Am I the only one who likes strong clips?

[spyderg]

It seems like everyone is always complaining about clips being too hard on their pants. I for one want stronger retention, I bend most of my clips to get it. Or else I rough up the underside for more traction. My jeans only last me 6 months to a year anyway, my knives a lot longer and I'd rather wear out the edge of a pocket than lose a quality knife. I am awaiting the new Byrds and was sad to see Sal writing that the clips were too strong and they were getting lighter ones. Send them to me, I'll make use of them!

[sal]

Hi Spyderg,

I would say that you are probably in the minority. We have found that clips that are very tight are not preferred by most of our customers. The clip faciliates access. Very tight clips reduce access or make it inconvenient. Our stock pressure is carefully measured. Most our our makers in China are still learning the ideal tension for us. I still bend my clips out to make them looser. Different strokes...

sal

[bearfacedkiller]

I haven't lost a knife yet.

[Surfingringo]

The stock tension is usually fine with me...if anything, I tend to like mine a bit tighter. Like Sal said, different strokes. Lucky for us its simple to adjust to our individual liking.

[SpeedHoles]

Wow, interesting to imagine r&d just to find ideal spring pressure for a clip! :) Fun to think about what goes into the little details many don't consider or may take for granted...
Is there also an acoustics lab to study ideal lock engagement pitch? :p Cuz I really do have some knives that give me goose bumps of satisfaction when they open and I am audibly pleased! :D


But yeah, it is a fine line of clip pressure. Too loose and you risk loss of the knife, and too tight and I personally dislike when it becomes difficult to get into your pocket without a struggle with your pants questioning the strength of your seams, haha.

[sal]

Not only determining the desired pressure, but developing the mechanisms to test for it. We've changed lock geometries to create the "sound" you are speaking of. In Seki -City, they've been engineering the "sound" of a lock for decades.

A few years ago, Honda engineered sound into their motorcycles engines. They recreated the sound of a Harley digitally. Harley sued them for unfair competition on their patented sound, and won.

sal

[mikeh99]

Not only determining the desired pressure, but developing the mechanisms to test for it. We've changed lock geometries to create the "sound" you are speaking of. In Seki -City, they've been engineering the "sound" of a lock for decades.

A few years ago, Honda engineered sound into their motorcycles engines. They recreated the sound of a Harley digitally. Harley sued them for unfair competition on their patented sound, and won.

sal

Wow, you can really can say "potato, potato, potato" is protected! Incredible.

As for the clip retention, I like the solid clips because they hold better. The wire clips just seem to loosen faster. Just me however.

[SpeedHoles]

Not only determining the desired pressure, but developing the mechanisms to test for it. We've changed lock geometries to create the "sound" you are speaking of. In Seki -City, they've been engineering the "sound" of a lock for decades.

A few years ago, Honda engineered sound into their motorcycles engines. They recreated the sound of a Harley digitally. Harley sued them for unfair competition on their patented sound, and won.

sal

I do vaguely remember that, about H-D.
And very cool that you mention it actually is a factor that has been considered about the knives! I was only mentioning it in speculation (and hopes)! :)
Well just so you know, it doesn't all go unnoticed! I do indeed enjoy it.


I do believe Thule racks has also studied that to get a "bank vault" sound when racks are engaged and disengaged. Same with modern car doors and trunks... and the 3 varying exhaust diameters on a 458 Italia! :D. And now with some electric vehicles in cities they can have fake engine noises so blind people will be more aware. Maybe one day you can download the Jetsons car sound to play from the outside of your e-car! :p


And mike, some of the clips I recall receiving that were tighter than desired were all wire clips over G10. No biggie though, I dialed them in.

[MichaelScott]

It's a balance. My Delica, Ambitious, Persistence and Tenacious clips are tight enough to hold, but don't impede access. I don't worry about one coming unclipped. However, I have lost two Dragonfly 2s with the wire clips, so I have my doubts about those.

[Evil D]

There's definitely a balance but I'd say I would prefer them slightly too tight over slightly too loose.

[Jazz]

I agree the Byrds are too tight. Easy enough to fix. I think heavier knives need solid, not wire clips, though.

[jmh58]

Being that I carry my clipped knives in my rrp.. I prefer a snug clip.. Not too tight but not so loose.. I do adjust just about every knife to my preferred tightness.. Guess its kinda like the edge/sharpness thing.. We all like what we like!! John :)

[JD Spydo]

Now I realize that it wouldn't fit on every Spyderco model but the clip that was on the GUNTING model was one of my all time favorites. Not trying to be hyper-critical of Spyderco's great products but I've thought for some time that the pocket clips are something that really needs to be looked at for possible improvement. Because for one thing I've yet to have a clip that can hold onto to the factory paint. That bugs me because there are some clips that I thought made the knife look really handsome but yet if you use it a lot the paint on the clip tend to flake off in pretty short order.

Maybe the answer would be to go exclusively with stainless, chrome plated or anodized metal clips. But the Gold & Silver Spydies on some of my models like the Ayoob really makes that knife stand out.

As far as pocket tension>> well I sure don't want them any more loose than what they are already. But there are aspects of the pocket clips that really should be looked at IMO.

[demoncase]

Not only determining the desired pressure, but developing the mechanisms to test for it. We've changed lock geometries to create the "sound" you are speaking of. In Seki -City, they've been engineering the "sound" of a lock for decades.

A few years ago, Honda engineered sound into their motorcycles engines. They recreated the sound of a Harley digitally. Harley sued them for unfair competition on their patented sound, and won.

sal

Wow, you can really can say "potato, potato, potato" is protected! Incredible.
.

On a related note on the creating 'pleasant sounds'* for the consumer- Kawasaki and Honda 'sculpt' the shape of the airboxes on their 4 cylinder bikes so that the air ramming into the box vibrates 'stub plenum chambers', re-directing the 'growl' of the induction that riders associate with power toward the the chin of the rider in a racing crouch- first done on the late 80s/early 90s ZX-R and ZZ-R Ninja models, but now common practice- Anyone familar with big across-the-frame fours knows that most the petrol tank is actually airbox and the rider tend to fit over and around this in normal riding...This 'tweak' overcomes the tendency toward quieter exhausts to fit noise regulations creating a 'sterile' riding experience

*Melifluous if you prefer

Apologies for the further drift from the topic- I find that Spyderco's stock clips are the right balance of tension for most use...Some of the pointier custom clips (like on the Hungarian) I find dig at the material a little more than I'd like in my office-wear, but that's a minor niggle.

[J D Wijbenga]

[...] I still bend my clips out to make them looser. Different strokes...

sal

I do too! I like a smooth draw and to limit pocket wear. I have not jet accidentally over bent a clip on a knife.

[MattM68]

The stock tension is usually perfect for me. :) When I got my Orange Dodo, the clip tension was extremely strong. Even after breaking it in a bit, it's still stronger than any other knife I have. I'm loving the wire clip though. :)

Matt

[Donut]

I like good retention, but there is some balance I need.

When I go on roller coasters, I would rather have a clip too strong. When I go swimming, my swim suits usually don't help with retention, so I would rather it be too strong.

Most of my EDC time, it doesn't matter a lot, but I do get bothered when they are too loose.

The PPT is tough to make the clip too strong. My dPX gear knives, with a smooth lock side scale... it's tough to make them too strong.

The short clip on the Dragonfly can be bent to be very good retention.

[farnorthdan]

Only two so far that I havent liked or felt were too strong, the Rubicon and Southard. The Rubicon I actually had to de-tension some and the Southard its more the shape of the clip than the tension but still a little tight for my liking. Others have been just fine but must admit, I prefer the wire clip less.

[bearfacedkiller]

I think a lot of of it actually has to do with the scale material. The G10 and FRN both provide a lot of grip on the inside of the pocket. My R Nishijin slides out of my pocket with very little effort due to the slick scales. Ti framed knives can be the same way.

[Blerv]

I think a lot of of it actually has to do with the scale material. The G10 and FRN both provide a lot of grip on the inside of the pocket. My R Nishijin slides out of my pocket with very little effort due to the slick scales. Ti framed knives can be the same way.

I agree completely. It's not a matter of strength but friction under the clip that has the biggest impact.

I have a couple non-spydies with titanium scales and very tense clips. They hold in the pocket nicely but are difficult to put away as you almost have to pry up the clip to slide it onto the pocket. G10 knives tend to rip up pockets and FRN ones done properly (like the Delica) are perfect.