Pocket clip orientation...
I'm trying to understand why BM places the pocket clip on the "wrong" side of their knives. For example, I reversed the clip on my 943 so when I pull the knife out of my right front pants pocket with my right hand the thumb stud is immediately under my thumb. Pull and deploy in almost one motion. If the clip is on the "as shipped" side, I have to spin the knife 180 to open it.
Anybody shed some light?
Dave
Anybody shed some light?
Dave
0
-
quote:Originally posted by Dave:
I'm trying to understand why BM places the pocket clip on the "wrong" side of their knives. For example, I reversed the clip on my 943 so when I pull the knife out of my right front pants pocket with my right hand the thumb stud is immediately under my thumb. Pull and deploy in almost one motion. If the clip is on the "as shipped" side, I have to spin the knife 180 to open it.
Anybody shed some light?
Dave
Different strokes for different folks. Tip-down carry is for liner locks so they don't accidentally open in the pocket. Axis lock knives are shipped for tip-up carry, as the Axis lock keeps the blade closed, and it is generally easier to deploy from this position. Even Emerson knives come tip-up carry with the Wave so it is easier to deploy.
There are some backward folks who like tip-down carry for everything, but we don't hold it against them...
0 -
quote:Originally posted by Dave:
I'm trying to understand why BM places the pocket clip on the "wrong" side
When I started carrying knives with clips almost all of them were tip-down. This worked well for me, when I pull the knife out of my pocket the thumb stud or thumb hole is right under my thumb and I can open the knife directly.
A few years ago I bought a mini-grip which is tip-up only. I discovered that it is short enough that I can pull it out and still reach the thumb stud with my thumb. I have fairly big hands but with any knife bigger than a mini-grip when I pull it out I can't reach the thumb stud so I have to move the knife in my hand before I can open it. After reading the debates over tip-up vs. tip-down I've tried many times with different knives and I can't make tip-up work. I've watched a lot of videos on youtube and some of the people that advocate tip-up seem to demonstrate while wearing sweatpants of pajamas and it seems to work differently that way. I wear fairly tight jeans and can't get my hand into my pocket enough to reach the thumbstuds.
Besides the exception for 3" and under blades, I've tried with the big ZT 0561 flipper and with it tip-up I can pull it out and my index finger can reach the flipper. My first finger can reach a lot deeper in my pocket than my thumb.
My EDC knives these days include a 913 Stryker, 581 Barrage and Alias I. The Barrage is tip-up, the others are tip-down. I like the Barrage but when I'm carrying it I just have to live with a knife that takes me longer to open.0 -
If I'm not mistaken he's not talking about tip up vs tip down... 943 only has holes for tip up. Unless he drilled and tapped new holes?
Unless I'm mistaken he's talking about left side clip in the right pocket?0 -
With the clip on the side as shipped, the blade would be against the seam of your pocket. (for right side carry) If you move the clip to the other side, the blade has room to open in your pocket. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by DeathOfAllThings:
If I'm not mistaken he's not talking about tip up vs tip down... 943 only has holes for tip up. Unless he drilled and tapped new holes?
Unless I'm mistaken he's talking about left side clip in the right pocket?
That's right, tip up in either clip orientation.0 -
I carry a 940 in my left and 556 in my right pocket every day. I have the clips oriented so that the blades are against the seam of my pants to prevent opening as d_clark pointed out - a lesson I learned the hard (sharp) way. Before reversing the clip, I had my 940 open partially when I ran down a flight of stairs. I reached in to get my keys and realized what had happened immeditialey. Fortunately, the 940 was so sharp that it didn't leave a scar.
Michael0 -
quote:Originally posted by Dave:quote:Originally posted by DeathOfAllThings:
If I'm not mistaken he's not talking about tip up vs tip down... 943 only has holes for tip up. Unless he drilled and tapped new holes?
Unless I'm mistaken he's talking about left side clip in the right pocket?
That's right, tip up in either clip orientation.
Interesting. Being left handed and carrying in the left pocket, I always have to switch the clip for left-pocket carry. Every Benchmade I have bought came set up for right-handed carry.0 -
quote:Unless I'm mistaken he's talking about left side clip in the right pocket
OK, this is a different discussion.
I'm right-handed and I have always carried my clipped knives in my right front jeans pocket. I read where other people carry them in their back pockets and of course some of the members here are left-handed too.
My experience is that a tip-up knife would come from the factory with the clip on the right-hand side of the knife as a right-handed user is holding the knife for use. When clipped in the pocket and moved towards the outside edge of the pocket, the blade spine is against the seam on the outside edge of the pocket. This makes it difficult for the knife to open while in your pocket because there is no room, and when you put your hand into your pocket your hand rubs against the bottom of the handle and not the blade spine or gimping or thumb studs or whatever.
I reach my thumb into my pocket and with my fingers on the outside of my pocket I pull the knife out. It is then in my hand with the handle positioned as it would be for use, I just have to open the blade. With a short knife my thumb is in the right place for opening, with a longer knife I have to inch my way up the handle until my thumb can work.
A person that is left-handed and/or a person who carries the knife in another pocket might need to move the clip elsewhere. I notice that some knives are drilled both sides, some both ends, some at all 4 corners, so this is a consideration when buying a knife. I don't know what percentage of people carry other than right front pocket but I would guess that the majority carry that way and that is why knives come configured as they do.
I don't worry about knives opening in my pockets, I've never had a problem with that. It seems that most knives come with overly strong detents these days. As I said before I prefer tip-down carry but I will readily admit that this configuration puts the blade spine, gimping and thumbstuds sticking out in the way of putting my hand into my pocket. Sometimes aggressive thumb studs or gimping have taken a toll on my hand.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Dave:
I'm trying to understand why BM places the pocket clip on the "wrong" side of their knives. For example, I reversed the clip on my 943 so when I pull the knife out of my right front pants pocket with my right hand the thumb stud is immediately under my thumb. Pull and deploy in almost one motion. If the clip is on the "as shipped" side, I have to spin the knife 180 to open it.
Anybody shed some light?
Dave
Which side do you end up putting the clip on? How is it you pull the knife out of your pocket? I'm really struggling to understand how you could pull a 943 out of your right pocket with your right hand that it would work well with the clip on the left handed side. Every knife I've ever received has been on the right side of the knife if you're looking at the spine of the blade while open.
That side.0 -
quote:Originally posted by DeathOfAllThings:quote:Originally posted by Dave:
I'm trying to understand why BM places the pocket clip on the "wrong" side of their knives. For example, I reversed the clip on my 943 so when I pull the knife out of my right front pants pocket with my right hand the thumb stud is immediately under my thumb. Pull and deploy in almost one motion. If the clip is on the "as shipped" side, I have to spin the knife 180 to open it.
Anybody shed some light?
Dave
Which side do you end up putting the clip on? How is it you pull the knife out of your pocket? I'm really struggling to understand how you could pull a 943 out of your right pocket with your right hand that it would work well with the clip on the left handed side. Every knife I've ever received has been on the right side of the knife if you're looking at the spine of the blade while open.
That side.
That is how all my knives have started out, and I have to flip them to the other side so I can carry them left-handed.0 -
I think I'm over-thinking this. Years ago, I tried the clip on either side,liked the clip best on the "non-oem" side and stuck with it. Out of the box orientation now really seems awkward.
On an ozzie, this, to me is the wrong side.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Dave:
I think I'm over-thinking this. Years ago, I tried the clip on either side,liked the clip best on the "non-oem" side and stuck with it. Out of the box orientation now really seems awkward.
On an ozzie, this, to me is the wrong side.
Unless you're a lefty...0 -
Most makers mount the clip on the right side. I think the better designs are those that include our right brained bretheren by allowing the clip to go on the opposite side. That's one more example of why the Axis design is so danged good, no messing involved. 
0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
13 comments