Why do you folks hate TD carry so much?

BePrepared

BePrepared

Joined
Aug 26, 2010
Messages
4,441
I prefer it. Carrying Tip up makes it harder to draw and open quickly with the Speed Safe AO. I use my index finger to activate the AO, and pulling it Tip Down puts your finger in the perfect spot for activation

am i missing something?
 
BePrepared said:
I prefer it. Carrying Tip up makes it harder to draw and open quickly with the Speed Safe AO. I use my index finger to activate the AO, and pulling it Tip Down puts your finger in the perfect spot for activation

am i missing something?
Click to expand...

The opposite is true for me. To each their own. Carry however you like it best.;)

But.... it is also a safety thing for me with speedsafe knives. The blade rests against the back seam of the pocket (with right side front pocket carry) and can't be opened on accident.
 
presz said:
The opposite is true for me. To each their own. Carry however you like it best.;)

But.... it is also a safety thing for me with speedsafe knives. The blade rests against the back seam of the pocket (with right side front pocket carry) and can't be opened on accident.
Click to expand...
That is my reason.
 
that's interesting. I've been carrying my Needs Work for over a year and i've never had it open in my pocket. I guess it's just a matter of preference
 
Hate is such a strong word. Tip up or down doesn't make a difference to me except for not having a lanyard in a tip-down folder. I don't think I'll ever be in a situation where the fraction of a second that it takes to orient a knife in a way that it can be deployed, will matter that much. Tip down is a preference for me, but tip-up is so far from being a deal breaker as so many make it out to be.
 
I think the biggest thing for me is how easy it is to access my pocket with a knife being carried in tip up configuration. Instead of sliding down the sharper blade spine, my hand slides against the back of the handle which is much smoother and wider. Knives just seem to fit further to the side of the pocket in tip up.
 
Its preference, plain and simple. It just so happens the majority preference is toward tip up, whether its for safety, ease of access, or deployment
 
I have stabbed myself too many times with tip up carry, when the blade opens up in my pocket. Tip up is more "natural" in my view, as one's thumb automatically rests on the Spydie hole or thumb stud with tip up carry. But I do tip down whenever I can.

I carry the knife on my weak side as well, as I have a pistol in my strong side pocket. Tip down works well for me on the weak side, as I must transfer the knife to my strong side hand.

Whatever works for you. As long as its exactly how I do it. :)
 
00ChevyScott said:
How do you stab yourself with tip up? The blade should be pressed up against the seem of your pocket.
Click to expand...

Notice that he said he carries on the weak hand side... pull your knife out and move it to your left side. You'll notice that the blade is now NOT on the seam side.
 
BePrepared said:
Notice that he said he carries on the weak hand side... pull your knife out and move it to your left side. You'll notice that the blade is now NOT on the seam side.
Click to expand...

Unless it's got a 4way clip setup. If you're choosing to carry it tip up with the blade facing towards your pocket instead of the seam, I can see where you'd have problems. That's not the preferred method of tip up carry for most users.
 
I prefer having my Cyclone tip-down. I like carrying my RAM tip-up. I prefer carrying my Hogue tip-down. The pocket clip on my Leek seems to fit my hand better when I have it set in the tip-up position.

My preferences vary from knife to knife. I generally leave the clip in whatever position it came in from the factory unless the clip itself is uncomfortable in that position.
 
I prefer tip down because I prefer right back pocket carry. I do have tip up knives and they're always carried in my right front pocket but it's already full with my money clip and keys so I just don't carry them as often. I think that a four way clip on a production knife is the only way to go. YMMV
 
For me, tip up vs. down varies by knife. Some knives, I draw by grabbing just the exposed part above the pocket. For those, tip down actually works better for me (easier to maneuver the handle into the palm of my hand, at which point, my thumb or index finger are positioned well for the thumb stud or flipper). On others, I draw it by grabbing the handle deeper in the pocket (usually with my index finger at the bottom of the clip and thumb on the opposite side of the handle). For those, tip up works better for me, as the handle will already be positioned right in my palm, and my thumb will be positioned right by the thumb stud or hole.

I also prefer deeper pocket carrying, which will sometimes make tip up not a viable option. For example, with the Leek, a tip up carry leaves over an inch of the knife above the pocket, which is too much for me. As a result, I carry that one tip down (and with the safety engaged). Tip up does usually seem to leave more knife exposed due to the clip's mounting position. I don't mind it in some cases, as long as the difference isn't too great.
 
BePrepared said:
I prefer it. Carrying Tip up makes it harder to draw and open quickly with the Speed Safe AO. I use my index finger to activate the AO, and pulling it Tip Down puts your finger in the perfect spot for activation

am i missing something?
Click to expand...

I prefer TD carry too.
The idea of reaching in and finding the blade partially open just bothers my widdle bwain. I'm sure TU can be just fine, just not for me. I also prefer a very positive detent for much the same reason.

Your not missing anything, its mostly a personal question, though some folks can go on for hours explaining why one or the other is better. Which I guess is fine if you're really bored. :D

philwar said:
Another horse that was beaten to a pulp long after it passed away.
Click to expand...

Too true. Thats the problem with "questions" for which there is no real ANSWER.
 
There are also ergonomic reasons for liking tip up.
When the knife is set up for tip-down the clip is mounted in the pivot area which adds thickness and inhibits comfort and control when using the knife.
All my knives that can be set up for tip-up ARE set up that way, those that aren't simply aren't carried.
I'd actually carry my JYDII if it could be set up for tip-up carry.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top