How To Draw A Plate Carrier

The pocketknife was one of the very beginning tools adult by primitive man, and even today a trusty bract remains 1 of the most fundamental tools for survival. Still, a knife isn't much good if yous tin can't access it chop-chop, safely, and reliably. This has led us to consider various options for carrying a knife, and the potential benefits of each.

Now, we're not talking nigh EDC folding knives, since those are nigh always clipped to the hem of a pocket or carried inside that pocket. Nosotros're specifically focusing on fixed-blade knives — the kind you'd utilise for survival, bushcraft, hunting, self-defense, or general heavy-duty outdoor work.

Cold Steel Survival Edge knife review 14

To a higher place: the Cold Steel Survival Edge fixed-blade knife features a hollow handle cavity for a fishing kit and other modest items.

Anyone who has shopped for a handgun holster will probably understand pocketknife sheath terms, as they share many similarities. However, for those who might non exist entirely well-versed with these terms, we'll provide a glossary below. If y'all're already fully-versed in conduct terminology, you lot can skip ahead to the Belt Carry section.

WARNING: Regulations in your state/country may restrict how you tin legally deport a knife in public. This is relevant to both open up deport and concealed comport, although concealed carry is more often than not more restricted. Laws may besides disallow carry of specific types of knives, such equally those with double-edged blades or blades over a certain length. Always double-check local laws then you don't accidentally end up in legal problem.

Fixed-Blade Behave Terminology

[Number] o'clock
If you lot were looking down on your trunk from to a higher place, 12:00 would be your belt buckle, three:00 would be your correct hip, 6:00 would be your plumber's fissure, then on. The most typical knife sheath carry position for a right-handed user would be the three:00 position; a lefty would usually carry at 9.

Strong/Dominant Side
The same side equally your ascendant mitt. If you normally use the pocketknife with your right hand, this would mean carrying your blade on your right side (anywhere between 12 and six).

White River Firecraft FC5 knife review 27

Read on for more info on this White River Knives Firecraft FC5 and its sheath design.

Weak/Support Side
The aforementioned side as your not-dominant hand. For instance, a correct-handed user carrying on the left of his body.

Continue in mind that the side you carry on and the side you use the pocketknife with are 2 independent considerations. Some people prefer to utilise the strong-side mitt for a gun and utilise the weak-side manus for a knife, while others prefer potent side for both. Either way, grooming is essential to firmly establish your preference and become comfortable with it. You should besides practice drawing with your opposite hand, in example your preferred paw is injured in an emergency situation.

IWB or OWB
OWB, or exterior the waistband, is the about mutual method of carrying a knife, and exposes the sheath for quick access.

Concealed carry gun holster draw ammo practice 2

IWB (pictured) and OWB considerations use to knives much like they exercise to firearms.

IWB (inside the waistband) carry positions the pocketknife sheath within the pants while all the same attaching securely to the belt. IWB carry is usually combined with a encompass garment and called for darkening purposes.

Cant
Yous really can not confuse cant with tin can't — just wait for the apostrophe. A deceit is simply an angle other than vertical (perpendicular to the belt) or horizontal (parallel to the belt, see "sentry carry" below). Positive or forrad cant angles the handle towards the 12:00 position, while negative or rearward cant angles the handle in the opposite direction.

Canting may make a knife easier to access past fishing its handle towards the spot the user would grab, and may get in more comfortable to carry. It's besides helpful for concealment. For this reason, many sheaths include a rotating clip that allows for adjustable deceit.

TOPS Hazen Legion 6 knife 3

Above: the belt clip for this TOPS Hazen Legion 6.0 sheath can exist rotated 360 degrees for a full range of cant adjustment.

Belt Acquit Styles

Now that we've covered some of the terms yous'll need to know, we'll talk well-nigh the most common mode of knife deport: on the belt. The majority of mid-sized stock-still-bract sheaths will be designed for this carry fashion, with a clip, loop, or slot that accommodates the belt.

OWB

TOPS MSF 4 and Fieldcraft bushcraft knives review 02

Above: TOPS Fieldcraft with Kydex sheath and included ferro rod, worn OWB at 3:00.

The most typical subset of belt carry involves attaching the sheath to the belt outside the waistband on the strong-side. This would be the 3:00 position for right-handed users, or ix:00 for left-handed users.

IWB

Above: Edged weapon combatives instructor Chad McBroom draws a ColonelBlades LowVz pocketknife from the IWB appendix position.

Within-the-waistband carry is 1 of the best methods for concealing a bract. The sheath is worn much like a handgun holster — for right-handed use, this is generally either betwixt 3:00-6:00 or closer to 12:00-i:00 in the appendix position. Longer blades will be less comfy to carry IWB, so this style is best for smaller knives. Cant may be added to further ameliorate comfort.

Drop-Leg

White River Firecraft FC5 knife review 21

Higher up: The White River Knives Firecraft FC5 includes a leather drop-leg sheath and thigh lanyard. It also features two additional belt loops for sentinel acquit.

Drop-leg carry does exactly what its name implies. The sheath remains attached to the belt, but an extended loop or strap lowers information technology farther down the wearer's leg. Drop-leg sheaths likewise often have secondary straps or cords that wrap around the thigh, preventing the sheath from flopping effectually as the wearer walks or runs.

This provides easy admission to the knife, and occupies less chugalug real estate than a sheath mounted direct to the waistband. Some users may also prefer this lower position from a comfort standpoint.

Cantankerous-Describe

A cross-draw knife is positioned for the wearer to attain across the eye line of the body with the strong hand, and draw from the opposite (weak) side. This is not to be confused with weak-side comport, where a correct-handed user would behave a pocketknife on his left and draw it with the left paw.

Cross-describe is an option in cases where belt real manor on the strong side is limited. This blazon of carry usually incorporates positive cant to make the pocketknife'due south handle easier to catch.

Scout Conduct

Gerber Ghoststrike fixed blade knife 11

Above: Gerber Ghoststrike fixed-blade in watch carry configuration

In sentry carry, a knife is worn horizontally parallel to the belt. Technically, scout behave is just OWB deport with a ninety-caste cant, simply we consider it unique plenty to deserve its own category.

The sheath is typically worn at the minor of the back (half-dozen:00) but it's also sometimes positioned on the weak side for cross-draw. Watch carry offers comfort, quick accessibility, and can reduce the risk of a handle or sheath snagging as you move through thick castor. Paired with a cover garment, scout carry besides offers potential for concealment.

Upper Body Carry Styles

Moving higher up the waistline, in that location are a few options for carrying a knife on the upper body:

Cervix Lanyard/Chain

Gerber Ghoststrike fixed blade knife 17

Above: Gerber Ghoststrike dial knife worn on a cervix lanyard

Neck bear is only suitable for small and light knives, so this is near applicable to secondary blades for purposes such as self-defense, skinning, or precise etching. A neck knife can complement a larger knife carried elsewhere on your gear.

When open-carried, a neck knife is lightning-fast to admission with either hand, unlike almost other carry styles that favor 1 side. When worn backside a shirt or coat, it provides fantabulous concealment. Solid sheath retentivity is essential, since neck knives are almost ever carried inverted.

Shoulder Strap or Chest Rig

Mora Garberg black carbon knife bushcraft survival 03

Above: The Mora Garberg Black Carbon includes a MOLLE-compatible sheath and additional retention strap for inverted carry.

Tactical backpack straps, chest rigs, and plate carriers all feature PALS webbing for adding MOLLE-compatible gear. This webbing makes for an piece of cake place to attach a pocketknife sheath, especially if that sheath was designed to be direct compatible with MOLLE. Many non-tactical hiking and climbing packs also feature some form of webbing the sheath can be tied to.

Microtech SOCOM Alpha knife review Summit in the Sand RECOIL 20

Above: Microtech SOCOM Alpha mounted vertically on a plate carrier.

Combat knives are often placed on shoulder straps for quick one-handed admission, or positioned vertically or horizontally on chest webbing. Knives with standalone shoulder slings or harnesses, such equally the discontinued Kershaw Military, are far less common but could also fall into this category.

Of course, at that place are countless other ways to strap a knife to the side of a pack or slip information technology into a pocket, but almost of these aren't immediately accessible while wearing the pack. We'll leave backpack configuration equally a subject field for some other day.

Lower Body Conduct Styles

Unless you're into wearing a dagger on a sexy lace garter like a femme fatale, the options for conveying a knife below the waist are express.

Pocket

Fixed blade knife concealed carry sheath pocket carry paracord 1

Above: OpticsPlanet shows how a paracord line can be used to retain a fixed-blade sheath during pocket bear.

If you lot take a blade small enough to fit inside (or generally inside) a pocket, it's possible to bear it there in a few different ways. The first and nigh obvious is to simply attach information technology to the pocket hem with the sheath'south existing clip, assuming it has a clip. Otherwise, you tin apply some paracord to tie the sheath to the pocket lining or another static signal, and deploy the knife in a single movement.

Ankle / Kicking

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Above: Gerber Ghoststrike Deluxe worn on a neoprene ankle wrap

Ankle/kicking carry is another choice for small cocky-defense-oriented fixed-blades. Information technology can exist accomplished with a sweat-resistant band that wraps around the dogie and secures the sheath, or with a sheath that attaches directly to the cuff of a kick. Purpose-congenital boot knives were classically-known every bit "gambler's daggers", indicating the sneaky and treacherous history backside this carry style.

The Poll

So, of all the fixed-blade behave styles outlined in this guide, which do you primarily use? Let us know in the poll below, and see how your preferences compare to those of other readers.

Annotation: If yous carry multiple stock-still-blade knives, answer the second poll to point where y'all deport your backup knife.

Gear up Now:

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