EDC a 4-inch Fixed Blade (e.g., Bradford Guardian 4)? How to Carry Comfortably?

Hoss makes horizontal sheaths just like you are looking for. He often posts in the knife maker section.
 
Eliesti said:
Thanks. This is really helpful. How do you like the 3D micarta handles? I am deciding between the ghost G-10 and the 3D micarta in OD Green (either with a nimbus finish).
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3D all the way...I'll get a photo up here in a second...

Here's the G3 in an Architect sheath, on belt. It rides high enough to conceal, and even with the 3D handles, it's tight to the body. Very comfortable setup even sitting down, especially at this forward rotation.

On Belt.jpg
 
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You didn't specify whether you will be in trouble if the knife is seen at work? will co workers raise a stink and report you? or will there just be questions and a bit of hassle and maybe you getting a reputation as a weirdo at work? if so as was mentioned you may want to look at deep pocket carry .

I have been carrying a FB for a few years. I have gone back and forth between pocket and belt carry. Of course outside belt carry is the most comfortable and easy access. Its also the best way to advertise you are carrying a fixed blade. You say youre in business environment so assuming no untucked T-shirts or sweaters.?

I have good results with a 5-6" FB IWB or under the belt with the handle protruding above the belt line. keeps the knife close to the body and if you untuck the front of the shirt just a bit and "fold" the shirt over the knife for the most part its concealed pretty good. unless you bring your arms above shoulder level which pulls the shirt up off the knife.
also comfort level is reduced with this method. I usually end up with chafing or rub marks on skin sometimes scratches . Its uncomfortable sitting as well.

a La griffe style knife with a curved handle reduces discomfort and is even more concealable as it hooks over the belt but those are very small specialized knives.

the Ulticlip as shown above is a great clip. I find sometimes the sheath I want to use it with isn't optimal for its use though. with pocket carry like the one shown the issue I find is when you come to re sheathing the knife. if the opening of the sheath doesn't come up to the lip of the pocket its gonna be a bit more of a hassle re-sheathing the knife . may even need to use two hands. also if the whole handle is sticking up above the pocket that's gonna get noticed right quick. Its also metal and there is the risk of brushing up against cars or doorways and causing damage . the edges are sort of sharp and its a mechanical clip with a hinge that sticks out a bit. they now have a smaller version which helps reduce the overall appearance/risk of damage

I find myself being in both situations quite regularly everyday. either I need to conceal the FB or I am in a situation where I don't worry about it being seen at all. the change in the level of concealment required could change for me 10 times a day or more. so I try to strike a balance between access/comfort and concealing the knife. and I keep the blade length below the legal limit so when/if I am questioned or stopped I will not have to worry.

right now I am doing the IWB method and am trying the Velcro strap system I stumbled across in a thread somewhere on Bladeforums. the knife is about 6" with a karambit style finger hole so I can tuck the majority of the knife down under the belt line and quickly retrieve it using the finger hole . resheathing is proving to be a bit of a PITA though with the sheath opening being below the belt line. may have to make a new sheath soon to accommodate the deeper cover.

just some thoughts to consider on your path. there are a lot of details associated with fixed blade carry that I never thought of until I started doing it. you will figure out what works best as you go . trial and error will be required.
 
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ponykid said:
You didn't specify whether you will be in trouble if the knife is seen at work? will co workers raise a stink and report you? or will there just be questions and a bit of hassle and maybe you getting a reputation as a weirdo at work? if so as was mentioned you may want to look at deep pocket carry .

I have been carrying a FB for a few years. I have gone back and forth between pocket and belt carry. Of course outside belt carry is the most comfortable and easy access. Its also the best way to advertise you are carrying a fixed blade. You say youre in business environment so assuming no untucked T-shirts or sweaters.?

I have good results with a 5-6" FB IWB or under the belt with the handle protruding above the belt line. keeps the knife close to the body and if you untuck the front of the shirt just a bit and "fold" the shirt over the knife for the most part its concealed pretty good. unless you bring your arms above shoulder level which pulls the shirt up off the knife.
also comfort level is reduced with this method. I usually end up with chafing or rub marks on skin sometimes scratches . Its uncomfortable sitting as well.

a La griffe style knife with a curved handle reduces discomfort and is even more concealable as it hooks over the belt but those are very small specialized knives.

the Ulticlip as shown above is a great clip. I find sometimes the sheath I want to use it with isn't optimal for its use though. with pocket carry like the one shown the issue I find is when you come to re sheathing the knife. if the opening of the sheath doesn't come up to the lip of the pocket its gonna be a bit more of a hassle re-sheathing the knife . may even need to use two hands. also if the whole handle is sticking up above the pocket that's gonna get noticed right quick. Its also metal and there is the risk of brushing up against cars or doorways and causing damage . the edges are sort of sharp and its a mechanical clip with a hinge that sticks out a bit. they now have a smaller version which helps reduce the overall appearance/risk of damage

I find myself being in both situations quite regularly everyday. either I need to conceal the FB or I am in a situation where I don't worry about it being seen at all. the change in the level of concealment required could change for me 10 times a day or more. so I try to strike a balance between access/comfort and concealing the knife. and I keep the blade length below the legal limit so when/if I am questioned or stopped I will not have to worry.

right now I am doing the IWB method and am trying the Velcro strap system I stumbled across in a thread somewhere on Bladeforums. the knife is about 6" with a karambit style finger hole so I can tuck the majority of the knife down under the belt line and quickly retrieve it using the finger hole . resheathing is proving to be a bit of a PITA though with the sheath opening being below the belt line. may have to make a new sheath soon to accommodate the deeper cover.

just some thoughts to consider on your path. there are a lot of details associated with fixed blade carry that I never thought of until I started doing it. you will figure out what works best as you go . trial and error will be required.
Click to expand...
Wow. Very thoughtful response. I really appreciate you taking the time to lay all of that out. I should probably clarify that I'm in Houston, so I can open carry swords if I want. I should also clarify that I work in a business casual attorney's office where clients do not regularly come in person (so we are able to dress down somewhat), but I am the boss, so I'm not so worried about HR or Management coming after me as I am worried about scaring my staff.

Striking a balance is probably the right call for me too. Can you post a link to the velco strap system or expand on that? I am not sure exactly what that is, but it sounds like something I may want to consider.
 
This may look like an odd piece of gear, but it will work well with many factory sheaths, and as long as your slack have real pockets, they carry and draw well.
https://rcsgear.com/pocket-shield/

The ears on the upper edges catch the fabric, as you draw (like an Emerson wave), while the flat, felxible body breaks up the outline of what you're carrying, as well as keeping the item(s) indexed upright.
 
Eliesti said:
I am deciding between a Bradford Guardian 3 and 4. This will be my first fixed blade, and I intend to use it for EDC. I tend to favor larger knives and handles (3.5-4.5 inch blades on folding knives; anything smaller than a Benchmade 940 is usually too small for me; I tend to favor the Endura over the Delica, the Crooked River over the Mini Crooked River, etc.).

However, I recognize that a fixed blade is quite large, especially in the 4-inch blade range, and it is harder to EDC for that reason. I also tend to be in more business-casual to business-business environments most of the time and have to often wear a tucked-in shirt, which would not be a problem except that I live in Houston, which tends to be too hot for jackets most of the year.

With all this in mind, I am also wondering whether I should buy a Guardian 3 or 4, and, if so, which carry options you would recommend for my situation (e.g., horizontal carry, static line, IWB with belt clip, etc.). I am open to either the kydex or leather sheath as I have minimal experience with fixed blades.

I appreciate any input provided.
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I have both the Guardian 3 and the Guardian 3.5. I would really recommend the 3.5 if you’re torn between 3 and 4. It carries very well with the horizontal leather sheath. And a 3.5 has a much better handle as far as the ergos go, though the 3 is good as well. I’ve been amazed at how unobtrusively both of these carry. They are virtually unnoticeable.

I think the 4 is just too big for most edc situations.
 
Reading I was just going to say I would split the difference and check out the Guardian 3.5 ... more comfortable in hand than the 3 and about as easy to conceal ... and far easier to conceal than the Gurduan 4.
 
The edc I make is 3.25 in blade and I make a pocket kydex sheath for it. In my experience the front pocket carry is very comfortable, even in shorts.
AYRwnF2.jpg
 
I have Bradford G3 in cross-draw mode in Vanadis 4E Superclean. I've had about 8 or 9 G3's and one G3F, in various steels...
I've gifted some; sold others, and some in the safe. Carrying the G3 cross-draw has been constant with me for at least the last two yrs and it works great and hides under an "open" t-shirt...i.e. in Florida warmth. I've also had the model 3.5 which I didn't like as much and have tried his various scales...but MUCH prefer the standard G10.
View attachment 787612
 
The Guardian 3 is super comfortable horizontal crossdraw under an untucked shirt, but that doesn't fit what you asked for.

I have carried fixed blades for years, and one of my favorites was an ESEE 3 (3.88" blade) in a factory sheath and clip carried IWB at about 4 o'clock if I wasn't wearing my pistol. This was with an untucked shirt. However I'm pretty sure you could use an Artimus sheath and be able to tuck in your shirt.

This is a google image but basically same as I used.
20181023_025812.jpg
 
CcDmizN.jpg


I originally bought a G4 with leather sheath and intended on carrying it regularly, but it’s just too big for anything besides vertical carry on my belt. It works well, but I just can’t conceal it.

I picked up the G3 with a kydex sheath more recently. Most days I carry it horizontal on my belt at about 11 o’clock. I’ve also carried it IWB at about 2 o’clock, but it’s still pretty visible.

Honestly, without an untucked shirt or a jacket, I don’t know how well either would work for your situation.
 
I've been trying to crack this egg too - I'm a camper and want get into bushcrafting, so interested in a hard use knife to cover all purposes, but I tuck my shirts and want/need a deep conceal. I couldn't get comfortable deep concealing a large fixed blade, partially because I didn't like the idea that a fixed blade is stronger than its own sheath and an odd tumble (motorcyclist too) might result in stabbing myself right through the sheath.

So I'm having a go with Cold Steel 4Max folder, which is arguably the closest thing to a fixed blade as you can get - this thing is big, heavy, and seriously overbuilt... I love the way it feels in hand. Just a couple of weeks, but so far/so good carrying AIWB at ~1 o'clock - clipped to my pants waistband, the belt holds it tight and at a comfortable angle between my thigh and abdomen when seated. There's really no body position that feels uncomfortable or unsafe, and of course AIWB is a very quick/easy draw/replace, even when belted in a car seat.

The end of the knife is barely visible peaking out above my jeans coin pocket - just blouse my shirt a bit more over that and it's invisible, yet still easily accessed. Still won't beat a fixed blade, but I'm so far I'm pretty happy with the compromise for a comfortable/safe deep conceal.

Anyways, just another thought/option.... best of luck with your decision.

45387580781_e8b2bbe395_b.jpg
 
Having owned a Guardian 3 myself I might be able to weigh in with some useful information.


Like others have said before me, I honestly don't think you'd be able to carry a fixed blade in a business setting. Not on your person, anyway. Perhaps only if you'd carry it fully in a pocket.

Second, I highly doubt that you'd be able to effectively EDC the Guardian 4. It's just too big for that. The Guardian 3, on the other hand, is the perfect EDC size. Perhaps on first sight the handle appears to be a little too small for your liking, but with the extra finger choil you'll no doubt be able to get your full hand on there.

Third, while the leather sheath works well and is of high quality, it does make the total package a little bulky. So considering your situation, I think it'd be best to reduce the footprint as much as possible by going with a nice kydex sheath from Armatus Carry, for instance. That is what I used for my Guardian 3 and it results in an incredibly thin package.

Finally, you'll of course have two handle options. While the contoured 3D micarta handles are beautiful and very ergonomic (this is what I went with), they do also make the knife a little bulky because they are quite wide. Therefore, going with the regular, flat plastic handles would ptobably be the better option in your case since they keep the overall knife much slimmer.

Having said all that, I can tell you from personal experience that horizontal carry on the waistband was the most comfortable for me. I did also get an IWB hook with the kydex sheath, but that wasn't a very confortable carry position for me. Though it may be an effective option for you since it hides everything except the handle.

Lastly I do have to mention that I'm a relatively small, skinny bastard, so if you've got some more weight on you then a fixed blade will naturally fit you better and will be more easily hidden on your person.

All in all the Guardian 3 is a fantastic blade that I'm sure won't disappoint. I have also never been more impressed by a blade steel than Bradford's M390.

p.s. I do also feel the need to advise you to really think about EDC carrying a fixed blade. It really is different and won't suit everybody. And even though I genuinely really loved the Guardian 3, I eventually had to sell it because I hardly carried it. It just didn't work for me personally.
 
The only thing I didn't like about the Guardian 3 was my finger touched the blade while in the choil, and that was with no real movement. Probably would still have it if it weren't for that.
 
I can't carry a fixed blade at work - some things just aren't worth getting fired over - but I carry one a large percentage of the time when I'm not working... simply because I choose to do so. As much as I like the G3, it isn't in my top 5 choices. Still, I do carry one at least semi-regularly; and probably 2/3 times it's pocketed. I wonder if they'd consider doing some pocket sheaths.
(The G3 sheaths are pretty versatile, and I've stuck a number of different small knives in them... the option of a slimmer style for pocket use would be very appealing. Off to Bradford's Contact page I go)
 
Rob72 said:
This may look like an odd piece of gear, but it will work well with many factory sheaths, and as long as your slack have real pockets, they carry and draw well.
https://rcsgear.com/pocket-shield/

The ears on the upper edges catch the fabric, as you draw (like an Emerson wave), while the flat, felxible body breaks up the outline of what you're carrying, as well as keeping the item(s) indexed upright.
Click to expand...


that's a damn good idea!! may be getting one of those or maybe try to make one from Kydex myself?

the one advantage seems to be the flexibility which some see as a negative? but it seems it will bend to the contour of the leg when sitting which would be a good thing to me. Kydex is stiffer and wouldn't bend . pricey but if it works its worth it.

I think a firearm would still print but for knives/flashlights/clips it looks pretty good and you can adjust the depth of attachment of whatever sheath your using
 
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