Are lanyards dangerous?

[North Arm Knives]

Could a lanyard cause more harm than good? The scenario I am imagining is a large fixed blade being used for chopping or something similar. If you lost control of the knife and had a lanyard connecting the knife to your arm, couldn't this cause the knife to swing back towards you? I can imagine this being quite a nasty situation! I've heard of many people using lanyards on their large choppers and fixed blades.

I know lanyards can be quite a hotly debated topic. They come in many shapes and sizes; some people love them, some can't stand them and others use them in certain situations. To each their own. This isn't meant to be a debate on whether lanyards are good or not.

The question is: are they dangerous in some situations? Have any of you heard of, seen, or personally experienced a situation where lanyard use backfired?

Interested to hear your thoughts!

thanks,
mike

 

[Bugout Bill]

Jim Ankerson made a video on the subject:

[video=youtube;UU__hqhUM6Q]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU__hqhUM6Q[/video]

 

[Quiet]

Yes, absolutely. I was walking with some friends downtown and two lanyards jumped out of an alleyway and karate kicked the sh!t out of two of my buddies before the rest of us could even react. Then they flashed their beads at us and took off. Buncha jerks!

 

[North Arm Knives]

Thanks for the video Bugout! I can see how the forward lanyard position would be safer than the traditional one at the butt.

 

[craytab]

The scenario I am imagining is a large fixed blade being used for chopping or something similar. If you lost control of the knife and had a lanyard connecting the knife to your arm, couldn't this cause the knife to swing back towards you?

Better back at me than across camp at my Wife, Kid, or others. That is exactly the reason I have one on my camp knives (ESEE 4, 6, & Junglas).

 

[Codger_64]

I don't like them but that is a personal choice which, as I remember it, was from a lesson taught by a DI when he found me wearing one around my neck and treated me like he owned me which, in retrospect, he did.. And I suppose I extend that to wrist lanyards as well. If I lose control of a knife the last thing I want is a whirling dervish of death and destruction attached to my body.

 

[Bugout Bill]

Better back at me than across camp at my Wife, Kid, or others. That is exactly the reason I have one on my camp knifes (ESEE 4, 6, & Junglas).

But it is not guaranteed that it would hit your loved ones. Would you rather risk that or actual injury to yourself, which would ultimately be just as bad of a situation?

Of course, there are ways of mitigating risk (working away from other people, good technique when chopping).

 

[North Arm Knives]

I agree with you Codger, If I had to chose, I'd rather lose the knife than have it come back at me.

I understand where you're coming from craytab, if you are using your knife around other people I can see how the lanyard would offer some peace of mind. However, personally I try to just chop in a safe direction where if I did lose control the knife wouldn't go sailing in the direction of someone else. On the other hand, Jim Ankerson's video raises the point that the knife could hit you if you weren't using a lanyard. Its definitely a tricky decision...

 

[Blackie Scantling]

I don't use a lanyard for security rather I can hang further on the end of the handle, which I guess is the reason for one or at least should be. But yeah, I've imagined the scenarios of a large, sharp blade like a Trail Master slinging back on me.

 

[Codger_64]

Another thought.. in the dim recesses of my mind, I seem to recall that some of the big-time cutting contests rules require contestents to use a lanyard. Am I mis-remembering?

 

[other memory]

I posted a question about this subject a long time ago and came away with the idea that strapping a large sharp object to one's wrist while swinging it is a bad idea. A user is better off letting the knife fly out of their hands in a direction away from them rather than back at them because it's strapped to them. As for small knives, I'm ambivalent about the idea. I've seen some sound ideas and some sketchy ones.

 

[other memory]

Another thought.. in the dim recesses of my mind, I seem to recall that some of the big-time cutting contests rules require contestents to use a lanyard. Am I mis-remembering?

That would make sense when a crowd of people are sitting in the near vicinity of a participants who could lose control of their large sharp objects.

 

[Apec]

Only for retention during carry, and never when the knife is out and in use. Nothing fancy, just a square knot through the lanyard hole and one around my belt loop or gear.

 

[Bloefield]

Only for retention during carry, and never when the knife is out and in use. Nothing fancy, just a square knot through the lanyard hole and one around my belt loop or gear.

This sounds about right.

 

[K.O.D.]

Whirling dervish of death and destruction huh. That gives me an idea...

I've never used a lanyard, and don't plan on ever needing one. I'm generally not in a situation where I'm concerned about my knife flying out of my hand injuring others (or maybe I'm just a jerk). I guess I'd consider one if I did a lot of chopping and wood processing, but then again I'd just use a hatchet or an axe. Right tool for the right job.

 

[R.c.s]

A couple of years back i heard about a guy who was out in the jungle when he fell down a steep slope . The fall did not kill him . But the machete he had tied to his wrist did because he was.t able to let go of it . So i would say in certain circumstances it is dangerous .

 

[jeffwithaj]

They are very dangerous. Especially if swallowed.

 

[22-rimfire]

I would not use a lanyard when using a cutting tool due to safety issues. I think they're okay for "retention", which to me means mostly not loosing your knife such as when you're in a boat or some physical activity, or using one as an easier way to retrieve your knife from a pocket. But I would keep them short. Not a fan of neck knives but I have been known to carry one that way in a kayak.

 

[HwangJino]

I only keep lanyards on my CRK folders.

My outdoor knives do not have lanyards.

 

[North Arm Knives]

Thanks for all the replies guys! Lots of good points and different opinions, as is to be expected.

I agree K.O.D. an axe or hatchet is the right tool for large chopping jobs and I personally always use one. However lots of people chop things with their knives, I was interested to hear what their mentality towards lanyards is.

-mike