Combining two threads..If i may

[Formerly Nervous]

In a previous thread,I brought up the issue of possibly needing more blade as the winter season sets upon us. Likewise, Clay referred to some of your favorite carry options Sir..

I would now ask the members here some personal insight into blade carrying in the winter? Espically concidering that we are primarily carrying Spydies.. multiple layers can make it difficult to get to some of our favorite carry positions (yes i know practice had ALOT to do with this for the most part). Another issue that was brought up concerning wearing of gloves.



I know it would be good to wear gloves and practice drawing, opening, closing and manipulating the knife. Outside of the obvious does anyone have any suggestions concerning winter carry? Espically of these [relatively] small 'pocket knives' ? Would you concider carrying in/on your coat, or, in anyones opnion is the risk of becomming seperated from you blade too high to risk this carry (we frequently take our coats off and plop them over a chair or on a hook in the resturaunt etc..).



Mr Janich, what is your expierence/opnions on the use of 'fobs' (or anyother small lanyard type devise) on the knives?



Sorry If I talk to much.. I love to talk the talk.. walk the walk... and there are few ppl here in my area to "share the joy" so to speak.. so this is my major outlet to vent and share :D

[Michael Janich]

Dear Nervous:

Winter is an interesting time for folks who carry defensive knives. The basic rule is to never have more than one layer of clothing between you and your knife.

In general, pocket clip carry still works very well. It places the knife close to the hand and with all but the longest winter coats, is still pretty accessible. This presumes that you have your hands in your pockets to keep them warm and are not wearing gloves.

One hint for any kind of concealed weapon carry in winter: get a coat that has both a zipper and snaps/velcro on the flap over the zipper. Don't use the zipper, but fasten the coat with the snaps or velcro only. A quick pull will separate them and allow access to your weapon much faster than trying to unzip. If you must use the zipper, get the kind that unzips from both the top and bottom and leave the bottom zipped about 1/3 of the way up.

I don't feel that drawing and opening a knife from any carry position with gloves on is a viable option. Any gloves thick enough to offer warmth will be too thick to allow the necessary dexterity.

When I wear gloves, I drop my knife right into the glove itself and let it rest right against my palm. This keeps both knife and hand warm and allows me to open the knife very quickly by simply removing the glove to expose the hand and knife. A wrist thong can help prevent dropping the knife, but I usually just leave my thumb on the knife and only insert my fingers in the fingers of the glove.

I don't like fobs and lanyards very much, because grabbing them means you are still NOT grabbing the knife. They require a lot of juggling to get the knife into position and, in my opinion, aren't a good way to go.

One way to solve the coat-pocket carry problem is to get two knives: one for your coat pocket in addition to your regular pants pocket carry. When your coat goes on, your hand goes into the dedicated pocket that carries your knife (and no other junk that could get in the way of a draw). When the coat comes off, you've still got your primary carry knife.

It's interesting that questions like this are frequently asked by people who are committed to the serious carry of defensive weapons. I actually wrote an entire book on the subject of defensive knife selection and carry ("Street Steel" - available from Paladin Press) that delves into this entire topic in detail and provides a number of other cold-weather carry strategies. At the risk of shameless self-promotion, if you're really interested in the topic, check out that book.

I hope this helps.

Stay safe,



mike j

[Formerly Nervous]

Thank you Mr Janich for your input.
Interestingly enough, you book "Street Steel" was my first ever instructional item I ever purchased. I do still have the book, however I must admit its been several years (ok... several plus..) since its been re-read. I do recall some of your points now that you mention them as being familiar ideas.. I guess its time to break out the books and read them once more.
Thanks again.

[Michael Janich]

Dear Nervous:

You're welcome.

Please give "Street Steel" another look. It really does address the issue more thoroughly than I could do here. If, after you've reviewed it, you have any other questions, please ask them. I've continued to experiment and learn since that book was published and there have also been some significant developments in knife design and carry systems. With the help of this forum, we can continue to define the defensive state of the art.

Stay safe,

mike j