Lanyard Holes and Lanyards, Your Thoughts?

[salduchi]

So I’ve always wondered why people use lanyards. With out a doubt, the thumb and the index finger is the best way to retrieve a knife from the pocket. A lanyard on an knife with a fully exposed handle makes no sense at all to me. The quickest and most secure deployment of a knife is by direct and initial contact with the hand. Why go to a lanyard then to the handle? Would you put a lanyard on a pistol that is in its side holster on your hip? Well then?

I understand that they can have a sort of jewelry or aesthetic enhancement that is appealing to some. But in that regard, I would more closely compare it to jewelry such as men’s bracelets. That is, not necessary and kind of *** looking. Also, not really into advertising or highlighting what’s in my pockets.

But my main concern is, that I think lanyard holes, when not done as a simple hole in the handle can at times, completely ruin the lines and look of a knife. Especially when the hole or rectanglular allowance protrudes from the natural lines of the handle.

Oh, don’t want to get me started on those lanyard beads and their pricing. You want how much for that monkey skull bead with the glow in the dark eyes!?!

So, my popcorn is ready, what do you guys say?

 

[Kb1ltg]

I like little lanyards on my knives and flashlights, they are easy to locate by just a swipe of your hand across the pocket that they are hanging out of. I am not talking about some skull laden monstrosity of paracord art, I am talking about a 2 or three small knots, like a double matthew walker knott and maybe a simple brass or titanium bead to keep the dangle downward Makes pulling the knife or light out of the pocket much easier in my opinion, if you are a fat bastard like me rooting around in a tight pocket even if its for the top of a scale that is clipped to a pocket is made easier by a lanyard. Its more than looks in my opinion, its a functional piece of accessory that you can customize and make your own "A piece of flair if you will"

 

[salduchi]

I like little lanyards on my knives and flashlights, they are easy to locate by just a swipe of your hand across the pocket that they are hanging out of. I am not talking about some skull laden monstrosity of paracord art, I am talking about a 2 or three small knots, like a double matthew walker knott and maybe a simple brass or titanium bead to keep the dangle downward Makes pulling the knife or light out of the pocket much easier in my opinion, if you are a fat bastard like me rooting around in a tight pocket even if its for the top of a scale that is clipped to a pocket is made easier by a lanyard. Its more than looks in my opinion, its a functional piece of accessory that you can customize and make your own "A piece of flair if you will"

Now that is an honest and practical application answer. Thank you

 

[Tommy-Chi]

I like lanyards on big fixed blades, like machetes, NOT folders. It's more of a safety thing for me.

 

[b00n]

I like the look of some braided lanyards and some of the beads, but I don't use them. The don't offer any practical upside for me personally and would just annoy me having them dangle around while I use the knife. If I went camping I could see the use to secure the knife to your hand when you chop something, but other than that. No thanks.

 

[salduchi]

I like the look of some braided lanyards and some of the beads, but I don't use them. The don't offer any practical upside for me personally and would just annoy me having them dangle around while I use the knife. If I went camping I could see the use to secure the knife to your hand when you chop something, but other than that. No thanks.

Using the lanyard as a wrist strap. Now that’s a good answer I hadn’t thought of.

 

[Psybull]

I like using a pinky loop on smaller fixed blades for a more secure grip on handles that are in the 3 finger length.
They also give a little more something to grab onto while taking a small knife out of a leather sheath.

 

[Lapedog]

So I’ve always wondered why people use lanyards. With out a doubt, the thumb and the index finger is the best way to retrieve a knife from the pocket. A lanyard on an knife with a fully exposed handle makes no sense at all to me. The quickest and most secure deployment of a knife is by direct and initial contact with the hand. Why go to a lanyard then to the handle? Would you put a lanyard on a pistol that is in its side holster on your hip? Well then?

I understand that they can have a sort of jewelry or aesthetic enhancement that is appealing to some. But in that regard, I would more closely compare it to jewelry such as men’s bracelets. That is, not necessary and kind of *** looking. Also, not really into advertising or highlighting what’s in my pockets.

But my main concern is, that I think lanyard holes, when not done as a simple hole in the handle can at times, completely ruin the lines and look of a knife. Especially when the hole or rectanglular allowance protrudes from the natural lines of the handle.

Oh, don’t want to get me started on those lanyard beads and their pricing. You want how much for that monkey skull bead with the glow in the dark eyes!?!

So, my popcorn is ready, what do you guys say?

First of all to be straight you are talking about fobs. However much of the knife community has taken to calling them lanyards so I will call them that. A real lanyar has a purpose, to wrap around your wrist or attach an item to your body like a dummy cord.

Yeah I often carry small edc fixed blades which I often wear with a static cord tucked into my waistband. If the sheathed knife starts to for whatever reason slip down into my pants the little lanyard will catch the waistband and remain hanging on the outside. Then i can use the lanyard to pull it up. And expose the handle. Its also good for fishing a folder out of your pocket for times you want to hide that you have a knife and don’t want to show the clip.

The other reason is it whatever reason a knife slips from you hand that lanyard will give you an extra something to grab on. Lets say the lanyard is as long as the knife handle. Now you have 2x as much opportunity to grab something as the knife slips from your hand.

Also believe it or not some of us are sick in the head and just think they look cool.

 

[eugenechia1989]

I like having options and having a lanyard hole gives me options. For example, a knife with a very deep-carry pocket-clip may be a bit more challenging to extract when clipped in my pocket, so a lanyard might help. Or I might be over a flooded drain (happens occasionally in my line of work) and being scared of losing my beloved knife, I may want to tie it to my belt so if I drop it, I won't lose it. Hence, for me, I don't usually use the lanyard holes on my knives, but I do like having them just in case.

 

[Whitedog]

I use a short fob ( lanyard if you want to call it that but there is a difference. A short fob of a bright color sure makes it easier to locate if you should drop a knife in some grass or such. Sometimes it also gives just a bit more grip while removing from pocket.

 

[salduchi]

First of all to be straight you are talking about fobs. However much of the knife community has taken to calling them lanyards so I will call them that. A real lanyar has a purpose, to wrap around your wrist or attach an item to your body like a dummy cord.

That’s a very important distinction. I think knife makers in general just refer to them as lanyard holes.

 

[halden.doerge]

So I’ve always wondered why people use lanyards. With out a doubt, the thumb and the index finger is the best way to retrieve a knife from the pocket. A lanyard on an knife with a fully exposed handle makes no sense at all to me. The quickest and most secure deployment of a knife is by direct and initial contact with the hand. Why go to a lanyard then to the handle? Would you put a lanyard on a pistol that is in its side holster on your hip? Well then?

I understand that they can have a sort of jewelry or aesthetic enhancement that is appealing to some. But in that regard, I would more closely compare it to jewelry such as men’s bracelets. That is, not necessary and kind of *** looking. Also, not really into advertising or highlighting what’s in my pockets.

But my main concern is, that I think lanyard holes, when not done as a simple hole in the handle can at times, completely ruin the lines and look of a knife. Especially when the hole or rectanglular allowance protrudes from the natural lines of the handle.

Oh, don’t want to get me started on those lanyard beads and their pricing. You want how much for that monkey skull bead with the glow in the dark eyes!?!

So, my popcorn is ready, what do you guys say?

Others have said some of what I would answer as well. I think for some primary folding edc knives they do help with extraction from the pocket. This depends on how the lanyard hole is executed and the clip design on a given knife for sure.

For things like SAKs and clipless flashlights, having a fob/lanyard helps with getting hold of it in the pocket and retrieving it. It also helps with easily locating it if you drop in the dark in the middle of the night like a moron, which I for one have a recurring relationship with.

I also like them on fixed blades, especially on smaller knives that have kydex sheaths that I tend to mount on backpack straps when hiking or backpacking. It just makes it super easy to get hold of them when extracting them from the sheath, which tends to encompass the top part of the handle for retention.


Now, it must be said that yes, absolutely there is an arbitrary aesthetic/artistic dimension to the whole lanyard thing. It's a way to change up one's knives, make them feel slightly different when you've had a knife for years, or randomly color coordinate you knife with a new...I dunno...hat or handkerchief or cartop tent you just bought or whatever. It's also a way to make your gear feel fresh and interesting when you're broke or not currently spousally allowed to buy a new knife right right now. You can just grab a new colored pattern of paracord and some rando bead that you're not using, and presto, whole new knife. Kinda. Not really. But it can be fun.

For the record, there was definitely a time when I hated lanyards/fobs and couldn't understand why anyone would tie them on to their knives. I still don't get huge skull beads and other weird shit that some people are into. But knots are fun, different colors and patterns of paracord are fun, and for some items they do kinda sorta sometimes help out with...getting them outta...your pocket. Yeah.

I like em.

 

[DocJD]

That’s a very important distinction. I think knife makers in general just refer to them as lanyard holes.

That's maybe 'cause "FOB HOLE" might sound a little obscene in ads !

 

[Lapedog]

That's maybe 'cause "FOB HOLE" might sound a little obscene in ads !

Oh shut your fob hole. It sounds great!

Honestly though I tend not to put them on folding knives that have clips. I have tried and generally found I didn’t gain much from having them attatched.

I leave them on my CRks though. Especially the large crk since its little blue lanyard pin will fall out if there is no fob attatched. The little one has a stepped fob pin.

I just don’t get why the small sebenzas have said stepped pin that will stay in sans fob and yet the large still have the straight pin that requires cord running through it or it falls out. Anyone know the reason why?

Was the large 21 designed before the small and the straight pin is a holdover from the earlier design? It seems kind of silly to me. If anything the small sebbie benefits more from the lanyard than the large.

 

[DocJD]

I don't know if he originated the concept , but on the Alan Folt's Minimalist knives the fob acts as a kind of flexible handle extension , which aids in gripping the rather short handle . Many other uses as discussed already .

 

[salduchi]

That's maybe 'cause "FOB HOLE" might sound a little obscene in ads !

I think you have created a new bad word! Lol

 

[salduchi]

I don't know if he originated the concept , but on the Alan Folt's Minimalist knives the fob acts as a kind of flexible handle extension , which aids in gripping the rather short handle . Many other uses as discussed already .

Found this to be kind of the case with a microtech Anax I owned. The metal cable with the cone shaped fob at the end.

 

[DocJD]

I've only recently begun to appreciate how useful fobs can be . I'll post some pictures later . I think you'll agree , I'm really giving those fob holes a good work out .

 

[salduchi]

I've only recently begun to appreciate how useful fobs can be . I'll post some pictures later . I think you'll agree , I'm really giving those fob holes a good work out .

I think your onto something. The term fob hole, can have greater meaning and broader application than say the word forgetaboutit.

 

[bikerector]

I like fobs on my bigger folders like my millie and had one on a an AG Russell that didn't have a clip. It makes it easier for me to get the knife out of my pocket and then there isn't the clip getting in the way when I'm using the knife. Not much different than carrying a traditional knife in a slip.

I also like fobs on small fixed blades since the small handles can be a little hard to get out since there's not a lot of handle sticking out usually and the handles are thinner/smaller to help them carry better.

I do wish there were more knives that didn't have the lanyard hole especially if it's fighting with the clip for good placement (PM3).