Why Clip-Points?

D

Dieselashi

Joined
Feb 12, 2010
Messages
98
Good Morning everyone,

I wanted to ask a question that's been on my mind for a while now, and that is: what is the functional purpose of clip-point knives? The best use that I can come up with on my own is to add an acute point to a blade to permit easier piercing of materials, but is that it?

I am mainly thinking of clip-points where it looks as if a crescent has been "clipped" from the spine-to-tip of the blade, not so much traditional "clip" blades as seen in Case/GEC/others.

I, for one, love the aesthetics of a good clip or a bold swedge grind, but I have noticed in a few of my clips that, beyond looks and the pointiness factor, the clip actually seems to be something of a weakness. On hunting knives I cannot really understand the clip as it often it creates an upswept tip that might make skinning or processing game without piercing internal organs more difficult. On utility knives I don't see how the delicateness of the clip-point provides enough strength to the tip.

Anyone have any thoughts? I confess I am writing this in direct relation to the upcoming clip-point Becker "Tweener" but can't seem to think of why I should choose that one over the drop-point or "mini-magnum camp" other than that, clip-points look cool.

Thanks for your input!
 
I also like clip points & have many . For dressing a deer I use a drop point as I feel it gives me more control -
 
I like fine clip points for when I have to do some very detailed cutting or cut something inside a very small crevice or space.

I absolutely hate "hooked" or upswept points and I always file them straight.
 
I prefer a clip point over a drop point when field dressing. I like narrow point for the "finer" details of cleaning deer and hogs. I do prefer a drop point for skinning, but like the all around versatility of the clip better. Maybe because it's traditional and what I always had as a kid.
 
+1

I consider the clip point to be the most versatile blade shape.

For example my CS Kudu seemed a bit odd at first, but I've grown to like it very much because it can handle the bigger and the smaller tasks.
 
A clip point allows a knife to have a broad blade for good cutting ability and a deep belly for skinning or making long sweeping cuts, but still have an acute point.
 
I've always had a clip-point hunting knife & a drop-point too & used them for different purposes - so I'm kinda on the fence. However, I would love to see a drop-point on a Buck 110. I wonder why Buck never did that? Maybe - why mess with a good thing ??? (duh)
 
I'm no hunter, so my preference for the BK17 is simply aesthetic as well as functional. I doubt that I'll ever take the BK17 out alone (likely to be paired up with a BK9), and so having a knife with a small fine point like that will help differentiate it from the BK9. The fine point is useful for detail work (digging out splinters, drilling holes, etc).

Also, the blade shape (cutting edge) is the same as the BK16, so other than the point and the difference in grind, they are basically the same. And since I've never had a hard time cutting anything that needed to be cut with a clip point and a saber grind, and since it appeals to me more visually I decided to go with the BK17 over the BK16.

Good luck man, I'm having a hard time waiting :(.
 
Wow! I'm happy my thread generated so much interest, thanks to all those contributing their opinions. As I said I love clip-points from an aesthetic point of view but have just not been able to wrap my head around what they are really supposed to be good at (aside from poking things). The upswept points are the biggest challenge for me as I feel some of that "control" offered by the finer point taken away by that shape. I don't hunt, either (not now, anyway), so my thoughts there are only based on heresay and other's testimony. I do like the modified clips as executed, for example, by Spyderco (para/military) that give a blade lots of pointiness without the difficult (for me) to manage upsweep.

Yep, Logan, it's been hard watching these things grow and be *almost* ready for sale. Can't wait to get my hands on a mini-magnum or a clip. Perhaps, for me, the mini-mag would be more useful though...

Thanks everybody.
 
for a given bevel angle on the upswept portion of the edge, a clip point has a thinner exposed spine than a drop point. however, it has a better blunt-side (edge-down) penetration when stabbing.

regarding field dressing and butchering, i honestly don't see any advantages a drop point might have over a good and sharp clip point.
 
Upswept or trailing point clip points are often for skinning purposes, where you're making sweeping cuts with the tip. The trailing point faces the sharp tip away from the cutting medium so you don't accidentally punch through the hide.
 
The way I see it, it's mostly an aesthetic thing. For me, any inherent functional differences in performance between clip points and drop points/spear points are negligible. Take, for example, the Recon 1:

csstoreonline_2199_277176


As far as I can tell, the two blade shapes are nearly identical (functionally speaking). The shape of the bevel, curvature of the edge, etc. on the Clip Point one are exactly the same as those of the Spear Point model. There might be marginally less material right behind the tip of the blade on the clip point model, but by the looks of it there isn't much difference. Just about every characteristic that would affect how the knife cuts, handles, needs to be sharpened, etc. is the same on both models.

You'd probably see a greater difference in performance between knives that have really exaggerated, thin clip points and knives that have thicker drop points, but I wouldn't really see those as differences inherent in the clip point design itself so much as characteristics of individual knives. This sucker, for example, might be able to make finer cuts due to thinner, more delicate tip, but those characteristics aren't necessarily true of all clip point knives.

ott1.jpg


I don't know how well I managed to word that, but that's kind of how I look at it.
 
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