Cold steel GI tanto questions

brandonnash · Apr 30, 2013

Hey guys, new to the forum but been reading all your stuff for a while.

I just picked up the GI tanto and for $23 it seems like a decent value. I will keep it in my bag mostly.

My main question is about the sheath, specifically the belt loop. Removing the knife one handed is very difficult as is. I don't want to always have to strap it around my leg to counter this, and additionally I believe it would dig in my crotch if I did. Any ideas how to strengthen the loop somehow so that one hand removal is easier?

Also post any mods or mod ideas if you have some. I will probably remove the existing handle and paracord wrap the steel. The existing handle doesn't seem like it would like the wet very much.

G. Scott H. · Apr 30, 2013

Yeah, those belt loops are a pain. If you're handy with tools, I'd suggest taking a piece of kydex and forming it into a rigid belt loop that could be screwed in in place of the floppy nylon factory one. You could also attach a new retention strap to it if you wanted to, maybe even unstitch and reuse the factory one.

brandonnash · Apr 30, 2013

Part of the problem is a small piece of kydex they have secured to the kydex sheath that just makes the whole thing longer and more easily moveable. I think I can push it out enough with my thumb to get it out with one hand.

brandonnash · May 4, 2013

Adding a bit to this. I wrapped the knife with paracord and with the handle off its just too small. I went back and added the handle and the wrapped the handle and the fit is good for my size (I am a large 6'4 275 lbs guy) but it doesn't matter how tight I get the wrap it just doesn't want to stay put. The back end of it wants to slide and I am sure as soon as I try to take down a small tree the cord will just slide down. Any ideas on how to either make the handle less slick or a better way of holding the wrap in place?

GronK · May 4, 2013

Mine was cord wrapped and too small so i wrapped over the cord with tennis racket grip tape. Works fine, nice and grippy. I did another with friction tape with similar results. Just had to "dust" it with ash to get rid of stickyness.

Charlie_K · May 4, 2013

I wrapped the handle on my GI Tanto and it was too big to be secured back in the sheath properly. Highly annoying.

brandonnash · May 4, 2013

I had it wrapped around the handle and it snapped back in fine. I just started above where the handle met with the sheath. I have read without the handle still attached and then wrapped it won't snap, but I believe it just won't make the snap noise. I don't believe the handle has anything to do with the actual securing of the knife. I think that happens with the choil.

brandonnash · Jun 24, 2013

Just a reply to my old thread. I found the solution I was looking for. Taking the handles off then para wrapped ended up being too small for my hands. Wrapping with para on top of the handle the cord kept slipping no matter how tight I got the wrap. I ended up seeing someone on YouTube wrap theirs with grip tape for a tennis racket. That worked perfectly and it was cheap too. $3 at Walmart. Fits well in my hand and also doesn't slip even when damp. If anyone has this knife I highly recommend wrapping with the grip tape over the handle. Have already chopped down a small tree with it and never lost grip.

wolvmarine · Feb 5, 2015

Ive always been a constrictor knot fan and have decided to make the first Constrictor pit wrap online. I left the original scales on because it would be too narrow without them. I then wrapped it with electrical tape for some grip and proceeded to place CKs one after another on each side down the handle of the knife completing both ends with a Chinese button knot as a simplistic lanyard option. I think it came out great and here are some pictures of the end result.

CK's bind very hard and are more attractive than the double CK, which tend to be a bit lob sided. CKs tend to have a high profile since three lines bind tightly only in the middle and actually make for a great traction in your hand. I was also tinkering with the idea of solidifying the wrap with CA/superglue but decided against it since I would like to have the option of using the PC in the field if need be.

PICS::