How /Where do you carry your fixed blades ?

Nick jarvis

Nick jarvis

Joined
Mar 28, 2002
Messages
111
Being a Brit and subject to our crap laws and poor public perception of knives ,I tend to carry my fixed blades in my pack when out in the hills.After watching a re-run I noticed that Ray Mears use's several different positions of carry ( sometimes front, sometimes back). Apart from the usual belt (hip) or neck carries has anyone go any set up's that would suit. I am looking for accessable not tactical if you know what I mean. I have tried shoulder riggs but found they dont work well with packs. I must admit that I find neck knives either too small and light for what I want and normal fixed blades worn around the neck too heavy.:confused:
 
When carrying a pack, I strap a large fixed blade to the side. It is accesible and out of the way. If I don't have a pack, but still want to carry a large fixed blade, I wear a belt diagonally across my chest with the knife hanging pistolero style. I like the freedom without a heavy knife pulling my pants down. As long as it's legal to carry, who cares about the looks you get! Just smile and act friendly when other folks pass by.
 
You might have some success with a kydex sheath mounted in a horizontal position, on the bottom of your sack. This serves two purposes: -the knife is out of the way and will not "threaten" sheeple, also, it's still amazingly easy to draw.

It is accessible by a strong hand draw, by reaching behind your back, landmarking on the bottom of the sack and drawing.

D
 
I usually carry them slung across my chest and to one side with a piece of paracord or something wider if the knife is heavy. This mode of carry is very convenient and interfaces well with a pack. One can tuck the blade down into the waist belt for a bit of concealment or slide it around and up a bit so the knife sits in a very convenient position for drawing with either hand.
 
Nick,

Seconded re the muppet laws & attitude over here.

I find that strict observance of the 11th commandment is all that matters. When I carry on a hike, I usually keep the knife/knives in my bergen until beyond the reach of prying eyes. I then fasten them to the belt as usual. Reverse the process on return to "civilisation." Living/hiking in the Lake District, you should have even fewer problems than I do, i.e. none.

Even if another hiker passes you and nods a "'Morning" to you, what's the chance he will visually inventory your kit? Approaching zero, I think.

On a recent walk, I fastened my Fallkniven A1 in its Kydex sheath inverted on the left strap of my bergen using zip ties. Easy reach, easy remove, and most members of the public (who operate in Condition White anyway) won't even notice.

If that doesn't appeal, try a horizontal mount on the waist belt using Tek Locks.

maximus otter
 
You say that but I alway used to do that exact same thing...Until I got stoped by an old (60+) couple in a very remote bit of grizedale, they had got lost birding and asked me to show them the way back to a waymarked route(about 50m away Ha Ha). The old biddy gave me a right ( what the hell do you need that for ) bollocking. I told her it was none of her business to which she countered she was a magistrate. I then reminded her she was a lost magistrate and walked off. The whole thing pissed me off so much I have kept my knives in my bergen ever since. I went out over the weekend with a large medium weight knife hung around my neck and shoulder with a long bit of para cord wraped four times. It kept the knife where I wanted it and carried the weight fine, so I may stick to that and see how it goes:p
 
I'm an avid backpacker and it's long been a problem for me how to comfortably carry medium/large fixed bladed knifes on my trips until I contacted Brian Wagner of Okuden about a custom drop sheath for my Chris Reeve Mountaineer II. I wanted a kydex sheath that would securely hold my knife and carry comfortably on my right thigh while wearing a pack with a hip belt. I sent Brian my knife and he fabricated a custom, adjustable drop sheath with an elastasized thigh strap. The whole "rig" was quite a bit more costly than your average kydex sheath, but Brian's work was -top- notch and solving my carry problem was more than worth the price. If you'd like to contact him he told me he should have a website up soon (www.Okuden.net). His email is okuden@earthlink.net and phone is 253-906-5306. I would not hesitate to recommend his services to anyone. He's flexible, friendly and will bend over backwards to bring you a product that's "made for you." It was important to me to have the knife accessible always which eliminated the option of lashing it to my pack. Also, I didn't want to keep transfering it from my pack to my belt when making camp for the night. All that back and forth would just increase the chances of loosing it. A thigh rig allowed my to carry it in one place and not have to second guess where I left it when I needed it. If your still married to the concept of lashing it to your pack, you have that option, but I know what works best for me. Also, something to think about. A few people like to include a few survival tools on their sheaths (matches, tinder, ect.) to use when "the chips are down." There are some situations that would cause you to loose your pack, for example, a rough stream crossing. I would rather loose my pack and still have my knife/survival kit than nothing at all. That's just my take on things. Hope it helped.
 
I usually carry a 16 inch machete on the side of my pack becuase I don't like it onthe belt. My airforce survival knife is always carried on the belt right side. If I am in an area where there are "sheeple" I put the knife farther back and slip the bottom part of the sheath into my back pocket. My untucked shirt covers the top.

Many times though I wear either a neck knife or a folder clipped to my pocket when in State parks etc.

Isn't it kind of silly that people get upset about a knife? Mac
 
It all depends on clothing and planned location as to how I carry. I usually carry Horizontal to left(edge down), and vertical on right(edge back).

If I'm going to be in heavily sheeple areas, I'll stick the sheath in my boot top. Not as easy to access, but still secure.
 
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