Shiny sprint clips

[Evil D]

Just like the jimping debate, it's easier to remove if you don't like it and much harder to add if you do. Ferric chloride is easy to find and one bottle will take the polish off every clip you ever own for the rest of your life.

[Zatx]

I tend to only buy a Spyderco that comes with a wire clip. I just find the wire clip far superior. I have turned down buying several models due to the clip.

[Clip]

I buy the knife for the blade, don't mind the clips as much. I do know that I've broken the wire clips and only bent the hourglass clips.

[bh49]

I prefer low riding wire clips. Standard is OK. I like polished SS only with SS scales like on Adventura. Still polished SS clip is not a deal breaker.

[xceptnl]

I buy the knife for the blade, don't mind the clips as much. I do know that I've broken the wire clips and only bent the hourglass clips.

This. ^^^ I can summon the ability from my mechanical know-how to fashion a new clip or modify one, but creating a blade shape or steel I want tends to be outside of my abilities.

[Evil D]

I even acid wash my wire clips...the more low key, the better. On some models I don't mind a shiny clip, but I would prefer to put my own finish on them regardless. This is one of my favorite clips, and has been swapped out on I think 4 different knives so far. It was acid washed and left gray instead of stone washing it, so natural wear could add the scratches. The tan bug was a result of ceramic coating the clip tan to match my khakis, which didn't work out very well, but held up inside the engraved bug and the acid etch wasn't enough to remove it so it stays. I like it.





It's on my Yojimbo 2 now, and will likely end up on one of the S90V's when they come out unless I do another one. I like to keep some clips shiny just in case I decide to change them, variety and the spice of life and all that.

[gbelleh]

Those look nice.

[MatthewSB]

I've dulled most of my shiny silver pocket clips with 1500 or 600 grit sandpaper to get the reflective shine off. I even match the direction of sanding to the machine marks left on the blade, and it matches the finish very well.

I haven't found a solution to dull the shiny black clips though, for some reason it bothers me having such a shiny clip on an otherwise dull, blacked out knife.

I even acid wash my wire clips...the more low key, the better.

Can you please share more about "acid wash"ing clips, maybe make a "how to" post? Yours look great!!!

Do you start with the shiny silver clips, or the shiny painted black ones?

[Evil D]

I've dulled most of my shiny silver pocket clips with 1500 or 600 grit sandpaper to get the reflective shine off. I even match the direction of sanding to the machine marks left on the blade, and it matches the finish very well.

I haven't found a solution to dull the shiny black clips though, for some reason it bothers me having such a shiny clip on an otherwise dull, blacked out knife.



Can you please share more about "acid wash"ing clips, maybe make a "how to" post? Yours look great!!!

Do you start with the shiny silver clips, or the shiny painted black ones?

Very simple. Go to Radio Shack if you have one in your area, otherwise most places that sell electronics/computer components and buy some ferric chloride, which is used to etch motherboards. Take your clip and soak it in that solution for a few minutes or so and it turns a dull gray color almost like primer paint. From there most people will put the blade/clip into a peanut butter container with some gravel and shake it up, creating a stone washed finish. As for black clips, you would have to strip the black off for this to work.

[twinboysdad]

Evil D,

I like that a great deal and might do that this weekend.

Regarding the whole "everyone knows a clip is a knife, wire or not", it is my experience that deep carry wire clips pass for pens all the time. I have been asked to loan my pen, ERRR Caly 3.5, more than once. My thing is this, I love all Sprydercos but I am in outside sales. This means business casual and plenty of companies I go in have no weapon signs. Also it looks more unprofessional when you have a knife clipped to your trousers. I go back pocket with the Caly 3.5 and before that I carried all my knives clipped to the inside the pocket change pocket. I only get to enjoy the shiny ones on the weekend. I would love to be able to rotate more often