Fixed Blade Concealment?

G

GarageBoy

Joined
May 23, 2003
Messages
5,952
How can you conceal carry a fixed point blade? Also, does anyone use a fixed point as an EDC?
 
Oh boy, just about as many ways as imagination and kydex allow. :)

For example I carry three fixed blades regularly in my EDC rotation and they are all different sizes to give you an idea of what is possible. The Lagriffe suspended from my neck, a Tops UTE in a very slim concealex left crossdraw and a M10 in a right hip drawpoint. You'd never suspect I had any of these blades on me. JSP bladerigger, River City, On Scene Tactical, Survival Sheath, Buy Brown. These and many others make some really ingenious carry systems, including underarm, back, chest and belt carry. Check em out! :)
 
For smaller knives a neck sheath conceals very easily even under only a t-shirt. In the waistband sheaths (ITW) and cross-draw belt sheaths conceal well if you wear a jacket or sweater, as will most boot sheaths worn on the belt. If you get one of those custom rigs, you can even carry a large Bowie inside your pants (I've read good things about Southern Comfort sheaths) or in a shoulder sheath (www.survivalsheath.com has some for this purpose).

As an experiement, a few years ago I decided to see how well i could conceal a Bowie knife. I took my Livesay RTAK and put it on using a belt and then put my pants on over it. This was using the regular rectangular sheath which was not at all designed for concralment. I wore it on my left thigh and only the two bottom corners of the sheath printed trough my jeans. I could draw it easily but sheathing it was a problem. The sheath was also a bit scratchy since it was not designed for this. With a purpose-designed concealment sheath (leather will be much more comfortable than Kydex) you can conceal a knife as long as your thigh without restricting your movement.
 
I love sheaths configured for horizontal carry in the small of the back. It's easy to conceal a knife that way (as long as it's halfway flat and your shirt's not tucked in). I've got a custom fixed blade (check my profile for details) that is very comfortable in that position. The maker and I designed it to be carried that way and I ordered the sheath with that carry style as my main focus.

Other than that, I don't like IWB carry that much, but neck knives are great.
 
Hey GB...

I prefer to carry a fixed blade over a folder for EDC,, usually though I carry both...

A concealed fixed blade most of the time,, the folder gets used for quick tasks and when a sheeple friendly knife is needed...

On my bike I carry a small fixed blade in a shoulder rig..Comfortable and out of the way...

So yes I think there are quite a few people who carry concealed fixed blades.. I sell sheaths for this purpose, and tend to think my clients are using them...

BTW..
Thanks for the plug.

ttyle

Eric...
 
Originally posted by GarageBoy
Thanks! One question, what is cross draw?
Click to expand...

If you're right-handed and wear the knife on your left hip to be able "cross-draw" it.
If you're a southpaw, it's the other way round of course.

I wouldn't recommend carrying a knife in that configuration...slow and a bit awkward to draw.
 
What I meant by cross draw was a sheath designed for horizontal carry. I actually wear them either side and they can be used for either a cross draw or a same-side draw. I prefer this for knives that are larger than neck knives but still not that large such as the Livesay Bushi or Rinaldi LEO.
 
Hey Guys...


QS...

QS Sribes

"I wouldn't recommend carrying a knife in that configuration...slow and a bit awkward to draw."

Yikes,,,, I'll have to disagree with that Big time....

Cross Draw can be very quick....

Depending on the placement of the sheath...

I carry a lot of times a sheath set up for horizontal carry,,right up front in the BBC position (Belt buckle Carry).. Maybe not technically a cross draw carry,, but it is very quick,,secure, and hard to get the knife snatched from you...

I'm categorically against carry a knife on the opposite side, handle facing out....Far to easy to have it taken from you..

If you are going to carry in this fashion,,move it right up front, you your natural instinct to protect your "Junk" will keep anyone from grabbing your blade....

ttyle

Eric....
 
Normark,

I think this is a misunderstanding. The way I see it, cross-draw means carrying a knife on the weak hand side of the hip - and you pointed out one more reason why that carry configuration is less than ideal.

I really like horizontal carry (see my post above).

So we actually pretty much agree on the subject at hand. :)
 
Originally posted by GarageBoy
How can you conceal carry a fixed point blade?
Click to expand...

For example this way:

entranceknife.jpg


David
 
Been carrying a spyderco FB03 in a OST "Normark" rig since late march/early april...

right hip, just past 3, cant with a g-clip(tip forward, edge back/down)... if I shove it to about 4, I can draw/replace with left no problems.

Carried it vertical(edge to left, tip down) inside my dress pants about 2 weeks ago for my grandparents 50th anni. No problems in concealment or most movement. Just couldn't lean back with it at 5 normal multitool spot)
 
or this way...

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I recommend you visit www.bladerigger.com Mr. Piorek makes sheaths for virtually every part of your body..

Here's a pic of my Bladerigger spinal backup, shoulder harness, forearm sheath, and static cord sheath

standard
 
Occasionally, mostly when the weather is particularly foul, I'll strap my Strider BT to my calf with two rubber straps that came with a POS diving knife.

Works quite well, and is actually quite comfortable, secure, and inconspicuous. I carry it tip up and have practiced so all I have to do is release the strap (which I can do through the fabric of my pant leg), reach down, and the blade drops into my hands.

Check the laws in your area, as they vary greatly.

As has probably been said, there are many sheath makers who can custom make you a great rig. www.survivalsheath.com is the first that comes to mind.


Good luck
 
RL: Your concealed carry rig is interesting. But, do you actually wear it when you go out, or is more for collecting?
I mean, this is Toronto we're talking about, right?
 
Hey Marty....

I've got a Bladerigger Executive as well as a BR clone and I use them quite a bit...

The clone is used exclusive as my bike riding rig and the BR I use in the bush once and awhile...

If you can find a good use for them, they will get used..

ttyle

Eric....
 
I once rigged up a shoulder holster type arrangement that went over both arms and around my back. I needed to wear it under a jacket, but all I needed then was a way of attaching the sheath to the rig to carry it point up. The whole thing was made out of webbing from the local army disposal store. One of the arm loops had velcro on it so I could put it on easier. I have to admit though, I never actaully wore it, but I could have if I'd needed to carry a fixed blade. The knife would have ridden under my armpit.

Neo(phyte)
 
I carry a fixed blade every-day - I use IWB, which I find the overall handiest and easiest. No complicated rig to deal with, put on, take off, etc. Just thread the belt through it and go, and its pretty fast to access too. Carried openly ont he belt is faster, no shirt to get in the way, but I am a little un-comfortable doing that always. You can actually see a picture of the knife I carry on the Tactical Steel website, http://www.tactical-steel.com/images/latest/atwood.gif - as you can see its one I made, prototype for a coming catalog model.
Also because of how the blade is to be used, edge-in reverse grip (AKA Pikal ["to rip", Visayan]) IWB works the best. An across the back rig would work too, but I get worried about falling (being knocked) down, and lading on that right across my spine and having it do damage, such as seperating my spine (I've read of it happening with SOB carry of handguns).
The sheath yous ee there is too wide, it should be folded across the spine of the knife, so it only needs rivets on one side, making it slimmer and easier to carry. DOne like the sheath for this blade: http://conservationmilitia.org/Carbon_Warrior.jpg except with an IWB loop, not a static cord.
I do like the static cord idea though - the knife draws, taking the sheath with it till it hits the end of the cord, then it comes free of the sheath, keeping you from possibly cutting yourself. (Real handy if you have any extra padding around the middle).
I also like horizontal along the belt carry, under an un-tucked shirt, it works very good, and conceals well with a smaller sized knife.
Of course there is also neck carry, which is one of my other EDC methods of carrying a fixed blade - in this case a La Griffe. The chain may look kind of weird, but you could always do like the designer of the HideAway knives is doing, and have a necklace disguised chain, go to www.hideawayknife.com to see what I am talking about.

I like shoulder rigs - my ideal one has my main fighter (something sort of Randal Model 1-ish) under my strong side arm in a break-front sheath, for a fast straight to target draw, that I can do without reaching across my body (telegraphing my strike before my blade is even out) - and then has an A/F dagger under my left arm for a break-front weak side or cross draw strong side back-up draw. The importance of having that main knife where I can draw it without reaching across my body and telegraphing is crucial, at least to my way of thinking. If at all possible I dont want the bad guy to have the foggiest idea until he feels cold steel in his belly - failing that, I want to be able to at least start my draw before he realizes what I am doing - and if pushed from un-armed to blade, I want it to be as fast a draw and as fast to target as possible.
Then again thats important for me all around - easy and fast.
 
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