Big blades: To lanyard or not to lanyard

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DangerZone98

Joined
Dec 7, 2019
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Today, I wanna talk about attaching lanyards on big blades like a kukri, BK9, Junglas, Busse, etc. For clarification, we’re talking about the kind of lanyard that wraps around your wrist, hand, or pinky finger, not the decorative blingy lanyard.

On one hand, I see folks saying that lanyards provide much welcome grip and added security, perhaps even reducing fatigue for long chopping sessions. On the other hand, others warn that if your hand does slip, the blade might swing like a pendulum right back at you, possibly nailing you in the thigh or gut. Is that something that tends to occur often?

For the big blade guys and gals out there, do you attach lanyards to your choppers?
 
If you poke your hand straight through the lanyard to grab the handle, when you're chopping and lose your grip it will swing like a pendulum, edge first right into your body.

But if you grip the knife, then bring the lanyard aroung the back of your hand and just loop it over your hand, when you let go it holds it against your hand long enough for you to regrip it.

-Tyson
 
Tyson A Wright said:
If you poke your hand straight through the lanyard to grab the handle, when you're chopping and lose your grip it will swing like a pendulum, edge first right into your body.

But if you grip the knife, then bring the lanyard aroung the back of your hand and just loop it over your hand, when you let go it holds it against your hand long enough for you to regrip it.

-Tyson
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Yeah, I’ve got the hand wrap method on my Camp 10. But when not in use, I just tie it around the pommel so it’s not flopping around.
 
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I don't use big knives all that much, so I don't really have an opinion on the topic. But in your earlier thread on small knives, JeremiahWeaver09 posted a YouTube on proper use of a lanyard on a large knife that made a lot of sense to me.
JeremiahWeaver09 said:
using the lanyard on fingers works well too
Click to expand...
 
As DangerZone98 pointed out, there are times a lanyard will get in the way, so why not have a handle that doesn't need one at all. When I go for hikes in the woods, I bring my 21 3/4" overall (15" blade) Barax machete with me, which I designed to have a roomy handle, pinky hook and lots of chamfering. Even when the G10 was smooth, it stayed in my hand just fine, but I have since ridged, and then checkered it, and the grip is even better. No need for a lanyard on this knife. The only cord on it is the belt loop on the sheath (right side edge forward carry, of course).

IMG_0174.JPG

IMG_0173.JPG

This is an R&D piece, so please don't mind the ugly checkering. I only did the second direction today, and haven't fully hit the new geometry with the sanding sponge yet, but I can attest to good comfort and ergos, even with hard chops. And the handle is roomy enough and chamfering ...pronounced? enough that the pinky hook/bird's beak doesn't beat up my pinky, and in fact my hand usually finds itself centered with the hump in my palm and "palm" swell in my fingers. To me, this is the ideal chopper handle (which I suppose is why I ended up designing it this way), but I would use a lanyard on knives with handles not so well suited to the tasks of hard chopping. And you can bet I would use it the way Tyson said. In fact I can open my knife hand and the knife just stays in place.


I recorded a quick clip advocating this very method last year. Sound is too low, I know.

 
David Mary said:
As DangerZone98 pointed out, there are times a lanyard will get in the way, so why not have a handle that doesn't need one at all. When I go for hikes in the woods, I bring my 21 3/4" overall (15" blade) Barax machete with me, which I designed to have a roomy handle, pinky hook and lots of chamfering. Even when the G10 was smooth, it stayed in my hand just fine, but I have since ridged, and then checkered it, and the grip is even better. No need for a lanyard on this knife. The only cord on it is the belt loop on the sheath (right side edge forward carry, of course).

View attachment 1533025

View attachment 1533024

This is an R&D piece, so please don't mind the ugly checkering. I only did the second direction today, and haven't fully hit the new geometry with the sanding sponge yet, but I can attest to good comfort and ergos, even with hard chops. And the handle is roomy enough and chamfering ...pronounced? enough that the pinky hook/bird's beak doesn't beat up my pinky, and in fact my hand usually finds itself centered with the hump in my palm and "palm" swell in my fingers. To me, this is the ideal chopper handle (which I suppose is why I ended up designing it this way), but I would use a lanyard on knives with handles not so well suited to the tasks of hard chopping. And you can bet I would use it the way Tyson said. In fact I can open my knife hand and the knife just stays in place.


I recorded a quick clip advocating this very method last year. Sound is too low, I know.

Click to expand...
Awesome looking short sword there!
 
Thank you! The one above is 15N20, only 3/32" thick, and it's an absolute beast. I'd like to make one in LC200N one day. Just waiting for the right time. I think the AEB-L one will be on the workbench within the next week or so.
 
d762nato said:
I've always wondered why knife manufacturers put the lanyard at the butt end of the big knife handle and not the beginning/front edge of the knife handle. Just like the blade sports knives. It works a whole lot better imho and safer.
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Camp 10’s got that front lanyard hole. Cool knife.
 
d762nato said:
I've always wondered why knife manufacturers put the lanyard at the butt end of the big knife handle and not the beginning/front edge of the knife handle. Just like the blade sports knives. It works a whole lot better imho and safer.
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I rarely use a lanyard. But when I do it is usually a long one attached to the butt to retrieve the knife if dropped over water or broken terrain.

I have a larger knife with a forward lanyard point that I have set up with an ice axe leash.
https://www.petzl.com/US/en/Sport/Ice-axes/LINKIN

The leash attaches to the wrist and is adjusted in length so the hand cannot slide off the handle. The advantage is that it does not restrain circulation in the hand and fingers.

n2s
 
I have restored or made many hatchets/axes. I always put a lanyard hole through and some 550 cord. It is for the purpose of hanging the tool (with or without the sheath) instead of putting it on the ground where it can get stepped on or misplaced. I have lanyard holes on the big knife handles as well. I do not use the lanyard by sticking my hand through. Frankly, I don't even wrap thumb around, which would be ok. If for some reason I am using it and lose control, I want it to drop free. If for some reason I am going somewhere and concerned that it might be dropped or lost when not being used, the lanyard is available to tie the unit to pack or something else.
 
I historically haven't- however the reasons that are being proposed here are enticing me to give it a try on one of my lighter choppers. Hanging it up in particular is a smart one- I've got a lot of orange handles that attest to my ability to lose a blade in the scrub
 
Kailash Blades said:
I historically haven't- however the reasons that are being proposed here are enticing me to give it a try on one of my lighter choppers. Hanging it up in particular is a smart one- I've got a lot of orange handles that attest to my ability to lose a blade in the scrub
Click to expand...
Lanyard holes could be great on your small- and medium-sized blades. Spur, Hotspur, Plain Jane Bowie. For kukris, I find that the widened pommel is enough for maintaining a positive grip even while swinging.
 
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