To lanyard or not to lanyard... that is the question

[Captain O]

On either a TL-29 or Aircrew (Colonial M-724) knife. If you are carrying a knife where you can drop it, a lanyard can prove useful. If you're on a ship, having it attached to your belt is definitely to your advantage.

 

[harronek]

Braided leather and a custom bead set the knife off nicely, bead is half mammoth ivory

G2

Nice pic and nice Lanyard Gary .
I don't know if you remember but I got a Green SAK off you a few years ago now and it came with with a similar Lanyard .
That knife got stolen during a break in at our place and its one of the few things in this world I miss and regret losing .
You also sent a couple of Paracord Lanyards when you first started playing with the Diamond knot and even though this pic is old they still both reside in this combo ( they are a bit more dirty and used now )



I dont carry knives that really require Lanyards much now , but the few I do ( apart from Gary's ) wear simple leather Lanyards with Leather beads .



Ken

 

[Will Power]

Horsewright Would you mind showing a couple of those knives? The curved handles look really good, practical.

As for bails...well I prefer not :barf: So lanyards have yet to feature on my radar. But, it gives the owner of the knife a great opp to personalise their knife and to use a lot of creativity-always good!

Thanks, Will

 

[screened porch]

It was the lanyard that sold me on this knife, though its being exactly like the knife I was surprised my big sister wanted back, and being half price were inducements.
I think I may have failed miserably to make a lanyard just like this in my Cub Scout days.

 

[Buzzbait]

Alright, alright. Let's get our terms straight. What we seem to be talking about here is a fob, not a lanyard. I personally love using fobs a method of personalization. I usually add leather fobs to knives with natural covers, and paracord to synthetics.

Now this is a lanyard. It tethers the knife to your body, to keep you from losing the knife. A lanyard is usually long enough to allow the knife to be used without having to detach it from the lanyard. I love lanyards even more than I love fobs.

With all that said, I don't put fobs on my Beer Scouts. I personally think that Beer Scouts don't look good with a standard sized piece of leather or paracord, due to the knife's small physical size. The knife is aesthetically overpowered by the fob, which is a shame. To do it properly, you'd need some smaller than average cord.

 

[w.t. anderson]

Fob, Lanyard, That leather/paracord thingy with a bead, whatever . . . I like 'em for several reasons:
1. it helps me pull a knife out of a tight front pocket leather pocket slip , or in the case of a monkey fist lanyard tucked under my belt, quick access to the knife in my back pocket. It also suspends the knife in any pocket so it feels weightless and keeps it from getting lost or mixed in with the loose change and junk in the bottom of a pants pocket.
2. by looping it around my little finger, I can quickly release the knife out of my hand to grab something or climb without putting down or even losing the knife (especially around water or deep brush or leaves), all it takes is a quick flip of the wrist and the knife is back in my hand again.
3. it's a way of individualizing and identifying your knife, either creatively or just for the sake of practicality. And it looks classy and cool.

By the way, it's refreshing to see all the different lanyard choices pictured here without a bunch of dumb skulls. JMO.

 

[AShearer]

Anybody know a good resource for learning to tie some of those fancy knots in leather or paracord? I've been working with some paranoid for securing stuff on my boat and using standard nautical knots, but these are not standard.

 

[major_works]

Anybody know a good resource for learning to tie some of those fancy knots in leather or paracord? I've been working with some paranoid for securing stuff on my boat and using standard nautical knots, but these are not standard.

Just Google "paracord knots" or "lanyard knots" and you'll get a ton of tutorials. There's also lots of YouTube videos demonstrating how to tie them.

Also, Chris Reeves' Knives has instructions on their site for a hangman's noose lanyard. It's pretty easy. Just be patient and prepared to practice a little.

 

[AShearer]

Just Google "paracord knots" or "lanyard knots" and you'll get a ton of tutorials. There's also lots of YouTube videos demonstrating how to tie them.

Also, Chris Reeves' Knives has instructions on their site for a hangman's noose lanyard. It's pretty easy. Just be patient and prepared to practice a little.

Of course I did that "after" asking here Thanks.

 

[Woodrow F Call]

I like em..... Plus you got a little string if needed. I use paracord or leather with wood or antler beads.

 

[major_works]

^^^ One nice thing about the hangman's noose type of fob as you've done, Woodrow, is that you can fold them back on the knife and get a little more effective handle girth (with the added benefit of some cushioning if necessary). I've got a couple like that on some modern one-handers.

 

[Woodrow F Call]

Yup..... More importantly, I find, it gets the lanyard out of the way.

 

[neal70]

Agreed on that Reeves knot, or hangmans noose. Having a fob on my fixed blades aids in a rapid deployment, if required, does give you a little extra length or width, and a bit of string or cord, if you should need it. Knives with bails or rings get some string or cord with some type of pocket hanger. Keeps them more accessible and not inthe bottom of my pocket. Full sized lanyards aren't as necessary here in the Great American Desert, unless you ride a lot. Horses, bikes, or motorcycles. They can be real handy, the long version, for keeping your knife handy, but not in hand if you are on a ladder. That I've done with knives, hammers, etc. to save myself going down a two or three story ladder or scaffold. Co-workers appreciate not having a hammer dropped on them, or knife heaven forbid, from that height as well. YMMV
Thanks, Neal

 

[onojoe]

Wow guys, I will definitely give a lanyard or fob a try. Some great pictures for motivation!

 

[neal70]

Oh yeah, I didn't mention how nice the knives and the lanyards/fobs look! Some of you folks sell your work, or should, because the level of quality is amazing .
Thanks, Neal

 

[Searchingforaschrade]

I definitely like fobs/lanyards on smaller knives. Especially if I am fishing, or working on a ladder or something where dropping a knife would be bad.

 

[Horsewright]

Here ya go:

Sonoran Belt Knife with elk.

A Gordo with camel bone.

Buckaroo with ironwood.

Coyote with green jigged bone.

 

[marsturm]

I carry my knives in a pocket slip; the lanyard makes it easy to extract the knife from the slip.

 

[Gary W. Graley]

Always nice to see Dave!

And Joe, your PM box was full when I tried to reply to you, here's a link to a tutorial I did a while back for braiding leather lanyards like that one

check this thread here for the details

G2

 

[Vinifera]

Alright, alright. Let's get our terms straight. What we seem to be talking about here is a fob, not a lanyard. I personally love using fobs a method of personalization. I usually add leather fobs to knives with natural covers, and paracord to synthetics.

Based on the last thread about the same subject I have been awaiting the inevitable lanyard vs. fob post. It took longer than I expected.