Lanyard Holes and Lanyards, Your Thoughts?

No lanyard/fob holes on most of my knives.
Those that have a bail I attach a 34" SAK chain lanyard to.
If the knife works it's way out of my pocket while I'm cycling, I don't lose it.
The lanyard is long enough that when I use the knife, I don't have to take it off the lanyard.

I don't have any fobs. Not even on my keys. :)
 
Haha lanyards/fobs/thongs are mostly aesthetic to me, but I came here to comment on something Horsewright Horsewright just touched on: the pinky connection.

On some deep carry knives, I use the cord fob to hook with my pinky while pulling the folder from pocket. It didn’t take long to get used to the motion, and it’s useful. Tucking the fob into the pocket also helps add drag against the lip of the pocket, aiding in retention.

I also use a cord fob on my Wenger Esquire/Victorinox Classic to give me a faux-full grip.
 
Horsewright, your use of a lanyard, fob, tong or whatever you call it, is about as specialized as my boat use for them. On dry land, and not on some 4 legged creature that most people don't have a use for, in my world, YMMV, the lanyard is in the way, gets grubby when dealing with food stuff, and is just unneeded. But I have have to ask, who gets on some bucking horse with a fixed blade on them? Land on the wrong spot and you have a bit of sharp steel in the anatomy.

But then I don't know squat about horses, I'm a born and bred city rat. I don't get on horses, but just go about a life in modern American Suburbia that may involve cars, trucks, motorcycles, planes and trains. I dislike anything on my belt or visible to people around me. I don't even like a pocket clip that tells people what I've got, and where it is.
 
I find a toggle (as opposed to a lanyard) handy for extracting a knife from a pocket sheath, like my Sebbie 21, but mostly they just get in the way. Plus if you are doing food prep, they are a nuisance and likely unsanitary. Old-time sailors on the windjammers secured their clasp knives with lanyards around their necks, so they wouldn't drop and lose them if they had to go aloft, so if you're boating that might be a good idea.
 
Personally, I tend to only use lanyards/fobs/thongs in limited circumstances:

1- As a wrist retention strap on certain fixed blades that see some chopping time.

2- To add something brightly colored to a hunting or camping knife so it's easier to see if dropped or laid down.

3- If it gets carried in a manner that makes it tough to retrieve from where it's stored.

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As you can see in the pic, mine are thoroughly complex constructions. :D

The Jackmandu has one because of 1 and 2 on my list. The Victorinox has one because of reasons 2 and 3, and it's my only folder to have one. It lives in the sheath pouch on a fixed blade camp knife with some other basic gear. It's pretty snug in the pouch when packed, so the trekker is tough to get out on its own without something added to pull on, plus a bit of dayglow isn't a bad thing on your hunting/camping gear most of the time. My lanyards also aren't knotted on, so it only takes a couple of seconds to remove if it would be a hindrance or irritation in whatever I'm doing with the knife at the time.

These are pretty much the only reasons that I ever add a lanyard. That said, the other reasons listed I don't view as wrong, just not for me.
 
jackknife said:
But I have have to ask, who gets on some bucking horse with a fixed blade on them? Land on the wrong spot and you have a bit of sharp steel in the anatomy.
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One important thing to understand about horses is that they have their own minds and personalities, so even when you're using one working unexpected rodeos can happen.

One horse I had years ago was a great cow horse, but kind of a poo head. Every now and then he'd decide to make me prove that I could still ride better than he could (or at least wanted to) buck. Less and less often as he aged and got more and more miles put on him, but he still tried me at least every couple of years until he got to retirement age. In those circumstances, you don't know when you're going to be on a bucking horse so you're going to be carrying whatever you carry while you're working when it happens.
 
I personally enjoy lanyards on some knives and not on others. The thing that torques me is when a knife has a tiny lanyard hole. Its such a pain threading cord through a hole that is too small.
 
I never got the lanyard for chopping thing. Ive been chopping stuff for a long time and never have had a knife or other tool go flying out of my hand. If you cant hang on to your tool, maybe you shouldn't be using it is my opinion. Also, if you do let go mid swing than you have a sharp object that is definitely coming TOWARDS you instead of possibly AWAY. I know there are some ways to shorten the length it would swing, but if youve lost control it is still dangerous in my opinion. For pocket knives, ive never used them either, but i could see how it would make locating them a bit easier. I think the best application is to extend a grip on a three finger knife like the folts minimalist. I Dont even use them for that though, i just think they get in the way more than anything.
 
View attachment 995572 View attachment 995573 I can see a wrist thong for chopping contests, but the thong hole needs to be at the front of the handle. A fob can be useful for retrieving a knife, but how do you keep it clean?
I like to use a loss prevention, quick release, push pin lanyard on some folding knives. This can attach to your belt or go over one shoulder and under the opposite arm (no choking here boss). Around water or on a sky diving expedition, it can prevent a disappearance. I don’t like a lanyard on a fixed blade because it will be swinging close to me.
 
I put a little fob or lanyard or whatever you want to call it on most of my folders. Nothing fancy just paracord wrapped around itself a few times. I only do it because it's easier to assist pulling them out. Have deep carry clips on most of my knives. It doesnt seem to slow my draw any, not that I care about draw speed. Knives for self defense is a joke. That's what guns are for. I can't think of one situation where a knife would be better than running. The best defense is getting out of the situation.
 
salduchi said:
So I’ve always wondered why people use lanyards. With out a doubt, the thumb and the index finger is the best way to retrieve a knife from the pocket. A lanyard on an knife with a fully exposed handle makes no sense at all to me. The quickest and most secure deployment of a knife is by direct and initial contact with the hand. Why go to a lanyard then to the handle? Would you put a lanyard on a pistol that is in its side holster on your hip? Well then?

I understand that they can have a sort of jewelry or aesthetic enhancement that is appealing to some. But in that regard, I would more closely compare it to jewelry such as men’s bracelets. That is, not necessary and kind of *** looking. Also, not really into advertising or highlighting what’s in my pockets.

But my main concern is, that I think lanyard holes, when not done as a simple hole in the handle can at times, completely ruin the lines and look of a knife. Especially when the hole or rectanglular allowance protrudes from the natural lines of the handle.

Oh, don’t want to get me started on those lanyard beads and their pricing. You want how much for that monkey skull bead with the glow in the dark eyes!?!

So, my popcorn is ready, what do you guys say?
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We called them idiot loops in the Army, as you are an idiot when your knife falls out a helicopter door. There are several great loops with sliding knots which add another level of securing knife in sheath, as well. Not to mention various uses in unconventional holds to allow big knives to be used as small knives and visa versa, to some degree. Not to mention climber or maritime needs.

All that being said, I despise the things away from the military, hate the way they feel to hand, they seem to get in way, every bit as much as they help in retrieving/drawing, are no manner of concealed, ...

and as an older more spartan guy of times past, find decorating a knife as men's jewelery to be effeminate, gaudy as a peacock, needs to go right next to compact, mirror, and most folks buying those hundred dollar skull beads are office/cubical dwellers with Rambo delusions, and same when they dress as a Hell's Angel on their bikes....pretenders...gaudy bejeweled pretenders in a very very soft society.

If anyone wants to argue this point, my opinion was asked, and I am not about to argue my opinion with anyone else, as it is mine, and not yours, ...so save the typing as it will not be read, not by me, anyhow.
 
Meshach said:
I never got the lanyard for chopping thing. Ive been chopping stuff for a long time and never have had a knife or other tool go flying out of my hand. If you cant hang on to your tool, maybe you shouldn't be using it is my opinion. Also, if you do let go mid swing than you have a sharp object that is definitely coming TOWARDS you instead of possibly AWAY. I know there are some ways to shorten the length it would swing, but if youve lost control it is still dangerous in my opinion. For pocket knives, ive never used them either, but i could see how it would make locating them a bit easier. I think the best application is to extend a grip on a three finger knife like the folts minimalist. I Dont even use them for that though, i just think they get in the way more than anything.
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Never have had to do this but it looks like it would work
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I seldom use fobs on knives. I just don't have a need for them.

I do use lanyards under special circumstances. As mentioned by some, a lanyard is necessary when using a knife over water - in a boat, on a dock, etc.

And by a lanyard, I don't mean a fob, thong, strap, etc. I mean a real lanyard that has a length long enough to allow the knife to be used at full arm extension without binding/restricting use. With the root end attached to the user.

A use not mentioned yet is when you need to use a knife while up a ladder, tree or scaffolding. The least problem that occurs when a knife is dropped from height is that you have to climb down to get it.

A dropped knife in these situations won't be lost but it could be damaged, and more seriously, could cause injury or death to someone working or walking below you if you happen to drop your knife (or hammer or saw or......).
 
The only knives I really feel a need for a lanyard are my SAKs. I attach a lanyard with a Nite-ezes biner attached. It then hangs in my pocket from a belt loop.
 
I absolutely agree on a knife being attached to you while working on a ladder like a linesman on a telephone pole or fishing etc. My original comment above is pointed more towards the 3 or 4 inch tails that some CRK's come with. These seem to me to be more aesthetic than useful for my needs. I think thats what the OP was alluding to . . . not a longer type lanyard which can save our CRK's from loss, damage or dropping onto someone's head and still open yet :eek:
I totally agree with ZZ's post #54.
 
Purely function for me. My knife is a tool and no one ever said a water pump wrench had nice lines, also a tool. With a semi short snake knot braid on the end of my Benchmade Casbah I can locate it and extract it very quickly and efficiently from my jeans while sitting whether wearing indoor clothes or a coat, with or without gloves.
 
I will often use the lanyard in my 3rd and pinkie fingers as a reference, as I pull it from my pocket I can register the lanyard or fob between my 3rd finger and pinkie. This gives you a very good idea where your hand is on the knife and where your forefinger should go if you use a flipper. If not it can also serve to register your grip on a fixed blade or folder. Very handy, they drill all those holes in the end of stuff for more than weight reduction and looks :)
 
Here's another angle for lanyard holes on folding knives: clipping it onto external loops. That could be a pack, or more to the point a climbing harness. Here in the UK, all rock climbing is done in the 'trad' way, i.e. no pitons, no permanent security, no via feratta other than on a few privately run sites. Hence, we have to carry a lot of stuff on our harnesses and on slings. I have often seen other climbers with a folding knife attached to a carabiner, although I don't do so myself. It is far easier to access while clinging on to a rock face than reaching into one's pocket...

The venerable Mercator K55K has a metal hoop, rather than a lanyard hole, which would answer admirably for this purpose.
 
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