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Fixed Blade Sheath Carry: Dangerous??

us Offline sergemaster

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Fixed Blade Sheath Carry: Dangerous??
on: September 03, 2010, 09:31:16 PM
 Amici,
As I was doing some research about the proper length for a leg tie for a fixed blade knife, I ran into quite a few folks who were also ex-military claiming that anyone who wore a fixed blade anchored to their belt was taking their life into their hands, here's a snippet of what one ex-medic posted a few years ago in another forum on the subject and what he encountered on numerous occasions:

"As far as attaching a sheath knife to my leg anchored to my belt, I would just as soon walk around with a cocked and locked 1911 in my mouth.

If you are going to carry a fixed blade knife put it some where that it cannot turn around on you. Taped to a shoulder strap, taped to the inside back panel of a backpack, taped to the inside aspect of a boot. TAPE is the key word here. A fast access utility knife resides folded in your front or rear pocket and can be drawn and opened with one hand (preferably BOTH hands)

I cannot tell you how many folks I have had to fix that sat on, or fell on, or leaned into, or squatted down on their bayonet or Rambo knife.  Had a young Marine long time ago with a big Rambo knife in a nylon sheath squat down and shoved the blade through the sheath into his calf, when he stood up it filleted the whole thing open including the arteries.  I used Quick Clot on that one, plus TWO tourniquets as well as a medical evac helicopter.  I saw him about 6 months ago, he had the big scar on his calf covered by a tattoo of a zipper and had the top pierced with a ring and a YKK zipper pull for added effect. 

Down the side was printed " "F***ing' Doc!" " as in "F***ing' Doc told me not to...", I got a free beer, handshake, smile and a thank you, bill paid.
"

Now I was also in the military as well as an avid outdoorsman and have carried some sort of sheath knife on my service/trouser belt many times with no issues, so I found this claim to be rather interesting yet relevant since such an injury occuring does fall into the realm of possibility.. 

Has anyone here ever been injured or have known someone two has been while wearing a fixed blade sheath knife on ones own belt?

Cheers,
Serge
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gb Offline Mike, Lord of the Spammers!

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Re: Fixed Blade Sheath Carry: Dangerous??
Reply #1 on: September 03, 2010, 10:11:15 PM
I can see that being a potential problem, but I've never known anyone have that problem, certainly I never have :)
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ca Offline Chako

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Re: Fixed Blade Sheath Carry: Dangerous??
Reply #2 on: September 03, 2010, 10:30:53 PM
With a cheap nylon sheath...yes. With a good quality leather one, I would think not.
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us Offline markn951

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Re: Fixed Blade Sheath Carry: Dangerous??
Reply #3 on: September 04, 2010, 03:45:49 AM
Why take the risk though? I don't see a problem with shoulder carry...


gb Offline Mike, Lord of the Spammers!

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Re: Fixed Blade Sheath Carry: Dangerous??
Reply #4 on: September 04, 2010, 11:31:28 AM
Why take the risk though? I don't see a problem with shoulder carry...
Hardly discrete though is it :-\

Baldrick carry's good though :)
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ca Offline jzmtl

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Re: Fixed Blade Sheath Carry: Dangerous??
Reply #5 on: September 04, 2010, 11:41:59 AM
Why take the risk though? I don't see a problem with shoulder carry...

Same reason you get in a car everyday even thou you might crash and die, the risk is small enough.

This is the first time I heard anything like this, if you have a quality thick sheath I can't see how it could, but with those cheap one layer nylon sheath all bets are off.


scotland Offline Gareth

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Re: Fixed Blade Sheath Carry: Dangerous??
Reply #6 on: September 04, 2010, 06:15:17 PM
Never managed it nor heard of it being done.  As said before a good quality sheath shouldn't let that happen. 
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us Offline sergemaster

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Re: Fixed Blade Sheath Carry: Dangerous??
Reply #7 on: September 04, 2010, 07:34:14 PM
Amici,
I've been thinking about how this sort of accident could have happened, and the only scenario I can think of is that the Jarhead in question must have had his LBE belt unbuckled causing any individual equipment not secured to the belt with ALICE clips to slide down, behind, and under him..

Now if this was the case, why he didn't constantly check the position of his knife especially when squatting down as if you were wearing an overcoat perplexes me but although me thinks this was a freak accident if anything.

The one thing I do find disturbing is that the medic stated that this sort of thing happened to him on more than one occasion.. In my 7 years of service, I never saw anything like this occur although I did experience a trooper being killed by a bolt of lightening during a freak thunderstorm..

This also must have happened back in the late 80's or more likely the 1990's since starting in 2003 the US ground pounders started to say Adios to the old LBE Y and H harness belt and straps and began the transition to the MOLLE setup which seems to factor in for either shoulder or chest knife carry via loops...

As for a Bayonet, can't see that happen since the new versions use some sort of BIANCHI belt clip or better yet, if not the sheath is made from some sort or hard plastic..

Regardless, kind of makes you think a little about the blade "what ifs", so I think I'll switch back the good old Buck 110 for bush belt carry!
 
Cheers,
Serge
'I will NOT be threatened by a walking Meatloaf!!' - D. Kessler


Offline Styerman

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Re: Fixed Blade Sheath Carry: Dangerous??
Reply #8 on: September 06, 2010, 01:26:17 PM
Back when I used to make sheaths , I saw a few examples where cheap , ill constructed sheaths were penetrated ,or had the edge come out thru the seam ( often unwelted ) . Basically bad design/construction . Other examples--- the old Kabar sheath was pretty poor , as were the sheaths for the Camillus Pilot's survival knives .

The carry intended , and the sheath are important considerations , when choosing an outdoor ensamble . Some manufactures put out good knives with truly garbage leather .

Chris


de Offline Turnstone

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Re: Fixed Blade Sheath Carry: Dangerous??
Reply #9 on: September 06, 2010, 04:17:13 PM
smurf happens. I know someone who had some pants with a patch close to his family jewels. I asked, and he told me the story. He put his SAK into his pockets and forgot to close the blade  :ahhh He was lucky and the only thing that was damaged were his pants, but he easily could have hurt himself very bad  :ahhh

So even carrying a folding knife can be dangerous...


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Fixed Blade Sheath Carry: Dangerous??
Reply #10 on: September 07, 2010, 07:02:34 PM
A little over a decade ago I was told (and I have no idea how true this is) that only hard shelled cases like kydex and plastic sheaths are certified for paratrooper use as a result of troops accidentally stabbing themselves with fixed blades when hitting the ground, especially if a roll was involved.  Whoever told me that also told me about a hunter who had fallen down a hill and had injured himself when his fixed blade poked through the sheath.

I can see this happening if someone isn't careful, or is very unfortunate.  I've seen old knives for sale at flea markets and other places where the blade has poked through the sheath (even thick leather ones) and I admit it is a possibility.  Whether it's akin to walking around with a cocked and loaded .45 in your mouth or not, well that I wouldn't agree with.  It's a bit sensational, although that is a dumb fad I'd actually like to see some gang bangers adopt!  :P

The nice thing about kydex and other plastic type sheaths are that they usually attach to the guard of the knife, meaning that any impact force isn't on the blade through a soft material, it's on a hard shell and transferred through the hilt to the belt or other secure point, meaning you are more likely to have it fall off your belt than intrude on your innards. 

All in all, I'm not certain if it's a significant hazard or not, but I think I would like to err on the side of caution, especially if I was a paratrooper.

Def
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us Offline SlackOne

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Re: Fixed Blade Sheath Carry: Dangerous??
Reply #11 on: September 08, 2010, 02:12:05 PM
I thought this was why most military knives came with metal or hard plastic sheathes...it would be hard to imagine stabbing yourself through the steel tube of an M-1 bayonet sheath :P
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us Offline WhichDawg

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Re: Fixed Blade Sheath Carry: Dangerous??
Reply #12 on: September 08, 2010, 05:46:24 PM
the nylon sheaths I have came with a kydex insert inside and the leather ones I have are thick and made well (custom).

I'm sure accidents happened and falling on any pointy object is bad!

but I've never heard of it happening to anyone I know and like stated, just be careful and adjust carry.


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Fixed Blade Sheath Carry: Dangerous??
Reply #13 on: September 09, 2010, 01:09:04 PM
It often seems to happen to "this guy I know" or "a friend of mine" and so I wonder if it actually has happened or whether it's one of those urban myths.  I think it could happen, but I have yet to see or read about an actual documented case where it has happened.  Mind you, I have occasionally cut myself on a protruding blade with one of those cheap Rambo style knives that poked through it's sheath, but it was never serious, and well, to be blunt, any military that send soldiers out with such shoddy equipment deserves what they get!

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


Offline Styerman

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Re: Fixed Blade Sheath Carry: Dangerous??
Reply #14 on: September 09, 2010, 05:33:37 PM
FWIW , I think most of the sheaths that I have seen that have been holed , were holed due to a combination of poor resheathing technique , and bad material science ( 3oz leather is not appropriate sheath material for a 6" F/B ) . Welts are a must . I can easily see where you could be badly hurt wearing a cheap sheath forward of the hips . behind the Iliac crest , the resulting perforation would probably only injure vehicle upolstery , or an errant hand that went back to scratch your errant a$$ .

Chris


us Offline sergemaster

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Re: Fixed Blade Sheath Carry: Dangerous??
Reply #15 on: September 11, 2010, 09:06:18 AM
Amici,
Although Camillus was a major supplier of fixed blades to the US Military, there were others. Here's the classic "airforce survival" that was issued, but made by Ontario Knives.

If you look closely at the sheath, what you see is a a piece of black aluminum that wraps around the bottom of, and goes up the back of the sheath..     

The sheath is not welted, but it does seem that the designers there DID take the possibility of a fixed blade penetrating the sheath and injuring the owner into consideration..

Cheers,
Serge
Ontario 1.jpg
* Ontario 1.jpg (Filesize: 29.21 KB)
Ontario 2.jpg
* Ontario 2.jpg (Filesize: 28.23 KB)
'I will NOT be threatened by a walking Meatloaf!!' - D. Kessler


gb Offline Mike, Lord of the Spammers!

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Re: Fixed Blade Sheath Carry: Dangerous??
Reply #16 on: September 11, 2010, 10:36:30 AM
I'd still love to get a one of those one day :)
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