How to prevent losing a pocket knife

[rmcook1314]

Hey Gents,

I recently lost a benchmade that slipped out of my pocket while I was hunting. I have a Spyderco para 3 in the mail to replace it but I’m nervous about losing it in a similar manner. I am a wildland firefighter and spend a lot of my time working in thick brush. Twigs and branches are constantly snagging my clothes and trying to rip stuff out of my pockets.

I’m wondering if anybody has come up with a creative solution to this problem? Hopefully something better than tying paracord to my belt and to the knife. I was thinking about using some sort of magnetic lanyard like what’d you’d see on a fishing net. Or just using a small coiled lanyard that stretches when I need to use the knife and retracts when it’s in my pocket. Curious to see what you guys have come up.

Thanks

 

[afishhunter]

No bail on those knives, so a lanyard (not a fob) is out of the queston.
I'd suggest removing the clip and carry loose in the bottom of your pocket.
In over 60 years of carryng a pocket knife, I've never lost one that was loose in my pocket. Only knife I ever lost was clipped to my pocket while riding my bicycle.
(the knives that are loose in the bottom of my pocket don't fall out during the same activity.)

If you have to clip the knife, clip it to the inside of your strong side boot, and don't tuck your pant legs into your boots.

 

[Boombats]

Doesn't that depend on wearing cowboy boots? By the looks of your avatar I'm sure that's not a problem for you, though I find the idea of cowboy boots on a bicycle to be a bit amusing. If the OP doesn't wear shitkickers, I guess he could tuck the knife into his waistband instead of pocket. Otherwise I think you're right to put the knife at the bottom of his pocket.

I would agree with removing the clip, except I tried that with my Reate K2 and found myself dropping it when opening. I've become unconsciously dependent on the clip for correctly indexing the knife in my hand, and any hot-spot it might produce is actually useful.

 

[rmcook1314]

Another vote for a retractable key chain. Make sure it is a very duty one. My ID badge at work doubles as access to doors and I use a retractable key chain to make sure I don't lose it.

Warning! Be careful of the ones with just a belt clip. Those can fall off easily. Some have a carabiner type closure, make sure you have something solid to hook them too. I use a retractable key chain with carabiner attached to a Maxpedition keyper keyring. The velco strap is solid around my belt. I think it is more secure then a belt hook or just hooking the carabiner to my belt loop.

I love maxpedition gear. Quality stuff

 

[rmcook1314]

If I was doing what you are, hunting and constantly beeing grasped by thick brush, I would keep my clipped folder in a pocket(unclipped) or in my backpack.

Why dont you carry a nice little fixed blade in a secure sheath?

Ive never carried a fixed blade as an edc. I guess I’m just used to carrying a folder in my pocket. small fixed blade with a sheath is an option though. Any suggestions?

 

[rmcook1314]

I like to use an open top sheath with a knife retained by a push pin lanyard. The lanyard can also work on a clipped knife. The knife can be released quickly from the lanyard when using it. The paracord can be tucked into your pants if the pucker brush is thick.View attachment 1622359

Nice setup!

 

[rmcook1314]

I couldn’t help but note that you lost a Benchmade and are replacing it with a Spyderco. Sounds like you turned that challenge into an opportunity! I say bend any loose clips so that they’re nice and tight and keep on trucking as usual. If you lose your Spyderco in a few years you can replace it with something new and different. If you’re a full-time professional fire-fighter, you could probably afford to lose a knife every few weeks and be A-Ok. Just my 2 cents.

I live in Colorado so I wanted to buy local and support Spyderco. Plus, they look pretty cool. I certainly can’t afford to keep losing knives

 

[rmcook1314]

Did the last 4 years of wildland firefighter myself in California during the last few years during the worst stuff on record. I have helped others with this situation who have also lost knives to the brush. I have also designed a knife for wildland firefighters that I am working on getting made.
Questions…
1 do you have cargo pockets?
2 what kind of pack and model are you using? I use Mystery Ranch Shift +900 and one of the best ways to secure a knife was inside a zipped pocket but not convenient but that may not work depending on the pack you use and the type of zippers they have.
Where are you a firefighter?
Do you come across barbed wire at all in your work? I may have a solution for that for you.

Yes I have cargo pockets
Mystery Ranch hotshot
I live in Colorado but we travel to different states to fight fire. Just got back from California. Tons of barbed wire in Colorado! Too much. I always find it with my chainsaw haha

 

[upnorth]

Victorinox belt hangar. I used one for a few years, it's still in a tub somewhere. I removed one of the two chains, the short one I believe.

 

[Fir Na Tine]

Yes I have cargo pockets
Mystery Ranch hotshot
I live in Colorado but we travel to different states to fight fire. Just got back from California. Tons of barbed wire in Colorado! Too much. I always find it with my chainsaw haha

Her in California we run across a lot of barbed wire while fighting wildland fires so Instead of wire cutters that just add more weight, I use a wire breaker and I am working on getting one made in a folding knife specifically designed for wildland firefighters. That may take more than a year to get out there so in the mean time you can put a notch in one of your tools for that purpose. look up wire breakers on knives on you tube or hit me up for other ideas. I found that knives in the hip pocket are prone to being lost so I put mine in my waist band at an angle where the crease of my groin and thigh meet so it does not get in the way of movement or come out. I have carried like that for a decade without incident. I also carry in my cargo pocket that has a flap that that prevents my knife from coming out towards the rear most part of the pocket with my pen light next to it. Mystery ranch is awesome and they have all kinds of accessory pouches and add ons but unless it is a shoulder strap mount, it can be too much to take out in a jiffy. I tend to carry my multi tool in the pack and at least one other knife in my waistband or cargo pocket. As you know $&@t gets crazy sometimes and you find yourself falling or tumbling down some ravine or god help you if you have fallen in root that had burned out from a giant redwood like me that the dirt collapsed underneath me lol, I sank in waist deep and had to get pulled out. The point is crazy stuff happens on wildland fires and the best thing is in the waistband or secured by some kind of line. I have melted a loop of paracord together then used a small carabiner before but a velcro belt loop to a rifle clip is better, then attached my a melted loop of paracord. I have seen others do the clip then three braided paracord sheaths to the knife at the bottom of the pocket that works well too. It’s long enough to use still attached for most things but just i clip to get wild.

 

[dan35]

Belt sheath, remove the clip. Lanyard or fob if it helps pull the knife from the sheath.

Alternate is to clip knife between the belt and pants I I use to do this in the service. Also if you want to clip the back pocket is less vulnerable to snags.

 

[ErikMB]

Just my two cents, for "civilian" life, a clip and in the pocket. Here, in the People's Republic of California, it's law in most counties that a knife must have some part that is not concealed. The little clip sticking out of the pocket suffices.

For outdoor life, I tie it onto my belt with some 550 chord.

I usually carry my #8 Opinel next to my wallet in my back pocket. Sometimes it falls out, mostly in the sofa or when I take off my pants without emptying my pockets, but I have been lucky in finding it each time.

I have lost two Laguioles and one Thiers carrying them the same way, though. They are much heavier and slicker so they fell out while the lighter and less streamlined Opinel does not.

 

[Bloodloss]

Cheapo MOLLE mag pouch from Amazon stows any pocket gear you don't want to lose and it can be strapped almost anywhere. I like the Condor and Blackhawk brands.

I have also thought about having a kydex sheath made to carry a folder around my neck, but I don't think I would neck carry if the folder is able to open.

 

[JParanee]

on your belt in a sheath

 

[Roguer]

When some one asks to borrow your knife or want to see your knife you say "What Knife?" I find that's a good way to not have them disappear.

 

[JDRanger]

I like the idea of a neck knife if you don’t require a large knife.

An ankle knife could work if your pant leg goes over the sheath and blade (like a Gerber Ghost Strike).

 

[davek14]

Carry an inexpensive, but good, knife.

"You will lose an expensive knife the first day you carry it, but you can throw a cheap knife out of your car window and it will be on your dresser when you get home."

 

[115Italian]

Ive used a quick release keychain setup with some paracord.

 

[BillZee]

I haven't lost a knife since I have been buying knives with pocket clips.
I usually carry my knife in my right back pocket or right thigh pocket if I'm wearing cargo pants or shorts.
My old knives with out a pocket clip seemed to slip out of my front pocket when seated or hunched over.......

 

[West Šenkovec]

I recommend getting a deep carry pocket clip. I have one on my Delica and it stayed in my pocket while I forgot about it and went for a swim in the sea

Cold Steel has some nice knives that have tight pocket clips that will keep your knife in the pocket. For instance, the broken skull is quite slim and easy to carry for that size.

You could always get a kydex sheath and keep the knife on your belt. That's almost impossible to lose.

You could also get a small carabineer and dummy cord it to your knife.

 

[kobold]

After losing my Dragonfly, the new one received a Chaparral pocket clip, so the contact moved from the flat to the textured area. It is longer too. Added microcord lanyard for good measure, so I can larkshead it.