Reality Check: Add fob to folder → you just made it into pocket jewelry

[J85909266]

I don't like fobs. I think they look silly and serve no purpose. It's like a spoiler on a Civic. It ain't doing anything back there, but the owner thinks it makes the car look like it's faster. Listen here, Randy, you are never going to untie that piece of cord and make a spear with it for survival. You aren't fooling anyone.

 

[Triple_D]

I made a FOB for a knife once, but they really aren't my thing. Mostly they just get in the way. I do like lanyards, depending on the situation. When I was in the Navy, every piece of survival gear was attached to our survival vests, with a lanyard. Seemed like a good idea to have everything securely attached, because when bobbing around out in the ocean, at night, maybe a hundred miles (or more) from land or a boat, it would be easy to drop something.

 

[Armithius]

I don't use fobs or lanyards, but I don't disparage anyone who does. Do what you want with your knives, you paid for 'em.

As for whether or not using them turns your knife into pocket jewelry, I don't really care, so I voted meh. I've got enough other stuff to worry about.

 

[91bravo]

I used to have fobs on my knives, because I liked the way they looked. They were always snagging up on things at work and pulling my knife out at times. Now, I just carry fobless and no more snags. As with everything else, it’s all just personal choice. To fob or not to fob.

 

[ac3boyz]

I put a fob and basic bead on most of my knives. Is it pocket jewelry? Probably, but I think the same can be said for carrying a knife with nice looking scales, fancy inlays, anodized hardware, swapping out scales for fancier ones, and for most of us, "supper steels". I see no reason that a "tool" such as a knife cannot be attractive. I probably use a knife a half dozen times a day at most, and none of it would be considered hard use. A basic, much less expensive knife would definitely do the job but I wouldn't enjoy it as much. Hell, if it wasn't for my appreciation of nice looking knives, I surely wouldn't spend as much time on this forum as I do.

The main reason I add a fob is because it helps me pull it out of my pocket, and I've never found them to get in the way. Around here, nobody thinks twice about seeing someone carrying a knife so being discrete is a moot point.

 

[norcalAF]

When gutting fish at sea holding the fish over deep water i use this:

And that makes total sense.

 

[Ajack60]

If the knife comes with one, It stays on. If the knife doesn’t come with one, I won’t put one on it.

 

[badmatt]

No clip... must live in a slip.. lil dangly bit for easy removal.

Not jewellery... fight moi!

 

[scdub]

I voted no.

I don’t use them for looks, but three of my knives have simple cord fobs because they happen to be faster out of the pocket that way. Most of my folders are just as fast without a fob, so they don’t have them.

 

[Knives&Lint]

Don't hate me because I'm beautiful

If I'm being completely honest; I absolutely started putting these on for looks, as a way to add the funky colors I dig to my knives, and also just another way to tinker with the knives I customize. However in practice I found them to be superbly functional. They really do help (me at least) draw a knife easier and more quickly from my pocket. I now put them on all my knives.

Furthermore, the term "pocket jewelry" is not even in my vocabulary, and I've never felt the need to explain anything to my straight male colleagues. If I did, I would simply point out that it is more "funny" (so to speak) for them to worry about what the next man has flopping around than for me to have some paracord and a bead on my knife

I voted "Meh"

 

[scdub]

2) If needed fast, you won't be able to use the Emerson Opener if you pull it out by the fob.

FYI - in my experience a fob doesn’t interfere with wave opening - actually enhances it with my knives…

 

[WedgeAntilles]

.

 

[DocJD]

you won't be able to use the Emerson Opener if you pull it out by the fob.

My substantial experience with wave opening would indicate the exact opposite !

If your way of using the fob fouls the wave , you're doing something wrong ...consistently wrong .

Wait...you have to get hold of the knife handle also , not just the fob !

 

[AntDog]

No, adding a fob to your knife does not make it pocket jewelry.



Not using it does.

 

[knarfeng]

My use of lanyards is limited to SAKs and slip joints.
For my Alox knives, it makes it easier to tell them apart when I'm looking to grab one in the morning. For all my slip joints, it also makes it easier to grab out of the bottom of my cargo pockets. And for the Lionsteel, it helps me withdraw it from the pocket sheath. Helps me orient the knife in my hands, too. I find them quite useful.

 

[DangerZone98]

↑ That's my feeling on it anyway.

Once the knife's in your hand for some work, it does nothing but flop around. They're not long enough to be lanyards.

I see a lot of guys with fancy fobs on their single-bladed, locking folders with clips. Some of you put a fob on it, as if you can't get ahold of it to pull it off your pocket or waistband. Are these knives that hard to grab ahold of or do you just like the pocket jewelry?

I can't see walking around with that thing with a fob and bead flopping around. To have to explain that to a straight male colleague? I'd never live it down.

...or do you guys hide that in the pocket, only removing it for a fancy pic?

...or are there a lot more women here than I previously thought?

I have a couple small SAKs that I kept losing; 58 mm Victorinoxes. I put a small fob with a lanyard knot on them, just to keep them from slipping out of the pocket so easily. I lost too many of them! Even then, when I had to use a tool on that side of the knife, the damn fob was in the way. We used to have a member who suggested putting a hanky in the pocket on top of the small SAK. It's useful in its own right, and also keep the little SAK from falling out.

I tried it on a larger SAK, to make it easier to pull out of a belt pouch. Same thing; the fob was in the way for half the tools.

What are you thoughts on it? (keep it civil)

Helps with small fixed blades too. The fob adds a lil bit of leverage to pop my CS Mini Leatherneck free from the sheath. It’s also for a bit of fun, yeah.

It’s possible to keep the fob short enough so that it won’t catch on anything while you’re out and about. HOWEVER, I would strongly advise avoiding any sort of paracord when around machinery of any kind.

 

[Gary W. Graley]

This is what I would say is a lanyard, and when I tied this one up, I used a small keeper bead that you can slide up to your wrist to prevent it from slipping off.

bead_cincher by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

paracord_cincher by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

I think that would be useful when working out on the water for sure. But I ended up cutting it off and going for a shorter fob type.

And on folders that are in belt sheaths, it helps to draw the knife out

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

or to draw it from a snug soft slip sheath

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

G2

 

[BTTLBRN]

I really don't try to care much how others want to carry or enjoy their knives. I do sense that most lanyards/fobs exist as decorative features - and that doesn't really appeal to me. For a knife carried in a slip it seems to make sense, or carried in a pouch or a pack.

That said I kept the lanyard on my small Sebenza 21 only because as another member posted it gives me more purchase on the knife - without it, it's more or less a three finger knife for me.

Other than that, working around water or serious brush clearing I see the absolute utility for some sort of tether.

 

[Smaug]

My use of lanyards is limited to SAKs and slip joints.
For my Alox knives, it makes it easier to tell them apart when I'm looking to grab one in the morning. For all my slip joints, it also makes it easier to grab out of the bottom of my cargo pockets. And for the Lionsteel, it helps me withdraw it from the pocket sheath. Helps me orient the knife in my hands, too. I find them quite useful.

On the SAKs, how is the fob NOT in the way when using the large screwdriver, which opens right next to the fob?

 

[Smaug]

It's a pretty close vote, so far, closer than I thought it would be, for sure.