Wire clips... gotta love 'em...

In the D10 Tribute thread we were discussing wire clips and how nice they are in allowing DEEP pocket carry. Rather than sidetrack that thread with pictures of other flashlights (and knives), I thought I'd start another thread just about clips.

I'm almost embarassed to admit that for years I never used clips on my carry knives nor carry flashlights. My lights and knives always rode in the bottom of my pockets. One day I was thinking about all the wear my jeans were showing on the front outside of my pockets from the stuff I always carried in them. That was the day I decided to explore using the clips (which I always had but never used). Didn't take long to discover the wonders of wire clips.

I had to discover the joy of clip carry after starting to carry my knives with them, before I could recognize this method of carry flashlights. To most of you, this is probably so normal, that I'm sure I seem a bit backward in being so late to the clip party. For example, just tonight I put the clips on these AKOrays, which I've used for more than a year without clips, though not as carry lights. I might actually carry them once in a while now! (Except I have a lot of nicer lights to carry.)

BTW, the AKOray K-106 has the same IBS UI as the Jet I Pro IBS (3 programmable modes)! AKOrays are great low cost lights! I run all of these on li-ions. The K-103 has a soft forward clicky (w/momentary) switch which is wonderful.

Anyway, no big deal. I'm so late to the "clip club" it's not funny at all. But I decided to round up some of the goodies I have with wire clips and tossed one of my D10s in just because it is wearing a clip for the first time TODAY! Yee Haw. Such pleasure from small things. Oh well. I must lead a boring life! (Doesn't feel that way, though.) :shrug:

Tough to beat a good wire clip for carry... they're my favorite of them all. The wire clips on these Spydercos are really superb clips, but they're not inexpensive knives by any means, and I've come to expect top quality materials, designs, fit, and finish from Spyderco (wire clips, carbon fiber, G10, S30V steel, etc.) To anyone interested in nice knives who hasn't discovered Spyderco knives yet, let me warn you, they're unexpectedly fine! And addictive.

Funny.. looking at this pic, it almost looks like a fish bowl!

Great photo - as always DHart.

I really like the wire clips on the Surefire U2 and Kroma etc. They ride nice in the pocket for a relatively large light.

+1 to wire clips!
The clip on my favorite AAA light of all time , the Liteflux LF2X, is absolutely perfect. Carrying it today because I know I'll be inverted at least a couple times in the course of my workday and this thing sticks like glue.

Wire clips are the most understated unnoticed and discreet clips. I wish more lights came with them. Nice picture! I may have to pick up one of those lights and a knife too. The LF3XT has a write clip too, right?

Wow! You do have a beautiful collection of Spydie there. I am not really into knives since it is quite impractical under the very strict laws of Singapore but I do own an Endura. I kind of like the Endura a lot and bought one a few years back. And now I have an interest in the Para-Military2 with the G-10 handle. Drool...

Nice idea regarding the wire clips. They do look good.

Awesome picture Really nice collection

No serrated knife? Any particular reason?

Serrations cannot be sharpened easily. They also cut like a saw. A properly sharpened plain edge will out cut, out slice, out whittle and blow away any serrated edge out there. You will never see a knife with serrated edges in any competition. Same goes for coatings. They impede cutting and induce drag. I used to have a photo of one of my pocket knives cleanly severing a junk 6" tow strap...40,000 lb one or something like that. 1 slice, all the way through...Done. Learn to properly sharpen a plain edge knife and you will never ever ever go back.

Back to the OP, I also have the Spyderco Sage with carbon fiber handles and S30V steel. It is an exceptionally well made and well thought out knife. The added integrated choil area for your first finger is marvelously designed. I also like the wire clip. It is currently the only knife I have with a wire clip (I actually only have 2 folders with clips...the rest are pocketable slip joints or fixed blades) and prefer it to my Benchmade Kulgera clip.

Great photo.:thumbsup:

TwinBlade said:

Serrations cannot be sharpened easily.

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Not quite true. I have been using one of these for just over a decade with great results on all my edged tools, serrated or not.
http://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=77

Let me rephrase. I would rather take 5 licks on a leather hone to polish that edge back to square one, then take the time to micro manage each individual serration on a knife that doesn't cut a tenth as well as a plain edge. :thumbsup:

I remove serrations on a weekly basis for customers and turn their knives into recurves.

The LF3XT does also have a wire clip. I'm very glad the LF2XT does too, since it gives me a place to attach a split ring and short "pocket pull". I like having both if possible.



Geoff

Nice G10 Dragonfly! (I say so because I've got one clipped to my back-left pocket right now). Like you said, the clip on it is just great. Understated but holds well. Needs an occasional tightening when it starts to wiggle a bit, but that's no problem. And as for that D10 Tribute clip, well, you know how much I love my D10 clips.

I'm a fan of clips, too. My EDC knife, a Kershaw Shallot, has a clip (though I suppose it's technically a spring steel clip, not a wire clip; nevertheless, it performs the same function). I love it. It gives me great access to the knife, and it's reversible, so I can carry the knife hinge up or down. The clip is pretty tight, and the weight of the knife keeps it in place inside the pocket.

My EDC flashlight used to be a Leatherman Serac S2 with a clip. I wore it clipped in the opposite pocket the Kershaw. Unfortunately, its light weight and relatively short length made it work its way out of my pocket when I sat down. I was in the habit of checking it with relative frequency, but one time I didn't check often enough and lost it. My current EDC rides completely inside the pocket, but access isn't quite as quick.

For camping or being outdoors after dark, I won't use anything but a flashlight that has a clip. In those situations, when I need instant access to a light, I refuse to fumble in my pocket, working past my keys and change, to pull out a light.

Blindasabat said:

Wire clips are the most understated unnoticed and discreet clips. I wish more lights came with them. Nice picture! I may have to pick up one of those lights and a knife too. The LF3XT has a write clip too, right?

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It's really too bad that so few flashlights use wire clips. A good wire clip is more costly to make than a stamped steel clip, though, and I suspect that's one reason a lot of flashlight and knife makers use stamped clips vs. wire. The wire is really is so understated, sleek, minimal, discreet, simple... and effective!

bansuri said:

+1 to wire clips!
The clip on my favorite AAA light of all time , the Liteflux LF2X, is absolutely perfect. Carrying it today because I know I'll be inverted at least a couple times in the course of my workday and this thing sticks like glue.

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Robert... the wire clip is going on my LF2XT the moment I get it back from elective surgery!

The best wire clip I've seen on a light is the one on the Leatherman Serac S3. It is removable and also allowed you to reverse the orientation without the need of any tools. Ingenious !!! The light itself was pretty good as well. And cheap !!! I picked mine up from fleaBay for $30. 100 lumens, 3 modes, clicky, tail standable, SS bezel, glass AR coated lens, regulated, decent run times, nice even beam, great build quality, etc. Very underrated and great value IMO.

hey! I see you have no caly 3 in there

zdp189.. cf..

csshih said:

hey! I see you have no caly 3 in there

zdp189.. cf..

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Yeah... you would have to mention the Caly 3... I'm inching my way there... but like flashlights, I really have WAAAY more than I need, so I'm trying to mellow the pace. But then there's the WANT! oo: Just like ladies with their purses and shoes, eh?

I am jonesin for the new Para Mili 2 more, though... or the SuperLeaf! WOW. Spyderco is going to keep me broke!

Me personally I've attached the belt holder of my EDC (Quark 123) to my key ring. That way the flashlight is protected by the case and if I need the flashlight seperated from my keys all I have to do is remove it from the case. My clip is still attached to the light so I can temporarily attach it to something while I'm using it. Most the time I just use the light while it's still in the case.

Now my Zebralight I have the small split key ring slid over the clip. I then have the lanyard attached to that. I genearlly wear the Zebralight around my neck and have the Quark 123 in my pocket with my keys.

DHart, thank you for starting this thread! I see so much great input that I want to read, but I need to get to my school work. I will post my perspective soon after reading what my friends on here have posted.

BTW, wouldn't this thread fit better in the General Flashlight Discussion forum?

I love clips! (Time for a new smilie? Absolutely!)

I love clips on things in general. Everything I carry is inside the pocket with the clip to the outside.

csshih said:

hey! I see you have no caly 3 in there

zdp189.. cf..

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I have the Caly 3 carbon fiber and it is magnificent! The wire clip rocks house on that knife too.

Clips in general are great. I'm at work now and always have at least 5 clips sticking out of my jeans pockets between my CRKT Edgie, Ra clicky, and variety of Sharpies and pens for marking and signing paperwork and other stuff. Go clips!