Yeah, I'm thinking about shoulder carry. Would be sans handgun with Scouts, of course! That means, ummm... more than one rig. Fairly easy to modify the rig I use for an early model Redhawk if I put it on the opposite side (might balance me out LoL). Would take a new rig for the slabside tools. And yet another for "knife only", which would also work fine with the SA rig. It's not my first choice, but a possible solution.<br><br>Calf carry? Perish the thought! Never entered my mind, to be honest. Getting the hilt away (down) from interfering with a pack waist band has me thinking about trialing a lowered rig, although I'm not crazy about double-strapping to my thigh. Might work OK, tho.<br><br>I'll relook conventional belt carry as you suggest, but I I think I tried that previously with less than satisfactory results. Can't hurt to check, just to be sure I haven't overlooked anything. Thanks for the ideas and tips.<br><br>Tom

Andy,<br><br>Hehehe - hey, Scouts are not my sole source of outdoors fixes! Yes, cursing under my breath while using a folded lock blade knife to peen over a busted what not is not something conducive to modeling proper behavior for a Scout before or after "Tote'n Chip" priviledges (good memory, btw). Fortunately, the knife has all the scars and I have none (from those abuses). I'd still be postholing out of the moutains (instead of skiing) if I had not fixed what was broken with what tool I had, tho - by way of example. Actually, most of those abuses were long before I'd even heard of a multi-tool (maybe Leatherman wasn't even in business yet for some of those adventures) and most of those situations that I can remember would have been handled as well or better by my Wave nowadays.<br><br>I'll demure on some other...past abuses of knives and skip over to one that I anticipate - expedient wood splitting. Shucks, I thought I was a real clever fellow years ago for figuring out how to split wood with a lockback for fire-building until I came here and found out that everyone has been doing it since time began. Never broke my knife - I was patient and used moderate blows on a Buck 112 or a Buck 110 (considered pretty hi-speed knives with the crowd I hung out with back then) - I seem to have mis-placed the 112, which I liked a little better than the 110 (it fit OK in my front pocket). It's probably around here...<br><br>On more than one occasion I have had a lock back un lock and partially fold while doing that - vibration, rebound, whatever. No blood, but not confidence building. I don't fell like blowing the $$$ to test out other locking mechanisms in that role; I've used lockbacks many times; they worked, and sometimes they folded up when I was doing it. Not something I want to have happen when I'm showing some Scouts how to do it. Not just any Scouts, tho - only those I accept into some specific survival training.<br><br>When I switched to a fixed blade knife (wifey gift) - what a difference! Much safer wood splitter. Faster, if I can quantify that. And the slightly longer blade didn't hurt, either. Safe is good...<br><br>Now that the light has (finally) dawned that we're not forbidden to use fixed blades in Scouting, I'm looking for the best combos overall for safety in carry & use plus cost & value. Since good habits work so well for me (I never lose my car keys because I ALWAYS put them the same place as soon as they clear the ignition - that kind of thing), I'm looking for what works well and safely in all situations for me where I am intentionally outdoors, including scouting.<br><br>I do not casually split wood with a knife - prefer other, more suitable tools. Have not, that I can recall, carried a hand axe out of sight of a vehicle, but I could if I didn't mind the weight or if I got a minimalist light weight hand axe. Have not used a lightweight for splitting, so do not know how well that works.<br><br>However... if I do not have my pack, I'm sure I won't have an axe, machette, SP-11, or whatever on me - too big; too much hassle. I WILL have a knife. I want the Scouts to be reasonably able to safely improvise in those circumstances, so I'm looking hard at resolving my habits to having a fixed blade on me. A folder would work, too, as I mentioned, but is not as safe IMHO.<br><br>If I can find a body-carry solution that makes me happy, I'm going to pass that on. If not... I'll figure something else out.<br><br>Does this windy explanation make sense to you? It's possible that I'm overlooking something obvious.<br><br>Regards,<br><br>Tom

Tom,<br><br>Your comments (as always, it seems) make sense. <br> <br>However, I feel I should mention that I have spilt wood in the manner you have mentioned, with a Benchmade AFCK and a Cold Steel Voyager (5''). The AFCK (a liner lock) never gave me any problems. The lock never failed, the knife never closed, nothing...Alas, I lost that knife about two months ago (fell out of my pocket while I was on the jungle gym showing the children how young and athletic I still am. . .As upset as I was about having lost the knife, I was more upset about having lost it at a playground. Hopefully, a park employee found it, rather than a small child.) The Voyager always worked, but occasionally the knife would fold. I suspect that it was because my "hammer" made contact with the lock release. Something to think about.... <br><br>I now have a Spyderco Wegner. Love this knife, but would never use it to split wood, expect in a genuine emergency. For that I have a Gerber camp axe, the little one. I plan on replacing it soon with a Granfors Bruks.<br><br>Having written all of that, I'm going to reverse myself. I've read back over this and it seems as if I'm trying to sell you an expensive folder, and then maybe trying sell you an tiny (but handy) axe. The point is, it can be done with a folder (preferably a liner lock model), but is better done with an axe or maul or chain saw or explosives. <br><br>Do as you will, but don't discount leaving the fixed blades at home. And be carefull, either way.<br><br>Andy

Andy,<br><br>That's useful info - was the CS a lock back? It's been a while, but I seem to recall that that at least some of the time the lock backs folded, it was in part because my death grip + the blow on the blade caused my hand to depress the lock release on the back of the knife. So maybe a liner lock would be fine, based on your experiences. Alas, I don't have one (well, the Wave is, I guess). I've got a couple on the way as presents, so after they get the "new" off them, I'll check it out - I'll replace if I damage the knife.<br><br>Sorry you lost your knife. That sucks. One of my boys lost one, oh, maybe 7 years ago in Colorado, and everytime we are packing through the general area of the "scene of the crime", he asks for a break to search for it. My Dad lost his favorite Lakota not far from there a couple of years afterwards (Bermuda Triangle for knives?) and was really upset about it. A year later... he got it back in an unusual twist of events, about a mile from where it was lost.<br><br>How do you like the Gerber axe? And what is a "Granfors Bruks", please? An Ontario military machette with homemade replacement handles is the height of sophistication for me, I'm afraid - sure is interesting reading here for me.<br><br>I'm interested in hearing about some of your experiences.<br><br>Tom

Well, if you just want a knife only shoulder rig, a spare sheath and a bootlace works wonders under a light jacket. If the sheath has a tie down hole at the bottom, just put a single loop of cord through it, that runs over the front of your shoulders and across your back- put a half twist in it to make it into an "X" and keep the load off your neck. Just make sure you have enough slack so that you can attach the belt loop to your belt. <br><br>However, since this is with scouts, improvised concealed carry techniques might be frowned on. <br><br>Another option is to carry it horizontally across the back of your belt. However, this doesn't work to well if you are sitting on a chair or bench with a back, or laying on your back and sides, or are carrying a pack on your hips/lower back. You also need to consider that it has all the potential for aggrivating back injuries that any kind of SOB carry does, if you land on it wrong.

Regarding lost knives, I found one in an unusual spot. I was snorkling in Wolverine Lake, a man-made lake, in Michigan (Owasippe Scout Reservervation) as a teenager.<br><br>The water is clear and I was swimming between the weed beds scaring up the bass. Then I saw a dull flash below me. There, about ten feet down in the center of a flat, sawn tree stump, was a small 1-inch pocket knife. It must have fallen from a scout's pocket while boating or canoing on the lake. It was a bit rusty, but after a cleaning it was servicable.<br><br>It's not much of a knife, but I still carry it in my gear and it reminds my of camp every time I pull it from my fanny pack.<br><br>

I may be off target, but what about sewing the shieth to the outside of the pack. You could reach over your head to draw it out. Returning it to the shieth would be a hassle, as would be times if you fell on your back. But depending on how you intend to use the knife, that might not matter.<br><br>For splitting wood and other heavy duty cutting chores, you are not likely to have you pack on anyway. An external shieth allows easy access without having to rumage through your gear. In an emergeny, your multi-tool and/or pocket knife should be easily retreived from your non-BSA <S> cargo pants pocket.<br><br>Of course, if you anticipate a a situation where you may quickly end up sans pack and want the fixed blade in ahurry, none of these ideas fit. But it would seem to work well with the Boy Scout aspect.

Tom,<br><br>Yes, the CS is a lockback.<br><br>The Gerber axe I have is the "Back Paxe." Stupid name, nice little axe. I do mean little. Not even ten inches long, total. The handle is plastic (polymer?), which worried me at first, but aside from a little dinging, no problem. Takes a licking and keeps on...you know.<br><br>A Granfors Bruks is a hand forged axe, made in Sweden or Norway or ....well, it's made in one of those Scandanavian countries. A friend of mine has one, the "Wilderness Axe," I beleive, and it is marvelous. Expensive, though. <br><br>Both the Gerber axe and the Granfors can be viewed (and ordered) online.<br><br>Andy