Low ride clips. Not for me.

M

manowar669

Joined
Oct 1, 2002
Messages
1,821
I see the trend now is for low-ride clips. I can see the point if you must conceal your knife. Otherwise, it just makes the knife harder to get, and slower. I prefer that the knife rides high enough that I can get to the stud/hole/flipper without repositioning my hand. It's just more convenient.
Anyway, I wish knife makers would offer both high- and low- ride clips for their knives. I see a lot of knives that I would like, but do not purchase because of the low-ride mentality these days. I know that if the knife sits that low, I will never carry it because it's a pain to draw.

Funny how it's the opposite with fixed blades, with high-ride sheaths being the preferred option.
 
+1. I hate deep carry clips with a passion. I've rebent a couple of mine to address the problem.
 
I like the low-ride. Sure, it takes longer to get it out of my pocket, but I am that much less likely to lose it. In a similar manner, I am fearful of carrying my Sebbie with a lanyard. Usually, I cut them off and toss 'em. Same reason.
 
I prefer low rider clips.

I have some that ride higher in my pocket, and some that bury deep. I can honestly say I've never had "problem" removing a deep carry knife though, I dont know what you guys are doing that it's so difficult. :eek:
 
I quite like deep pocket carry clips. Knife is not so visible and its just more secure. I like to come home with the knfe I left with in the morning.
 
The only time I've come close to losing a knife in 37 years (didn't really have clips on knives back then though) was when I was sliding down off a truck, and the clip caught an edge of the vehicle and pulled the knife from my pocket. It wouldn't matter if it was a deep clip or not, it would still do that. I carry high ride clips, never an issue losing the knife, and I'm very active, and work on my farm, hunt, run, fish, you name it. I could never get to a low ride clipped knife wearing work gloves either (although that's where fixed blades come in, working knives).
 
Prefer normal clips...but won't shy from a low rider either if I like the knife.
 
manowar669 said:
I know that if the knife sits that low, I will never carry it because it's a pain to draw.
Click to expand...

Well, the good news for you is that the great majority of the knives on the market have a standard (high) clip. I suspect that will always be the case.

I get what you say about deployment speed, and its true. But I like the low clip. I like to fly below the radar, and I also don't like the way a knife looks when its sticking out of a pocket. So I like a low ride, wire clip that's almost invisible. When I carry a man purse, it flies below the radar and is not covered with skulls and sh** magnet patches. Same thing with most of the stuff I carry, my appearance, the vehicle I drive, etc. I prefer not to be noticed. Mr. Invisible.
 
manowar669 said:
The only time I've come close to losing a knife in 37 years (didn't really have clips on knives back then though) was when I was sliding down off a truck, and the clip caught an edge of the vehicle and pulled the knife from my pocket. It wouldn't matter if it was a deep clip or not, it would still do that. I carry high ride clips, never an issue losing the knife, and I'm very active, and work on my farm, hunt, run, fish, you name it. I could never get to a low ride clipped knife wearing work gloves either (although that's where fixed blades come in, working knives).
Click to expand...


I have the exact opposite experience having had knives slide from pockets.

Further more, Ive had knives in rucksack pockets slide out, when the rucksack was being moved about when hunting, camping or the like.
But truth be told, Im not in the same ....lets us call it 'mindset' to be diplomatic...as some here are; I dont NEED to fish out my knife in a jiffy or panic, its not a problem if I have to take off a glove, I dont NEED to handle it one-handed, I dont aim to use it for everything else than a deliberate work task, food prep or the like.

Listing scenarios about how a clip can be ripped from a pocket whether or not its deep carry or high ride is quite honestly futile.
Anything can happen and if you worry about that, you shouldnt have a clip on your knife in the first place.

I simply prefer having the knife/clip sit securely over other factors. A clip I really like is a clip from NiteIze that 'bites' into the material of the pocket. You have to even push down a lever to make the clip 'teeth' release its grip on the jeans. Its makes the knife sit rock steady in the pocket until you need it and you know the knife is there when you go home. You even have the added luxury of being able to position the clip any where on the knife you want (be it high, medium or deep carry). I have used them on several knives and phones; the bond to the knife is incredibly strong and wont let go unless you slide it off with a length of fishing line or piano wire. Okay, so the clip is hard on the pants material, but thats a small price to pay.
 
I prefer low ride because it allows for easier pocket access, check out the spyderco sub-forum for an alternate draw method using your index & middle fingers and thumb to get more grip on the clip.
 
In terms of losing a knife, the length of the knife in the pocket may be more important than the clip style. A long knife is its own ballast, and tends to stay put. Something like a Dragonfly - for me, anyway - is more likely to emancipate itself without my knowledge or consent.
 
powernoodle said:
I prefer not to be noticed. Mr. Invisible.
Click to expand...

Who said that? :D

As for me, I have some low ride clipped knives, and some standard ones. As long as I like the knife, I'm ok with carrying it. I have yet to purchase an after market clip
 
powernoodle said:
Well, the good news for you is that the great majority of the knives on the market have a standard (high) clip. I suspect that will always be the case.

I get what you say about deployment speed, and its true. But I like the low clip. I like to fly below the radar, and I also don't like the way a knife looks when its sticking out of a pocket. So I like a low ride, wire clip that's almost invisible. When I carry a man purse, it flies below the radar and is not covered with skulls and sh** magnet patches. Same thing with most of the stuff I carry, my appearance, the vehicle I drive, etc. I prefer not to be noticed. Mr. Invisible.
Click to expand...

I know many dislike them for some reason, but I'm a big fan of the wire clip from for example Spyderco for the exact same reasons you list.
Man, its just so nice and unobtrusive.
Compared to a regular clip, its not noticable to most non-knife people.
A deep carry wire clip - it dont get much more 'under the radar' than that.
 
And those SOG deep clips look like a Bic pen in your pocket. Well, except for the big SOG on the clip. :)

 
Depends on the design of the clip and the size and weight of the knife.

I like the low ride clip on the knockout for example but I hate the clip on the 0560.

With the knockout, the knife is light and the clip is tight. With the 0560 the knife is like a pendulum and is way too long in the pocket with the stock clip.
So...

Lightweight and small, yes.
Heavy and large, no.
 
neverdie36 said:
Depends on the design of the clip and the size and weight of the knife.

I like the low ride clip on the knockout for example but I hate the clip on the 0560.

With the knockout, the knife is light and the clip is tight. With the 0560 the knife is like a pendulum and is way too long in the pocket with the stock clip.
So...

Lightweight and small, yes.
Heavy and large, no.
Click to expand...

Ohh, Im sure this will hardly be noticable in the pants pocket and that you could easily carry it comfortably all day long...*cough*:D

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1011775-A-beast-from-CARSON-Tech-EVO
 
I can't imagine a situation that requires me to draw my pocket knife faster than I can with a deep carry clip. Then again, I prefer small knives so even with the deep carry clip I usually don't have to adjust my grip to open the knife. I just think it's obnoxious to have a fat knife butt sticking out of my pocket.

It's like I tell my dog, "You're either inside or outside, you can't just stand in the doorway!" Knives sticking halfway out of my pocket just can't decide where they want to be :D
 
I'll second what neverdie36 said about the 0560 clip. Never felt right in my pocket.

I do love the Spyderco wire clips but not all of them are deep carry. I also really like the clip on the Benchmade Contego.

But personally, concealing my knife isn't exactly a priority, if it was I'd probably carry IWB. Contrary to the whole deep carry movement, my personal favorite as far as "pocket feel" is the Millie.
 
Last edited:
I like low ride clips, but it's not like they're all the same. There is a wide range from knife to knife. For example, I love the clip on the WH E10 series, it keeps the knife where you want it, but is quite unobtrusive and looks quite a bit like the clip from a pen. The clip on a Sage 2 is nice, and I love the wire, but it leaves the end of the knife exposed still.

Clips are a one by one thing. I don't mind normal clips, unless they leave half the knife sticking out of your pocket like the clip on the Domino, or unless they have some other glaring flaw like being sharp enough to spear through your jeans (looking at you, stock Southard clip).

The Southard has taught me that there really can be a huge difference in how a knife carries based on changing just the clip, though. I have STR clips on these guys and it's a huge improvement of the silver pocket spear design that comes on them out of the box:

0upI9i5.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top