Multitool.org Forum
Non Tool Forum => Sheaths, Bags, Packs and Carry Methods => Topic started by: rebel on July 15, 2015, 05:15:12 PM
-
I am about to buy some paracord and try making some lanyards because it looks like something fun to do but I can't really see the usefulness.
I see a lot of pictures on here of where people put a fob-type lanyard through their knife or tool and they look neat but what is the point? On a knife it looks like a real bad idea. On other stuff it looks decorative but not functional. About the only thing I can see using them for is a keychain.
What am I missing, guys?
-
Others will disagree with me, but I share your feelings and don't use them. I don't fund them functional, and don't particularly find a clump of string dangling from a tool very aesthetic either.
The attachment points can be quite useful if working at heights or around water, with the other end of the cord attached to you or something else that won't take the plunge, but aside from that they're not for me
Oh, one other thing I sometimes use the attachment point for, is attaching a small flashlight or other small complimentary widget
-
For small knifes like a Boker Gnome a good lanyard can improve grip.
-
some like having some extra cord on them, and that is one way to have it.
-
I also hate lanyards and never use them. Whenever I used a tool with a lanyard, it got in the way. But lots of people find some practical applications like the tool being easy to take out or as already said above, people like having a "rope" thingie on them.
I find some of them quite pretty, but whenever I used one... I didn't like the feeling overall and the functionality totally lacks for me.
-
I use tiny lanyards on all my saks as it makes them easier to pull out of the pocket or sheath.
I bought a bigger paracord lanyard for the Dragonfly as I understood it greatly improves the grip:
Here are some examples of use for the Ladybug/Manbug I stole off the web:
(http://www.good-kit.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/manbug-lanyard.jpg)
(http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Knives/LadybugSalt.jpg)
-
I don't use them either but I do think they have their place. Corwyn shows a couple good examples.
-
some like having some extra cord on them, and that is one way to have it.
Yeah that is about the best reason I could think of but most of the stuff I have seen wouldn't even work for that. Probably on a big knife you can get enough cord to be useful. On anything else it doesn't look like it.
-
I like them for decorative aspect. On some tools it serves as a beacon, I've dropped a BO tool in grass and believe when I say I had a heck of a time finding it :facepalm:.
-
Others will disagree with me, but I share your feelings and don't use them. I don't fund them functional, and don't particularly find a clump of string dangling from a tool very aesthetic either.
The attachment points can be quite useful if working at heights or around water, with the other end of the cord attached to you or something else that won't take the plunge, but aside from that they're not for me
Oh, one other thing I sometimes use the attachment point for, is attaching a small flashlight or other small complimentary widget
Why am I agreeing with Al? :facepalm:
When I go out to the field, I would attach the tool / knife to belt loop via a string so I won't lost it.
The string would be long enough for someone stand next to me using the tool, but not walk off with it. :D
Other than that I have no use for it.
-
I personally do not like lanyard for the most part, but do occasionally use them.
As others have said they can improve grip for small knives giving something for your pinky to grab onto. Some use them in bright colors so if a knife is dropped you can locate it easily.
I personally only use them for extra grip on small knives (sometimes) and will occasionally put them on a SAK when it is carried in my pocket with keys and such so I can reach in and easily pull out the knife without fishing around.
-
I prefer not to have a lanyard - the only exception being on my sailing knives (for obvious reasons).
I did however rethink this with regard to a folding saw. A mate had a lanyard on his saw which he wraps round his hand to ensure his hand cannot slip onto the blade if the saw jams. He arrived at that decision through painful experience.
-
For me the main use of a lanyard is something easy to grab hold of, to pull the knife out of a pocket or pouch. Especially useful if it's packed in alongside a bunch of other items.
I like a wrist lanyard on some things, like torches sometimes, because it allows you to quickly drop it and free up a hand without having to find somewhere to stow it. That would be a bit hazardous with a knife though.
-
I see the point of a lanyard on single use tools, like a knife or pliers or saw, but on SAKs and multis they just get in the way when using the tools on the lanyard end, and especially drivers where the tool is turned. The lanyard or fob just wraps around the tool or flaps around annoyingly.
-
I like them for decorative aspect. On some tools it serves as a beacon, I've dropped a BO tool in grass and believe when I say I had a heck of a time finding it :facepalm:.
That is another good point. Losing a black or camo tool or flashlight is easy to do. Time for some glo-fobs!
-
I like putting lanyards on my stuff.
(http://i.imgur.com/nG246Ua.jpg)
Each one has a lanyard on it for a different reason.
The Huntsman on the left has ~2 feet of 550 cord wrapped up as compact as I could get it as a compliment for the hook it has. I figure it might come in handy some day, where I can tie the cord around something and use the hook to make a handle. The way it is tied to the SAK doesn't make it easily removable (I could change that if I wanted to), but it doesn't seem to get in the way for me.
The flashlight has a lanyard because it is just so small! With out the lanyard it is hard to hold on to. With the lanyard attached, I can get a comfortable full hand grip on it. I tied it in the same style as the Huntsman's lanyard, not so I could get a lot of cord on there, but so I could make it thicker to be a good grip.
The Tinker small and Spartan both have a different style of lanyard. Those are there because both SAKs frequently get thrown in my pocket and the lanyard makes it easier to fish out. Both are tied in such a way that the lanyard is easily removable should it ever get in the way of something am trying to do.
All the lanyards are also there because I like the way they look, but their practical purpose comes first. :hatsoff:
-
I have the small Victorinox lanyards on my SAKs to facilitate removal from my pocket or sheath. They're too short to get in the way, but I have cut them accidentally with the saw.
In most cases, I don't use lanyards. I used to tie a couple feet of string to the lanyard bails of the pocketknives that had the large D-ring style bails on the back, but that just got in the way. I stopped doing it several months ago.
Nowadays, I keep the knife/tool in a sheath. Right now, my Leatherman Super Tool and No. 6 are in my sheath on my belt.
I typically avoid knives/tools with earth tone or camo pattern scales as they're easily lost. If I get one, which I do want to (I like the pattern, and several camo and olive drab SAKs are on my list), I'm tying a small brightly colored lanyard to it.
-
I've got a few with lanyards. On the Ladybugs, it's big enough to slip a finger thru to improve gripping, and on a SAK it's big enough to slip my hand thru, giving it enough length to be tucked under my belt so the knife hangs vertical in my pocket.
(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/23/8282f95a0211427b71b89d1f889ffbc5.jpg)
(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/23/2c0dd02cd7f4ca45e15c5d0cc6d05f11.jpg)
Matt in Texas
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
-
I have RA, lanyards have become necessary some days. Like the way they look too. I'm all in!!!!
-
I like lanyards on my lights as well it adds grip much like Corwyn illustrated with his knives. I also like them on my lights when I need hands free usage, I dont bite the metal I bite the lanyard.
-
I've got a few with lanyards. On the Ladybugs, it's big enough to slip a finger thru to improve gripping, and on a SAK it's big enough to slip my hand thru, giving it enough length to be tucked under my belt so the knife hangs vertical in my pocket.
(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/23/8282f95a0211427b71b89d1f889ffbc5.jpg)
(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/23/2c0dd02cd7f4ca45e15c5d0cc6d05f11.jpg)
Matt in Texas
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
I will be trying this, thank you. :tu:
-
I've used danglers because it distributes the weight better and it keeps the SAK from falling out of my pocket and getting lost. When you're carrying a custom made Titanium SAK, you don't want it falling out of your pocket and getting lost!
But nowadays I'm carrying my SAK and flashlight in a little nylon zip pouch thingy which keeps things lint free and secure in my pocket.
-
I carry thin SAKs in my back pocket along with a folded bandana. Placing the lanyard in the fold keeps the knife in place much better. It definitely gets in the way when in use, though.
-
Many pouches are a bit "tight" and getting your SAK out of it can be a dig. Put a short lanyard on the thing, and now you have a handle to grab and extract your SAK. Just my 2 cents worth.... (http://forum.multitool.org/Smileys/default/grin.gif)
-
Most of my lanyards aren't braided, so they are flexible, and usually just a loop. That then can be attached to a clip on my belt or have a clip added and attached to a belt loop when not in use, or around my wrist while I'm using the tool. They are sometimes called dummy cords, but I find it to be the opposite- what makes you fell dumber, having the lanyard or reaching into your pocket for you knife and finding nothing after you just bulled your way through a hundred yards of brambles.
And as people have shown with the little Spyderco models, it makes a tiny grip into a big grip. I love the Folts/CRKT Minimalists, they work well outside their weight class because they have that pigtail.
-
I personally don't use lanyard for my EDC, since I usually put my tool inside a small zipped mesh pocket bag, which rest in my front pocket. The only time I use lanyard is for the really short handled folders, which is shown in pix earlier in thread.
But I do see a point in lanyard when it is hosted in a tight pouch or the lanyard hang outside your pocket, so you could easily pull the tool out quickly without fishing. Also, I tend to attach tritium or really bright lanyard to a tool, if I am afraid to lose it outdoor at night or want to locate it easier.
-
I use basic loop type lanyards about 5in long with 2beads for cinching on both my Vic Trecker and my Streamlite 2l. They I use them constantly for both pocket retrieval and retention. They are both in bright colors for if I should drop them. The one on the flashlight is also handy because I can wrap it around the body of the light if I have to bite hold the light. That way I am not biting down on a piece of aluminum.
-
I actually carried a FourSevens Mini a couple times with a lanyard I made. I don't trust my pockets. They often rip and I lose change. Losing a good flashlight would be a lot worse. So I used one of my lanyards to make a pocket hanger. It actually rides very comfortably and secure hanging from my belt just inside the pocket. But I'm not sure how fast it would be to use if you needed it in a hurry.
I still think holsters are the best option but they aren't available for most lights and these are tiny anyway.
-
I'm prolanyard, for me it's very comforting knowing my knife or MT won't fall out of my pocket and not be there when I need it. It also makes it easy to pull my knife or MT out my pocket. I grab my lanyard and run my hand down it and my tool is in my hand(works really good on OHO knifes).
-
I'm givin ya a like for the Southern Pride ;)
-
I'm givin ya a like for the Southern Pride ;)
The Wife is from Arkansas and in my youth spent some time in Alabama.
-
I'm givin ya a like for the Southern Pride ;)
The Wife is from Arkansas and in my youth spent some time in Alabama.
Lots of good country and events in Arkansas. I was there on vacation a bunch of times. Sorry to say I have only driven through Alabama a few times and never spent any time there to speak of.
-
A lanyard is useful when you are in a situation where if you drop your tool or other item such as a handgun its probably going to be lost forever.
-
I'm givin ya a like for the Southern Pride ;)
Nothing wrong with that and dont let people tell you otherwise. :tu:
-
A lanyard is useful when you are in a situation where if you drop your tool or other item such as a handgun its probably going to be lost forever.
I'll be damned if I'll put a lanyard on a handgun and I haven't dropped one yet. There are limits!
-
A lanyard is useful when you are in a situation where if you drop your tool or other item such as a handgun its probably going to be lost forever.
I'll be damned if I'll put a lanyard on a handgun and I haven't dropped one yet. There are limits!
Having lanyard on pistols was a common practice in two world wars.
-
A lot of dumb things are common practice in wars. And that is because governments are the source of everything dumb.
-
A lot of dumb things are common practice in wars. And that is because governments are the source of everything dumb.
Television and Youtube videos are pretty dumb at times, too. :)
-
I like lanyards on some knives. In particular I like a lanyard on anything I'm using over water. I have some short fobs made out of paracord for some of my knives to make it easier to get them out of my pouch or pocket. Here's a fob I used to have on a single blade knife that I regularly carried in my back pocket, but I decided I like it better on my wave. The other knife in the picture is a cord wrapped Buck 140 Packlite Skinner. I carried this combination every day for several months.
-
My outdoors is usually alpine but yeah what you said makes a lot of sense. If you drop something in the ocean or a lake you're probably not getting it back.
-
A lot of dumb things are common practice in wars. And that is because governments are the source of everything dumb.
If you are saying having lanyard on pistols was a dumb practice in two world wars then I must disagree with you, being a WWII reenactor I would think I have slightly more experience than you do on this subject.
-
A lot of dumb things are common practice in wars. And that is because governments are the source of everything dumb.
If you are saying having lanyard on pistols was a dumb practice in two world wars then I must disagree with you, being a WWII reenactor I would think I have slightly more experience than you do on this subject.
I concede as a reenactor you have more experience in me in reenacting. What other experience I do or don't have is far beyond you bud. I was carrying .45s before you were born. Stick to what you know. ;)
-
A lot of dumb things are common practice in wars. And that is because governments are the source of everything dumb.
If you are saying having lanyard on pistols was a dumb practice in two world wars then I must disagree with you, being a WWII reenactor I would think I have slightly more experience than you do on this subject.
I concede as a reenactor you have more experience in me in reenacting. What other experience I do or don't have is far beyond you bud. I was carrying .45s before you were born. Stick to what you know. ;)
Thanks guys, lets leave it at that. :to:
-
:whistle: If you say so.
-
I like lanyards on some knives. In particular I like a lanyard on anything I'm using over water. I have some short fobs made out of paracord for some of my knives to make it easier to get them out of my pouch or pocket. Here's a fob I used to have on a single blade knife that I regularly carried in my back pocket, but I decided I like it better on my wave. The other knife in the picture is a cord wrapped Buck 140 Packlite Skinner. I carried this combination every day for several months.
I really like your take on the buck skinner, here is a little zombie cord.
(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/11/04/10fc90407db2d15381a4b8801c91eacc.jpg)(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/11/04/79357048d0c9af6716ab8c11e6ce71ee.jpg)
-
I like it. You do nice work. I couldn't use that criss-cross pattern because I needed to leave the middle open. When I combined the Leatherman sheath with the Buck I had to secure the Buck with a loop through the middle since the original snap had to be removed. The Buck was a little slippery before it was wrapped. The wrap was a great improvement.
-
On SAKs or comparable folding tools/knives Lanyards annoy me moire than they help. But I have one on my cellphone for retrieving it from the inner pocket of my jacket or teh leg pocket on my work pants. It´s abput 10cm long. My work-key is on a piece of gutted paracord secured to my belt. It´s long enough to use the key and makes sure I don´t forget teh key inside a lock or a room and I won´t be loosing a key opening several hundred doors...
I made a lanyard with a clip to use on hand tools when over a hole/on a balcony or a ladder.
-
A few of my folders have lanyards, I find them handy for the same reasons people have already mentioned.
Not on multis though.
Losing a black or camo tool or flashlight is easy to do. Time for some glo-fobs!
This causes a weird tic under my eye.
-
My buddies recently dropped my Garmin GPSMap 62s while hunting and lost it. Being good guys, they replaced it (worked out great, I actually ended up with a better model that we found on sale - Garmin Oregon 600t, and a better micro SD card that overlays public lands and even shows land-owners). They were all adamant that I should affix a brightly colored lanyard to the new unit in case such a situation were to arise again (though, I have never dropped it while hunting). I have some experience making paracord lanyards, so the past couple days I have been making various styles and lengths of blaze orange lanyards for visibility purposes.
Additionally, I have put lanyards on a couple of my tools to assist retrieving them from my Skinth. My Flik badly needed a lanyard for this purpose, but my Wave also benefited. I also put one on my PPP for when I 5th-pocket carry that tool. I do agree with some others in this thread that they are sort of in way while using the tools, though.
-
I like baby finger lanyards , reason: water , and heights . Dropping a knife or pair of pliers on a fellow worker , is uncool.
Chris
-
What is a baby finger lanyard? Got pics?
Sent from my SM-T110 using Tapatalk
-
What is a baby finger lanyard? Got pics?
Sent from my SM-T110 using Tapatalk
Corwyn already demonstrated one example of the baby finger lanyard in post 5 of this thread but you must have missed it. It's a bit of lanyard that improves your grip on short handled knives and could also be used on any knife when you should use a lanyard to attach the knife to your hand for safety, but you don't want to loop it around your whole hand or your wrist. Here's Corwyn's picture again.
-
Ever since 1963 I have worn a lanyard (just a length of paracord) with a Victorinox. At that age it was an expensive and treasured tool I received as a gift and could not afford to replace. But on a motorcycle camping trip I stopped to walk a little way along a wild stream to make lunch. After all was packed up, I walked away from my knife, left on the bank, and drove another hundred miles on before discovering my loss. It was impractical to go back.
When I could afford to replace it, I swore I would always wear a lanyard long enough that the knife could be used without removing it. I knotted the lanyard tightly to the knife and ran my belt through a loop at the other end, purposely making it inconvenient to remove. If someone else wanted to use the knife, I told them to "snuggle up".
I have only lost one knife since, and that was when I got careless. I was hiking and for some reason the lanyard was not attached to my belt: the loose end evidently caught in brush and was jerked out of my pocket.
The lanyard has never caused me any inconvenience: I usually carry my knife in a pocket on the leg of my cargo pants, so the lanyard hangs straight down, out of the way. (But in a side pocket, there is little lanyard exposed, so still no problem.)
Recently, I have kept a small carabiner tied to the lanyard so that I can remove the knife more easily if I MUST do so. The dangling, weighted lanyard is a reminder to reattach the knife. The caribiner has proved useful for securing other "must not lose" things, such as keys. I attached a D ring to a travel wallet, and I thread the lanyard through it when traveling abroad (after a wallet once fell out of my pocket in a taxi).
I'd say a lanyard has prevented a good many losses over my lifetime, and certainly spared me much worry.
Crank
Seeking Knowledge, Hoping for Wisdom
-
Welcome to the forum Crank. :cheers:
I did try for one hike a long lanyard as you describe but found I kept catching it on things. In fairness though I suspect I didn't give myself enough time to get used to it.
-
I dont leave a lanyard on the tool when I use it, but its my preferred way to carry any tool. I like the SAK or MT attached to me so I dont lose it and it also keep it vertical in the pocket if you have it just the right length. :tu:
-
I find the lanyard very useful for retrieving tools fast and quick from their sheaths or pockets
(http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t562/ThePeacent/CAM01376_zpsvq0o8qie.jpg)
(http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t562/ThePeacent/CAM01386_zpsxlvfkqi1.jpg)
(http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t562/ThePeacent/CAM01388_zpsldmp0dns.jpg)
Adds security and confidence in the grip, too
-
I normally don't put lanyards on my stuff because I found them distracting and cumbersome, but lanyards do help a lot on knives with wave feature.
(http://forum.multitool.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=60773.0;attach=272416;image)
-
I like them for the fact they can make items without a pocket clip (mt or knives) easier to access from your pocket or watch pocket. It can also give you a 2nd/3rd or 4th finger grip on a smaller knife, like the gnome for example lol. But just as a styling cue, nah, has to be functional AND stylish ya dig!
But. I've noticed on my gerber dime it completely gets in the way of using the flat head I believe. And on my rebar it completely got in the way of using one of the tools too, or hindered the pe blade for any kind of cutting. (I don't remember exactly as I have since removed them a while back)
-
When I use big, two handed tools (shovel, adze, etc.) they allow me to drop them and have a better grip and leverage while still having them in the hand.
(http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t562/ThePeacent/CAM01496_zpsrgzng0st.jpg)
(http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t562/ThePeacent/CAM01554_zps1wa2xc9l.jpg)
Has proven useful so far in a couple occasions (the Gerber with lanyard, the Spyderco can be dangerous if you are not aware)
(http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t562/ThePeacent/CAM01555_zps1j2fhpaw.jpg)
(http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t562/ThePeacent/CAM01533_zpsfgi98lev.jpg)
-
Welcome to the boards Crank. :cheers:
-
My guiding rule for lanyards is: use it, if it's useful. For SAK's and other multitools I have lanyards that clip into the keyring and clip onto a belt loop. When it's time to use them I pull the knife or tool out of my pocket with the lanyard then unclip it. The lanyard goes back on when I'm done. As far as permanent lanyards I'm not a big fan, with one exception, my flash light has a permanent lanyard that wraps double around my wrist. Sometimes when I am using a knife or tool over and over I will leave the lanyard on and clip the free end around my wrist. I made one paracord lanyard braided in a chain sinnet, (daisy chain), braided it's the right length to clip around my wrist. If I pull out the braid, (takes three seconds), It can be tied into a neck lanyard. I am considering modifying my set up to add a very small clip to my SAKs so that I can simply clip onto a paracord line rather than a proper lanyard.
-
I used to have lanyards on any sigle tool/sak/flashlight, but now that I made some Ti clips those are replacing the former...
But today, I decided to attach the microTi clip I made (http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,64155.msg1397115.html#msg1397115) onto a lanyard
So now it is both a clip and a lanyard :facepalm: