- Joined
- Feb 8, 2012
- Messages
- 598
I was reading a thread that I am unable to find anymore on the lack of utility or danger of lanyards on choppers. Specifically the tendency for the blade to swing back under one's arm and possibly injure the user. I tried using a 550 paracord lanyard in various configurations including
(1) the traditional method from wrist to pommel of the knife and
(2) looped around my thumb with the cord around the back of my hand to the pommel.
In all cases I found that the possibility of "swingback" was there in some degree as long as the lanyard is attached to the knife at the pommel.
I then recalled a knife demo that I saw on youtube a long time ago. It was for the Browning Crowell/Barker Competition Chopper. It had its lanyard looped through a hollow brass pin/tube close to the neck/tsuba/ricasso of the knife as opposed to the pommel. It actually retained the knife better in the hand and significantly reduced the possibility of swingback but not entirely. I haven't seen much use of this configuration on other knives. Probably due to the fact that most don't have a hollow tube fastener near the neck of the knife. The lanyard hole is usually at the pommel or near it. There are exceptions but they are exceptions. Jesper Voxnaes for eg. uses tubes in a lot of his designs instead of stop pins.
So I thought up something that may be a great idea or be the most frightful idiocy ever to emanate from a knife nuts mind. I will try to describe it here supplemented by my atrocious hand drawn "design". I hope it makes sense to someone other than me.
1. Handle Strap - A ½ inch wide Velcro strap that goes around the knife handle just behind the neck/tsube/ricasso preferably behind the center of mass so the weight bias remains towards the blade. This will be fastened with Velcro. I considered elastic but that would deteriorate over time and one does not want elasticity in a lanyard. Most other methods of fastening would involve fasteners of some sort that would impede grip and/or cause hot spots. The slight increase in diameter of the handle is a small price to pay I guess.
2. Bridge Strap- An half inch wide ballistic nylon strap that attaches in a T joint to the Handle Strap and comes out in the same direction as the blade from under the palm through the thumb-V and attaches with a double ring on a T joint to the wrist strap. The double ring is to adjust the length of the bridge strap. This can be adjusted tight or looser to account for the wrist "snap" while chopping.
3. Wrist Strap- A 1 inch wide strap with a T joint on the wrist placed just over the thumb-V attaching to the Bridge Strap. It has another double ring fastener to adjust length/tightness around the wrist.
I do believe this design would solve a whole lot of retention issues. It would keep the back of the handle pressed against the palm even with a looser grip on a sweaty wet handle. I dare say it would work on axes and other tools as well. One can practically fasten the tool to ones hand.
I dont know what issues it will create
. Its just an idea for those with the patience to indulge in a little analysis and critique.
Thanks for looking and even more for any opinions either way.
(1) the traditional method from wrist to pommel of the knife and
(2) looped around my thumb with the cord around the back of my hand to the pommel.
In all cases I found that the possibility of "swingback" was there in some degree as long as the lanyard is attached to the knife at the pommel.
I then recalled a knife demo that I saw on youtube a long time ago. It was for the Browning Crowell/Barker Competition Chopper. It had its lanyard looped through a hollow brass pin/tube close to the neck/tsuba/ricasso of the knife as opposed to the pommel. It actually retained the knife better in the hand and significantly reduced the possibility of swingback but not entirely. I haven't seen much use of this configuration on other knives. Probably due to the fact that most don't have a hollow tube fastener near the neck of the knife. The lanyard hole is usually at the pommel or near it. There are exceptions but they are exceptions. Jesper Voxnaes for eg. uses tubes in a lot of his designs instead of stop pins.
So I thought up something that may be a great idea or be the most frightful idiocy ever to emanate from a knife nuts mind. I will try to describe it here supplemented by my atrocious hand drawn "design". I hope it makes sense to someone other than me.
1. Handle Strap - A ½ inch wide Velcro strap that goes around the knife handle just behind the neck/tsube/ricasso preferably behind the center of mass so the weight bias remains towards the blade. This will be fastened with Velcro. I considered elastic but that would deteriorate over time and one does not want elasticity in a lanyard. Most other methods of fastening would involve fasteners of some sort that would impede grip and/or cause hot spots. The slight increase in diameter of the handle is a small price to pay I guess.
2. Bridge Strap- An half inch wide ballistic nylon strap that attaches in a T joint to the Handle Strap and comes out in the same direction as the blade from under the palm through the thumb-V and attaches with a double ring on a T joint to the wrist strap. The double ring is to adjust the length of the bridge strap. This can be adjusted tight or looser to account for the wrist "snap" while chopping.
3. Wrist Strap- A 1 inch wide strap with a T joint on the wrist placed just over the thumb-V attaching to the Bridge Strap. It has another double ring fastener to adjust length/tightness around the wrist.
I do believe this design would solve a whole lot of retention issues. It would keep the back of the handle pressed against the palm even with a looser grip on a sweaty wet handle. I dare say it would work on axes and other tools as well. One can practically fasten the tool to ones hand.
I dont know what issues it will create
. Its just an idea for those with the patience to indulge in a little analysis and critique.Thanks for looking and even more for any opinions either way.
