Why tip up ?

Really depends on the knife.

Got a Chinook 3 in the mail today.
I had one years ago (gave it to my dad), and I found that tip down is the best way for it.
Carries better in the pocket (with this knife), and is positioned to open better when drawn from the pocket as well.

So for me, the answer is "Both!!!"
 
stabman said:
So for me, the answer is "Both!!!"
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I'm forced to do this too. There are knives that I like that are tip up only and there are knives that I like that are tip down only. If I was to get really discriminatory that would eliminate half of the great knives that I like. So I have to carry both ways. I've learned with tip up how to flip the knife up the air and catch it so I can open it so it isn't a big deal. If I was up in the air working construction this wouldn't be safe because eventually I would drop my knife and lose it but I'm usually standing on the floor or on the ground so it is minimal risk.
 
I prefer tip up. Right now due to other edc necessities, my folder goes in the back right hand side pocket. My two edc knives are tip down because of placement.
 
Tip up for me. Pull out of pocket and my Protech is ready to fire.
 
stabman said:
Really depends on the knife.

Got a Chinook 3 in the mail today.
I had one years ago (gave it to my dad), and I found that tip down is the best way for it.
Carries better in the pocket (with this knife), and is positioned to open better when drawn from the pocket as well.

So for me, the answer is "Both!!!"
Click to expand...

They eliminated tip-down position on the Chinook 4! Terrible!
 
Tip up here----the only that has been a problem is the Kershaw Skyline--I really need to move it back to its tip down configuration.
 
As another point of reference, I often carry a folder inside the waistband (IWB) of my surgical scrubs. Think: very light cotton pants with a drawstring waist and no real pockets.

I've been used to carrying tip-up in the right front pocket of my jeans for all the reasons people mentioned above. But with tip-up IWB carry in scrubs, knives have unexpectedly opened on me. A couple of times that was because something snagged on the way out and the knife snapped open. Another time, a knife just fell open without any obvious reason.

Having a 3.5" piece of razor sharp steel suddenly open against your skin isn't great fun. It's bad enough when it's pressing against or poking your butt...just think what could happen in, say, appendix carry. Yikes!

All of this to say, tip-down carry isn't such a bad idea for IWB carry in light clothes (gym shorts, scrubs, etc). The deep-carry clips people favor for pocket carry are also not such a great idea in that case. Not only is it harder to draw, but the knife stays put better behind the drawstring when some of the grip is sticking out the top.
 
I prefer tip-up, but carry some knives tip-down. I like blade towards seam in pocket, but really my preference is just a gut reaction, tip-up feels more natural to me. I haven't really thought through why I prefer it, though I think Brancron may be onto something with clip position being more out of the way on tip-up, with most of your grip force up closer to the pivot.
 
Ratman79 said:
For me, it's as simple as ease of opening. I carry folders with flippers and when they are tip-up, the knife is already in the position to open it. Tip-down would just mean one more movement after taking it out of my pocket before I could use the flipper. Not a big deal, just a preference.
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This!! +2.
 
Emre said:
As another point of reference, I often carry a folder inside the waistband (IWB) of my surgical scrubs.
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You should select only knives that have relatively strong detent. Or you could have a sheath made with clip then carry the knife in the sheath where it can't open.
 
I don't mind either way.

My main concern is more about how the clip feels in the hand. For instance I much prefer a para 2 in hand with the clip configured for tip down.

The exception is for some flippers where when tip down the flipper tab can catch the pocket when drawing the knife. This is the reason while though I prefer my xm18s to be configured for tip down in the hand, tip up wins out for usability.
Matt
 
Lapedog said:
If you put the folder at the seam closest to the zipper then tip down, if you put it at the back corner of your pocket you will prefer tip up.
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Right :thumbup: (see what I did there? ;) .) In decades of carrying tip up at the back of my pocket, both left and right, I have never had a blade open unintentionally, and it was always oriented for a smooth draw and thumb hole/stud opening. The only tip down knife I own is a Leatherman Crater, and I carry it by paracord dangler with split ring on the end to which I clip the carabiner, effectively making it clip up.
 
bdmicarta said:
You should select only knives that have relatively strong detent. Or you could have a sheath made with clip then carry the knife in the sheath where it can't open.
Click to expand...

Was gonna say, and your options then are to

1. get better scrubs, unless you have to use what they issue you. Pick the ones that have side openings to allow you to get to side pockets and wear shorts with pockets under, that way, you can have your phone with you too. And have decent pockets limited by your choice in shorts!

2. Lanyard. A lot of crap goes round my neck, I dunno about yours!
 
spykez said:
Was gonna say, and your options then are to

1. get better scrubs, unless you have to use what they issue you. Pick the ones that have side openings to allow you to get to side pockets and wear shorts with pockets under, that way, you can have your phone with you too. And have decent pockets limited by your choice in shorts!

2. Lanyard. A lot of crap goes round my neck, I dunno about yours!
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I personally hate neck-lanyards, and I haven't seen scrubs with pocket-passes cutout to access under clothes... indeed, the scrubs ARE the under-clothes (other than skivvies).

I put a pocket-clip (Nite-Ize) on my phone-case for easy on/off and clip it outside my waistband. For traditional folders, you can get a clip-on Victorinox sheath and just cut the top flap off to function as a clip-on pouch sheath, carry it outside the waistband as well.

For IWB carry, I carry a knife with strong detent (prefer back-locks or Triad) and (much more importantly) a design with no sharp/rasping edges on the handle or other exposed parts when the knife is hanging there closed.
 
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