Ok, I admit it, I'm way more of a gun guy than a knife guy by nature. I see a lot of folks like to put lanyards on their knives, I never have, and so I have the following questions:

1) Has having a lanyard ever kept a knife from falling out of your hand?

2) Do they ever get hung up on brush while you're going through the thick stuff?
Seriously, sometimes I've had to jump through alder brush just to have enough momentum to go downhill. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> It's rare, but it happens and I'd hate to have a sharp knife fly out of its sheath at a moment like that.

3) What's the point of all the extra cordage on some of these? You know, the cool looking extra wraps that are braided up at the end. Is it just for looks or can you really pack enough on there to be useful in some unforseen event?

Thanks-

first i tie one up like this:


and then i loop it through its self like this:


this way i can take on or off instantly whenever i need to like when going through thick brush or when skinning a critter so as not to get it all bloody.what i just showed you is what i consider a lanyard,not these braided things that look pretty at the end.i can see their use in a small knife for an extended grip but i dont consider that a lanyard.it has a name but i forgot it

i bow hunt and i am always using saws and knives to cut limbs while i'm up in the tree.getting up and down a tree with a climbing tree stand isnt fun,easy or quiet so it really sucks when i drop something i need.thats why everything has a lanyard.

i have also had machetes and hatchets and stuff come flying stait out of my hand after hours of chopping.one time my machete flew into a rat infested 6ft deep mini river.it can hit you also if your hand slips after it gets tired.

one more reason is for stabbing downwards.i tie and size all my lanyards in a way to prevent my hand from sliding off the handle and down on to the blade if i had to stab into something hard.if you've ever seen the cold steel videos where they are stabbing their crap through car hoods thay do the same thing.it looks like this.

I tie mine the same way northern does for the same reason. Its nice to be able to take it on and off easily.

I just started making the braided lanyards a few months ago. I estimate that with a basic square or round stitch you cn get about 6-8 feet into the field in a compact package. They attach to my knife handles in the same way as shown on Northern One's knife. Of course, you can also wrap the cord around your wrist or knife handle. I think they're mostly for looks. I make them just because they're relaxing to make and pleasing to the eye with all the different stitching styles and colors.

i can agree with that willieboy.i cut the metal pull tabs off of the zippers on my back packs...you know,the ones that are always rattaling and hard to find and i replase them with braided lanyards.it is 1,000 times better and silent,looks good too.

550 cord has so many handy uses.i can never have enough of it and i go through it like toilet paper.anytime i order anything from brigade ot l.a. police gear i get an extre 100ft of 550.

a lot of times i hollow it out by taking out the middle 7 strands which makes it hold a knot better.it doesnt hold a knot well unless i take those strands out

I'll answer te last question first. I find that simple loop lanyards on larger knives help me comtrol the blade better if I tie the lanyard just right. So yes, they really do help, at least with me anyway. On smaller and medium sized knives I don't really need them as I have better blade control, but I make sure that every one of my knives have them.

With some of the fancier lanyears you can get a surprising amount of 550 cordage into a surprisingly small lanyard. That couple of extra feet can be used to make a firebow, spare shoe lace, sling, lashings, etc....

I've never had a lanyard keep the blade from slipping out of my hand. However, I only really use the lanyard on bigger blades anyway. And I've never had one hand up on brush, that's notto say it doesn't happen to people, just not me.

Good stuff so far.
Thanks.

In the pistol world, a lanyard is typically long and connected to the belt, to retain your pistol in case of a drop or someone grabbing it. This is not the case with blades.

A simple lanyard is more of a loop. It helps you pull the blade if found in a cover (pocket, pack, etc), it helps your hand orientate to proper position (like a muscle memory action, having a common ridge to guide from... this helps people draw. Lastly, a simple loop will keep your hand from ever sliding forward over the blade. It changes all 'work' to not only finger/grip strength, but also wrist strength.

The more elaborate designs are often to put more 550 test para cord on your tool, should you ever need it, you can unravel it and use it.

Lastly, like on a Chinese spear, a wooshoo type distraction to complicate what the eye (of the non user) sees.

For me, a simple loop is always on my users... but just two days ago I began putting D-Guards of a few blades, and I love it.. tighter retention accross the board.

Taking the points in order...

1/ a good wrist loop stops your chopper flying out of cold, tired, fingers and killing your mate.. (never had one escape and hit someone but have felt a loss of grip when chopping on a cold day...)

2/ I've never had a lanyard hang up badly unless it was very loose. Simple wrist straps or dangles should be fine.

3/ my wrist loops are simple affairs, but I go nowhere in the cuds without at least 60 ft of mixed 2 and 3mm climbing cord for lashing, bootlaces, fire drills etc etc!

(My only D-guard sporting knife is a Busse Basic 7, the grip isn't as safe as a S6 imho!)

I used them all the time and also go threw it quick! (para chord)

On a bigger knife, they help me control my chopping/swinging better, by
keeping the blade more secure in my hand;


and on smaller tools I use em for handling convenience.

A member here made this excellent one for me <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

and like stated you can really use the cord in times of need
especially from a braid.

(Looking at that hooker..) Dammit, I should have bought a yard guard!! Doh doh doh! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/doh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

you'll get another chance Paul, I'm pretty sure mate <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />