would certainly involve greater expense than making left handed pocket clips, but I think carpets and curtains have to match.
Stitchawl
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Nah, I don't think the frame lock is as noticeable to a lefty as a pocket clip because it doesn't get in the way of quick deployment the way a nonreversible clip does.

The Buck Vantage pro has the reversible clip but a righty lock and it works like a charm.


I know that being a lefty I'm in the minority, but because of that, I am more than happy to settle for a righty lock if the clip was lefty and it had either dual thumb studs, a flipper, or a thumb hole.

How do other leftys feel about a righty liner lock? Is it still that big of a deal if the liner is for a righty but the clip and the opening mechanism are lefty friendly?
 
Caffeinepirate said:
How do other leftys feel about a righty liner lock? Is it still that big of a deal if the liner is for a righty but the clip and the opening mechanism are lefty friendly?
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It's just too awkward for me. I've tried but in the end I just can't get right-handed liner locks to work as smoothly and effectively as my other options, just too clumsy and dissatisfying. My last experience was a Spyderco Khukri for almost 6 months. Dropped it for the mid-lock Stretch. Works much better in my experience.

Now I focus more on the ambidextrous locks and pay little attention to the right-handed frame/liner locks. Won't buy any right-handed locks or clipped knives anymore either.
 
Caffeinepirate said:
How do other leftys feel about a righty liner lock? Is it still that big of a deal if the liner is for a righty but the clip and the opening mechanism are lefty friendly?
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There's too many good knives that are truly ambidextrous (lockbacks, Axis type locks, etc) for me to bother with righty liner locks. The only righty knives that have actually tempted me are some unique framelocks such as Striders and the ZT series... hence why I'd love to see a lefty ZT 301, 302, etc...
 
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