Neck Sheath Pros/Cons

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Oct 16, 2003
154
3
57
Surrey
I carry my woodlore knife balderic style, but use a short length of paracord through the hole at the bottom of the sheath, attached to a mini karabiner. This I clip to a belt loop on my trousers, usually somewhere round the back. This is comfortable, even when wearing a rucksack and stops me from losing my front teeth when I bend forward!
 

tomtom

Full Member
Dec 9, 2003
4,283
5
38
Sunny South Devon
bambodoggy said:
(Oh also...I don't like breakaways, they have a habit of breakingaway just when I don't want them to. I'm with Joe here...use the knife and cut it free if you choose to wear it this way.)

i sure hope you guys can think that clearly when your canoeing/kayaking like hoodoo says, in fast moving water and you go over and the world suddenly goes brown and leafy and cold and wet, and you head and lungs go tight with the shock of the cold water and you have to use your cold wet hands which would otherwise be holding on to your paddle (which you will be needing) to find your knife and cut a bit of chord which very close to your chest.
 

pumbaa

Settler
Jan 28, 2005
687
2
50
dorset
i sure hope you guys can think that clearly when your canoeing/kayaking like hoodoo says, in fast moving water and you go over and the world suddenly goes brown and leafy and cold and wet, and you head and lungs go tight with the shock of the cold water and you have to use your cold wet hands which would otherwise be holding on to your paddle (which you will be needing) to find your knife and cut a bit of chord which very close to your chest.

I have to agree with this , used to have my kayaking knife taped around a vertical strap on my bouyancy aid . Would some kind of chest sheath and harness work better ?

Pumbaa
 

bambodoggy

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 10, 2004
3,062
50
49
Surrey
www.stumpandgrind.co.uk
tomtom said:
i sure hope you guys can think that clearly when your canoeing/kayaking like hoodoo says, in fast moving water and you go over and the world suddenly goes brown and leafy and cold and wet, and you head and lungs go tight with the shock of the cold water and you have to use your cold wet hands which would otherwise be holding on to your paddle (which you will be needing) to find your knife and cut a bit of chord which very close to your chest.

As I said, it's not ideal Mate. But if it broke away as you went in (caught on the paddle or a branch etc) then you'd be in just as much trouble.

Personally when I paddle serious water where I'm likely to go swimming and there is a chance of my getting stuck I carry a folding saw in my Bouyancy Aid pocket to cut my way out of my boat (I've been trapped in a folded plastic kayak a few times, the last time while going over a rather large water fall) and I also have a divers knife strapped upside down to the left shoulder strap of my bouyancy aid so I can get to it in a hurry.
I don't take my bushcraft knife canoeing as a general rule as it's not really the right tool for the job.

Hope that makes a little more sence now...

Bam.
 

tomtom

Full Member
Dec 9, 2003
4,283
5
38
Sunny South Devon
bambodoggy said:
I don't take my bushcraft knife canoeing as a general rule as it's not really the right tool for the job.

neither do i ;) i never feel overly great about drenching leather sheaths with carbon knives in so normally when canoeing i have a stainless knife on my PFD..

apologies if i took your post the wrong way i thought you post (and joes) was in reference to hoodoos statement on the first page.
 

bushwacker bob

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 22, 2003
3,824
17
STRANGEUS PLACEUS
I rarely use a baldrick carry,but can see the advantages of a breakaway and the disadvantage of loosing your knife.SO..
Logic dictates that if you have a breakaway,you could also attatch the sheath to your waist (ala andrew middleton/canranger stylee ) That way your wont hang yourself or loose the knife :)
 

Richie

Forager
Feb 3, 2004
109
0
North Wales
I would have to agree with Bam.

Whilst canoeing I have a purpose made rescue knife attached to my PFD. I would carry my bushcraft knife on my belt. Which would probably be a Mora. I don't think that my leather sheaf would like getting too wet.
I don't think that there is much place for a neck carry when wearing a PFD.
 
Nov 29, 2004
7,808
22
Scotland
Richie is correct, nice carbon steel knifes with leather sheaths and canoeing do not mix well.

For 'baldric' carry of a Woodlore neck sheath, see Ray's set up here.
 
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tomtom

Full Member
Dec 9, 2003
4,283
5
38
Sunny South Devon
whilei wouldnt feel too happy about doing it.. the materials and workmanship of the knife and the sheath should be able to put up with being submerged in water, so long as they are taken care of before and after.
 

TAHAWK

Nomad
Jan 9, 2004
254
2
Ohio, U.S.A.
I have a couple of Scandinavian knives that came with what certainly looks like a button hole cut into a leather tab attached to the top of the rear of the sheath. I presume the knife could be carried attached to a button -- if the button is well-fixed to the garment. This carry method would seem to create most of the benefits of neck carry without the problems of hanging yourself or having the knife swing forward too far.
 

faca

Forager
Dec 10, 2003
171
0
SPAIN
For me the worst thing is weight and slow deploiment in winter when you wear several layers of cloths ;-)
 

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