Upsidedown Carry: Is it Practical?

Dog of War, paranoia starts when you reach for your knife and it isn't there! Soldiers don't carry knives for fun. They don't carry any extraneous stuff! They are tools and get used, albeit mostly for utilitarian tasks, but if you don't have that tool, you have to depend on someone else to carry your share of the load.

You can't jump with an inverted sheath -- jumping only accentuates the inherent shortcoming. If it isn't safe to jump with, it isn't safe to run, dive, roll, or any other agressive action. No matter what anyone thinks, someday that knife is coming out of that sheath when you don't want it to. Not that the sheath is wanting but that some act, body position, or snag will dislodge it.

If you spend all your time worrying about not losing your equipment, you aren't keeping your mind on the job.
 
Hey DOW...

Sorry,, I didn't mean to sound snarly...

I generally disagree with the use of magnets in synthetic sheaths altogether. The Only way I would advocate the use of magnets in a sheath is if the knife was Really slim and there is nothing for the sheath to hold onto, and then only on a sheath that is to be carried upright.There is always a way to get the sheath to grab and hold the knife...

I absolutely feel that the use of magnets in synthetic sheaths is an unsafe practice, when you rely on the magnet to do what the sheath should be doing in the first place.. Especially on a knife that is to be carried upside down.

If a magnet is being used for a good percentage of the holding power of the knife, the sheath isn't designed properly, or the knife design should be made in such a way that there is something to grab onto.

Not to mention the other problems mainly magnetizing the blade, which causes problems in itself.

I haven't found a knife yet that I haven't been able to sheath that would require magnets hold the knife securely inverted (within reason).

I see absolutely No good reason a magnet should be used in an synthetic sheath, What So Ever..

However,, if the use of a magnet makes one feel more comfortable, then by all means, magnetize away...

I apologize if I'm nit picking as well..I just have a serious problem with the use of magnets for this type of work.

ttyle

Eric
O/ST
 
Hey Bruce...

I absolutely agree that Anything can happen..
You have to know your gear is working 100% of the time...

ttyle

Eric
O/ST
 
Sorry. Dog of War, will you tell us what you carry and how you mount it inverted? I'm still teachable and maybe you have a great idea we haven't thought of.
 
bruce said:
... paranoia starts when you reach for your knife and it isn't there! ... No matter what anyone thinks, someday that knife is coming out of that sheath when you don't want it to. Not that the sheath is wanting but that some act, body position, or snag will dislodge it...
.
Click to expand...


I agree with this statement and it applies to ANY sheath, inverted or not... I've had my Father's old Pilot Survival come out of it's old leather sheath jogging on the Appalachian trail - caught a branch in the side and heard a metallic kling... And saw my blade on the ground.

So, it doesn't matter what sheath, if Murphy shows up, you'll lose your blade at the most inopportune time regardless of method of carry.

Yes, under combat situations, I have no experience and can see all the reservations as expressed as valid. That being said, I've carried a CRK pilot survival inverted in a sheath by Tim Wegener for going on 15 years without it ever coming loose through the rocky trails of the Pac Northwest, and will continue to. I've also carried a CRK 9" tanto blade, inverted strapped to my pack, again made by Tim, for equally as long and it, too, has never come out without my intention... Not combat experinces, to be sure, but I will still stake my life on either one being there when I need it... Just my .02...
 
Yes inverted carry works. Yes you can jump with it. I have never had a knife snag, unbutton, fall out, ect. while carrying it inversely. I have carried a bm 140 and Kabar 1212 inversely for over five years.

It must be possible to drop or lose a knife carried inversely because it is possible to lose one carried any other way.
 
Hey Guys...

dta...

Excellent point...
One that I didn't think of...

Come to think of it,, I've lost more knives carried on a belt than I have carried inverted..
Come to think about it,, I've never lost a knife carried inverted... :)

ttyle

Eric...
O/ST
 
Eric (Normark) - thanks, and my apologies as well if I came across like I was spoiling for a fight .... or being too dog(of war)matic <groan!>

I honestly do agree with you, and I know from your rep here on BFC you know your craft. I don't like magnets anywhere near my knives because I don't like blades getting magnetized. But I've also known a couple of hardened old legionnaires who believed in them, so....

Take care, man, hope we're cool now. DoW
 
Hey DOW...

Not a problem at all dude... We're always cool.. :)

I had a client send me a Nealy with RE magnets in it,,and was complaining the knife was getting scratched....

After building him another sheath I asked if I could take the original sheath apart....

Inside,stuck to the magnet was a paper staple..Which was doing the scratching.
Seems he worked in an office and had picked up a staple somewhere and transferred the staple from the knife( which was magnetized) to the inside of the sheath.

You'd be surprised how much stuff a magnet picks up...

Anyhoo...
Under certain circumstance they could be used,, but should be relyed upon to do what the sheath should be doing...

Thanks dude...

Eric...
O/ST
 
In my experience it *can* be, however if the knife is a really heavy one, say a tops tracker for example its NOT a good idea, the kydex sheath wears out over time especially on heavy knives held up side down, and will eventually not have enough retention to keep the blade in the sheath if you get jostled around a good bit.

Id reccomend a ballistic nylon sheath with button retention for that type of carry for your safety :)
 
Hey Guys...

darkestthicket said:
Id reccomend a ballistic nylon sheath with button retention for that type of carry for your safety :)
Click to expand...

I agree a heavier knife would be much harder to do this with...
a lighter knife is no problem at all..

Personally I'd duck tape my handle down before I'd ever use Any type of nylon sheath inverted...

ttyle

Eric...
O/ST
 
I just ordered 2 sheaths from Eric for my Nimravus, one for a belt and one for my MOLLE vest...which I will wear inverted. Eric knows what he's doing, and I'll stake my life on his sheath. :) Thanks Eric, I cant wait until they get here!!
 
I have never lost one carried iverted. Before I wear it on the mercharness I take it out in the yard and swing it around a bit and shake it
 
destroythealter said:
Yes you can jump with it. I have never had a knife snag, unbutton, fall out, ect. while carrying it inversely. I have carried a bm 140 and Kabar 1212 inversely for over five years.
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Not everyone is so lucky. A buddy of mine in college was ROTC, went into the 82nd Airborne just in time to go save Grenada from the commies. He'd been carrying a Kabar inverted on his pack strap, in a tight leather sheath with both a pommel strap and guard strap, just to be safe. He didn't need the knife when TSHTF, thankfully, because at some point during the festivities the malicious tropical foliage had popped both snaps, and his Kabar was gone. He never carried inverted after that. Can't say as I blame him.

destroythealter said:
It must be possible to drop or lose a knife carried inversely because it is possible to lose one carried any other way.
Click to expand...
Very, very true. Hasn't been a piece of equipment yet developed that a soldier can't lose or break! :D
 
I only carry my Kabar with the Kydex sheath or Spec ops sheath. A while ago I almost lost my first kabar with a leather sheath but thankfully I had the chance to retrace my steps. I like leather sheaths but they don't seem to do well when carried upside down. As for Kabar's kydex sheath it's great for upside down carry however, on one out of the two kydex sheaths I bought the point at which the snap pivots on the sheath get can quite lose (and probably would have fallen off) so when I saw this I stitched it in and have never had a single problem with either. I have not modified the Spec ops sheath in anyway and have never encountered any problems. So I think it's safe to say that any quality kydex sheath can be carried vertically with no problems.(the Kabar ones were pretty good but were very basic)
 
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