How to Carry a Sheath Knife
How a Navy Seal, police officer, hunter or diver carries a knife is an individual choice, based mostly upon required speed of access. A Seal or police officer may need the knife quickly in the case of an attack, but a hunter likely does not. How you carry your knife also depends on whether or not you wish to conceal it, which is your stronger hand, how you hold the knife and the length of the knife.
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Instructions
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Wear the sheath on your belt, on the side opposite your dominant hand, with the blade facing forward. This method allows you to pull your knife out in a ready-to-use underhand grip. If this sounds like it will waste time, consider that Wild Bill Hickok carried his guns with the handles facing forward. Also, the underhand grip is the most useful in combat; the overhand grip is used rarely by the military.
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Opt to wear the sheath on your dominant side, with the blade facing backward, if this seems more natural. Again, the objective is to pull the knife out, at the ready, in an underhand grip. This requires a bit more dexterity and twisting of the wrist than the previous method, but it simply may feel more natural to you.
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Wear the sheath on your dominant side, somewhere between your hip and your back pocket. The placement will give you the right grip straight out of the sheath.
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Modify the previous three options with the knife tied to your thigh instead of attached to your waist area. Divers and Navy Seals use a tie to avoid fumbling with a moving knife, especially in an urgent situation, and to keep it from slapping against their thighs.
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Wear a boot sheath or neck sheath only for back-up knives, or if concealing the knife is essential. These are not as readily accessible as belt sheaths.
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Wear a simple belt sheath for any folding knife. These knives are not meant for use in any emergency; they are considered a tool. Wear the sheath wherever is comfortable for you.
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Tips & Warnings
Check with local law enforcement if you are a civilian who plans to carry a knife. States have individual laws about fixed-blade knives and folding knives. Most discourage a civilian carrying a blade longer than 6 inches.
