Neck knife Safety.

[Dave]

I use a belt knife, but am constantly cutting my hands. Mainly with kitchen knives. Its not bad technique as much as fatigue.

Has anyone ever pulled their neck knife out and slashed their own necks?

Is their a technique involved?

I could see myself, yanking it out and slashing my cartoid artery!

 

[Stevie777]

Yes me, Cut my head clean off. Thank god i brought my sewing kit or i would have been in a pickle.

 

[Stevie777]

On a serious note, yeah, i'm kinda wary of having a sharp hang next to my heart. No thanks.

 

[rorymax]

Short of being washed up naked on a deserted island ( and only having a very short piece of cordage ) I cannot see any reason why I would have a knife round my neck, too dodgy for my liking.

 

[Toddy]

I carry mine on a baldric, it just tucks tidily into my pocket so it's not flapping around. Every bit as easy to get to as a neck knife.

M

 

[Goatboy]

Not to mention throttling yourself if you don't have it on a snap cord - which increases the chance of loosing it.

Do you really manage to cut yourself seathing & unsheathing your knife?

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[dwardo]

I don't even like a neck tie never mind attaching a knife to it. The only place I can see it being of use is in very cold climates. Even then on a belt under a longer coat should be just as good.
I could just imagine jumping over a ditch or similar and having it come loose, doesn't bare thinking about.

 

[Dave]

Do you really manage to cut yourself seathing & unsheathing your knife?

Sometimes i just stare at a knife and my finger starts bleeding.

 

[Dave]

Yes me, Cut my head clean off. Thank god i brought my sewing kit or i would have been in a pickle.

Mors Kochanski cant be wrong though surely!? And the inuits carry them around their necks

 

[sandbender]

On occasion I do, especially if I'm wearing my Swanndri bush shirt as trying to hitch that up to get access to a belt awkward (if it isn't snowing or raining I will wear the belt and knife on the outside of the Swannie).

Is their a technique involved?

Turn it sideways before drawing.

Some tools I will carry baldric style which is a little safer but can't be tucked away out of sight in places where I might meet non-bushcrafty folks.

If I'm wearing a pack and might need ready access to my tools a neck knife is again the way to go.

As others have said, Mors does it and he's still kicking.

Photo originally posted in this thread

Edited to add:

Here is a wee video where Paul Kirtley talks about carrying a neck knife.

[video=youtube;DhtehRGEej8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhtehRGEej8[/video]

 

[sunndog]

Nearly always neck or baldric carry when out and about. its just handier than belt, not to mention more subtle
As for it flapping around. Its only on the outside when i'm actually using it. Rest of the time its nice and snug under clothes

Never had a problem cutting myself or the sheath, can't see me strangling meself either....never seen a dog strangle itself with its collar

 

[Robbi]

Baldric style under a thick woolen button up shirt works for me.

 

[Ruud]

In winter I wear my knife around my neck. I only do this with knives that have sheaths with a good retention (Mora's, kydex, very stiff leather).
The main reason I wear my knife like that in winter is because it prevents me from doing 'paranoid checks' every 30 seconds when I'm cruising on a snow scooter or dogsled. Feeling the knife on my chest lets me check automatically that I still have it on me. I've had a knife slip on me wearing it on a belt while doing the activities mentioned above. The knife was sheathed in a danglersheath, of which the tip got stuck somewhere and turned the whole sheath around, resulting in the loss of the knife (didn't really lose it though, it was rambling on the seat behind me).

In summer I put my knives away in the top of my pack until I arrive at camp. I tend to use a small folder during the day and only get 'the big guns' out when settled.

I've never cut myself unsheating a knife around my neck, my eyes are on the knife giving me more control while sheating and unsheating it.

 

[Samon]

I thought it was common place for people with massive fur coats and winter gear on to have a knife worn like that. Practical with that sort of clothing on I guess. But nah, not for me.. happy with a knife in my pocket or on my belt if that time and place calls for it.

 

[forestwalker]

Mors Kochanski cant be wrong though surely!? And the inuits carry them around their necks

Neck-carry is good when you wear lots of clothes that go on an off all the time. I can wear it under my shirt if I want to be discreet -- taking care to avoid "concealed carry" -- and easy to move on or out as clothes go on and off.

 

[forestwalker]

I often hold the sheath under my left arm as I draw and replace it.

 

[Hibrion]

I usually carry a knfe like that when in the woods. As others have said, tucked into a jacket or vest when moving. I find it very handy when carrying a larger rucksack with a hip belt and around canp where a belt knife can somethimes get in the way.
As for safety, use both hands and turn the sheath sideways. The cord should not be short enough to be worried about choking yourseld.
Baldric seems a good compromise if you are worriesd. Nice leather ones can be made or even braided that work well. I hae a new braided baldric i've made that i'll try take a picture of.

 

[HillBill]

When i wear a neck knife (which isn't often), i use a fairly long cord so it hangs around my stomach, and then attach a cord to the bottom of the sheath, with a clip on which clips onto my trousers belt loop on my left hand side so it hangs diagonal across my body.. the bottom cord also stops it flapping about and keeps it securely in place.

 

[sandbender]

Here is a very old thread where I posted a tutorial for using nylon cord for a baldric carry. I use a couple of double fishermen knots which allow me to 'lock' the knife under my arm if needed, also the way the cord is wrapped around the sheath ensures that the sheath opening is pulled into the body rather than held away so as not to interfere with work and other activities so much.

 

[Dave]

Neck-carry is good when you wear lots of clothes that go on an off all the time. I can wear it under my shirt if I want to be discreet -- taking care to avoid "concealed carry" -- and easy to move on or out as clothes go on and off.

Ive got an arctic smock being made, in the USA [which I've asked the maker to give me progress reports and photos of, to post on the forum, as I thought it might be of interest]

Should be next week.

One of the requirements, is to be able to take off mid layers, without taking off the smock.