Must read article for lefties and righties

Joined
Aug 11, 2001
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This post might belong in a Tactics and training forum but I thought it would be more useful and seen by more people here. I just read a great article that changed the way I carry my EDC folders. it's Survival Tactics For Left-Handers by Bob Kasper in the Jan 2002 issue of Tactical Knives. in the article he tells how a knife set with the right hand side clip (like most production knives) an ambidextrious opening method (like the spyderhole or dual thumb studs) and tip down carry can easily be carried and drawn with the left hand from the left pants pocket. I won't get too detailed because it's not my article but I will say that this method of carry has changed the way I carry on my weak side.
I'm right handed and I usually carry two knives for my EDC at work and when i'm out of the house. I used to carry my Spyderco Harpy on my strong side clipped in the pocket since I use this knife most at work, and a small plain edge (Kershaw chive, Spyderco Pegasus)in waist band on the weak side that I would cross draw with my right hand or try to draw with my left hand when I needed it. This IWB method sucked for me. Now after reading the article I carry the small or large plain edge on my strong side(remember this is for work purposes not MBC I have no MBC experience an those that do might have a different opinion) and keep the Harpy, which is always with me and is not rotated out, in my left side pocket. after a little bit of practice using the method that Bob Kasper recommends in his article, I can now easily draw the Harpy and open it with my left hand. It doesn't hurt that usually when I'm on the computer using the mouse with my right hand, I'm constantly opening and closing the Harpy with my left hand fine tuning the memory in my left hand. As an added bonus I figure that if the capitol S ever hits the fan and I need to draw with my left hand and defend myself, the blade there is a serrated hawksbill which will require minimum coordination to cause a lot of pain and damage.
In Conclusion (didn't that phrase always perk up your ears when you were in church as a little kid) i just want to thank Bob Kasper for showing me a good alternate carry method and suggest that Righties and Lefties read the article and try this method. it helped for a Moron like me so imagine what it could do for a sensible human being :D
 
knife is positioned in the left front pocket toward the back of the pocket clipped on outside edge of pocket. left hand reaches down and kind of twosts so that the index and second finger are on the non clip side and the thumb is on the clip side of the knife. pull the knife out and it should naturally be in the correct left hand grip with the thumb positioned to open the blade. continue to open the blade and it should be in the hand in a normal grip. the key is when you reach down for the knife with your left hand you twist it like I just mentioned. after a couple of tries it will come naturally
 
It actually seems to be quite a natural way to draw the knife from your pocket and does not take much getting used to at all. Thanks for the tip.
 
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