Sheath Options - Security Provided.

Joined
Dec 29, 2007
Messages
1,402
I went outside the box thinking about sheath/carry/security options.

I was driving home, thinking about my RC-4 as I was driving, and the sheath and ways to use it and thought about everything that came with it and how it could be carried.

I thought about this idea after thinking about how the MOLLE attachment can make it jump proof.

I thought about the idea of running the paracord provided with the knife through the hole in the pommel and then running the cord through the holes in the sheath and securing it with the cord lock provided.

Initial photo:
RATCutlery016.jpg

(Never happy with feet in a photo):D

Led to:

SecurityProvided.jpg


Well, it works - great!

To pull the knife from the sheath, one just pulls the cord lock off and draws the knife in a normal fashion and the knife comes out with the paracord still in the pommel.

The whole combination can be lashed with additional paracord to gear or the hole below the tensioning screw/fitting can be opened up and the MOLLE clips can be secured, keeping the paracord on the sheath when the knife is drawn by tension on the cord in the hole.

I've tried it just by keeping pressure on the paracord in the sheath hole when the knife is drawn and it works.

The only thing you have to worry about is the cord lock after it comes off.

I'll take some additional pics when I get a chance showing a little more but at this point I couldn't get the knife to shake loose - a pretty scary thought when you're shaking a sheath holding blade of this quality and sharpness - but it didn't come loose.

For grins - What a knife:
RC-4001.jpg



Give me your feedback.
 
I like your idea for inverted carry since it would be an absolute way to know that your knife is not coming out of the sheath, although it's not going to be a fast system since you have to remove the cord lock first. Again, this is thinking outside the box and something we appreciate from anyone.
 
Great Idea....alittle slow to deploy but on the other hand no worries about the RC falling out either !
 
I definitely wasn't thinking speed on this one, it was more about the security.

Anyplace you need to carry where you would want more security without the need for rapid deployment is there. The sheath is already secure - it's just another layer in the package.

I think it was good that it could be found in everything that shipped with the knife and sheath.

There is always a balance between security and speed.

Just another option.
 
The reason we provide so many options on our sheaths is exactly as you state. Users will find innovative ways to do things, especially if you give them enough tools to work with out of the box. Being able to improvise for unique situations is a good thing. I like your idea.
 
When I saw the RC-4 kydex sheat the first time I though: "Wow! That is exactly what I want! I bet I can attach it inverted in my backpack shoulder strap!" Then I noticed that they can only be carried that way (securely I mean) if the "molle-back-thing-sheath" option was used, the velcro strap closed and the elastic band pulled over the butt of the knife handle.

I didn't quite like that setup. First, it is a little bit more expensive (duh...) and the elastic band and the velcro don't get on well with wet/cold conditions. Velcro doesn't grab when it is iced up (it is noisy as well when opened) and elastic bands crack in subzero conditions (Brian, help me out here!). It won't last long if used in winter.

Why didn't you guys use a snap for the strap? I know that velcro allows to make infinite adjustments but it doesn't last long. The rubber band doesn't allow for fast deployment either. If you try to draw the knife with the rubber band over the butt of the handle (jump-proof / inverted carry position)... chances are it gets caught or worse, you rip the stiches of the rubber band ruining it. The pointy pommel on the RC-3 doesn't help at all. Maybe with the RC-4 and the new RC-3 with modified pommel it works a little better though.

I don't like CMDR249 setup any better but it could be improved. When you thread both ends of the lanyard through the sheat holes and then both ends through the cord lock, you are forced to grab the cord lock if you don't want to lose it. You could pull hard enough and you will be able to draw it, but the cord lock will be gone. Instead you could just thread one end through BOTH holes of the sheat and then both through the cord lock making a half knot on the shorter end (the one that goes straight from the lanyard hole to the cord lock). with this setup, if you pull hard enough on the knife, you will draw it and the cord lock will stay attached to the lanyard threaded through the knife hole.

I don't have any pictures here but I use a similar setup with my diving knife. I will try to explain it:
"I made a lanyard with elastic bungee cord, instead of tying it I sew both ends together and atached a short piece of nylon strap to it (looks like a tab). I put the knife in the sheath and then I pull the elastic lanyard over the lower end of the sheat (the point end I mean). The layard doesn't come up any further because it stops against the lower rubber band that attaches the sheat to my calf. That way the tension of the elastic lanyard keeps the knife inside the sheath. When I want to take it out I just pull on the makeshift tab to free the lanyard from the bottom of the sheat (it is difficult to grab the lanyard with gloved hands, that is why I made the tab) and with the same fluid motion I draw the knife."

Mikel
 
Mikel,

If you slip the butt of the RC-4 under the elastic pommel cover it's as simple as pulling the knife handle forward to remove it from the cover. You only need to grab the knife handle to do it.

The reason we went with Velcro instead of snaps is snaps tend to get dirty and jam up. Even the best Mil-spec snaps do in muddy, grimy conditions. We do use a snap on the MOLLE strap but usually that's a limited use deal with most folks. Once it's snapped in place it's not moved that much. So, it's a toss up. In hard winter conditions Velcro freezes. In jungle and dirty conditions snaps are not reliable. The cool thing is the Velcro retainer is a secondary retention so even if it fails you still have two more retentions that could be used if needed (butt cover and friction fit in sheath). Then if all else fails, you can rig a retention with the paracord. There is no perfect system.

Jeff
 
you know sitting back reading post after post about the RC4 sheath ,you can tell a lot of R&D went into the sheath. all the thought process of how to do this or that and multitude of option the end user has to have it work for him/her no matter the region the RC4 is placed. Great job RC crew !
 
...If you slip the butt of the RC-4 under the elastic pommel cover it's as simple as pulling the knife handle forward to remove it from the cover. You only need to grab the knife handle to do it...

Thanks for pointing it out Jeff! I didn't know how much of the handle does the cover... cover (anyone has a picture of it that way?).

As you said it is all about compromise... snaps jam up... and velcro freezes. Anyway thinking it twice I guess you made the right choice because I see more RC-4s used in not sub-freezing temps than in the artic!

Mikel
 
Back
Top