Anyone use a wrist lanyard on their hawk?

scotchleaf

scotchleaf

Joined
Oct 23, 2006
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Based on the pics everyone has posted it would appear to be unwise. Why? I've been worried about a slip of the hand resulting in my new trail hawk winding up in my foot.
 
Based on the pics everyone has posted it would appear to be unwise. Why? I've been worried about a slip of the hand resulting in my new trail hawk winding up in my foot.

For me that wrist lanyard is like a back-spike; a matter of personal perference that related to one's skill level. Some people really like them, some like me just don't like anything attached to their body that can get hung up. I usually put them on my hawks but it really there just to sort of let me know when my hand is getting off the end of the handle. I don't wrap them around. Besides it a good way to hang the hawk up. I dropped a hawk a time or two on my foot and you're right to be concerned, luckly it was the hammer that hit not the edge. I'm not a back spike fan but I'm learning to work with it just too not be too stupid. I think the lanyard is worth working with too but for me it's not on the scope for a while.

Best
Dwight
 
I don't like the idea of a lanyard except to hang the hawk on something when not in use. From a martial arts perspective, having the lanyard on your wrist (especially a good lanyard, like para cord) can put you in a position where your opponent can use it to their advantage if they get a hold of your hawk or your arm... Additionally, if you intend to use the hawk as a thrower, it would obviously be in the way...
 
How about when using it as a tool? I've been wondering about a front lanyard like a lot of the competition knives have- anyone tried it? Any thoughts? I'm still waiting for my hawk, so I can't try it : (
 
I'm not sure who I heard this from so I cant give proper credit..Its worked for me for some time. If your "tools" have a lanyard hole just carry a "loop" of paracord in your pocket, Thru the hole and back thru itself if you are in a position where you need a wrist loop aie on,in, or above the water, traversing muddy or icy slopes where my hawk functions in "ice axe" mode. Best 2 all. Ankrst
 
I would say put a lanyard on but be careful when you use it.

if you are chopping and you slip the blade will most likely end up somewhere below your torso.

if you are in a place where you could drop it on some one or off a cliff then use it.

not a good idea as a rule
 
Glock17JHP said:
I don't like the idea of a lanyard except to hang the hawk on something when not in use. From a martial arts perspective, having the lanyard on your wrist (especially a good lanyard, like para cord) can put you in a position where your opponent can use it to their advantage if they get a hold of your hawk or your arm... Additionally, if you intend to use the hawk as a thrower, it would obviously be in the way...
Click to expand...

Do you know of any (modern) martial arts
which advocate tying a lanyard to your wrist?
 
Anrkst6973 said:
If your "tools" have a lanyard hole just carry a "loop" of paracord in your pocket, Thru the hole and back thru itself if you are in a position where you need a wrist loop aie on,in, or above the water, traversing muddy or icy slopes where my hawk functions in "ice axe" mode.
Click to expand...

That's brilliant! Don't know why I didn't think of that. Thanks for the tip.
 
just10minreader:

Thanks for posting that. It is certainly a really valid option. Although I'm impressed this sort of falls into the 'Gee Whiz' category for me. I remember my grandfather talking to me about how some of the Mexicans saw cutting brush during the Army's search for Poncho Villa had their machetes tied up like that around the hand too. I bet if you had to spend a long day cutting brush or cane that such wrap would help take the pressure off the forearm from constantly gripping that handle. Really interesting.

All My Best
Dwight
 
I use to buy old books with pictures of "Indians" Native Americans with Tomahawks.
Not one with a wrist lanyard I remember.
No store bought hatchet or hammer I know of has one either.
I don't think it's necessary but it's your tool.
Whatever floats your boat.
I think you might be safer with it flying out of your hand than rebounding back into your face.
 
lanyards are very useful at times.

i think the good ones are long, which is counter-intuitive to most Westerners.

lanyards are much like knives that way; a long one can do what a short one can, but the reverse is not true.


BTW, there were plenty of stories of Horse Culture Native Americans swinging war clubs and tomahawks on the end of a leather strap, especially from horseback - i just read one firsthand account of such a thing, in fact, where a Blackfoot killed the writer's native wife in such a way, in the late 1800's.

i think there are such weapons hanging in the Cody Museum, in Wyoming, as well - it's been a while, but i think they are there.


i wouldn't take a mace or a similar lanyard'd hawk out of my arsenal.

i designed our composite handles to lessen what i see as a need for a lanyard, for retention, in utility or combat, and the Cowled Steel Ring was made so that you would have more effective length in the handle, than with a thru-hole for a lanyard - but with all that effort, with some degree of success, i still love a lanyard, especially a longer one.

i completely understand if a brother doesn't like them, but that's why you can take 'em off.

:cool::thumbup:

vec
 
Something new I'm trying is to take a section of para-cord about long enough for a lanyard and then tying it in a series of knots,which takes up the extra inches leaving it about 2 or 3 inches long. not really for looping over the wrist but it provides a kind of "stop" at the end of the haft. I liked it on my hawk and I'm currently trying it on my knife....It seems that I read about WW2 German ice axes and mountianeering tools having a "glide ring" on them but I'm not sure how this was done..Maybe Vec would look into it and see what info he can come up with. Best 2 all Ankrst
 
Anrkst6973 said:
Something new I'm trying is to take a section of para-cord about long enough for a lanyard and then tying it in a series of knots,which takes up the extra inches leaving it about 2 or 3 inches long. not really for looping over the wrist but it provides a kind of "stop" at the end of the haft. I liked it on my hawk and I'm currently trying it on my knife....It seems that I read about WW2 German ice axes and mountianeering tools having a "glide ring" on them but I'm not sure how this was done..Maybe Vec would look into it and see what info he can come up with. Best 2 all Ankrst
Click to expand...

we actually used to do that, brother - or something like that.

the way i tie the paracord wrap that you normally see at the neck of our hawks is primarily for overstrike protection, but i used to use the same wrap for a handstop like you mention.

most folks grab a long hawk on all occasions at the end, like an axe - i pretty much quit trying to get them to grab it where the last third of the handle length meets the middle third, which i think is advantageous (to put it lightly) with a light-headed hawk....

anyways - for a while i put the wrap at that point, and you could move it up and down one line at a time (but not all at once - it acted like a Prussik Knot - no movement under tension so it wouldn't slip)

i still use that style to wrap the necks. i like it. it comes off fast for a quick bit of line in camp, and it stays on without knotwork, which can weaken the line to an indeterminate level.

i used to see a lot of neat rigs like that on rifles amongst certain friends, before all these fancy store-bought tactical slings got popular (looks at beat-to-hell rifle with paracord sling)

............

as to the lanyard - i wasn't a boyscout for long (i got thrown out, but luckily the USMC overlooked that) so i don't know what the heck the knots are called that i use - har! - but the ones that i use on the lanyards allow them to be removed quickly - i usually just wrap them around the butt of the handle and put a simple rubber band over them (- rubber bands being another thing i love to have in camp, as a fire starter, amongst other things) - OR, i actually use the lanyard (gasp!) :D

all that garbage spit out from my sick mind, i think there are a lot of things out there that can be improved on, or dicovered - i've never bought that "There is nothing new under the Sun." excuse for being a dullard.

vec
 
I've got not quite half of the lower end of my VTAC wrapped in medical tape..increasing the diameter as well as providing non slip grip and when I draw my hand is forward of the butt end..about where the end of 1/2 meets last quarter..I thought it was just me..and my rifle has a custom lenght sling tied on the side of the stock with black trotline string!!!..its also got a home made cheek pad like the tactical ones you see in catalogs,1/2 inch neoprene riser underneath..its ugly as sin but it cost me about $2.00 to make. My Pump gun is done the same way with no metal at all to clink/squeak and give away my position..this allows my weapon to ride over the right shoulder,muzzle down and be brought to bear with the left hand already on the forearm. proof if you will,that a lot of needed gear can be made with the simplest stuff and simple ideas are often the best!!
 
Anrkst6973 said:
I've got not quite half of the lower end of my VTAC wrapped in medical tape..increasing the diameter as well as providing non slip grip and when I draw my hand is forward of the butt end..about where the end of 1/2 meets last quarter..I thought it was just me..and my rifle has a custom lenght sling tied on the side of the stock with black trotline string!!!..its also got a home made cheek pad like the tactical ones you see in catalogs,1/2 inch neoprene riser underneath..its ugly as sin but it cost me about $2.00 to make. My Pump gun is done the same way with no metal at all to clink/squeak and give away my position..this allows my weapon to ride over the right shoulder,muzzle down and be brought to bear with the left hand already on the forearm. proof if you will,that a lot of needed gear can be made with the simplest stuff and simple ideas are often the best!!
Click to expand...

amen, brother.

vec
 
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