Self inflicted accidental neck knife death - how is a spyderco safer than others?

[Rinzler]

There are not many details here but a man died in the Boston area from his own neck knife. I’ve always considered them on the edge of a one in a million chance bad accident. This story seems to lend support to that thought in the back of my mind that’s kept me away from neck knives of all sorts. How are spyderco’s neck knives safer than others?

https://www.wcvb.com/article/man-stabb ... y/46017963

[Michael Janich]

While this is certainly a tragic incident, without knowing any details, using it to substantiate a personal dislike of neck knives is a stretch. The most detailed description given in the article is: "Multiple sources told NewsCenter 5 that Kenney was fatally wounded by a knife that was attached to something he was wearing around his neck."

"Something he was wearing around his neck" is extremely vague and doesn't necessarily define any traditional neck-knife configuration.

Stay safe,

Mike

[Buddafucco]

Not enough facts to learn anything from.
Technically a Spyderco neck knife would have a sheath that's attached around the neck. And the knife inserted in the sheath. If he had a knife attached to something else around his neck. I wouldn't consider that a neck knife. But we don't have those details.

[Naperville]

I know quite a few people in martial arts. I would guess they would tell me if neck knives were dangerous because I've worn them on and off. I'm 63 and never read of any other person having a situation with a knife worn around a neck, now the string that it dangles from, you are warned not to wear anything that will not break away. It can be a choking hazard.

Whatever happened may never be known.

[Mushroom]

I think the lack of details makes it difficult to identify what needs improvements in safety. I do not want to speculate what may happened since it is a sensitive subject.

In general though, it does not feel inappropriate to discuss neck knives and neck knife safety.

“Neck knives” may be a niche category but they can still cover a broad range of knives from folder to fixed blade. Often times presenting different challenges when it comes to safety.

One thing that seems often overlooked is how the knife is attached around the neck and whether or not strangulation is a concern. Without a built in break point, the cordage or chain could potentially be strong enough to strangle the wearer. (Either accidentally or intentionally)

Spyderco’s ARK sheath has a secondary lever that holds the knife in place and needs to be depressed before the knife can be removed from the sheath. It’s, at least, another safeguard against the knife accidentally coming out of the sheath and causing an injury.

[Laphroaig9]

If he was "cut" the knife came out of it's sheath.

He probably bent forward, and the knife plunged into his neck, 0robably cutting the carotid artery.

I'd bet that's what happened.

Never use the same sheath and weaken it during training.

Use your good, original strong sheath, and stop using it if the knife isn't being held tightly in place!

[yablanowitz]

From the information given, it could be almost anything. He could have had a folder with a weak detent with his keys on a lanyard around his neck which came open and stabbed him when he bent over. It doesn't sound like it was a "neck knife" per se. We'll probably never know.

[James Y]

We don't even know whether the thing the knife was attached to that he was wearing around his neck even had a sheath.

Jim

[Mr_Whiskerz]

Not sure we know enough to say anything. Seems like rules for neck knives would be, "use a sheath", and "follow the same safety rules you would for necklaces". I wouldn't sweat succumbing to a freak accident if I needed to wear a neck knife.

[JoviAl]

Just playing devil’s advocate I googled news articles of people terminally hurting themselves with normal knives. There’s quite a lot. Neck knives seem on the face of it far safer than any other sort.

[RamZar]

Too many unknowns to draw any definitive conclusions! Authorities are investigating exactly how the “accident” happened. Initial reports called it a “stabbing” but it was changed to an “accidental death”.

NBC 10 in Boston had this headline: “Man stabbed outside Kowloon Restaurant — Saturday's stabbing comes on the heels of four people being charged for a fight that erupted at Kowloon Restaurant on Nov. 22.”

“A man fatally stabbed at the Kowloon restaurant in Saugus over the weekend was wearing a lanyard with a knife attached when he was fatally injured, sources tell the WBZ I-Team.”

"Shocking. Back-to-back weekends here. I don't know what's going on with the Kowloon. I think they gotta tighten up security," said patron Mark Sheehan who arrived just after the stabbing happened.

[ladybug93]

all this tells me is that when it's your time, it's your time.

[toomanyquestions]

I imagine people have nicked their femoral artery with a folder or machete - accidents happen.

If I was carrying a neck knife I wouldn't want it very close to my neck; I'd use a fairly long lanyard. It would seem safer to extract a blade with a down-and-out motion so as to keep the blade away from one's neck. A person is probably in greater (statistical) danger from a great many other accidents or harms.

[cycleguy]

In the meantime … ten people have died while attempting to cross the street

CG

[RustyIron]

Not enough facts to learn anything from.

The only thing of which we can be certain is that the dead guy didn't properly consider all the possibilities.

As much as I'd like to carry a neck knife, there are times when I come into contact with the ground at high speeds, and I envision a possibility of the knife becoming unsheathed and letting the red juice out of my epidermis. I know that chicks dig scars, but it's just so... inconvenient.

This wasn't technically a neck knife, but it was a knife carried in the area of the chest. A lady friend carried a fixed blade in an inverted sheath attached to her life vest. It's an important tool that she legitimately needed. She was petite (short), yet strong and competent. We were bringing a raft out of the river, which involves inverting it, then getting about four guys on each side. In unison, we hoist the raft onto our shoulders, and carry it up the bank. There were seven big men and her around the perimeter. She yelled, "UP!" and we all lifted the raft into the air. The next thing I hear is my friend sputtering, "Ack! Ack! DOWN! DOWN!" I turned around to see that the rope around the perimeter of the raft had slipped under her knife handle, and she was lifted into the air, arms and legs flailing madly. We all got a good laugh. 120 extra pounds wasn't even noticeable when divided among seven guys.

The situation still cracks me up. I don't have a solution, but the lesson is that things can happen.

[Doc Dan]

I don't like neck knives, as a rule. Running with one can lead to a chipped tooth (don't ask me how I know this). I usually find them inconvenient, also. The only one I like is the Mora Eldris, and then not to carry around town.

Dangerous? If there is a good sheath and it is properly carried in said sheath I can't see how it could be.

HOWEVER, if a person had used the pocket clip of a folding knife to clip to a chain (we've all seen pictures of this) or to clothing with the knife on the outside (we've all seen pictures of this), then it is conceivable that the blade could overcome a detent if a person fell and cut them.

[navin johnson]

There are not many details here but a man died in the Boston area from his own neck knife. I’ve always considered them on the edge of a one in a million chance bad accident. This story seems to lend support to that thought in the back of my mind that’s kept me away from neck knives of all sorts. How are spyderco’s neck knives safer than others?

https://www.wcvb.com/article/man-stabb ... y/46017963

I guess the safest neck knife is one you ever wear

Far more likely to be killed in or by an automobile

[BornIn1500]

Just playing devil’s advocate I googled news articles of people terminally hurting themselves with normal knives. There’s quite a lot. Neck knives seem on the face of it far safer than any other sort.

Compared to all the people who own regular knives, very few people own and wear a neck knife. So comparing the number of accidents as if each type of knife is equally owned isn't correct.

[JoviAl]

Just playing devil’s advocate I googled news articles of people terminally hurting themselves with normal knives. There’s quite a lot. Neck knives seem on the face of it far safer than any other sort.

Compared to all the people who own regular knives, very few people own and wear a neck knife. So comparing the number of accidents as if each type of knife is equally owned isn't correct.

Neck knives are extremely common in my line of work. They are usually given to children as their first knives, the Mora Eldris being particularly popular. So long as they are in a hard sheath (kydex or similar), they’re secure and the necklace is designed to fail before it garrottes you if hooked on something then they’re fairly foolproof. We are digressing from the OP’s question though. I personally don’t see any features that make Spyderco knives any more or less safe than any other high quality manufacturer of neck knives.