I read "Hatchet" and want a lanyard hold in the handle of my knives. I don't want to drop it in the water or whatever. I do not put any cord in it. If I think I could lose the knife while holding it, then I'll put a cord through the hole.

A simple one can be there for extra cordage. Say a monkey chain which will come apart in seconds. I put those on all kinds of things like zipper pulls. A more complex braid, especially in leather with turkshead knots around it, maybe to much trouble or nearly impossible to take apart and turn into cordage once its set for a while. I love braiding leather, but though they look very nice I cant see the point of putting one on a working knife.

Dropped my knife in the tall grass while it was dark.

Didn't like it much.

All my knives except the spyderco delica in my waistband for defense have braided paracord lanyards.

(I'm a never-can-have-too-much-paracord convert) <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

The lanyard might also find use as the string for a firebow

Yes, I was under-appreciating the reasons for a lanyard, but only after reading the replies and hearing you say it does it occur to me. I can see a lanyard (as a loop) as being effective, but what I had in mind were those knives where there is some braided line (about 6" or so) dangling from the lanyard hole. I suppose you could store extra cordage that way, but it sure seems like it would often get in the way. You know, kind of like certain motorcycle riders will have leather strips dangling from the ends of the handlebars (now, please don;t tell me there is a purpose to that <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />)

When (someone) said one of the uses could be to extend the handle a little for "chopping", I really didn;t envision holding on to the lanyard and wailing away at something. He can correct me if I'm wrong, but what I think he had in mind was sliding your hand down the handle a little (like maybe two fingers on the handle and the last two gripping the lanyard), thereby giving you a little more leverage. You know, I'm not sure I'd be tempted to do that but you never know what you might need to do in a situation.

I think, like one of you said, it might be best to have a lanyard ready... like maybe in the extra pouch on some sheaths, or somewhere..... then put it on when the need arises.

Thanks for the input...

I suppose those tassles hanging off the ends of chopper handlebars are so they will resemble the ones hanging off the handlebars of my daughters old tricycle (ooooh that's bad)...


Sometimes it is nice to have a flexible appendage other than the handle on my bigger knives, like when I am batoning through wood and my knuckles start complaining about the added vibration. There is a way to use a lanyard fob on the end of a good knife for additional throwing power and control (kinda like an atl atl technique), but I'm not a knife thrower much.

I suppose if you had a hole at the choil and one at the butt you could span a lanyard as a moderate knuckle protector for harder work, though I'd probably go with gloves instead.

You got the extension for chopping pretty much right, but you also have the loop around your wrist. What you are doing is extending the arc, and thus the power of the chop.

My survival focus is largely on winter, and I rather hypocritically haven't lanyarded a lot of my gear yet. In deep snow, if you drop it, there are times where all you can do is mark the location and wait until spring. But a high visability lanyard (yeah for orange paracord) makes it easier to spot, becuase you get a tail. And lanyards can help secure things to you- use a cheapie key ring biner, clip it to your belt (not a belt loop, they are too weak) and snap your knife and light to it, against the off chance of the sheath/pouch opening. Although I like a dual fastner sheath whenever possible for the little stuff (velcro + fastex, or 'cro or snap with kydex, preferably), as it gives you a similiar degree of security.

The big thing with lanyards, be they for the belt or around the body/neck, is a break away. Loosing your knife is bad. Getting stuck on something and dragged or throttled or literally left hanging with no way to get down is worse.

It is a tail, makes it easier to find in snow or tall grass if dropped, and if it is a high visability color material that has possitive bouancy I imagine it might it easier to find if dropped in shallow but murky/dark water.

What I've done on some knives is put on a smaller loop, maybe 1-2" diameter. That's always there, and mostly out of the way. Then I'll carry a couple of pre-made loops about 12" diameter or so. Then I just throw on the larger lanyard onto the knife as needed, with a girth hitch (aka cow hitch).
J

The loop on the hilt of the knife can be looped over the thumb & run over the back of the hand. The loop & the handle meet near your little finger. This helps prevent your hand from going forward on the blade when stabbing something or someone & keeps the handle firmly in your hand when withdrawing the blade, helpful if the blade is stuck in something or someone. My "Kabar" (Camillus) does not have a lanyard hole. The loop is worked into a turk's head (knot) at the end of the handle.