Right Hand Left Hip?

[David B]

This question may sound a bit daft, but which side do you carry your knife on.

I am looking to get a leather sheath for my Clipper, and am right handed,
So do I go for the sword drawing technique and order a sheath for my left hip. Or should I go for a sheath on my right hip.
I know there will be a great deal of personal preferance on this but just wondered what the concensus of opinion was

 

[Moff8]

assuming you wanted to draw it with the blade down wouldn't the sheath be the same no matter what side?

 

[David B]

assuming you wanted to draw it with the blade down wouldn't the sheath be the same no matter what side?

Of course thinking about it you are right!

Told you it was a daft question

 

[Ogri the trog]

I've taken to carrying my knife sheath on a baldrik strap on my right shoulder/left hip, under a shirt. Yet if I carry the same sheath on my belt, it goes on the right side - it may be that subconciously change my ideas about cross-drawing (I tend to wear a belt over my Swanni) or find it easier to thread the belt whilst I'm wearing it -
I have yet to try one of the "double-dangler" sheaths, so there is greater flexibility when in a vehicle or wearing a rucksack - so it might all change again.

I guess what I'm trying to say is - be flexible, only you know what will be comfortable and what will work for your circumstances - adapt to your needs.

Ogri the trog

 

[TheGreenMan]

Tricky one

I’m left handed (predominately) and would go for a right-handed hip carry (weirdly enough) – thumb on front edge of sheath, lift handle of knife until it releases from sheath, transfer knife from right hand to left hand.

Otherwise, left handed hip carry, thumb on front edge of sheath, lift knife handle out of sheath, keep knife in left hand.

Can’t say more than that, really.

Of course, horizontal carry on a belt opens up a whole new set of horizons, as you may realize.

Best regards,
Paul.

 

[Doc]

Pretty good question I reckon.

I'm right handed, and when canoeing carry my rescue knife upside down on the left hand side of my buoyancy aid (this seems pretty common).

So I'd guess the logical place for a belt knife might well be on the left hip for a right handed person, even though I suspect most of us carry on the dominant handed side. Worth experimenting with.

Personally I have no difficulty with drawing a belt knife but returning it is a different matter. There is always the risk of damaging the sheath or yourself. I reckon the 'contralateral draw' might be worth considering.

 

[British Red]

Its one of the advantages of the long loop on a "scandy swivel" sheath that Doc - much easier to re-site the knife without impaling yourself!

Red

 

[Aragorn]

red can you elaborate a bit more, whats a "scandy swivel" , sounds like a good move playing twister

 

[David Morgan]

Due to a fit of spatial disorientation (ie a cock-up) I made the sheath for my knife to go on my left hip (I'm right handed) with the edge facing back, but found this awkward and now wear it on my right with the edge facing forward. This means I push on the rear edge of the sheath with my index finger to remove the knife from the sheath. Not the way I'd have designed it, but now I'm used to it it really makes no difference.

 

[David Morgan]

There was almost an answer to your question in there... my vote would be for a knife worn on the right with the blade facing backwards.... but that prference isn't so strong that I'm in a hurry to get any more leather.

 

[Askdamice]

If I analyze this logically (and that's probably an insult to logic, itself ) I feel that it is more usefull to carry your knife on the right hip if you are right handed. Let's start with accessibility. The fact that you don't have to cross over your body to reach your knife (Let alone anything else that may be attached to your frontside, including those of us with Budah bellies) is a plus, straight out of the gate. Then there is the matter of safety. It seems to me that there is more of a chance to injure yourself. Your abdomen and left arm are exposed to the blade in a contralateral draw more than the right hip carry method. Should the knife poke through the sheath, while on the right hip, the edge is facing away from you, whereas mounted on the left side, the blade is facing down and toward your hip/upper thigh. I can see carrying a knife on the left if you're wearing a gun on the right. But even then, there are alternative carry methods. These are just my personal opinions so feel free to disagree.
Rick

 

[BOD]

Ah well. That depends on the knife.

A machete or parang needs to be on the left hip as a right handed draw from the right hip is problematic.

If belt carried my Mora or similar is on the right hip (I am right handed). Sometimes in out of the way places I carry it as a neck knife which is best usually.

My BCD knife is on the left side as it is easier to reach across your body if you are tangled up than having it on the same side as your dominant hand. Water sports people and divers will understand what I mean.

 

[British Red]

red can you elaborate a bit more, whats a "scandy swivel" , sounds like a good move playing twister

This is mate.

You can wear it "high" on your hip when you want it tucked out of the way, or on the extra loop hanging low. Its easier to seat the knife and it hangs well below the hip belt of your pack without fouling it

Red

 

[Shinken]

If you are right handed my vote goes to sheath on right hip with edge facing backwards

 

[Seagull]

I think it depends , not just on which method feels comfortable , sometimes its to do with what is being carried and what it is in.

I am right-handed and I find it awkward and uncomfortable to wear anything on the right hip, which requires me to "bunch up" the right shoulder, even more so if lugging a rucksack..
All my outdoor stuff, have a dangling Finnish type wooden sheath that I've deliberately made very snug, with an audible click on seating. This means a little bit of resistance which must be overcome with the other hand.
So I carry on the left side, more toward the front.

Off topic, but I carry pouches on the left side, too....maybe it's something to do with being left-eyed.

Ceeg

 

[British Red]

Think its personal Ceeg for me its knife and pouch on the right, axe on the left. But, if its just my pouch, it goes on the right...the pouch moves around accoring to what else I'm carrying but "sharps" have their defined place!

Interesting thread. I suspect Ogri and I are the only baldric wearers for a hundred years!

Red

 

[Justin Time]

Baldric on the left side, which is usually a Clipper or right side for the hip with any other knife. Funnily enough I found that the Baldric was a very useful carry when on a week long course with woodsmoke.. yet these days it's more common for me to go for a belt carry. I think I'l take the clipper/baldric for the next weekend away and se what happens. oh, and I'm right handed
.

 

[wizard]

Back when I was in SF, my knife was always on my left side. I am right handed. I carried a Randall Model 1 with a 7in. blade in the standard leather sheath it came with. The reason for putting the knife on the left (right handed sheath) was that I once witnessed a nice new climbing rope get cut when a fellow member rappelled (abseiled) off a short cliff. The rope caught the guard on his Kbar knife and lifted the blade out of the sheath enough to catch the rope and cut it. Since the rope was under load, his weight, it cut clean through with amazing speed. Lucky for him, he was about 5 feet off the ground when this happened and not 50 feet! After that little incident, we all carried our knives on the non-rope hip!
Nowadays, since I never rappel with full combat webbing (buried safely in a closet), I carry my knife on my right hip. I also now carry a nice Stewart Marsh Bushcraft knife with a great Scandanavian grind. The old Randall is polished up and safely stashed with the old military webbing!
I have not done any mountaineering in about 8 years and never keep a knife on my hip if doing so. Unless it is a folder in a fully covered sheath. Cheers!

 

[nickg]

assuming you wanted to draw it with the blade down wouldn't the sheath be the same no matter what side?

Absolutely agree

I now always wear the right handed sheath on my left hip, and I am right handed, for these reasons.

When drawing the knife i find that i am more often than not kneeling or crouching and a right side carry means that awkward lift of the right shoulder, as mentioned previously.

It is easier IMHO to take out a knife from a right handed - left side carry with you right hand than to take out from a right hand - right side carry with your left.

If you are right handed then use a right hand (ie edge of knife to the rear when worn on the right hip) sheath, that way rgardless of the side you wear it you will naturally put your palm (RH) to the back or spine of the handle so the knife will be held correctly for the cut without fumbling.

When you crouch or squat you will find that a right handed - left side carry will naturally tilt the handle forwards making it a more direct whitdrawal.

Using the left (assume the weaker) hand with this type of carrywill then need a twist to draw but as this is on the same side as the knife rotating the wrist and elbow will counteract the tendancy to make the awkward shoulder lift.

I hve developed the habit of never putting the knife down when working, its either in my hand or in the scabbard, because of this I often find that i am holding something with my strong hand and need the knife to be used in the weak hand, so being able to draw and use it without a fumble in my weak hand is often a need.

In the cold, wet or dark, or when tired or under pressure it is sometimes possible to miss the sheath when re-sheathing, in extreme cases to can end up cutting or stabbing yourself in the process. It is nearly impossible to use the left hand to steady or giude the knife on a right hand - right side carry with the knife in your right hand. It is however really easy to locate and orientate the mouth of the sheath with your left hand whilst giuding the knife back in with your right hand if you use a right hand - left side carry and I think that this is one of the most compellig reasons particularly if you use a scandi swivel type of belt loop as I have found these to be really frustrating to use in occasion, especially outside thick and bulky clothing.

These are my personal conclusions, you really must try both and satisfy yourself.

Cheers

Nick

 

[MitchelHicks]

Well I think there are a couple of leather sheaths on ebay at the moment designed for the clipper theres also a link to a complete set including belt small kit bag a sheath the choice of left or right is yours I think and a sheath for a laplander cutting saw. All in leather the links

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Laplander-Mor...ryZ16042QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

that is one long link

Happy hunting