My friend broke another clip....

[ZrowsN1s]

:D this post is meant to be 'information from the field', not a complaint :D

My best friend has broken his second spyder clip in less than a year The first one he snagged on something getting into his car, the second one he snagged on a heavy backpack he was trying to put on.

Now in both instances, the snagging was clearly his fault... but his gripe to me was that they snapped clean in half rather than bending. His thinking was he could have fixed it himself had it merely bent.

I don't think it's a coincidence that both of these clips were the type with a lanyard hole, one was an Emerson Endura, the other a Matriarch 2. Both of these clips broke in the same spot, they snapped in half at the lanyard hole.

This is an easily replaceable part, so it is not the end of the world. It has made my friend a little weary of that type of pocket clip though. If I may humbly suggest, it may be a part that is in need of future CQI. Maybe that means not making clips with lanyard holes, maybe that means using titanium clips, or something else. But it seems my friend has now twice stumbled on the fail point of this particular type of pocket clip.

[ABX2011]

I don't think I've snagged a clip such that it bent out. In 20 years of carrying a knife daily.
Also a sample size of 2 isn't meaningful. Spyderco must know if this is a real issue since they're the source for replacement clips.

[SG89]

if he doesn't utilize the lanyard hole then maybe suggest to him to use the non lanyard hole clips? I wonder if they could hold up to his uses

[Evil D]

I recently bought a new flashlight for work and the pocket clip has really made me appreciate Spyderco's clips. Not only did the light clip not actually clip worth a crap (practically zero tension against the side if the light so it slipped out of my pocket) but when I made the slightest effort to bend the clip to make it tighter, it instantly snapped in my fingers and is useless now. It was far thinner and more flimsy than anything Spyderco has ever made.

[Tims]

I can relate Evil D. the clips on just about every flashlight I own are sub standard quality compared to what you typically find on knives. Even cheaper knives.

As for Spyderco clips, the only problems I've had were with the wire clip. In fact I have bent the clip on every wire clipped model I've carried. Not a big deal, easy to bend back. On each occasion it was when I was getting out of my car. It must just be the way I do it that snags on the car seat. Never happened with the spoon clip.

I guess this is as good a time as any to express my interest in Spyderco offering black oxide coated clips. A deep carry option too.
This wouldn't be a charity offering either. I recently paid $43 AUD delivered for a deep carrtly clip for a Native 5 frn and with a lead time of 6 weeks, theres obviously a market there.

[Cycletroll]

Steel tempered to have "Springiness" will be more brittle when it's yield strength is exceeded. That is the trade off. If you temper steel to be able to be bent back and forth without breaking it will be inherently less "Springy" Tell you friend to be more cautious when carrying in a manner prone to snagging things with lots of forward momentum such that he imparts enough stress to break the pocket clip. Or he can get some aftermarket titanium pocket clips which because of their material qualities have a higher modulus of elasticity and will tolerate being bent to a greater degree.
I personally find Spydie steel pocket clips to to offer a good balance of strength & modulus of elasticity.
My guess is that if you make the clip too strong then you risk tearing out the threaded inserts or breaking mounting screws which is much more of a pain to fix/replace.
Also I now carry my big folder in my back pocket and try to pay attention to potential snags. My hip is at exactly the right (wrong?) height to catch the pocket clip on door latch striker plates which has caused to break or bend a few.

[utor]

I can relate Evil D. the clips on just about every flashlight I own are sub standard quality compared to what you typically find on knives. Even cheaper knives.

Sorry for the OT but malkoff makes very solid clips with their flashlight,
i had the same problem for years and i am very happy with my mdc aa
as a edc torch. on the topic, i only managed to break the wireclips by
right front pocket carry (and sillyness), but the regular clips so far resist
my use.

:D
utor

[ejames13]

I know they made a change to the Delica/Endura clip as well as the PM2 clip a year or so ago. The older clips are lower profile and have more of a satin finish. However the difference is so minuscule that unless you’re looking at them side by side it’s difficult to tell.

All that to say, I snapped one of the newer style PM2 clips when trying to adjust the tension. Never had that problem with the older clips. I wonder if they changed the way they’re made.

[ZrowsN1s]

if he doesn't utilize the lanyard hole then maybe suggest to him to use the non lanyard hole clips? I wonder if they could hold up to his uses

I was thinking the same thing. I was going to buy him a titanium aftermarket clip, but I couldn't find any that wouldn't impede his lanyard use on the endura and matriarch. He is a BIG fan of lanyards and has one on every knife he owns. He's going to order a replacement from SFO and try to be more careful with it. I was merely sharing his experience with the forum for purely informational purposes.
......

ABX2011, I have also never personally had a clip problem aside from a very slightly bent clip on my ZDP Dfly. Like Evil D was saying, spyderco clips are much nicer than what you get from a lot of places.
And no, 2 is not a significant sample size, but it might feel that way to you if you broke 2 of your clips. Imagine trying to bend 2 wooden planks until they break. One is a solid piece, and the other has a hole in it that is almost 50% of it's width. Where do you suppose the plank with the large hole in it will break? Do you think it will break before the solid piece does? It seems obvious to me that the hole would create a weak point in the plank compared to the solid piece. I don't see why this would be different with pocket clips regardless of sample size. It's a logical assumption isn't it?

[The Mastiff]

My guess is that if you make the clip too strong then you risk tearing out the threaded inserts or breaking mounting screws which is much more of a pain to fix/replace.

This is the way I feel. Clips are cheap and easy to replace.

Joe

[ZrowsN1s]

That is a good argument Joe and Cycletroll :)

[wolfgaze]

I recently bought a new flashlight for work and the pocket clip has really made me appreciate Spyderco's clips. Not only did the light clip not actually clip worth a crap (practically zero tension against the side if the light so it slipped out of my pocket) but when I made the slightest effort to bend the clip to make it tighter, it instantly snapped in my fingers and is useless now. It was far thinner and more flimsy than anything Spyderco has ever made.

Which light did you purchase?

[vivi]

I recently bought a new flashlight for work and the pocket clip has really made me appreciate Spyderco's clips. Not only did the light clip not actually clip worth a crap (practically zero tension against the side if the light so it slipped out of my pocket) but when I made the slightest effort to bend the clip to make it tighter, it instantly snapped in my fingers and is useless now. It was far thinner and more flimsy than anything Spyderco has ever made.

Brings back memories of my Sunwayman V10R. At the time I thought it was a perfect EDC light...except for the worthless pocket clip. Sold it for that reason alone.

Fenix lights might not always be the absolute latest, cutting edge tech...but their clips are every bit as good as a Spyderco in my experience. I EDC a UC35 and it never slips or moves at all.

[twinboysdad]

can't make an omelette without cracking a few eggs

[Evil D]

Which light did you purchase?

Thrunite TC12 V2. The contact area under the clip is about the size of a spaghetti noodle, if even that much. Oddly enough I chose this light in part because the part of the clip that snaps onto the light was much wider and beefier looking than other lights and I was concerned about it coming off the light. I ordered a tail cap clip from Solarforce that I'm not even sure will fit but we'll see. Otherwise it's a pretty decent light so far.

[ZrowsN1s]

My nitecore ec11 clip is surprisingly effective for only being a 'clip on' clip, hasn't come loose yet. But ever since I got my nitecore TIP CRI, I never carry the ec11 anymore. I just toss the TIP in a shirt pocket and go. Sure the ec11 has got 3x the power, but the battery life at max output is about the same on both, the TIP is usb rechargeable, I find I don't need more than the 260 lumens the TIP has, and the CRI bulb is awesome. I think I'd have a hard time going back to 'cool white' bulbs.

[DrawBackwards]

I've bent the hourglass pocket clip on my PM2 when I've had it in my back pocket. I caught the clip on an armrest as I sat. But the clip only bent -- and just barely enough to not have the tension it needed. It wasn't hard to take it off, re-bend it slightly, etc.

End result: it's a solid clip, and Spyderco did a great job on it.

...and I sit down more carefully with a knife in my back pocket... :D

[ThePeacent]

I recently bought a new flashlight for work and the pocket clip has really made me appreciate Spyderco's clips. Not only did the light clip not actually clip worth a crap (practically zero tension against the side if the light so it slipped out of my pocket) but when I made the slightest effort to bend the clip to make it tighter, it instantly snapped in my fingers and is useless now. It was far thinner and more flimsy than anything Spyderco has ever made.

Brings back memories of my Sunwayman V10R. At the time I thought it was a perfect EDC light...except for the worthless pocket clip. Sold it for that reason alone.

Fenix lights might not always be the absolute latest, cutting edge tech...but their clips are every bit as good as a Spyderco in my experience. I EDC a UC35 and it never slips or moves at all.

Oddly enough the one on my Sunwayman C22 was marevelous and an example that all my other lights ought to follow. Other honorable mention is the LED Lenser P3, but in general I agree that most light clips are pretty bad



and regarding what ZrowsN1s said, it's pretty obvious: same material and length but one with a hole, one without, there's not much to discuss here. As an example, I've broken two clips that I can remember and both had hole(s) on them (other than the crew holes)

[SC_PATRIOT]

My guess is that if you make the clip too strong then you risk tearing out the threaded inserts or breaking mounting screws which is much more of a pain to fix/replace.

This is the way I feel. Clips are cheap and easy to replace.

Joe

100% agreement. I broke the clip on my Hap40 Delica FRN while walking by a machine at work. Broke clean of at the screws but left me to unscrew them and replace with a clip from a PM2. I didn't think anything other than &$#@ my clip just broke. My fault but as fate had already designed it that I had one at home.

[Daveho]

I’ve snagged clips on occasion but never broken one, I spend the next few minutes grumbling to myself while I pull the clip off and straighten it in the vice then all is well again.
Thinking about it, I have never snagged the wire clip.