Switching belt sides when carrying a pistol?

D

Danketch

Joined
Apr 27, 2007
Messages
583
Hey All,

I am mostly I right hander, I shoot, throw, right handed, but I write, and do fine detail stuff with my left hand. (sort of a half-assed ambidextrous). I usually carry a knife on my right side, no matter if its fixed or a pocket knife. However, I mainly mess with fixed blades now. When I carry a handgun, it has to be on my right side. However, if this is the case, my knife has no place.

I haven't done this yet, but it makes sense for me I think to flip the script and switch a few sheaths to the other side, and see how I like it, that way I can still have my belt knife in an accessible position, while keeping my pistol side free of encumbrances.

Anybody else in the same psuedo-lefty position I'm in, and what do you do?

Thanks,

DK
 
DK--somewhat similar--write and shoot left handed----baseball-golf etc right handed-------right handed-left eye dominant.
I carry my mod 19 on the left side in a cross draw holster-use my right hand to pull it. works for me.
 
I either carry my fixed blade cross draw, like azmike, or carry it scout style on the back of my belt horizontal.
 
I carry my knife clipped in my rt front pocket; my Glock @ 4:30 position behind rt hip. Perhaps not as tactically-smart, but I don't consider my knife to be a defensive weapon. I realize it could be...
Sonnydaze
 
Yeah, this is more a utility/ease of use question, as I will almost never "need" to draw my pistol, but will almost certainly need/want to use my knife. I think the left handed sheath will work pretty good for me. I should have added- my fixed blades are all in the 4-5" range.
 
I carry everything in front of the hips for speed, easy access with either hand and awkward positions, etc. Less belly you got the better it works. Appendix carry has been catching on more and more but it's an old warrior thing in mutiple cultures. Definitely keep junk away from your spine regardless what you feel works for you.

Should be able to draw from concealment and take an aimed shot under 1.5 seconds from standing, sitting, on back, etc. the further from your centerline a pistol or knife is the more compromised your access to it. Fastest you can get into a fight is most important aspect really unless you got advanced warning.
 
I carry my pistol 99% of the time, so if I carry a fixed blade it's usually on the off (left) side. On the rare occasions I can't carry my handgun but can carry a knife, it's strong (right) side.
 
Just start carrying left side and you'll get used to it in no time. I used to carry a pistol on the right and a double mag pouch on the left as a mechanic and eventually didn't even notice it
 
I carry a pistol in my right front pocket all day, every day. I'm never without it, unless I have to go through a metal detector. Years ago I switched my EDC folder from my right pocket to my left, because I don't want anything in the same pocket with the pistol. After a while, carrying the knife on the left side becomes perfectly normal, just like getting used to your wallet on one side or the other. I'm a completely righty, so I still use the knife with my right hand.
 
I carry AIWB, and then have a small fixed blade in a horizontal sheath cross draw. So I don't change when I carry a pistol.
 
I carried a knife on my left for years. First a folder in a sheath, and then fixed ( backwards and often cross drawn). When I started carrying a gun it moved to my right belt at 3-4 o'clock or pocket. I will go back to the left side for fixed blades only when I front pocket carry a gun and it won't interfere with my draw. I have become so used to drawing a folder from my right front, it feels weird to do otherwise. Muscle memory at its best.
 
I'm a bit of a "half assed ambidextrous" myself. I write with my right hand, but box and wrestle like a lefty. I also use my computer mouse and do other similar stuff with my left hand.

When it comes to knife carry, I have one on each side. Sometimes I pick knives that complement each other. For instance if I have something purely SD oriented in my left pocket (like an Emerson Combat Karambit) I'll carry something more utilitarian in my right pocket. Or if one of my knives is thin and pointy, I'll carry something a bit stouter on the other side. Lately I've taken to buying two of each new knife (especially if it's a fully ambidextrous design) and carrying the same blade on my left and right sides (sometimes I'll get one plain edge and one serrated, etc.).

On the rare occasions that I can legaly carry one of my guns (I don't live in a free country), it goes on my right and although I'll still carry a knife on that side, I'll have a dedicated SD knife on my left side (something that suits my retention techniques). Oddly enough, I shoot handguns right handed but rifles left handed. My mother probably dropped on the kitchen floor when I was a baby or something like that.
 
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