Why the paracord lanyards? Pictures added!

[Leo James Mitchell]

I have been asked many times why I have paracord lanyards on my knives…are they wrist loops? No! Never! Using a lanyard around your wrist can be very dangerous! If you are doing some serious batoning or chopping with the lanyard around your wrist in hopes of not losing your knife, you will not lose the knife but you may well lose control of your knife. Try an experiment for yourself…with the lanyard around your wrist, pretend you are chopping and carefully let go of the knife. You will note that it swings wildly and is hard to gain control again. If you were really chopping vigorously, that swinging knife could injure you badly. Well if it is so dangerous, why have one at all? Because if used correctly, you can gain immediate control of your knife should it fly out of your hand and you will not lose your knife in the deep snow or inside the elk you are butchering for example!! Here’s how you do it.
If you are right handed for example,hold your hand out parallel to your body, hand facing inward, , arm bent in an L shape and stick up your thumb. Drape the lanyard loop over your thumb and let the knife hang free on the outside of your hand.

Now rotate your hand inward so the loop wraps around your hand all the way until you have the handle of the knife tight in your hand. The lanyard should now be wrapped firmly around your hand. If not. tighten the lanyard lock so it slides down the paracord.

Now try the previous experiment and let the knife drop while you make a chopping motion…still do it carefully! You will find that with a simple flick of your wrist, you can once again gain a firm grip on your knife handle and there has been no wild swinging of the knife in a dangerous way. Practice a bit and soon you will have the technique down pat. You will never lose your knife from your hand again if you use this method.
Our thanks to Mike Stewart of Bark River knives for this important tip. Pictures to follow once I have my model, grandson Owen, here to pose for us. 🙂
Here are the pictures…quality could be better but they are quick and dirty captures. I hope these pictures clarify the method!
Cheers
Leo

[Leo James Mitchell]

By the way, the Bark River Gunny used in these shots is Owen’s knife…well that is, he gets to use it under my supervision until he is old/responsible enough. It came with a very thin convex edge that was a bit too thin for durability, so I put an 18 degree per side edge on it. The A2 steel came on with a voraciously sharp apex that handles fuzz-sticks, para-cord, push-cutting telephone book paper and butterflying chicken breasts equally well. Great retention too.
It is the kind of blade you don’t want to lose control of anytime. This method of fixing the knife in your hand without fear of losing control works excellently. Try it and see.

Cheers
Leo and Owen

[Aaron Smith]

I don’t know why something so common sense has always alluded me. Every time i have ever bought a knife with a lanyard, the first thing i always did was cut it off. I think i may have to go back and add them back, now that i know how to appropriately use them. Thanks for the great information.

[Leo James Mitchell]

My pleasure Aaron! I am glad it was useful to you.

Cheers
Leo

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