RokJok
Gold Member
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2000
- Messages
- 4,252
Below is info from an exchange between our own Akabu and myself on making a knife lanyard loop that doesn't snag on branches and brush. The original dialog was over on the Becker forum. This version contains slight editing and rearranging for clarity (I hope 
).
============ Start of tutorial ============
-- AKABU --
Other thing to do is add a wrist lanyard, 550 cord or other hard braided nylon cord that won’t rot from water exposure. Double it up and insert fold through thong hole. Insert the free ends through the loop and tighten it up. Now slide the free end’s though some small item with a hole in the center. [I use a rubber sink washer.] Knot the free end’s separately.
This will cut down the chance’s of a loop snagging on brush and pulling the knife out. But all you have to do for a wrist loop is slide the button up.
The picture below shows the loop described above.
-- RokJok --
Akabu, thanks for the info on making the "non-snagging" lanyard loop. Sounds like it's time for a rubber washer procurement trip to the Borg (home depot
) with some 550 paracord in my pocket.
-- RokJok --
(This loop construction method) prevents branches from grabbing hold of a permanently closed loop hanging off the end of your knife handle. A snagged closed loop can snatch your the knife out of the sheath, inevitably at the worst moment as you wiggle your way through tangled brush.
Below is a composite picture of my construction of the Akabu Loop.
1. The components -- an Okuden Sharp Thing II knife, length of 550 paracord, and a 3/16" inside diameter neoprene washer.
2. Rather than using the Lark's Head Hitch (aka Cow Hitch) shown in the machete pictured above to "fix" the lanyard to the handle, I simply took an extra turn through the lanyard hole at the end of the tang.
3. Rubber washer slid over the two ends of the paracord.
4. Overhand knots tied in the ends of the paracord to keep the rubber washer from sliding off in use.
5. "In use" configuration with the rubber washer slid to the ends of the paracord forming a loop for wrapping around your hand.
6. "In use" configuration with the rubber washer slid against the tang of the knife for sheath carry to avoid snagging on branches.
And here's a picture with its kydex pants on, ready for the trail.
-- AKABU --
Just one foot note the “Cow hitch” was done for a reason. If you wish to remove the Lanyard it would be easier to do so, especially with numb hands. Also, from my years in Asia, the Red Color distract’/attract’s the eye, which is a good Thing.
-- RokJok --
Definitely a valid point about the easier undoing of a Cow Hitch vs the itty bitty extra turn I made, which would be a major pain to undo with gloves on.
-- AKABU --
I wish to add that with this loop you can pull on one "leg" and tighten it up so it's more secure in your hand.
-- RokJok --
I noticed that the beveled lanyard loop tightening washer in the Jerry Hossom machete mods pics was a lot thicker than the neoprene washers I got. Washer envy set in and I felt so inadequate with my skinny little neoprene washers on the Akabu Loops I had made. 
So I stopped at the local hardware store and found faucet repair washers that look like the ones in the machete pics. I got a few "bibb bevel washer, size 00 (double zero)" because the hole in size 00 looked about right for putting the squeeze on two thicknesses of 550 paracord. The price was in the 25-30 cents each range. I took them home and added Akabu Loops to some more knives.
The thicker faucet washers work MUCH, MUCH BETTER than the skinny flat washers shown in my earlier pics. The bibb washers slide harder than the skinny flat washers by having more surface area bearing against the paracord. Consequently they are more secure (less inclined to slide around on their own) than the flat washers and IMHO will offer a much longer service life than the thinner washers.
Bottom Line: get bibb bevel faucet washers in size 00 for making paracord Akabu Loops on your knives. :thumbup:
-- AKABU --
You can thread a doubled up loop of thin cord and put it through the washer. Then thread the larger cord [soap it up] and pull it through.
-- AKABU --
If you make the Lanyard long enough to hook on your thumb, over the back of your hand and into your palm, you’ll be able to let it hang and work with both hands. Yet you can snap the handle of the blade right back (into your palm).
-- RokJok --
The thumb hanging method you describe sounds like the lanyard system pictured below, attributed to Col. Applegate as best I remember.
============ End of tutorial ============
Many thanks to Akabu for turning me onto this way of making lanyard loops that won't get caught by branches as I thrash my way through the brush tangles so typical among the forests here in the soggy NW part of the USA.
).============ Start of tutorial ============
-- AKABU --
Other thing to do is add a wrist lanyard, 550 cord or other hard braided nylon cord that won’t rot from water exposure. Double it up and insert fold through thong hole. Insert the free ends through the loop and tighten it up. Now slide the free end’s though some small item with a hole in the center. [I use a rubber sink washer.] Knot the free end’s separately.
This will cut down the chance’s of a loop snagging on brush and pulling the knife out. But all you have to do for a wrist loop is slide the button up.
The picture below shows the loop described above.
-- RokJok --
Akabu, thanks for the info on making the "non-snagging" lanyard loop. Sounds like it's time for a rubber washer procurement trip to the Borg (home depot
) with some 550 paracord in my pocket. -- RokJok --
(This loop construction method) prevents branches from grabbing hold of a permanently closed loop hanging off the end of your knife handle. A snagged closed loop can snatch your the knife out of the sheath, inevitably at the worst moment as you wiggle your way through tangled brush.
Below is a composite picture of my construction of the Akabu Loop.
1. The components -- an Okuden Sharp Thing II knife, length of 550 paracord, and a 3/16" inside diameter neoprene washer.
2. Rather than using the Lark's Head Hitch (aka Cow Hitch) shown in the machete pictured above to "fix" the lanyard to the handle, I simply took an extra turn through the lanyard hole at the end of the tang.
3. Rubber washer slid over the two ends of the paracord.
4. Overhand knots tied in the ends of the paracord to keep the rubber washer from sliding off in use.
5. "In use" configuration with the rubber washer slid to the ends of the paracord forming a loop for wrapping around your hand.
6. "In use" configuration with the rubber washer slid against the tang of the knife for sheath carry to avoid snagging on branches.
And here's a picture with its kydex pants on, ready for the trail.
-- AKABU --
Just one foot note the “Cow hitch” was done for a reason. If you wish to remove the Lanyard it would be easier to do so, especially with numb hands. Also, from my years in Asia, the Red Color distract’/attract’s the eye, which is a good Thing.
-- RokJok --
Definitely a valid point about the easier undoing of a Cow Hitch vs the itty bitty extra turn I made, which would be a major pain to undo with gloves on.
-- AKABU --
I wish to add that with this loop you can pull on one "leg" and tighten it up so it's more secure in your hand.
-- RokJok --
I noticed that the beveled lanyard loop tightening washer in the Jerry Hossom machete mods pics was a lot thicker than the neoprene washers I got. Washer envy set in and I felt so inadequate with my skinny little neoprene washers on the Akabu Loops I had made.
So I stopped at the local hardware store and found faucet repair washers that look like the ones in the machete pics. I got a few "bibb bevel washer, size 00 (double zero)" because the hole in size 00 looked about right for putting the squeeze on two thicknesses of 550 paracord. The price was in the 25-30 cents each range. I took them home and added Akabu Loops to some more knives.
The thicker faucet washers work MUCH, MUCH BETTER than the skinny flat washers shown in my earlier pics. The bibb washers slide harder than the skinny flat washers by having more surface area bearing against the paracord. Consequently they are more secure (less inclined to slide around on their own) than the flat washers and IMHO will offer a much longer service life than the thinner washers.
Bottom Line: get bibb bevel faucet washers in size 00 for making paracord Akabu Loops on your knives. :thumbup:
-- AKABU --
You can thread a doubled up loop of thin cord and put it through the washer. Then thread the larger cord [soap it up] and pull it through.
-- AKABU --
If you make the Lanyard long enough to hook on your thumb, over the back of your hand and into your palm, you’ll be able to let it hang and work with both hands. Yet you can snap the handle of the blade right back (into your palm).
-- RokJok --
The thumb hanging method you describe sounds like the lanyard system pictured below, attributed to Col. Applegate as best I remember.
============ End of tutorial ============
Many thanks to Akabu for turning me onto this way of making lanyard loops that won't get caught by branches as I thrash my way through the brush tangles so typical among the forests here in the soggy NW part of the USA.
but they did not fit my need's for ease of use.