Alternate method for carrying larger folders
Alternate method for carrying larger folders
I offer here and would like to get feedback on a alternate method I have developed for carrying and deploying large folders; I have been using it to carry my Military for over a year. Please note it should be used only in jurisdictions where it is legal to carry a knife concealed regardless of blade length, which is the case where I live in Guam. First, get a piece of the semi-hard foam like the kind used to pack computers, preferably one inch in width--cut a wider piece to this width if necessary. Cut the piece into a square about two and a half inches on each side. Then cut one of the corners off, making the cut through two imaginary points about one inch from the tip of the corner to be removed. (Now consider this three cornered item as the "holder"<img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>. Then use a sharp knife to carefully fashion/dig out a slit into the part of the holder from which the corner was cut, the width of the slit determined by the width of the top of the closed folder, i.e. the part of the handle in which the pivot pin is located. The depth of the slit should be approximately one fourth to one third the length of the handle. The "line" of the length of the slit should be towards the corner of the holder opposite the part from which the corner was removed. The idea is to fashion a holder into which the top of the closed folder can be snugly placed whereby about three quarters to two thirds of the tail end of the closed folder sticks out. Then place your closed folder into the holder with the spine of the blade facing down and put the arrangment into your side pants pocket. The end result should be that the folder is positioned at about a fourty five degree angle in the pocket in a semi-tip up position. Acquiring the folder is relatvely fast and takes almost no thought. Just put your hand into your pocket and pull out the folder; the holder clings to the pocket and falls away (stays in the pocket). Using this method the hand naturally grabs the folder whereby once the holder falls away your thumb is exactly where it should be to thumb open the blade as soon as the folder clears your pocket. I'll admit this deployment method is not quite as blazing fast as a practiced Spyder drop draw, but I feel it has several advantages for real world self defense. One, the hand can be innocently placed into the pocket holding the folder waiting to deploy it without showing a blade is available if one it not certain deployment is required a few moments later. Two (and most important) deployment results in an immediate very secure grip: no reposistioning of the grip is necessary once the hand clears the pocket, as the hand was already around the handle in the proper position before the hand left the pocket. Third, the folder can be quickly deployed to be used like a Yawara stick if circumstances dictate that preference. (By the way, I removed the clip from my Military for this carry method.) In summary, although the above may sound a bit complicated it's not, and by playing around with the size of the holder to fit the "folder in the holder" arrangement into your front pocket properly you get a concealled carry/deployment method that I believe is second to none in producing an immediate proper and strong grip for the time deployment takes. The only thing one has to be careful about if deployment occurs while sitting or laying is to straighten your leg as the hand goes into the pocket to give it straight access to the folder.
Hopefuly the attached pictures will convey the idea. Please note originally incorrectly suggested a width of one inch for the holder: 3/4 inch is actually more comfortable in the pocket. I've been using this holder for so many months I've lost count and it has no sign of wear. I suspect it will last for years. Best material to use is the durable black colored foam (as it comes in the US) that bends easily, not the blue colored foam that is so hard is resists bending. The idea is the right material will quickly mold itself to the contour of your thigh such that you'll soon forget you have anything in it.
I forgot to add this: This alternative carry method was designed for slacks, not jeans (although I suspect it could work in jeans too). The idea for developing this carry method occurred to me when I realized one day that because the pockets in slacks are so large and loose compared to jeans' slacks the ease and speed with which one can place one's hand in slacks' pockets offered a possibility for a concealed quick draw method. The pocket holder provided a way of ensuring the closed knife would always be in exactly the same (correct) position in the pocket for a secure quick draw.