Franck Wang 
Folding knives are a common fixture in our everyday lives, be it in the workplace, great outdoors, or the streets. However, not everyone knows how to carry their blade properly. A folding knife’s sharp edges can potentially cause serious or fatal injury if not carried in the right manner. Below, we will explore how to safely carry your pocket knife.
First, Why Carry a Knife?
Pocket knives are not solely weapons. Instead, they are versatile tools that can make our lives significantly easier, safer, and better when used in the right way. Having a foldable knife on you will come in handy in multiple situations, from accomplishing mundane tasks to overcoming life-threatening circumstances.
Here’s why your sharp-edged companion should always be on your side.
- Utility Purposes – There are dozens of routine tasks you can use a blade in. Whether it’s to cut stray threads or tags from your clothing, slice fruits, open packages, prune plants, strip wire, or gut fish, it will help you get the job done with much ease.
- Convenience – A pocket knife eliminates the need to carry multiple tools that don’t serve multiple functions. It can be your kitchen knife when cutting campfire steak, a shovel when you want to dig small holes or even an instrument for whittling outdoor gear from a piece of wood.
- Emergency – In a car accident, you could save lives by using a pocket knife to smash the car window and cutting the victim free from the seatbelts. A knife can also be used to remove a splinter, cut through fabric to dress a wound, or quickly create a bandage out of a piece of clothing when you want to stop the bleeding.
- Defense – When attacked, whether by a person or animal, a pocket knife can be a great last-ditch self-defense weapon. If you properly train how to draw and wield one, it could help tip the scales in your favor. Most times, flashing your blade is enough to deter most assailants.
Knife
What Type of Knife Should You Carry?
The best knife to carry every day is one that has a folding design. Ideally, it should have a strong lock mechanism, a blade between two and four inches long, and be made of high-quality material that can stand up to some daily abuse.
Also, make sure it has a rigid and comfortable handle that actually allows you to wield the knife effortlessly. And if you want a quality custom knife for a specific purpose, take a look at our world-class pocket knife manufacturer knife customization services.
Best Way to Carry Your Pocket Knife
People carry pocket knives for different reasons, but the guidelines for safely carrying a blade are generally the same. Below are some folding knife-carrying tips.
Understand the Laws and Regulations
Before you start taking your custom pocket knife with you, educate yourself on local knife-carrying laws. Some places have restrictions on knife types, blade lengths, locations you can bring a knife, and the way you carry a knife, whether openly or concealed.
Since many jurisdictions have knife laws that aren’t clearly defined, it’s smart to talk to law enforcement agencies where you live or are visiting.
Carry on Your Strong Side
When carrying a pocket knife, whether for utility purposes or self-defense, it helps to have it on the same side as your dominant hand. Placing it in a natural position enables quick access when you want to make use of it and allows a faster reaction when facing a threat.
If you’re right-handed, carry the blade on your right-hand side, and if you’re left-handed, have it on the left side.
Carrying a Folding Knife Inside a Pocket
One of the best and most popular positions to carry a blade is clipping it inside your front pocket. A clip will keep the knife in its place, prevent it from accidentally falling, and save you from having to dig around in your pockets for the blade.
It will allow you to instinctively and quickly pull the blade out. Some clips are more discreet than others, so choose one depending on whether you want to stealthily carry your knife or reveal a part of it.
Carrying a Folding Knife Inside Your Waistband
Some knife enthusiasts prefer wearing the knife clipped inside the front waistband. The idea is that this position is less restrictive and allows you to extract the knife using a wide range of motions. Most importantly, you get equal access from both hands.
Other people who are experienced with knives prefer to carry the blade outside the waistband. Use this option if you need to keep using the knife over and over. The law may also require you to make it obvious that you’re carrying a knife.
Carry Your Folding Knife
Carrying a Folding Knife on Your Neck
Sometimes, the clothes we wear have no pockets, or the waistband can’t allow a knife to be clipped to it. In such situations, you can opt to carry a sheathed blade around your neck.
Some individuals even love this position because it’s easy to conceal and reach the knife. The main downsides are that the knife can be difficult to retrieve when worn underneath the shirt, and it will keep bouncing around when you’re on the move. It can also be a choking hazard, so use a breakaway chain.
Should You Carry a Pocket Knife Tip-Up or Tip-Down?
Whether you carry your pocket knife tip-up or tip-down is a personal choice. Before picking either option, consider the ergonomics of the knife and how it opens.
Note that folders that don’t have a mechanism that maintains the knife in a closed position until you decide to open it can be dangerous to carry with tip-up. They can open and expose the point of the tip and cut you when you want to retrieve the knife.
Use a Sheath
Regardless of the type or operating design, folding knives can sometimes open in your pocket, neck carry, waist carry, or any other spot you place it. And a razor-sharp knife just inches away from your body could cause severe cuts or inflict a deathly stab wound when you accidentally fall on the opened blade.
So, any responsible knife owner should carry the knife secured in a sheath. A sheath also protects the blade from the elements and reduces wear.
Closing Thoughts
To wrap it up, what matters when carrying a pocket knife is how fast you can retrieve it and how safe you are wearing it on that spot. Ideally, your blade should be kept away to avoid attracting too much attention but still be readily available. Again, don’t forget to check what the local laws say about carrying a concealed pocket knife.
If you would like to add a new custom knife to your collection, feel free to check out our website or talk to our experts, and we will help you find a perfect design.
