The Wire Clip: express your love, hate, indifference

[Wartstein]

Small or very lightweight knives = wire clip
Large and heavier knives = hourglass clip or equivalent


I love the wire clip but it just doesn't suit larger heavier knives, it doesn't clip strong enough and doesn't provide enough traction. It's absolutely perfect for knives like the Dragonfly though.

Well said. As much as I love the wire clip, I couldn't imagine it on a larger knife any bigger than a Delica because of it having a fair bit less strength. If they made a wire clip with a heavier gauge wire, then maybe I could see it but at the same time I don't know if I would like a heavier wire clip. It almost defeats the purpose.

Still, in my opinion, there is no better clip for a small knife.

That would mean: You don't like the wire clip on the Manix 2, Kapara,....(cause bigger than a Delica), right?

I'd totally get that, as stated earlier I personally prefer the hourglass clip on almost any knife (except maybe Chap LW and probably DFly).

[demoncase]

I love the wire clip.

[Evil D]

This.

Well said. As much as I love the wire clip, I couldn't imagine it on a larger knife any bigger than a Delica because of it having a fair bit less strength. If they made a wire clip with a heavier gauge wire, then maybe I could see it but at the same time I don't know if I would like a heavier wire clip. It almost defeats the purpose.

Still, in my opinion, there is no better clip for a small knife.

To be fair, my Autonomy is a bit on the heavy side and it has never moved from where I clip it and it uses a wire clip. I think I'd still prefer an hourglass on a heavy knife but it is getting the job done. I think the G10 texture has a lot to do with it.

[ZrowsN1s]

I prefer the standard, but I really like the wire.

[Notsurewhy]

I don't think I've ever had a standard clip knife come out of my pocket unintentionally. I only have two wire clip knives and both have jumped out of my pocket more than once.

I like a deep carry, but as far as stock Spyderco clips, I'll take the hourglass every time.

[nugi]

Wow, 75% of pollers (166 votes cast!) prefer the wire clip or wish there were more models with it. And it really is a rather unique clip. The only other I've seen with a wire clip is Fox Knives. Maybe a Gerber too. Why doesn't Spyderco do more wire clips?

[rangefinder]

Wow, 75% of pollers (166 votes cast!) prefer the wire clip or wish there were more models with it. And it really is a rather unique clip. The only other I've seen with a wire clip is Fox Knives. Maybe a Gerber too. Why doesn't Spyderco do more wire clips?

GiantMouse (the Jesper Voxnaes/Jens Anso collab company) uses wire clips on some on their folders. I think some (maybe all?) of these are made for them by Fox (Italy).

Keep in mind that a survey that has self-selecting participants is not statistically valid. (I took Stats 101 several decades ago, but I still remember that.) So the results of this poll (or any other online poll for that matter) should not be viewed as anything other than entertainment.

[Wartstein]

Keep in mind that a survey that has self-selecting participants is not statistically valid. (I took Stats 101 several decades ago, but I still remember that.) So the results of this poll (or any other online poll for that matter) should not be viewed as anything other than entertainment.

You are so very right of course (I had a lot of statistic classes in college / university too, also some time ago though)!!

I am quite sure that among all people in the world who carry a Spyderco a majority would vote for the hour glass clip or be indifferent.
I personally believe that would be even true, if just each forum member HAD to vote.(Sure that's just guessing!)

Obviously people who DON'T have enough of whatever they prefer (in that case wire clips, cause there are not many models featuring it) are MORE tempted to take every opportunity to point that out, than people are who have enough of what they want anyway (hourglass clip).

[ladybug93]

love it on the manix. hate it on the dragonfly. i’m guessing its due to the foldover design on the df clip, but it’s much weaker and moves around too much for my liking. the clip on my manix lw is wonderful though.

[Woodpuppy]

Keep in mind that a survey that has self-selecting participants is not statistically valid. (I took Stats 101 several decades ago, but I still remember that.) So the results of this poll (or any other online poll for that matter) should not be viewed as anything other than entertainment.

BINGO especially when concerned with political polls where the participants are targeted by special interests, and the poll is intended to misrepresent a majority opinion in order the sway legislation or elections.

It’s especially bogus when a poll is released into an echo chamber! Run the same poll to HuffPo and the Federalist; you’ll get wildly divergent results.

At least here we all like the product so it’s a more “cooperative” poll.

[loamy47]

Small or very lightweight knives = wire clip
Large and heavier knives = hourglass clip or equivalent


I love the wire clip but it just doesn't suit larger heavier knives, it doesn't clip strong enough and doesn't provide enough traction. It's absolutely perfect for knives like the Dragonfly though.

Well said. As much as I love the wire clip, I couldn't imagine it on a larger knife any bigger than a Delica because of it having a fair bit less strength. If they made a wire clip with a heavier gauge wire, then maybe I could see it but at the same time I don't know if I would like a heavier wire clip. It almost defeats the purpose.

Still, in my opinion, there is no better clip for a small knife.

That would mean: You don't like the wire clip on the Manix 2, Kapara,....(cause bigger than a Delica), right?

I'd totally get that, as stated earlier I personally prefer the hourglass clip on almost any knife (except maybe Chap LW and probably DFly).

I've never handled either a Manix 2 lightweight or a Kapara. I can imagine liking it on a lightweight Manix, but not the G10 version. As for the Kapara, it's truly a tossup. I would probably prefer some other clip though, but can't say without handling one.

[lonerider1013]

I like it. Wish there was a version I could easily install on 3 bolt knives like the Delica or para3...

[spyderg]

As much as I dislike the wire clip, my local store had an Ikuchi and I had an idea. I made a little filler tab for the wire clip. It’s not perfect but it makes a knife with a wire clip useable. I’m going to make a few more for my other wire clipped knives now rather than selling or giving away.

[Woodpuppy]

I love the ring! I’d probably break a wooden ring, but they’re purdy!

[spyderg]

I love the ring! I’d probably break a wooden ring, but they’re purdy!

Thnx, I’m pretty rough on things but bocote is very tough. Doesn’t scratch up easy either. I’ve made some with micarta or even metal inside for more strength as well.

I chose it for the insert because of how strong it is. Had to keep it thin enough so it still slides over the pocket, also not sticking out too much to snag. Bocote isn’t very prone to splitting plus it looks purdy.

[JuPaul]

Small or very lightweight knives = wire clip
Large and heavier knives = hourglass clip or equivalent


I love the wire clip but it just doesn't suit larger heavier knives, it doesn't clip strong enough and doesn't provide enough traction. It's absolutely perfect for knives like the Dragonfly though.

Agreed 100%. We need another voting option: prefer it on some models, prefer a standard clip on others.

[Evil D]

Small or very lightweight knives = wire clip
Large and heavier knives = hourglass clip or equivalent


I love the wire clip but it just doesn't suit larger heavier knives, it doesn't clip strong enough and doesn't provide enough traction. It's absolutely perfect for knives like the Dragonfly though.

Agreed 100%. We need another voting option: prefer it on some models, prefer a standard clip on others.

To be fair, that comment was two years ago, and towards the end of 2017 I did get an Autonomy which is fairly heavy and has a wire clip, and it was my EDC for about a year and a half and I never had any problems with how well the wire clip did it's job. I also think the texture of the G10 makes a big difference in how well any clip secures a knife. I still think I'd prefer an hourglass clip on a 5.35oz knife but I like to give credit where it's due.

[JuPaul]

Small or very lightweight knives = wire clip
Large and heavier knives = hourglass clip or equivalent


I love the wire clip but it just doesn't suit larger heavier knives, it doesn't clip strong enough and doesn't provide enough traction. It's absolutely perfect for knives like the Dragonfly though.

Agreed 100%. We need another voting option: prefer it on some models, prefer a standard clip on others.

To be fair, that comment was two years ago, and towards the end of 2017 I did get an Autonomy which is fairly heavy and has a wire clip, and it was my EDC for about a year and a half and I never had any problems with how well the wire clip did it's job. I also think the texture of the G10 makes a big difference in how well any clip secures a knife. I still think I'd prefer an hourglass clip on a 5.35oz knife but I like to give credit where it's due.

Noted! Also good to know.

[spyderwolf]

They work great on small,light models.Fron the Tenacious up,they are out of their depth.

[JD Spydo]

I don't mind the wire clip at all. I have them on a couple or three Spyderco models. I still say that the best pocket clip that Spyderco ever made was the one that they used on the GUNTING model. To me that was the very best clip they ever made.

Really it depends on which model you are talking about. Because the wire clip is virtually perfect for the Dodo model IMO. I don't think it would work as well on bigger models IMO.