Tip up carry from factory

Kaibab270

Kaibab270

Joined
Jul 20, 2019
Messages
154
I've purchased 7 Spyderco's now (all Para 2 or 3) and up until now they all came in tip down right pocket set up which I always change to right pocket tip up. My most recent purchase, a Para 3 earth brown/DLC S35vn came new from BladeHQ already in tip up orientation. Is that something they've switched to or did I just get lucky and save myself a few minutes of my time?
 
The Para 3 has always been tip up.

I vaguely remember reading that the Paramilitary 2's that were returned to Spyderco for warranty/service were mostly changed to tip up, so Spyderco decided to install Para 3 clips tip up.

If this is true, I wonder why the Paramilitary 2 still continues to have clips installed tip down.
 
Spyderco had a video on YouTube about why some knives are tip up. Something about size and where your thumb lands when pulling it out of pocket. Probably why the PM2 still comes tip up.

Either way, it's an easy swap... I went for so long tip down that when I got my para 3 and experienced tip up I immediately converted all of my knives to tip up! Feels weird otherwise now.
 
This tip down factory setup does not make any sense. Spyderco should know at this point that the majority prefer tip up and will switch the clip that way. Meanwhile, Spyderco also does not want customers to tweak their spyderco knives. Why don't they just put the clip that way in the factory on knives that have that option, e.g. PM2?
 
sharp_edge said:
This tip down factory setup does not make any sense. Spyderco should know at this point that the majority prefer tip up and will switch the clip that way. Meanwhile, Spyderco also does not want customers to tweak their spyderco knives. Why don't they just put the clip that way in the factory on knives that have that option, e.g. PM2?
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Spyderco allows you to tweak your knife. You can disassemble, tune, and maintain it to your hearts content. What they don't like is when someone damages the knife and expects them to fix it for free.

Really I don't see the big deal with the pocket clip location. Takes all of 30 seconds to swap it, so no big deal to me. Ymmv
 
It's not a big deal at all, I was just surprised to see it come that way after having them come tip down all this time. My other Para 3 came from the classifieds here so maybe that's why I didnt notice before.
 
soc_monki said:
Spyderco allows you to tweak your knife. You can disassemble, tune, and maintain it to your hearts content. What they don't like is when someone damages the knife and expects them to fix it for free.

Really I don't see the big deal with the pocket clip location. Takes all of 30 seconds to swap it, so no big deal to me. Ymmv
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So if I stripped a screw when swtiching the clip, is it a damage to the knife? Even if it is not, will Spyderco ship the screw to me or will I have to ship the knife to its warranty service?

I get your point and it probably takes me less than 30 sec to switch the clip ;) but my point is why make MANY/MOST customers do that unnecessarily on brand new knives when it can be done in factory? If someone tells me that it costs more money/labor to assemble tip down than tip up at the factory, then I can understand.
 
Yea, I wondered about it too honestly. For some people having a tip down only option seems like a deal breaker on knives. I see it as inconvenient but not the end of the world. For me it's too much handle... Lol
 
sharp_edge said:
So if I stripped a screw when swtiching the clip, is it a damage to the knife? Even if it is not, will Spyderco ship the screw to me or will I have to ship the knife to its warranty service?

I get your point and it probably takes me less than 30 sec to switch the clip ;) but my point is why make MANY/MOST customers do that unnecessarily on brand new knives when it can be done in factory? If someone tells me that it costs more money/labor to assemble tip down than tip up at the factory, then I can understand.
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I'd say they'd probably fix the knife if the liner was stripped (because it was probably tapped bad or overtorqued at the factory) or send you new screws if it was a stripped screw. I won't lie, there is some ambiguity in the warranty, that's lawyer's I guess. But I'd think they would take care of it for free... Just seems like what Sal would do!

I doubt it would cost more to do it tip up... I'm not a manufacturing efficiency expert or anything, but it's the same motion, same number of steps. Maybe Sal can come and give us some insight... He's usually pretty good at communicating with us here.
 
blame it on god said:
Honestly I would rather spyderco not install the clip at all and let us put the clip wherever we want. It would avoid the shiny spot and occasional glob of loctite.
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That is exactly what I have thought and wanted all along. As a lefty, I have to change the clip no matter what, and my OCD gets in a tizzy with the two witness marks on the g-10 scales. One where the clip is attached, and one where it hits the scale. Just put the clip and screws in a bag, in the box. Can I get an AMEN!
:O)
 
I saw a thread awhile back someone asking the same question ... they were worried they bought a knife that someone had purchased and changed the clip then returned the knife ... which I can understand why they may have thought that.

I am a tip up guy ... but @bravo91 was kind enough to send me a Millie to try out because I like the look of the knife but have avoided tip down after one bad experience ...

I can't say I'm quite decided yet ... it still throws me ... but I've become comfortable carrying it and I think it's built well enough to not have any issues ...

I'm going to have to carry it a bit longer before I can decide if I can get used to it ... but I think unless I carry it everyday it will be hard to get used to it since everything else I carry is tip up.

But it's a really sweet blade!
 
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sharp_edge said:
So if I stripped a screw when swtiching the clip, is it a damage to the knife? Even if it is not, will Spyderco ship the screw to me or will I have to ship the knife to its warranty service?

I get your point and it probably takes me less than 30 sec to switch the clip ;) but my point is why make MANY/MOST customers do that unnecessarily on brand new knives when it can be done in factory? If someone tells me that it costs more money/labor to assemble tip down than tip up at the factory, then I can understand.
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Way back when in a galaxy far far away, tip up for a liner-lok was considered risky. If it opened in your pocket, you stabbed that blessed appendage, your hand. There were debates on forums ad nauseum. Before modern precision machining, liner-loks could be less than perfect.
 
Tip up, down, right or left hand. This is EXACTLY what is was talking about. Not the first time, most certainly not the last....

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We can do better than this.
 
Years ago clips were almost always tip down. Spyderco broke that with FRN knives that had to be tip up. I like tip down, especially for longer knives. Shorter knives work easy enough either way. We don't know why Spderco does what they do but I find it interesting that they ship some longer knives tip up and others tip down. In that case I have left them as they came.
 
brownshoe said:
Way back when in a galaxy far far away, tip up for a liner-lok was considered risky. If it opened in your pocket, you stabbed that blessed appendage, your hand. There were debates on forums ad nauseum. Before modern precision machining, liner-loks could be less than perfect.
Click to expand...

Tip down would stab a much more blessed appendage. ;)
 
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