Using a lanyard safely

[Thenihilist]

I got a hatchet today and found it had a lanyard hole, to my mind using it would be a very bad idea, as far as im aware la yards are used to prevent its loss in the event that you somehow let go but if you were standing and let go your gonna get a bad injury. Only time I could see it being useful would be if your were cutting through ice.Unless im missing something here

 

[Harvestman]

The hole is there for a lanyard so the tool can be hung on a hook or suchlike.

Looping the lanyard around your wrist whilst in use is, as you suggest, a very bad idea.

 

[Phaestos]

I literally just put a paracord lanyard on my hatchet. Only about 3 inches. Undecided on it though

 

[Longstrider]

I literally just put a paracord lanyard on my hatchet. Only about 3 inches. Undecided on it though

As Harvestman says, if you want to live long and prosper .. take it off A lanyard on an axe or hatchet is a self-harming incident just waiting to happen.
I will only ever use a lanyard on even a knife if it is forward posistion, like on a competition cutting knife. A 'traditional' lanyard hole at the butt-end of a handle is of no use or interest to me, unless it is to be used simply for hanging the tool up after use, or for the addition of a small toggle or monkeys fist to facilitate withdrawal from a deep 'pocket' type sheath.
Competition cutting knives must have a lanyard to comly with BladeSports regulations, but the wise always fit the lanyard from the front of the handle so that if the knife slips from the hand it is pushed back into the palm by the lanyard. A rear fitted lanyard simply makes the knife/axe into a sharpened swinging flail that's loosely attached to your wrist should you ever loose your grip on the handle during use.

 

[Thenihilist]

Cheers for clearing that up.

I've seen guys smashing through ice with an axe, surely if your doing this over water a lanyard is a good idea, as if you dropped it you'd probably send it to a watery grave, I suppose if you were doing it you'd do it from a kneeling position, so there wouldn't be any risk from using the lanyard.

 

[Squidders]

Lanyards are also useful if you're working over deep water or lake ice or somewhere your tool could be completely lost.

There are ways to position yourself to significantly reduce risk of the axe swinging back into you if you let go of it but unless absolutely necessary I wouldn't wrap an axe lanyard around my wrist.