IWB knife carry for bigger guys

000Robert said:
I have never carried a knife IWB. I always carry fixed blades OWB. It might be helpful if you elaborated more on how you usually dress and stuff.
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Well I usually dress very casually (shorts +T-shirt, jeans+T-shirt etc..) and I plan on carrying my Benchmade socp dagger
 
In addition to Heavy’s recommendation…maybe around your neck? Or get a suitable neck knife.

4 position is the only comfortable position for me. Appendix is preferred for speed but I can’t conceal anything appendix. or sit down…
 
Jordan1010 said:
Hello my fellow blade enthusiast,
Does anybody know if I can or how to iwb a fixed blade without shanking myself. I have a bit of a belly so I worry I might gut myself while drawing.
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Inside the waistband carry of knives is similar to IWB carry for pistols, but easier since they are (usually) smaller and lighter than handguns.

THE NUMBER ONE MOST IMPORTANT THING for bigger guys and IWB carry is PANTS THAT ACTUALLY FIT YOU.

That means that your belly fits inside of the pants, not over the top of the waistband. A lot of guys think they can wear the same size they wore in high school, but when the waistband is almost below the pelvis and the belly and side fat are hanging over, they are wrong. You may need to wear suspenders (in addition to the belt) to keep properly size pants where they need to be, but that is a small concession for the numerous advantages.

Number two is a proper belt. Knives may be more forgiving in that regard, but a belt that will hold a pistol and mag carriers effectively will also work for knife IWB.

Once you do the two above, you have the same options as everyone else. In fact, if your pants fit, it's probably easier in some ways than for skinny guys.

If your primary reason for carry is defense, choosing a location near your belt buckle is probably the best. You'll be able to access more easily under stress and in compromised positions as well as have a better time managing retention if you have to fight for it.
 
rhino said:
If your primary reason for carry is defense, choosing a location near your belt buckle is probably the best. You'll be able to access more easily under stress and in compromised positions as well as have a better time managing retention if you have to fight for it.
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If you're not in fighting shape, a knife for defensive purposes isn't going to be ideal anyway...
 
tokerblue said:
If you're not in fighting shape, a knife for defensive purposes isn't going to be ideal anyway...
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I wouldn’t say I’m not in fighting shape. I just have a bit of curve to my belly that skinny people don’t have. It’s a slight curve that gives me the risk of slicing myself
 
Jordan1010 said:
I wouldn’t say I’m not in fighting shape. I just have a bit of curve to my belly that skinny people don’t have. It’s a slight curve that gives me the risk of slicing myself
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You don't need to be in great shape to defend yourself with a knife, but it sure helps if you can get and keep a solid grip on the knife.

Years ago Scott Babb at Libre took on a project aimed to defend against the most common types of knife attacks based on actual footage of incidents. The basic prison style rapid fire shank attack a la Don Pentecost proved to be extremely effective in use and very difficult for even well trained martial artists to stop or defend.
 
The best way I have found is to use a slim knife like your Benchmade and tie it off to your belt loop with maybe a foot of paracord. It stays in place and when you draw, the sheath pops up out of your pants and off of the knife. The sheath will dangle off of the belt loop that it's tied to, and then when you resheath the knife you can see what you're doing and hold the sheath. I think the CRKT Obake is meant to be used this way, you can google it and find out more.

It's a pretty easy and effective way to do it, and comfortable since you can move the knife around if you want. It's also quick to use and pretty foolproof. I would really recommend some good pepper spray instead though, and if you screw up drawing your pepper spray the can won't gut you. 🤕 Just saying.
 
1. Use a good belt. Any decent "gun belt" will work here. Personally, I recommend Kore Essentials. Their ratchet buckle allows for quick, easy, and very fine adjustment. That will help to accommodate different EDC gear and also small changes in your body over time.

2. Forget about AIWB or "appendix". Go with standard IWB at your side or just behind. Getting the right placement can involve some trial and error.

3. Use a good kydex sheath. If your knife does not have one, get one made. You might want a pancake style instead of taco style depending on how you end up mounting.

4. Use the right mounting system. While prohibited from linking non-supporting vendors, look around. You basically want an IWB belt clip that attaches to the holes in your kydex sheath and drops down far enough to seat your knife properly relative to your belt line.

5. Make sure that the knife handle is comfortable against your skin and balanced against your body type. My favorite IWB defensive knife for travel to places that ban firearms is the Pinkerton Lancer. In addition to being an excellent knife all around, it's made for IWB.
 
Get yourself one of these:






Slide the sheath in your pants just behind your far right side (or left side for lefties) belt loop and snap the clip shut over your pants.

I don’t have a whopping gut, but with the knife over there you don’t even really notice it and it’s not close to slicing anything vital.

I’ve switched all my medium to small fixed blades to this carry system and haven’t looked back.
 
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