Tip down carry

[xCarbonSteelx]

I have been carrying a SOG Flash II for many years now, and the pocket clip is set in a way that you can only carry the knife in your pocket with the tip up. This is the only way I know to carry, and love it. When I need to use the knife, it comes out of my pocket and I can hit the thumb stud and deploy the blade.


I recently received my Spyderco Ambitious, and the pocket clip is on the knife with a the tip being down in the pocket. I've tried this, and don't like it, as I have to turn the knife around once out of my pocket to open it.

What are the advantages of carrying with the tip down? Who does carry like this and why?

Thanks in advance.

[DeathBySnooSnoo]

I think that it depends on how you retrieve the knife. I tend to grab the end of the knife and pull so all that happens is tip end falls into the palm of my hand and I can easily open the knife. If I try that with tip up carry I end up with the hole (or thumb stud) at the opposite end of the knife to what I am gripping and have to shift my grip up the knife to open it.

I hope that makes sense. When the knife is in my hand I can see what I mean...lol

[gunnut35]

It depends on the knife.
On the smaller Spydercos I like tip up but on larger ones it is easier for me to draw and open them tip down.

[jabba359]

I prefer tip up but have two tip-down-only knives (Millie and Calypso Jr). These ones always sit in my left pocket since I like to have the spine against the back of my pocket. Maybe it's just from my years of using them, but tip up just seems to be a lot easier to open without a lot of re-positioning after drawing out of the pocket.

[I_like_sharp_things]

All my knives including the Ambitious are carried tip up. I've tried tip down but I don't like it because it makes the knife more awkward to grip for me. You can also zip tie wave the knife if you carry it tip up if thats what you're into. I'm sure I could get used to it if that was the only carry option on the knife but all the ones I've bought so far I can change the clip position on.

[araneae]

Its a personal preference thing. There is no one way that is better. I prefer tip up.

[Donut]

It depends on the knife.
On the smaller Spydercos I like tip up but on larger ones it is easier for me to draw and open them tip down.

I agree with this.

On a large knife with tip up, if you pinch the end to get it out of your pocket, you have to shift your hand to the other side of the knife, then open, then shift your hand again to grip the knife.

[DeathBySnooSnoo]

I agree with this.

On a large knife with tip up, if you pinch the end to get it out of your pocket, you have to shift your hand to the other side of the knife, then open, then shift your hand again to grip the knife.

Exactly what I was trying to say...just I think that I did it poorly. Of course I only carry large knives in my pocket.

[angusW]

For myself, it's just a matter of getting use to a particular knife whether it's tip up or down. I guess after years of you carrying your Flash II, there is muscle memory so a knife with tip down is completely alien but if you carry your Ambitious for a longer period you might get use to deploying it tip down. I'm not saying that is the better way to carry but it is something that the hand has to learn.

My first Spyderco was a Tenacious and carried that tip down. I was very happy with that position. As I got more knives I then started to carry tip up and now that is how I carry, unless it's the Military. People come up with reasons why one method is better than the other but in the end it's what you prefer. But I'll give you two reasons why tip up is better :D First is you can wave it which I don't do and the second reason is you can put a fob on the end to help you retrieve the knife from your pocket which I do do. Hope that helps.

[Knifewing]

For me the problem with carrying tip down is that it generally puts the spine of the blade toward the center of the pocket. I'm very right-handed so I carry in my RF pocket. Certain older models I own--the Para 1 and micarta Caly Jr come to mind--have relatively sharp edges at the cusp of the ramp behind the opening hole. I had to train myself when carrying these knives to not just jam my hand into my pocket when reaching into that pocket for change or keys and scrape my hand on the sharp part. These older models don't allow for clip switches and carry options, so I'm very happy that carry options are pretty standard on newer Spydercos--as is tip up carry.

[The Deacon]

First one is safety. Gravity never sleeps, but it only works in one direction, so a knife carried tip up is more likely to open in your pocket than one carried tip down. That's especially true with knives which have a weak or almost non-existent bias to closing and most Walker and Reeve lock models fall into that category.

Second, with Spyderco knives, is that it allows you to reach into your pocket with your thumb and forefinger, grab both sides of the Spyderhole, pull the knife from your pocket and snap it open in one motion.

[Blerv]

Yea safety and a quick drop opening. I find on my few tip-down knives the hole is in a better place for a flick without as much grip contortion. My thumb doesn't have to go searching deep in the pocket.

My main gripe is the jimping on the thumb ramp when reaching in. It's not a sharp tip but isn't cozy.

[Evil D]

Ive been carrying tip down since i started carrying my Para. The way i see it, the pivot is at your index/thumb fingers when gripped, and those are the fingers that pull the knife out by the pivot when tip down. If you think about theres less change in your grip that way than pulling by the butt of the handle and having to move your hand up the handle to reach the pivot.

[xCarbonSteelx]

Thank you for all of the replies. I also just got my Manix2, that's also a tip up only carry. To keep everything uniform, I switched the clip on the Ambitious so that will also carry tip up.

[Slash]

many military carry tip down on their vest. reason being when you pull the knife out from your chest area tip down gives you the blade where it's supposed to be. allowing much faster deployment.

try to open a knife tip up from your chest area and you'll end up in a very awkward defenseless position.

[.357 mag]

Since this thread started, I switched my Delica and Endura to tip down and like it better. I can get them out of the pocket better. Its weird because it still like my dragonfly tip up. (as if I had a choice).

[mongatu]

I greatly prefer tip down for my Para 2 for faster and easier drop deployment as mentioned by others above.

[dem0n1k]

i am totally against tip-down carry since i stabbed myself in the stomach whilst putting a crkt premonition into my pocket.

i carry my folders high in my pocket with the clip more parallel to the ground than perpendicular. so when i push a tip-down knife into my pocket it goes in tip first & if it comes open even a little bit the point will snag & it will open more. with a tip-up knife this can't happen.

[Jordan]

i am totally against tip-down carry since i stabbed myself in the stomach whilst putting a crkt premonition into my pocket.

i carry my folders high in my pocket with the clip more parallel to the ground than perpendicular. so when i push a tip-down knife into my pocket it goes in tip first & if it comes open even a little bit the point will snag & it will open more. with a tip-up knife this can't happen.

Heh, I have the complete opposite bias. I've got scar tissue all over my left hand from tip up liner locks that opened a bit in the pocket. Upon attempting to retrieve them... or just grab something else from the pocket... I've gotten jabbed pretty good a few times. I even had to have someone give me a few stitches in my thumb when an Emerson I have got me real deep and the wound wouldn't stop bleeding. It is part of the curse of southpaw-ness... liner locks w/out 4 way clip mounts face the blade towards the front of the pocket so the inseam of the pant doesn't keep the knife securely shut. At this point, I pretty much only buy either knives that can be clipped tip down or have back locks... preferably both :p .

[Slash]

i am totally against tip-down carry since i stabbed myself in the stomach whilst putting a crkt premonition into my pocket.

i carry my folders high in my pocket with the clip more parallel to the ground than perpendicular. so when i push a tip-down knife into my pocket it goes in tip first & if it comes open even a little bit the point will snag & it will open more. with a tip-up knife this can't happen.

I guess you don't own a Millie or any other knife that doesn't give you a tip up option.
Ohh well, different Stokes for different folks.

I can't see tip up being safer than tip down.