Neck knives?

I am personally not a huge fan of neck knives! However, of course I do believe they have their place. My main complaint with most available neck knives is that they're not proper neck knives. That is, they're larger than what would be useful and convenient to carry around your neck. I do like the original CRKT Minimalist, because it's a proper neck knife, inexpensive and well designed.

The ARK (IMO) does not replace several different knives, but what it does really well is being compact, lightweight, and extremely ergonomic. Whether you need an "always" knife, or just want a really good neck knife, I think it's a good choice, and I'm very proud of it and thankful to Spyderco for helping me make it a reality.

John
 
Last edited:
North American indigenous people routinely hung their knives from their necks, if you examine some of the rare old paintings.
 
Alberta Ed said:
North American indigenous people routinely hung their knives from their necks, if you examine some of the rare old paintings.
Click to expand...
I believe it. But did they have belts? 😁

I believe some Scandinavians also used neck dangler sheaths. As with so many other things, use what works for you. If I could carry whatever I wanted, wherever I wanted, I might typically carry a 10mm 1911 or a .41 Magnum Model 57, or even a cool little Foxtrot Mike FM9 everywhere. But those just aren't possible and practical where I live and work, just as there's no way and reason I can carry one of my super-cool Bussekin short swords everywhere. I can't carry any fixed blade in the government office I work in, so have to be content with a tiny little Spyderco folder that meets our restrictions.

Even when I was deployed overseas, some areas had a command mandate that troops couldn't carry "large, aggressive" knives. While not coming from top leadership, I even took some gaff for carrying my not especially large Shane Justice custom on my first deployment (though I actually used it several times during fire missions). Again, choose what you can legally use that works for you.

John
 
Last edited:
dr9YF21.jpg
 
link2derek said:
Not "neck carry," per se, but occasionally during Polar-Vortex-type winter days (when it's too cold to open the coat to get to a knife) I have carried a Mora on long loop of paracord over my shoulder on the outside of my coat, much the same way you'd carry a Haversack or Satchel. I find it to be very convenient when I need to access the knife frequently during sub-freezing temps.
Click to expand...
That's exactly how I go about it. More convenient than taking a glove off and digging a knife out of the pocket. I just use a piece of bike inner tube to keep the ends of the cord together, if it gets snagged it pulls apart and I'm good.
 
I planned on picking up a serrated Spyderco Ark. Disappointed to hear they have been discontinued. Plain edge version is still available, but I prefer serrations on my H1 blades.
Seems like it would be ideal with a short lanyard to extend the grip. I'd figure out a way to belt carry horizontally, which I prefer to neck carry.

Great design John! 😎
 
tatsu said:
I planned on picking up a serrated Spyderco Ark. Disappointed to hear they have been discontinued. Plain edge version is still available, but I prefer serrations on my H1 blades.
Seems like it would be ideal with a short lanyard to extend the grip. I'd figure out a way to belt carry horizontally, which I prefer to neck carry.

Great design John! 😎
Click to expand...
Thank you! I do still have a (literal) handfull of SE ARKs left, the very last ones ever made. JRShirley(at)gmail.com
 
I've only skimmed page one, but neck knife carry with paracord is not only feasible, but safe. Cut the paracord in two pieces, with one slightly longer than the other. Then use a lighter to melt one end of each piece, and smush them together until they cool, forming a clean joint that will break with less pressure than required to injure you, but more than require to pull the knife out. I do these as a courtesy for all my neck knife customers. Snake knot paracord fobs, too.

Slightly different lengths, so that the joint is not right in the middle and receiving additional strain from being leveraged against the eyelet hols in the sheath.
 
Definitely important not to use standard paracord ("Type 2/type 3") for safety reasons. I've also seen people hollow out paracord, and just use the outer "shell" to cover dogtag chain.
 
I do, for outdoor activities, which is pretty rare for me, but that's it. I have a Mora Eldris for that purpose. I wear it floating the river, but that's about it. I've used it once in the 2 years I've owned it.

So I obviously find a value in them, as little as it may be, but circumstances and lifestyles vary.
 
This is my backpacking setup. I’ll clip the knife on the shoulder strap upside down while hiking. Once at camp, I’ll clip the knife onto the neck lanyard. It’s a nice way to always have a decent fixed blade close at hand.
IMG_4742.jpeg
 
Midgetje93 said:
Anyone actually carry them? As daily or more for certain tasks?

Pros? Cons?

If you do carry a neck knife, what one do you carry?
Click to expand...
I carry a couple of different neck knives I have crkt peck a Begg tree frog and the crkt minimalist Bowie I edc one at all times I also have at least two other knives on me at all times the thing about a neck knife for me is it's the knife of last resort if I'm in trouble and can't get to any other knife I can generally get to the neck knife the only drawback is that I have had them come out of the sheath before but it's never caused me problems I wouldn't use it as my only blade but it's a great backup
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top