Canoe with a View : : Canadian Open Canoe forum

Picture the scene if you will;
you have been paddling all day, your hands are cold wet and tired, you need some kindling for your fire so out comes the axe, chop, chop, oops the grip has gone and so has the axe,it is flying across the camp site in a gracefull arc narrowly missing Nige, then Biff oh no Red is in the flight path supping the last of his finest whisky...just before the amber necter reaches his lips (he's been looking forward to this all day) WHAM in a blink of an eye the razor sharp axe has cleanly removed the bottom half of his glass spilling its contents all over the mole hills of Oak Meadow.

All this could have been prevented with the patent not pending lanyard from Magizmo.

I had tied some cord to my axe as a lanyard when I bought it only a few moons back....this was my lanyard. But then a wise mountain man showed me the real way to have a lanyard and now I'll show you.


As pictures say a thousand words here they are.

The cord isn't that long.


long enough for you to fit your thumb and hand like so


with the cord still around your thumb bring your hand round to hold the handle as normal...





With lanyard on the handle the axe is secure even if your grip isn't.
Red can drink his whisky in peace and I can have my kindling.

Cheers
Tim

Nice one Tim...

But me thinks you need a prettier lanyard than that....

Post the length of the lanyard up and I'll get one knocked up, and in the post, for you, the way a wise Firebreather showed me at MiddleMud....

Colour choices are Black, Drab and Sand.....

Cheers
Red.

(29-01-10 09:37 AM)redframe Wrote: [ -> ]Nice one Tim...

But me thinks you need a prettier lanyard than that....

Post the length of the lanyard up and I'll get one knocked up, and in the post, for you, the way a wise Firebreather showed me at MiddleMud....

Colour choices are Black, Drab and Sand.....

Cheers
Red.

Oh Oh will pm details as soon a I have scoffed me b'fast.
Ta Red
Cheers
Tim

Hi Tim, very nicely illustrated, could prevent some one from from receiving a nasty experience.

Best Regards Bill

Hi Tim

I would never have a lanyard on an axe. Its just too dangerous

If the axe is going to leave my hand I want it to go away from me. Where as the lanyard would make it spin around ( at speed !!!) and come back towards myself....Not a situation anybody wants to be in.

IMO axe lanyards are purely for hanging the axe up or attaching to a belt etc etc.

I always make sure I plan each cut and also identify the path it could potentially take if something goes wrong ie slippage...
Basically I make sure that nobody is in front or behind of the arc of my swing. If there is any obstacles, in your scenario the unfortunate Redframe and his fine beverage then I would either move to another area to chop or I would ask Red to move.
If its not practical to do either then I would have to ask if its safe to cut ?

Lanyards are great for knives but not for axes.

Now it must be said I have not tried your method so it might work ? Try swinging the axe around (slowly and with the sheath on) to see if it works ........

Greg

Personal view....

After a few full personal demonstrations, I recn' Bill's lanyard method is safe....

To stop the "Flying Axe" issue...

Cheers
Red.

(29-01-10 10:08 PM)redframe Wrote: [ -> ]Personal view....

After a few full personal demonstrations, I recn' Bill's lanyard method is safe....

To stop the "Flying Axe" issue...

Cheers
Red.

I do think that the length of the axe handle matters.....try it with your SFA which is about the same length of your arm. I certainly would not want my sfa coming at me at speed !!!!!!! Again

Anyway Red you are biased...... you are only concerned about your tasty beverage

I might give it a try with my smaller hatchett and see how it feels.

Greg

Bill's teaching is that it is better to have the axe under control..

And, as with the original post, if your hands are cold, slippery with a bit of Mudd on the shaft....

It's certainly worth trying....

Cheers
Red.

Greg try this lanyard style on a thick stick as an example, at worse it will just twist in your grip. As for chopping, I agree as you say keep every one out of the line of fire, I used Reds drink as a humorous example.

Dunno how it would work on anything bigger than my axe.

Cheers
Tim

The use of the lanyard was taught to me by the Sarawak Rangers in Borneo Jungle, The lanyard was attached to the Machete, and like the axe if used in a full arch of swing prevents Axe/Machete from flying out of the hand, also the swing/slash are all away from the body.
Regards Bill

Found some info on the Sarawak Rangers

here

I bought my axe as a replacement for my large camp knife (Mike) second from the left



Will fit Bill's Sarawak style lanyard to him, I digress any how this style of lanyard and the way it grips the hand prevents the handle from slipping out even with minimum grip, it is possible for it to swing on the lanyard and the blade to make contact with the person wielding the axe/machete/knife but they would have to be a complete numpty to let go of the handle totally. I can't see it working on any thing much bigger tho'.

Cheers
Tim

Confucius say "If man want to stop himself getting hurt with axe, let someone else chop the wood"

(30-01-10 01:03 PM)Graeme @ YC Wrote: [ -> ]Confucius say "If man want to stop himself getting hurt with axe, let someone else chop the wood"

He also say "man with hole in pocket feel cocky all day"
and "man with holes in both pockets not feel too cocky"

Cheers
Tim

Hi Tim, thanks for the link to the Sarawak Rangers, I/we were taught a lot of survival skills by these Guys, Hammocking being one, as well as the use of a machete,I say this as you seem doubtful if the lanyard system would work on something longer than you Axe or your camp knife, it will work on a Machete of considerable length 18" to 24", its not something you would use on a Felling Axe.
The lanyard method of securing the Tool/Weapon was taught in Close Quarter Combat for holding a fighting knife, or as they call them now Tactical Knife.
It is as always up to individual to try something and if they dont like it they dont have to adopt the method, its just something I thought might be of interest to the bushcraft side of Canoeing, and going back to the link for the Sarawak Rangers Airborne, our pay was one guinea per week extra for Parachuting this was during the 60's of course.
Regards Bill

(30-01-10 01:19 PM)Canalvoyageur Wrote: [ -> ]I say this as you seem doubtful if the lanyard system would work on something longer than you Axe or your camp knife, it will work on a Machete of considerable length 18" to 24", its not something you would use on a Felling Axe.

Hi Bill, my fault I should have worded it better, I would guess it is the way/style of holding the tool that determines the practicality of the lanyard. With a felling axe it is held with two hands, it is this style that I doubt that it would work. The machete if I'm not mistaken is held similarly to my axe / camp knife / parang (one handed) therefore it would work.


Cheers
Tim