Tip up or tip down?

[GradeMaker]

On knives where you have a choice, say the D4, what's your preference? I've noticed that most D4s come RHTU except SS models which seem to come RHTD. I'm RH and for deployment TU seems a little more convenient but in the same vein TD seems to "fit" a little better in my pocket. What's your preference and why?

[meat]

I like tip up, because it seems more natural to me and that is what I am used to. With the Wave versions, you want them in tip down, for the wave feature to work correctly.

[denn]

always "RHTD".

i'm right-handed, and tip-down drawing just works for me like a charm. never gotten quite used top tip-uppers (well, maybe some small spydies....) and i don't like the blades of tip-uppers on liner- and compression-locks to partially open in my pocket

you get the drift what happens then........ouch.

[Simple Man]

Tip up, too much dust and grit gets in the pivot with tip down.

[zenheretic]

I like tip up, because it seems more natural to me and that is what I am used to. With the Wave versions, you want them in tip down, for the wave feature to work correctly.

Sorry meat, you need it tip up for the wave to work.

[bh49]

I prefer tip up. For me it easier to open.

[eastr]

It's tu for me seems to work best on smaller models haven't made up my mind for the lager models.When they are td you can get to the whole quicker. when its tu it seems to take more time to get your hand inposion and get to the whole. :cool:

[gordonk]

Tip up on my smaller blades and lefty ideally :) On my larger blades, I'm fairly neutral there as I don't use them that often.

- gord

[Michael Cook]

:spyder: It's gotta be tip-up. I'm a mbc player, tip up gets the blade into action a half beat faster. :spyder:

[Kaizen]

RHTU generally. I always liked the option of "waving" a knife, so I guess I tended to go tip up in the case that I did modify a knife (which STR did to my Pacific Salt). So I just got used to it in time. I'm sure I can get used to any position if I want to.

[Saint-Just]

†ip up with Tasman, tip down with Caly jr and Manix, both RH and I am mostly lefty (quite ambidextrous, but primarily lefty).
I find both tip options as easy 1) to get used to and 2) to open knife .

[Firefighter880]

I almost always go with tip up if I can. ANY Spyderco that has the option gets converted to tip up. For me, it just seems like I can access it faster that way... but then again, it's just a personal preference.

Something funny I did notice, almost all of my knives are :spyder: , but I do own a CRKT M-21 that I use as a beater knife. The M-21 has the option to go tip up, so I converted it. Changed it back to tip down a day later. Something about that particular knife just made me hate it tip up. It was harder to get to, and just didn't feel right in the pocket... so I guess it depends on the knife as well.

[Tlohm]

Tip Down. Using the Spyder Draw or Flick or snap or what ever you want to call it. With a little practice you can deploy the blade faster than any automatic ever dreamed and at least as fast as with the wave. If you ever get the opportunity to have Sal demonstrate it will blow your mind. You grasp the hole and draw out of pocket and open in one fluid motion.

[Axlis]

[quote="zenheretic"]Sorry meat, you need it tip up for the wave to work. ]
Maybe he knows something we don't.

[Axlis]

Tip down is my general preference, although I gotta say that I have no complaints with the Caly III. :)

[ront]

I prefer TU but can go either way.

Ron

[bigkahunasix]

Carried both, Preference is

SD primary- tip up, just more comfortable/natural on deployment. I have 2
G-10 police that I have converted to TU for this purpose.

Utility- either way.

[smcfalls13]

Tip up primarily, but if like the knife, I'll "suffer" with tip down.

[denn]

Tip Down. Using the Spyder Draw or Flick or snap or what ever you want to call it. With a little practice you can deploy the blade faster than any automatic ever dreamed and at least as fast as with the wave. If you ever get the opportunity to have Sal demonstrate it will blow your mind. You grasp the hole and draw out of pocket and open in one fluid motion.

my thoughts exacty

i put $5 on it that i can beat Sal on the speed of draw :)

[Michael Cook]

You grasp the hole and draw out of pocket and open in one fluid motion.

:spyder: But then one needs to shift the blade to a usable grip, tip up opening allows the blade to be ready to go as soon as the blade snaps open. Opinions vary and nobodys wrong for having a preferance but I do believe for MBC purposes tip-up will get the blade into play a hair faster. For non MBC/SD uses I doubt it matters much. :spyder: