Sword Carry

C

Chuddy Bear

Joined
Feb 13, 2005
Messages
973
I would like to open a discussion up on different types of sword carry. I often get asked what is the most comfortable way to carry. I never know how to answer as it seems like it would all depend on what you are going to be doing.

I managed to talk my wife into taking some pics of me wearing my Waki, gladius and KZ. This is a rig I have have been making for over a year now and it combines two leather straps, a Baldric type adapter and a wider shoulder protector. The straps have holes punched the entire length and can be tied together or to just about anything you desire.

For the type of hiking I do (Mostly walks in the woods with my dog) I prefer the weak side baldric carry or crossdraw from the weak side with my belt through the upper X on the back side. I find I almost never just strap it on strong side through the loop.

Please share any thoughts or experiences.

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Beautiful work:thumbup::cool:
 
I always just tied one to my backpack, easiest for me. Nice work mang,,, :thumbup: :thumbup:
 
Chuck, The tilted across chest with Baldric would be the most comfortable/accessible carry or the slightly tilted side carry, IMHO
 
Owning one of those Waki sheaths myself I can say it is an outstanding rig. When I am camping and carry it on walks thru the woods I usually carry mine like the 3rd pic down.
 
I had an idea I was going to email you about regarding a gladius (sword) sheath. I find that the drop loops really put it too low, and especially more so with a dangler.

I wanted to see if it were possible to add a metal ring to the back at the top of the sheath, stitched flat onto the sheath using a single vertical strip of leather, so that it is stitched in 3 places, at the top, in the middle of the ring, and at the bottom of the ring. This would essentially create a metal loop which you could thread your belt through, but would allow for a small margin of rotation while wearing. It could also be used for a baldric by threading the baldric through either side of the open ring.

I hope I explained it well enough. Maybe a medium-brown gladius sheath for a reduced rate for the new idea? ;)
 
one like that would work well with my 22 inch hand forged, Damascus steel Viking Langsax.
Langsax.jpg
 
Lapp_Dance said:
I had an idea I was going to email you about regarding a gladius (sword) sheath. I find that the drop loops really put it too low, and especially more so with a dangler.

I wanted to see if it were possible to add a metal ring to the back at the top of the sheath, stitched flat onto the sheath using a single vertical strip of leather, so that it is stitched in 3 places, at the top, in the middle of the ring, and at the bottom of the ring. This would essentially create a metal loop which you could thread your belt through, but would allow for a small margin of rotation while wearing. It could also be used for a baldric by threading the baldric through either side of the open ring.

I hope I explained it well enough. Maybe a medium-brown gladius sheath for a reduced rate for the new idea? ;)
Click to expand...

Unless I am missing something, the upper X does the same thing. The belt can go through it for string side or weak side carry.
 
Chuddy Bear said:
Unless I am missing something, the upper X does the same thing. The belt can go through it for string side or weak side carry.
Click to expand...

But it does not allow for that minor rotation, and requires additional pieces for baldric use, aside from the baldric itself. Like I said, it was just an idea, and may not physically work.

Please excuse the crude paint:
kdsrgx.jpg
 
Lapp_Dance said:
But it does not allow for that minor rotation, and requires additional pieces for baldric use, aside from the baldric itself. Like I said, it was just an idea, and may not physically work.

Please excuse the crude paint:
kdsrgx.jpg
Click to expand...

I understand what you mean. I would have to play around with the ring size to see what would work.

The x back does allow for minor rotation, but the ring would allow for much more.
 
stricknine said:
Chuck, The tilted across chest with Baldric would be the most comfortable/accessible carry or the slightly tilted side carry, IMHO
Click to expand...

I seem to favor the types of carry that let me take the whole rig off really fast. I dont like having the sheath on while swinging the blade, it always seems to get in the way.
 
You have obviously given a lot of thought to the permutations available on that Waki rig .... I have gone through similar thoughts over how best to carry my Khukri's ..... or webbing knives.

Swords are just not a doable option for us over here in the UK .... practising Aido is perhaps the only legal way to carry something like a sword in public or collectors moving them to dealers or exhibitions .... but when doing so I use one of my padded rifle hard plastic cases and pad locks .... open carry to and from anywhere to use the sword whilst perhaps legal in theory .... would lead to an arrest in reality.

My Khukri's though are legal if being used for fire wood preperation or general camp chores .... because of the likely use of a rucksack in situations like that I tend to pack them in one .... it is comfortable and "sheeple" friendly.

If out without a rucksack .... which I find hard to imagine because even waterproofs etc tend to mean I prefer carrying one I have thought a "Y" shaped shoulder rig similar to a Lawman holster I had would be good for a khukri. Personally though for the none carry shoulder I would prefer a twin harness style rather than just straps which attach to a waist belt. This way you can carry the Khukri whilst not wearing a waist belt .... useful if hiking and wearing it over clothing where a belt is not worn.

This being said though I have tried chopping with a shoulder holster on .... it is OK for minor stuff .... but if building a hide or any other sizeable project I prefer to take them off .... so again I tend to revert to the rucksack method of carry. Especially if I have to carry one for other "kit".

There is one thing though which I would like to point out with your beautiful sheath for the Waki and the rear harness draw .... yes you can draw the sword like that but re-sheathing it is very difficult .... even with muscle memory you tend to gouge the leather around the entrance to the sheath .... it is the same when using a slanted rear draw on my webbing belt for either a khukri or a knife ... and that is a lot easier than the sword re-sheath ... but they both suffer from the liklihood of the sharp point catching and messing up gear. Personally I find for this type of carry position kydex works better than leather in terms of not being damaged with gouging marks when re-sheathing "by touch".

Ideally to overcome this problem what I am thinking of now for a sheath for my Nuclear TTKZ .... is a detachable "liner" ideally in leather which could be removed and replaced easily by "feel" and put over the blade to then re-sheath it safely by feel to a hard Kydex "mother sheath" which would remain fixed and in place. The idea being to enable a quick draw without removing the "liner" but then being able to detach the liner for re-sheathing "by feel" when carrying it behind your back. It just saves on little cuts and nicks on jackets and webbing when you get it wrong.

Rear carry though is a big boon for me when needing to be prone for shooting or crawling ... for others it might not be such an ideal carry.
 
Great Job! I have always contemplated the same question as to how to best carry my waki. Currently I use a cross the shoulder type strap as well. I have to admit that pics #4 & 5 look the coolest, but it would never work for me. I'd probably stab myself in the neck while re-sheathing it! =]
 
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