How do you carry your traditionals?

Wow, big response and with a quickness, too -- thanks, everyone!

jackknife said:
I've become a real creature of habit when it comes to carrying stuff. The same stuff goes in the same pockets, all the time. [....] Any change and lighter goes in the left front pocket, with keys hanging from a carabiner from the left hand belt loop by the pocket and the keyring stuck in the pocket to keep them from rattling around. So the keys are really hanging in the pocket
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I guess I'm a creature of habit too, else I can't quite explain how I completely overlooked the possibility of hanging my keys from my belt to free up a pocket. I'll have to play around with that a bit, it's a great idea. Thanks!

akadave2 said:
Blade open in my sock...next question :D
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Well, I suppose that frees up pocket-space for bandages :D

T. Erdelyi said:
[....]
For the most part I carry and use all my knives at some point so most of my "Traditionals" have character and patina as I like 'em.

Knives should be used and look like it, I understand the use of pretty knives as jewelry, I have a few that only come out for special occasions but the rest for the most part get no more special treatment than the change in my pocket.
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Well said! I figure a knife is a tool, and the honor of tools lies in their labor. (Like I said, mine aren't doing me any good at home.) I even have a special fondness for a ratty, well-used old knife (or any other tool, really), patina and all. But when it comes to treating mine that way, I hesitate. Something in my upbringing maybe -- when you happen to get ahold of nice things, it falls to you to keep them nice, I guess?

The bulk of the responses to the thread are basically of the form, "Carry them, and let the chips fall where they may," though. So I got a calibration to my fussiness level and some useful ideas. :D

Thanks, everybody!
--Mark
 
Left front pocket by itself. Keys and coins in right front pocket. Don't have a phone, so I don't have to worry about where to carry one.
 
One of the knice things about collectin' knives is that you'll have a choice of pickin' the right knife for the day, hence the term EDC rotation, my William Henry and my Custom R. Cover all look like jewelry and have been carried on an off for the last 5-10 years with no ill affect.

Now on the other hand I have my 100+ year old Union Knifeworks Moose, that has scratches on one blade and 75 % of the other blade snapped off, pits on the iron bolsters and I carry it in my pocket with whatever esle is in there, the Bone Scales have held up for over 100 years and don't seem to be any the worse for wear. This knife was used and used well, not abused, not pampered but used as intended, as a tool.

I also have a 100+ year old Pearl Lobster that I would never consider carryin' unprotected in my pocket again, the advantages of havin' a knife collection er, more like a knife accumulation with sub collections in it. ;)
 
I carry a traditional in my right front pocket with my ashtma inhaler. Left front is cell and hand sanitizer. Keys were Carl wears em. Wallet in back right. Cash in back left. Scratches don't bother me on the knives I carry.
 
Been using a bandanna in my left front pocket since I was a kid, the knife goes in first, then the bandanna over it. That holds true for work khakis or weekend jeans or shorts. Any folder with a handle clip is in the left front too, but that's only with jeans or shorts, no clipped knives at work as I'm sure it would draw negative attention. The watch pocket in my jeans gets a Peanut or other small knife. On weekends I either have a small fixed blade in sheath or big SAK (One hand Trekker, Huntsman or SwissChamp) in a pouch on my belt, next to my Zippo in its pouch on the right.

Sometimes I will put a larger single blade folder like a GEC 72 or Case Backpocket in, well, my back pocket :D Always right side, blade inward towards my wallet. I find that more comfortable in jeans than in cargo shorts. Cargo shorts get a larger folder in the right cargo pocket.

My wife thinks I'm nuts...
 
During worktime I normally don't carry a knife in my pocket for legal reasons but in a bag that I normally have with me. The bag contains all the essentials I normally use during the day (the bag is by the way pretty cool, it is handmade, leather and in a very good condition besides it's 30 years of age). If I have the knfe with me in the forest or otherwise trekking I have now a self-made pocket sheath that is attached to belt or belt loop with a cord. The sheath and knife are thus kept "hanging" inside the front pocket. It is a very comfortable way to carry a knife, the weight virtually disappears and the knife does not roll inside the pocket with the keys.
 
My Yella CV Peanut on it's own in right front pocket with my old refound issued army hankerchief on top.
Key ring(with nail clipper, alox classic, Fenix E01 and a bottle opener hanging from my belt loop in the same pocket.
Wallet on it's own in right back pocket.
Watch pocket nothing or one one of my Zippo's when I'm carrying one.
Tobacco poach with lighter left back pocket with sometimes my Alox Bantam(or other small/thin SAK) added.
Cell phone on it's own in left front pocket.
 
My usual set-up is knife (sometimes knives) in my front-right watch pocket. Phone in front left pocket. Coins and bandana in front right pocket. Keys on a junior Karabiner clipped to a belt loop on my right side. I generally only carry larger folders in the winter months, when I'm wearing a coat or jacket, so they'll go in the right-front pocket. Only very occassionally do I use a belt pouch. On the rare occassions that I'm wearing trousers with slash-type front pockets, my knife is loosely wrapped in a folded bandana in my right front pocket, coins in the same pocket, phone in the front left pocket. Wallet generally goes in my jacket pocket, but if I take my jacket off, in a bar for example, I move my wallet to one of my front pockets.
 
Depends on what I'm wearing, which also determines what gun I'm carrying. I'm also one of those creatures of habit who carries the same way every time.

If I'm wearing jeans or shorts with 4+ pockets and belt loops, I'll have a .357 snubbie on my hip, a folder clipped to the right front pocket, and a traditional slipjoint in the little change pocket. Phone in the left front pocket, keys in left rear pocket, and wallet and CCW in right rear pocket.

If I'm wearing shorts or sweats with only 2 pockets, I'm carrying a .22 magnum NAA in my right pocket and a folder clipped to the left with my keys down in the bottom. I'm probably carrying my phone and wallet/CCW in my hand. No slipjoint at all.
 
I wear jeans to work, so I have put a pocket clip on my William Henry B12 Sheridan and have it in my right backpocket.
 
back pocket carry in a slip pouch next to my wallet

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second slip pouch carries a lighter and torch
 
Looks like Corso and I are the only back pocket guys.:thumbup:

I used to carry my knife in my coin pocket, but it wore a hole through it. So now I carry in my back left.


* Left back pocket gets my knife and silk bandana.

* Right back pocket has my keys hanging inside from my belt loop on a bottle opener carebiner. Also have a AAA light on key ring.

* Right front gets my "wallet". Just a medium binder clip holding cards and cash together

* Left front gets my cell phone, and sometimes a pen until I break or lose it.

* Coin pocket gets my great-great uncles zippo.
 
I copy a pocket slip originally designed by Ron Ryder, with modifications. I buy ready made slips, braid four strands of 30 lb bass fishing superline, using old boy scout lanyard braiding skills. Make a loop on one end to slip on your belt other ends attaches to leather slip. This slip goes in the front pocket but hangs along seam, not down in front. Almost is invisible in most pants. It really is easier than it seems. Superglue plays a large part. I have used leather braids and clear heavy fishing line also, but now prefer the braided "Superline". After several years have yet to have one break or wear out. I also use a belt sheath. 300

Pocketcarry.jpg


Superglue and shrink tubing connections. Three strand heavy mono braid.
knifepouch-2-1.jpg
 
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300Bucks said:
I copy a pocket slip originally designed by Ron Ryder, with modifications. I buy ready made slips, braid four strands of 30 lb bass fishing superline, using old boy scout lanyard braiding skills. Make a loop on one end to slip on your belt other ends attaches to leather slip. This slip goes in the front pocket but hangs along seam, not down in front. Almost is invisible in most pants. It really is easier than it seems. Superglue plays a large part. I have used leather braids and clear heavy fishing line also, but now prefer the braided "Superline". After several years have yet to have one break or wear out. I also use a belt sheath. 300

Pocketcarry.jpg


Superglue and shrink tubing connections. Three strand heavy mono braid.
knifepouch-2-1.jpg
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Nice set-up 300. I'm going to have to give a pocket-sheath a try :)
 
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I'm trying to use pocket sheaths,but usually i just toss them in my right front pocket.
 
jackknife said:
I've become a real creature of habit when it comes to carrying stuff. The same stuff goes in the same pockets, all the time. My pocket knife goes in the right front pocket with a bandana, Fenix E01, and a golf pencil. That's it. Any change and lighter goes in the left front pocket, with keys hanging from a carabiner from the left hand belt loop by the pocket and the keyring stuck in the pocket to keep them from rattling around. So the keys are really hanging in the pocket. Back pockets are for wallet and tobacco pouch and second bandana.

I think I've been doing it this way as long as I can remember. When I got my first pocket knife, I started to emulate my father's way of carrying stuff.

Carl.
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Carl, our habits are similar. My pockets are always filled the same way as well:
Right front contains my pocket knife, left front holds phone & lighter. Back pockets hold wallet (left), bandana and larger lockback pocket knife (right). Smokes either go in the jacket, or in the right front with the smaller knife. Keys are clipped to the belt loop, tucked into the top of the left back pocket.
 
Just as if you were walking forward in Jeans, left side, right side.
I'm left handed .Ken.
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I usually carry a slipjoint in my right front pocket but I have been carrying my Lanny's Clip in my back pocket. I need to try out the coin pocket because I wear jeans a lot.
 
I usually have three on me at one time, always two. I know, I know, OCD and overkill. I used to have my wallet and/or a small one hand opener in my left back pocket, but I have stopped carrying that one, in favor of just slipjoints. I usually have one in my front right pocket, and one in my back right pocket. Smaller in front, bigger in back, sometimes a big one will go in my coat pocket in the winter. Jeans coin pocket gets smaller slipjoints, although I've carried mid range size knives in the coin pocket before. I have lost one of my peanuts at work, after pulling out my keys and, unbeknownst to me, my peanut coming with them. I usually carry my keys clipped to my belt loop because of this incident. After having used a slipjoint for so long, I usually leave my large one hand opener in my truck or at home, I have not found a task that I truly need one for. If I need a large one hand opener, I usually grab a small fixed blade instead. Most of the times that I need one, and I am out, I am in northern MD or southern PA, usually fishing or on a trail, where it is "okay".

I usually go left front: money clip, change and my "medicine" (a small leather bag containing my deceased sisters Rosary, horse hair from my fathers appaloosa and some mementos of past pups, all sewn by my father, it was blessed by Archbishop Edwin O'Brien, our local parish priest and a friend of mine who is a practicing healer/medicine man); right front smaller slipjoint; left back pocket: usually my wallet, if no wallet, I might put a small one hand opener back there, it's a slipit;); right back pocket: usually a big slipjoint.

I know it sounds stupid, but the slipit is just there if my right arm becomes damaged. Just a force of habit. I know that more than one knife is overkill, but it is a holdover from hanging out with knifemakers and survival oriented knife nuts. 3 is 2, 2 is 1 and one is none. In the wilds of western MD and the back country of northern PA, yes. In the offices of Baltimore, I could get by just fine with nothing at all.

I am right handed, so I guess that makes the slipit left pocket seem all the more strange. :confused:
 
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