A question on Tip up or Tip down Set-ups

[islandpar]

Hi Everyone,

If there's a similar thread I would appreciate it if you could provide me the link (I couldn't find one) and kindly delete this.
When I first got my PM 2 it was set-up in a tip down position and my PM3 came in a tip up position. I repositioned the clip on my PM 2 to tip up but I'm finding it a bit uncomfortable (maybe needs getting used to?) unlike that of the PM 3 or the Endura 4. Is the tip down set up of the PM 2 its ideal set-up?

Until I've owned Spydercos, I didn't give much considerations on tip-up / tip down set ups. I don't even clip my folding knife, it just jangles around inside my pocket. What are the pros and cons of going tip up or tip down set-ups?

Thank you in advance for the new learnings. Stay safe and healthy everyone!

[VooDooChild]

I prefer the pm2 in tip up configuration. I think it works fine.

You are probably feeling the clip hit your hand somewhere different than youre used to.

[zhyla]

For me, long knives I generally prefer tip down, medium and small knives tip up.

Tip up has the advantage that the handle is oriented in your hand close to how you will use the knife. But on a long knife this is less true. On a long knife tip down let’s you get your thumb on the thumb hole while pulling the knife from the pocket.

[cabfrank]

I prefer tip up on everything, including the PM2. I haven't tried the Pac Salt 2 tip down yet. Maybe I will try it, but I think I will still prefer it tip up.

[Evil D]

This is a bottomless can of worms.



It has been said (pretty sure I didn't misremember this) that factory clip placement on knives like the PM2 mirror what the designers feel is the best clip position, so Sal/Eric or whoever might feel that tip down is best for a PM2. A Stretch comes with the clip in tip up, so maybe Sal likes it better that way. The Police 4 comes tip up and it's bigger than a Military so size alone doesn't seem to be the only deciding factor, or maybe this is a sign that Spyderco are listening and hear that tip up is more popular? I can't imagine there being some kind of production/productivity advantage during assembly that would make a difference. Some have complained about the "flat spot" that the clip leaves on the G10 after being mounted at the factory, but surely someone out there actually prefers tip down (I know, impossible to believe) so you can't please everyone.


Advantages? You'll get probably 10 pages of posts here shortly. Most seem to prefer tip up. It depends on the knife for me. I tend to feel that longer handled knives work better with tip down because when I pull them from my pocket my thumb is closer to the hole and I don't have to shimmy my hand up the grip to reach it like I sometimes do in tip up. A Military for example works great this way, but there is a neverending request for a tip up Military so maybe it's just me. After years of carrying a Military, the clip position and draw/open motion is so engrained into my brain and muscle memory that it's second nature.

Some will say there's a safety issue with either position, saying the blade can open in your pocket (I think I've seen arguments for and against both positions). Most seem to think that tip up is the more likely way that a blade will open in your pocket due to gravity being able to pull down/open the blade, but the only time I've ever had a knife open in my pocket was tip down so I dunno. I carry with the spine of my blade pushed into the outside seam of my pocket and that has worked for me for nearly 30 years without incident but some insist that it can still open this way, and for them I guess maybe it can? I'm not sure what I do that's different and I won't say their experiences are wrong but after this long I just don't see it happening and I don't worry about it. Maybe it's a clothing thing?

Oh, I have had my Autonomy open in my pocket and it's tip up with the spine against my pocket seam, but some dummy removed the firing safety so if I carry anything hard in that pocket that can press the fire button, this can happen.

It's me. I am some dummy. :o

Oh, I will say there is one very big advantage to tip up and this may be the biggest reason I'd change clip position....on a knife like my stainless handle Police, which has a pretty strong close bias and slippery handle scales, having the clip at the bottom of the scale gives my fingers something to get traction on and makes opening the knife a LOT easier. This is the main reason I switched the clip position on that knife. On a Military the detent is much easier to overcome and the scales are much grippier so this isn't an issue.

[PaloArt]

This is really about personal preference. I love tip down carry in most cases for example but I know people who would hate that one. Wear it how you like it

[Wandering_About]

If you're carrying the knife loose in pocket, why not just completely remove the clip?

[Albertaboyscott]

I like tip up for all mine. It's all about personal preference though. And if I had to switch, it wouldn't be much of an issue

[The Deacon]

It's mostly a matter of personal preference. Tip down carry places the pivot high, reducing or eliminating the possibility of the knife partially opening in your pocket when, for example, you jump off the bed of a pickup. But tip up allows the spine of the knife to be positioned against the back of your pocket, which also reduces or eliminates accidental opening. Tip down, on models with a fully exposed Spyderhole, allows you to draw the knife by grasping the Spyderhole between thumb an forefinger, which causes the knife to drop open once it clears your pocket. Tip down allows for the use of an Emerson style opener. As for me, I carry most folders loose in my back pocket, so I remove the clip from them.

[Matus]

I used to carry the GB1 tip down - having the pocket clip in that position improved the grip for me.

[Pokey]

Lots of good comments about personal preferences. I can't fault anyone for carrying tip up or tip down.

I've switched all my PM 2's for tip up carry, and leave my Para 3's tip up. I hadn't thought of trying my PM 2's tip down; I bought a couple of Military models to try it. (one left hand and one right hand model)

I've found that when carrying tip up, (PM 2 & Para 3,) I keep the knife at the back edge of my pocket, I reach down the handle with my thumb and grasp the top of the clip with my middle finger to lift it out of my pocket. Then, I have to choke up on the handle because I'm holding it at the end of the handle at that point.

When carrying the Military it has to be carried a bit forward in my pocket. I reach from behind the handle, grasp it with my thumb and first finger, then rotate the butt of the handle into the heel of my hand. That way my thumb is very near the Round Hole.

For each mode of carry I have to make a small adjustment to place it in my hand to where I can open the blade. I've practiced with both models and have adjusted to both.

[bearfacedkiller]

I carry in my right rear pocket and prefer tip down. If I carried in my right front pocket I might prefer tip up.

I would be happy if all knives came tip down.

[Josh1973]

I'm an odd one. 80% of the time still dare to pocket carry lol.

I prefer tip down for safety reasons being I had a Banchmade Griptillian open in my pocket 2 times once cutting me pretty good. Other than that tip down sucks.

I carry tip up despite self cut risk because I can deploy a blade a bit quicker in a hopefully never needed self defense situation.

[chronovore]

Either way, I prefer to have the spine safely up against fabric as a hedge against accidental opening. That means if I'm carrying in my right pants pocket, it's tip up. If I'm carrying at the side edge of my back pocket, then I like tip down.

Clip placement can matter. Sometimes, a knife carries much deeper in one orientation than the other. The Para 3 is a good example. The lanyard hole (which I never use) bumps the clip placement down and leads to a more shallow carry in that orientation. Stuff like that can be a deal-breaker, depending on how I plan to carry the knife.

Since tip-down has gotten less common, I tend to shop for those separately. I really wish Spyderco would offer more tip-down models with the wire clip.

[Hardbawl]

I'm an odd one. 80% of the time still dare to pocket carry lol.

I prefer tip down for safety reasons being I had a Banchmade Griptillian open in my pocket 2 times once cutting me pretty good. Other than that tip down sucks.

I carry tip up despite self cut risk because I can deploy a blade a bit quicker in a hopefully never needed self defense situation.

Like you, I was cut by a brand “B” knife carried tip up. The injury required a hand surgeon to repair. That REALLY hurt. You do as you please, but for me, any knife I carry will be carried tip down. Any knife I carry will hold the blade closed by design. Safety becomes real important when MY blood is at risk. Stay safe.

[Josh1973]

I'm an odd one. 80% of the time still dare to pocket carry lol.

I prefer tip down for safety reasons being I had a Banchmade Griptillian open in my pocket 2 times once cutting me pretty good. Other than that tip down sucks.

I carry tip up despite self cut risk because I can deploy a blade a bit quicker in a hopefully never needed self defense situation.

Like you, I was cut by a brand “B” knife carried tip up. The injury required a hand surgeon to repair. That REALLY hurt. You do as you please, but for me, any knife I carry will be carried tip down. Any knife I carry will hold the blade closed by design. Safety becomes real important when MY blood is at risk. Stay safe.

I hope your doctor fixed your hand up and there were no side effects from your injury. I should have stated that my tip up carry has dropped considerably and that my Tip up knives consists of the XL Cold Steel Counter Point 6 inch blade and very stiff detent. Which fills my entire pocket minimizing risk from accidental opening. But yes, I will be the first to admit tip up can be very dangerous. And as a result has changed my views into more pocket or tip down carry for smaller knives.
You stay safe too.

[VashHash]

I carry tip up 95% of the time. Just my preference. I usually scrape my hand on the jimping if I carry tip down. I can't recall a knife opening in my pocket with either method.

[StuntZombie]

Most of the time for me, clip orientation is determined by which setup is more comfortable.

Unfortunately, I'm finding that switching to tip down on the FRN handle knives can have an affect on the opening and closing action.

[bdblue]

A lot of this depends on personal preference and how you carry your knife. What I'm going to say is mostly WRT righthand front pants pocket carry. Tip up allows you to move the knife against the side of the pocket so the blade cannot open on its own. Tip up is essential for using waved opening or for using a fob or lanyard. I think tip down is secure enough with a folder that has good blade detent but not good for some older knives I've seen that don't have good blade detent. Some people have a problem with grip comfort holding the knife depending on clip position, it doesn't bother me. Depending on clothing type, hand size and blade size, one can be faster to deploy than the other. A tip up Military for instance would be very slow for me to deploy. I own and carry both tip up and tip down and I've gotten used to both styles. Fortunately there are a lot of good knives available in each carry method. Tip up/down discussions do come up frequently and I would guess that among knife enthusiasts it seems that about 75% prefer tip up. I would suggest not criticizing another person for their preference of carry style.

[aaronkb]

I prefer tip up but did I read correctly that you’re not using the clip anyway? If you’re just keeping the knife at the bottom of your pocket, take the clip off altogether! Not that I would.