Spyderco Forums

Interesting, given that the early Spyderco knives were all midlocks and all tip down only and one of the reasons Spyderco gave for doing that was the reduced risk of kinetic opening in your pocket if, for example, you jumped down from the bed of a pick-up. Have to think there's more danger of that with a liner lock or RIL where there's nothing but a small ball bearing in a shallow dimple keeping the blade from opening. Also, the "Spyder drop" method of drawing and opening a knife in one smooth motion only works with tip down.

Personally, it's "none of the above" for me. I stick with the old reliable, and carry loose in my back pocket. In the 60+ years I've been carrying that way I've never lost a knife or had one open in my pocket.

My preference is everything tip up, blade against the right seam in my pocket. All folders that I clip in my pocket are clipped in the right side of my right front pocket or the right side of my right leg pocket if I have one. I need the security of having the blade tucked into the corner of the pocket so the blade can't move and my hand is never in danger when I reach in to get something out of my pocket. I could also get the same security with tip down and blade against the pocket seam but most of my knives are the right size to make tip up easy to open so it's what I'm used to. I've been using this method for years and through literally thousands of trail miles (both hiking and running) without any problems. It's what works for me. :)

No preference here. I just carry 'em the way they come; have no trouble manipulating any of my knives in any carry method with either hand. But I can shoot equally well with either hand too. Ambidexterity is a wondrous thing.

Tip down is my preference.

RFP tip up, thanks.

Bugs wrote:No preference here. I just carry 'em the way they come

This for me too. I switched the clip on my Tenacious to see what it was like and I switched it back.

bearfacedkiller wrote:I am a right rear pocket and tip down kind of guy.

This is my new favorite way to carry my delica. Any advice for not wrecking leather seats with the pocket clip? Or do you just take the knife out of your back pocket when you drive?

I carry for convenience and speed so tip down whenever possible. My knife collection is split about evenly between up and down, the tip up models take me much longer to open and there is more risk of fumbling and dropping the knife.

bdblue wrote:I carry for convenience and speed so tip down whenever possible. My knife collection is split about evenly between up and down, the tip up models take me much longer to open and there is more risk of fumbling and dropping the knife.

For me it's just the opposite. I find it much easier to draw and open a tip up knife. I also find it more comfortable to hold and use the knife with the clip toward the rear. At least with the models I carry. We all have our personal preferences and it's nice that many of Spyderco's models have the option to carry it how the owner chooses.

bdblue wrote:I carry for convenience and speed so tip down whenever possible. My knife collection is split about evenly between up and down, the tip up models take me much longer to open and there is more risk of fumbling and dropping the knife.

I can relate to the ease of draw and opening on tip down knives...especially larger knives like the military. Safety of IWB carry easily trumps that slight convenience for me though so I tend to steer clear of tip down only offerings.

Also, its worth mentioning that for those of us who like using a lanyard or fob, a lanyard hole on a tip down knife is about as useful as tits on a boar.

Surfingringo wrote:Also, its worth mentioning that for those of us who like using a lanyard or fob, a lanyard hole on a tip down knife is about as useful as tits on a boar.

Yes of course. People can argue one way vs. the other based on preferences, but if you want to use a lanyard, if you want to use a Wave opener, or if you want the extra security of putting the spine of the blade against the seam of your righthand front pocket, then you must have tip up. Also people reading and responding to these discussions are frequently thinking righthand front pocket carry but some people carry in a different pocket or location and that might also influence the orientation.

bdblue wrote:

Surfingringo wrote:Also, its worth mentioning that for those of us who like using a lanyard or fob, a lanyard hole on a tip down knife is about as useful as tits on a boar.

Yes of course. People can argue one way vs. the other based on preferences, but if you want to use a lanyard, if you want to use a Wave opener, or if you want the extra security of putting the spine of the blade against the seam of your righthand front pocket, then you must have tip up. Also people reading and responding to these discussions are frequently thinking righthand front pocket carry but some people carry in a different pocket or location and that might also influence the orientation.

Agreed. If I lived in a different climate and wore jeans I would regurlary carry a millie in my rear pocket and have a completely different outlook. It's funny how sometimes these threads (not this one obviously) can devolve into two sides claiming that the other is carrying their knife the wrong way. Preferred mode of carry is determined by our different needs and methods of carry. There isn't a right or wrong, and 4 way clips are a wonderful thing.

I normally like tip down, but will carry either.

I have never cared. I don't like weak detents for safety reasons, but tip up or down is fine by me.

That was kind of the point of my video, that there's no right or wrong way and that a lot depends on where you're carrying and how large the knife is.
Also, I'm not going to take everything out of the pockets of my pants/shorts when I take them off. I drop em' by my bedside with my Glock 42 and a spare mag, flashlight and knife and cell phone in em' so if I ever need to pull them on in the middle of the night for an emergency I'll have some things with me.
The problem of me getting cut was with the knife which didn't stay closed despite being a backlock action. No locking action is fool proof.

I find that as a right hander who carries in my RFP exclusively, small to mid sized knives come to hand best from tip up position. I tried PM2s tip down, but wound up moving the clips. I was pretty sure that the Military was going to really annoy me with no option to go tip up, but it was easy to get used to and hasn't bugged me at all... it's my only folder larger than 3.5", so I can't be certain, but it does seem like tip down might be better for longer knives.

awa54 wrote:it's my only folder larger than 3.5", so I can't be certain, but it does seem like tip down might be better for longer knives.

That's how it works for me the way I draw and open a knife. However despite having long fingers and relatively large hands the limit for me to carry tip up is a 3" blade. Anything longer and I can't open it after drawing it.

Depends on the knife for me.

Large knives like the Police or Military work better for tip-down I think. I buy Spyderco's belief that tip-down provides more natural placement of the Spyder hole.

Smaller, more compact knives seem to work better tip-up.

Pocket choice is another variable to consider. Right-handed, tip-down knives carry pretty well in a right, back-pocket. There the spine of the blade rides on the inside of the pocket to prevent accidental opening.

I have almost always carried tip up and have never had any problems. I rarely carry or use a knife that has more than a three inch blade.