Tip up vs Tip Down: Does it matter, and why?

J

Jason Puckett

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Feb 14, 2019
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This came up recently as I was discussing some work I'm having done on a Delica, and I was curious. It's something I never thought about, I don't think any of my knives had options until I bought my Native 5. I just stuck it in my pocket and went about my business.

What are the reasons you prefer one over the other?
 
I used to be a tip down kind of guy and then I tried a few knives where the only option was tip up. Now I prefer tip up but, it just really depends upon the knife and how it rides in my pocket. And it's ease of opening once it's in my hand, of course.

I have one knife that works extremely well tip up or down (the US made Kershaw Zing). Another was only offered tip down and I find that very natural (CRKT Prowler). But my Benchmade 551 is only tip up and it also works well for me.

I guess it just depends upon what you get used too.
 
I prefer tip up because it puts the blade to the outside of the pocket away from the hand also keeping the blade from opening, for a little extra safety.
 
Pretty much all of my knives have been tip up, and that's the way I prefer it if I'm carrying them in my pants pockets. I've recently come to appreciate having the option of tip down when I carry my knives in the chest pocket of my flannel shirts when I'm working outside.
 
I won’t buy a tip down knife, it’s awkward and non sensical. Plus with any type of spring aided opening it’s unsafe, like the guy on here who almost got a DIY vasectomy from a Kershaw.

He didn’t realize it had fired, cut his clothing and him...first thing he noticed was the warmth of blood...flowing from his scrotum...

Cross legs now.
 
That is true for front pocket carry. For back pocket, tip down puts the blade towards the seam.

For me it mostly depends on size of knife. Sometimes it just depends on the knife (if there is an option). Bigger ones go in back pocket.

007Airman said:
I prefer tip up because it puts the blade to the outside of the pocket away from the hand also keeping the blade from opening, for a little extra safety.
Click to expand...
 
For me it depends on the knife. I usually prefer tip-up carry but some knives (like the Kershaw leek or ZT 0350) will stick waay up outta your pocket if you switch the clip around. I find that however the knife comes is usually the best way to carry it.
 
I prefer when the tip doesn't stab my leg. So tip up please. If it's tip down I'm forced to carry in my left or back pocket. Thankfully it's only the spyderco military which is worth doing one of those ways. But not right side front pocket like every other knife.
 
It used to matter to me (tip up), but it no longer does. More important is, will the knife feel comfortable riding loose in my pocket. I don’t raally like to carry them clipped to a pocket.
 
When I first started buying "modern" folders, I'm pretty sure every one I had was set up for right hand carry, tip down (no option to change). Then came the options of left hand or tip up. I never gave clip/tip placement a thought - I just put it in my pocket.
Today, I prefer tip up - and when I use one of those older knives, my knife is upside down and backwards...and it doesn't bother me away all
 
I find tip up to be the one I prefer but as mentioned earlier it really depends on the knife. I kind of associate tip down with "older" knives and cheap knives (z-hunter cheap). Something about the way it looks too that just doesn't look right to me but to each their own.
 
Tip up usually, but I've been looking at a Socom Elite which in the case of that model and others with a "glass breaker";) it makes sense to have that bit of hardware positioned correctly for immediate use as soon as it clears the pocket.
...dang, now I'm off to DLT to clear my cart, in the fun way.:)
Talked myself right into that one.:rolleyes:
 
Tip up would be my preference. Its already at the right orientation when I want to engage the blade. Furthermore with tip up, the clip would be at the back end which is more comfortable in the grip.
 
I carry and draw my defense knife like I carry a sidearm - right side, front pocket, tip up so that when I open, regardless of whether it is a flipper, thumb stud or auto, blade comes out pointing forward prepared for use or defense. Since I carried and drew a sidearm thousands of times, drawing in this manner is natural.
 
Right-side, tip-up guy here.

Mainly just for safety (blade resting against the seam in my pocket and being held closed that way) but that's not such a huge deal really, the knives I carry aren't easy to shake open, so it's becoming more of a matter of preference due to familiarity than anything else.

In terms of how fast I can get my knife out and deploy it, there's no real difference. The bit of fumbling I always have to do to get it open is the equalizer.
 
Tip up. Safety (opens into the back of my pocket, not where my hand goes) and for ease of deployment and putting it away. Tip down knives have to be rotated before you open, then again after you close and before you put it away.
 
Wasn't this a thread just last week?

Anyway, depends on how the clip sits in my hand.
I've got some in tip up, I've got some in tip down, and I've got some set up on the "wrong" side.
Whatever is most comfortable.
 
I'm going to have to switch my native over and try it for a few days to see if it makes a difference. I don't think I've ever carried a knife where the blade was loose enough that it could be a safety issue. The only assisted opener I have has a safety, and I honestly never carried it much anyway.
 
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