Lanyard holes: Do you use yours?

[shep]

I have never had a knife with a lanyard tube. I am making a couple of bushcraft knives and have added holes for lanyard tubes because everyone seems to have them, but can't decide if I really want to include them in the finished design.

I guess on the pro-side if you are somewhere precarious you can strap the knife to your wrist in case you drop it - I can't remember the last time I dropped one though.
And on the downside, the hole must collect crap and might cause blisters?
For what it's worth, I don't much like the look of them!
Any thoughts?

 

[Ed]

I've never used the lanyard hole..... never really saw the point in them really.

I am making a couple of bushcraft knives and have added holes for lanyard tubes because everyone seems to have them

I'd only add lanyard holes to your knives if they really needed them for some reason... adding them because everyone seems to have one and not knowing why is just extra work for you that may not be needed.

Maybe this thread will give us both some insite on why people have them.... because honestly.... I dont know.


Ed

 

[Bootstrap Bob]

Just a thought.
You're assuming the hole is for a lanyard, perhaps it was traditionally added so that you could hang your knife on a nail in your workshop like you do with other tools???

 

[Big John]

Likewise - never used one, maybe we don't know what we're missing!

 

[andyn]

IMO the lanyard has limited uses but I will normally have my lanyard over my thumb if conditions are damp as it stops the hand sliding down over the blade and losing your fingers.

Never had a problem with debris being caught up in it.

 

[Outdoorsman]

The only knife I have one on is my Cold Steel S.R.K, so it dosen't fly away from me if I'm chopping smaller wood. My other bigger knives don't have lanyard holes and I personally find they get in the way on smaller knives.

 

[benp1]

I actually use the lanyard on my knife a lot, although for a different reason

My knife sits quite deep in my sheath. About 1 inch or so sticks out, which includes the lanyard hole. It came without a lanyard so I put on a very basic paracord one. Its more of a fob actually. It helps me pull the knife out as it gives me something to grip

The only problem I can see is that if I was to wash the whole knife it would soak up the water and stay wet. This has yet to be a problem though as so far I've just washed the blade

 

[Eric_Methven]

I use mine for the same reason - to aid extraction of the knife from a very snug wet formed sheath. The sheath is made so the knife clicks in when pushed home and the top of the sheath practically covers the whole knife bar the last inch of the handle, so it'd be very difficult to extract without a bit of a lanyard to pull on. I don't find it gets in the way at all and it dries quickly after a wetting as well.

Eric

 

[gregorach]

Yeah, I mainly use my lanyard for drawing the knife too... I've been trying to get into the habit of actually using the lanyard though, on the basis that it discourages you from absent-mindedly putting the knife down. I'm sure we've all had those "where the heck did I leave my knife?" moments...

 

[woodwalker]

Yeah, I mainly use my lanyard for drawing the knife too... I've been trying to get into the habit of actually using the lanyard though, on the basis that it discourages you from absent-mindedly putting the knife down. I'm sure we've all had those "where the heck did I leave my knife?" moments...

Oh yeah You've just reminded me of a past experience. A few years back on one of my first overnight trips,It had already got dark I closed my (fortunately inexpensive) opinel and placed it down at my side for TWO moments whilst I reached for some extra firewood. When I placed my hand back where I put it, it had disappeared without a trace, and it was still lost in the morning, despite much hunting. I'm not sure if a lanyard would have helped here, but utilising my pocket may have done so.

On the bright side though, I don't really like Opinels, so IMO I was doing the world a favour .

woodwalker

 

[Shinken]

For me lanyards get in the way, but if i make myself a knife i include a lanyard so i can hang it up to dry so i dont get any Unnecessary mosisture in the sheath

 

[Shinken]

Double post

 

[NatG]

i have a lanyard on a couple of my knives, i put one on my mora to help with grip in wet weather and oneon a small scandi knife, neither of them get used much and are actually a bit of a pain when tyring to carve.

steer clear i say

 

[Ogri the trog]

I'm in with the fob/ sheath extraction crowd, with a deep wetformed sheath.
I find the sheath can hang on a baldric strap over my shoulder but under a shirt - the draw means a pull on the leather tail with my right hand holding the sheath. Gripping the fob tails in little and next fingers, draws the handle into my index and middle fingers; this means I have to make a consious descision on the final grip before I use the knife. This differs from the highstreet bowie style sheath where the handle can be grasped in the using grip whilst it is still in the sheath and appears more agressive!

HTH

Ogri the trog

 

[British Red]

I use a lanyard for almost all of my knives - I use it as a fob, and to give added security in grip - particularly when choking up on the blade for fine work. I also find it useful to be able to keep the knife attached to my wrist for constant "pick up / re sheath" type activities. I takes a while to adjust the siezing knot to be in axactly the right place but I find it invaluable once I get it right

Red

 

[demographic]

I don't use them but kind of figure its better to have and not need than need and not have one.


Can't say I actually have the string in the hole though but as the hole isn't hard to make it does no harm.

 

[Rebel]

I like a lanyard on my knife and I find the hole a desirable feature.

I use the lanyard to give me a bit of extra grip if I'm chopping with the knife and holding the handle close to the end. I use it to help me not to drop the knife if I'm using it in some situation where dropping it would cause me a major problem (like breakage, loss or injury). I also use it for pulling it out of the sheath sometimes and I think it looks nice.

Downside is that it gets wet quite frequently.

At the moment I use the Chris Reeve style knot.

http://www.chrisreeve.com/knotright.htm

 

[twisted firestarter]

nuff said

 

[Nicklas Odh]

I am going home to put a lanyard on my F1 to test and maybe a fob thinghy on my WM1 to find it easier. I already have a 10 cm fob on my U2 to reach it easier in my pocket.
Maybe a lanyard is useful on BIGGER knives so they dont fly off when chopping stuff.

 

[Schwert]

I always want a lanyard hole if I can get it. I do not always use it but I always want one.

I see no downside to having one and plenty if not offered by the maker. If a maker refused to offer one then I would likely refuse to buy.