Why doesn't Spyderco offer tip up carry on the Military?

R

Red House

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May 1, 2016
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And do you think they'll eventually make the change? (fingers crossed) :thumbup:
They've made lots of improvements to the latest sprints/exclusives, and to the blurple, but still no tip up carry. It's not like there's no demand.
 
Good question. Sure its been asked and answered in the past, but i missed that process and dont know. Off to google to find out why.......
 
Longer blades are easier to open if carried tip down, because of where your thumb and forefinder grips the knife near the pivot as you pull it from your pocket. You can easily grip the hole and do a "Spydie-drop", or else rotate the handle into your palm with the thumb already on the opening hole for easy deployment.

I prefer tip-up on the PM2 and other similar sized knives, because you can hide the thumb hole and its coarse jimping against the right hand pocket seam to improve pocket access. But I actually like the Military tip-down.
 
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Tip down only without voiding the warranty by converting it is the only reason I haven't bought one yet.
Tip down does not work for me at all.
Maybe someday there will be a factory tip up Military.
 
Short answer: the liners in the Military do not run the full length of the handle, so there is no steel to anchor tip-up clip screws. The curve of the clip would also be backward, meaning they would either have to change the clip configuration completely or include a second clip for tip-up carry in addition to having to redesign the liners. Lengthening the liners would add weight to a knife that was designed to be as light as possible.

Sal has said in the past the Military 2 will have four way clip option when it finally comes out, so there is hope for all you tip-up lovers. Frankly, every knife I've had come open in my pocket and cut me has been tip up, so I'll stick with tip down carry whenever possible.
 
Brock O Lee said:
Longer blades are easier to open if carried tip down, because of where your thumb and forefinder grips the knife near the pivot as you pull it from your pocket. You can easily grip the hole and do a "Spydie-drop", or else rotate the handle into your palm with the thumb already on the opening hole for easy deployment.
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This and it is designed to be glove friendly. Tip down allows enough of the handle to protrude from the pocket to easily draw it with gloves. Also what Yablanowitz said about liners is a factor as well.

I agree with Brock O Lee about the millie working in a tip down config. I pinch the pivot area and draw from the pocket. As I do this I let gravity keep the knife tip down how it was in my pocket and as I relax my grip my hand lets the knife fall/rotate right into my hand witu my thumb right on the hole
 
I couldn't get the cruwear military out of my mind. That is, until I handled a military in person today...

Love the steel, blade length, lack of finger choil found on the manix 2, but can't get past the ergo's due to the pocket clip.

Until the Millie 2 comes out, I am saving my funds.
Hopefully a Cruwear, 52100 or M4 military 2 comes out first...
Here's to wishing. :rolleyes:
 
Just last week I was at the big knife store in tennessee. I don't currently own a Military so that was one of the first models I looked at. I do hear all the good things said about it here. The only issue I could find was the tip down carry. Drew it from my pocket a few times and just couldn't find the love for it. I'm definitely on board for a tip up model though!

So I decided to wait and got another Salt 1 instead.:D
 
couple of posters offered the correct answer, i.e., for knives with long blades, tip down makes it more convenient/efficient to retrieve the knife from the pocket and open it in a coherent way.
 
The tatanka in my pocket is tip up. I don't really care either way unless I want to wave it.
 
Brock O Lee said:
Longer blades are easier to open if carried tip down, because of where your thumb and forefinder grips the knife near the pivot as you pull it from your pocket. You can easily grip the hole and do a "Spydie-drop", or else rotate the handle into your palm with the thumb already on the opening hole for easy deployment.
Click to expand...

I have found this to be the case too. I waited a long time to buy a Military because of the tip-down configuration. Now that I own one, it makes total sense. I wouldn't carry it tip-up even if I could.
 
My vote is for Tip Down, sold all of my tip up knives due to occasional problems in pocket.

That includes 9 CRK, most of those I just removed the clip and carried in leather pouch.

Regards,
FK
 
As yablanowitz said there is no liner at that end to screw into.
I have no problem carrying a Millie tip down. But I definitely prefer tip up.

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I have a military that's converted to tip up carry, I find that it carries much better tip up, for me at least. In hand its better for me as well, I don't like the impact on the ergos that having a clip in tip down position brings. The current military sells pretty well and has quite a few devoted fans, but the tip down with a ton of knife sticking out of the pocket does hold a lot of people back.
 
I agree with what several others have said: tip down carry is more natural on a big knife like the Military. If you draw it out of your pocket in tip up configuration you've got a long way to shimmy your hand to reach the thumb hole.

I carry my PM2 tip down for the same reason. They don't come that way from the factory by accident. Sal knows what he's doing.
 
When every other knife you have is configured for tip up and then you put the Millie in your pocket, you forget when taking it out of the pocket. At least I do. Now if I carried it for a awhile I'd remember, of course. So for me it's just a consistency thing. The Millie works fine in tip down. Anyway, I can wait for the Millie 2 for 4-way positioning.
 
I feel like this comes up every month. I always say don't let tip down hold you back. The Military is one awesome knife. I modify mine to tip up. I also think Spyderco can do threaded inserts on the military to keep weight the same. They did it on the Caly Jr. It's more comfortable in hand, carries in front right pocket way better tip up, and who cares about .5 seconds on deployment out of your pocket to cut up a box. It's one handed either way.



Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk
 
nccole said:
I always say don't let tip down hold you back. The Military is one awesome knife.
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+1

I'm really am sympathetic to arguments for both configurations. But, for me, positioning of the pocket clip on the Millie is like #29 out of the 30 most important characteristics a knife needs/should have. If anything, I find the standard clip design less ideal (pretty large, because it surrounds the pivot) than its placement on the handle. I think people are really missing out if that is the only reason why they won't pick one up. More Millies for the rest of us. :D
 
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