I mean, they look nice in the photos that get posted, but do they serve any useful function or is it just aesthetics? Not criticizing, but curious.

My friend likes to carry his knives deep in his pocket, as opposed to clipped to the top. He dangles the lanyard out, making it easy to pull out.

I just ordered a lanyard for my new knife so I can try it.

And, it does look cool.

The same point as on sheath knives. So you don't lose them. More when the knife is out and being used. I like the answer from the guy who wants to try it. Both sheath and pocket knives have a problem on a lanyard. It tends to make the knife come back at you if you've dropped it and its attached at your end.

I think I’m going to try it with my PM2. The problem with pocket clips it you end up wearing a hole in your pants, at least with G10 scales. I also took a good sized chunk out of my thumb with a new, and very sharp, titanium pocket clip while climbing into a barber’s chair. I put my hands on the arm rests and sat down and sheared off the top of my thumb knuckle as I sat. Such things probably don’t happen with a lanyard. I’ll find out, I guess.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: P220 Smudge,

I keep a a 3' length of pull-cord on my folders that I take with me in potential survival situations(I know....remote possibility). Pull cord is probably the best cord you can use for a bow drill for friction fire making. For fires, my plan "A" is a lighter, plan "B" is a firesteel, plan "C" is gum wrapper foil and a battery, and plan "D" is to make a bow drill. I do a Chris Reeve lanyard wrap.

Lanyards have several uses. In addition to those mentioned above a tight lanyard can allow positive retention while allowing a longer swing. Watch a couple survival knife videos and you'll likely see these and other uses for them!

A proper long lanyard, attached to your belt is useful to help prevent knife loss when working at heights, around deep water, etc.

What most people think of as a knife lanyard nowdays, is more of a fob. Some of my knives came with them on, and they never really bothered me. Once I took them off, they bothered me even less.

quote:

What most people think of as a knife lanyard nowdays, is more of a fob.

This is what I was referring to, not some longer lanyard that could be used to prevent loss of the knife or for some other survival type purpose.

On some of my folding knives, I tie a hangman's knot, made from a foot or less of nylon cord. This way, it serves as a traditional "pull" and, if need be, the cord can be easily unraveled and made into a lanyard in no time at all. A "pull" or fob- the kind of thing Victorinox offers as an accessory for their Swiss Army Knives- helps you get your folder out of a pouch or your pocket or any tight place you've stashed it.

I imagine the practice of attaching a cord to grab onto your folding knife is as old as the folder itself.

I take a piece of cord and tie a knot on both sides of the lanyard hole on all my pocket clip folders. The knots serve to give your fingers a better grip as you are unclipping the knife from your pocket. Low profile and works great.
I let the end of the lanyard poke out of my pocket on non pocket clip folders.

OK, I can see how a fob type lanyard can be functional as well as kind of cool looking. I guess I asked the question because looking at the photos posted by Photoman, Grumpy Biker and others put the idea in my head to do the same on some of my knives. I found some good you tube videos on how to make interesting knots. I think I will get myself some cords and try it out to see how I like it.

quote:

Originally posted by Ironbutt:
A proper long lanyard, attached to your belt is useful to help prevent knife loss when working at heights, around deep water, etc.

What most people think of as a knife lanyard nowdays, is more of a fob. Some of my knives came with them on, and they never really bothered me. Once I took them off, they bothered me even less.

This is my view. I do not find the fobs useful. However a real lanyard is useful for me when I am on a boat fishing. A knife tied to a lanyard will never fall overboard unless I do.

I only have them on folding knives that are carried tip up & have deep carry clips.
This deep carry trend I find a bit irritating as I prefer larger & a bit heavier knife.
The deep carry clip makes it harder to get out of my pocket (I carry in my back pocket only) and a lanyard/ fob helps eliminate the issue.
Obviously there’s no need for a decorative bead but WTH everything else I have seems to be personalized so I add them.
Their weight helps hold them down and the fob is easy to locate by feel.

quote:

Originally posted by Ironbutt:
to help prevent knife loss when working around deep water.

Best catch I've ever had during a fishing trip was a Leatherman Skeletool. Thought I had a helluva crappie at first and my brother was shaking his head in amazement when I finally got it out of the water. All done with 2 pound Ande Mono and a 8ft B'n'M Buck's Ultimate rod.

Dayum, Grumpy, thst is one sweet 0560.

Okay, now I gotta find me one!

quote:

Originally posted by ridgerat:
Dayum, Grumpy, thst is one sweet 0560.

Okay, now I gotta find me one!

They are nice.
I’ve yet to decide on a lanyard bead for the blue daily carry one.

I don't see the need for a fob, it's just one more thing to take up space in my pocket. If I was doing something up high or on the water like somebody mentioned, then yeah I can see the value of a lanyard. I've just always stuffed my pocket knives down into my pocket. I don't use the clips. I've tried them but I'm always afraid that pressure on the bottom of the knife from my leg (like when I sit down) is going to push it up and out and bye-bye. Or that I'll catch it on something as I walk by and have it yanked out.

quote:

Originally posted by Expert308:
I don't see the need for a fob, it's just one more thing to take up space in my pocket.

Fobs & lanyards live outside the pocket.
If not you’re doing it wrong.

quote:

Originally posted by GrumpyBiker:

quote:

Originally posted by Expert308:
I don't see the need for a fob, it's just one more thing to take up space in my pocket.

Fobs & lanyards live outside the pocket.
If not you’re doing it wrong.

Ah well, shows what I know. But then, I'd have the same problem that I do with clips, afraid they're going to catch on something and yank my knife away. Or a pickpocket might grab it, yank and run. I'm too old to chase them.

Top to bottom- hangman's knot, snake's head knots, Victorinox fob.