Fob or no fob….

master_nylo said:
No fob. I personally don’t get the point of a “fob”, perhaps one of you would care to enlighten me. I use a lanyard (not fob) for a fixed blade but that’s it.
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No lanyards for me as I prefer not to carry around my neck. Fobs for quick pulling from pocket may be on their way out too for me.
 
I have one knife with a fob. A CRKT Minimalist. It came with a fob and I've left it on there as it helps "extend" a short grip.
 
Screebo said:
No lanyards for me as I prefer not to carry around my neck. Fobs for quick pulling from pocket may be on their way out too for me.
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Oh, not a lanyard for carrying around your neck, a lanyard to wrap around your hand for chopping wood. You could use a fob to pull the knife out of your pocket, but I don’t like having fob dangling out of my pocket. I can see how having a fob can be handy for that. Just not my thing🙂
 
Starting by removing the Pro-Tech Malibu fob. It’s a work knife for a variety of around the house and yard utility. It pocket stows nicely and is very easy to retrieve without a fob so there we have it. PS. Love the Malibu! Great Magnacut blade, slick button lock with perfect detent and action. Great pocket fit and super grippy scales.View attachment 2165774
 
When I started tying lanyards/fobs to my knives they were much longer, far too long. It took several years for me to 'cut back' on the length and now most have the starting knot about an inch or so away from the end of the knife. About the distance that is needed to allow my pinky to wrap around the cord and come up against the knot.

Some have noticed that I use a whipping knot near the lanyard hole, this helps to keep the lanyard in place so it doesn't risk flopping into the path of the blade, but is held more to the spine of the handle, a much safer situation plus the lanyard doesn't slip/slide from side to side as much.

My current configuration of lanyard is a little different from the OP first image. I use the wide diamond knot first as a larger area for my pinky to come up against, and then a bead and finally three snake knots with a small keeper bead which helps avoid the snake knots from coming untied plus adds a decorative feature as well.

Here's some examples of mine, and I'll admit that if a knife doesn't have a way for me to tie a lanyard on...it has a short life on the island before it's voted off ;)

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

G2
 
gooeytek said:
Fob.

View attachment 2165709
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Gary W. Graley said:
When I started tying lanyards/fobs to my knives they were much longer, far too long. It took several years for me to 'cut back' on the length and now most have the starting knot about an inch or so away from the end of the knife. About the distance that is needed to allow my pinky to wrap around the cord and come up against the knot.

Some have noticed that I use a whipping knot near the lanyard hole, this helps to keep the lanyard in place so it doesn't risk flopping into the path of the blade, but is held more to the spine of the handle, a much safer situation plus the lanyard doesn't slip/slide from side to side as much.

My current configuration of lanyard is a little different from the OP first image. I use the wide diamond knot first as a larger area for my pinky to come up against, and then a bead and finally three snake knots with a small keeper bead which helps avoid the snake knots from coming untied plus adds a decorative feature as well.

Here's some examples of mine, and I'll admit that if a knife doesn't have a way for me to tie a lanyard on...it has a short life on the island before it's voted off ;)

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

G2
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Hey Gary!
Nice work, nice knives! I like working with the paracord and loved learning the cool geometric knots. I like the cord color choices and I like the bead choices. It gives the artist in everyone a chance to be a bit creative and expressive while providing added utility to pocket retrieval. I’m just starting to think I want them to live in different worlds than attached to my knives. Admittedly, fobs do interfere with blade deployment from time to time. Some would say they detract from the original statement the knife maker had in mind. The couple knives I own with extra bling almost look garish with a fob. View attachment 2165802
 
thanks sir, my preference is for knives that have a hidden lanyard pin or spacer designed to allow a lanyard to be tied on, WE and Civivi as well as Artisan seem to cater to that need.

You might want to try your hand at making some keychains, mine measure from end of the ring to the start of the first knot about 8", seems to be just about the right distance for what I need.

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

and secured around a belt loop, or in my wife's case around a purse strap


Lots of options for sure!
G2
 
I have lanyards on some larger fixed blades. My preferred winter-chores folders have orange fobs tied tightly so they won’t impede opening/closing of the blades. They wear bright colored fobs in case they get dropped in the snow (still almost 3’ at my cabin). I don’t like things hanging out of pockets where they can be snagged by brush so the fobs are tucked inside pockets.
 
I tie one on occasionally.🤫😉
But lanyards don't last long on my knives these days, too many eyes and I walk right past the police station every night on my way to work so that's a thing.
This Seax is one example of a carry that kind of needs a fob due to the deep carry and lack of purchase on the handle when waving it out of pocket. The fob gives me just enough for a better grip.
 
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Gary W. Graley said:
When I started tying lanyards/fobs to my knives they were much longer, far too long. It took several years for me to 'cut back' on the length and now most have the starting knot about an inch or so away from the end of the knife. About the distance that is needed to allow my pinky to wrap around the cord and come up against the knot.

Some have noticed that I use a whipping knot near the lanyard hole, this helps to keep the lanyard in place so it doesn't risk flopping into the path of the blade, but is held more to the spine of the handle, a much safer situation plus the lanyard doesn't slip/slide from side to side as much.

My current configuration of lanyard is a little different from the OP first image. I use the wide diamond knot first as a larger area for my pinky to come up against, and then a bead and finally three snake knots with a small keeper bead which helps avoid the snake knots from coming untied plus adds a decorative feature as well.

Here's some examples of mine, and I'll admit that if a knife doesn't have a way for me to tie a lanyard on...it has a short life on the island before it's voted off ;)

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

G2
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^ This guy does some nice fobs.
 
Only on the smallest knives for me. The addition of a small fob to a tiny knife can aid in extending grip and provide tactile feedback for retrieving the knife from being loose in my pocket. For example, I tie simple figure-8 550 paracord fobs on all of my Spyderco Jesters and Man/Ladybugs. I find fobs to be completely unnecessary on medium-to-large-sized knives.
 
Screebo said:
No lanyards for me as I prefer not to carry around my neck. Fobs for quick pulling from pocket may be on their way out too for me.
Click to expand...
Sometimes the lanyards are for neck knives, but most are for hanging them on hooks or for adding to your grip. I have a few coat racks in my tool room and it's handy to have some of my yardening fix blades there ready to go.
 
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