LEO ankle carry

[jc000]

I have a friend who is a rookie cop who is interested in carrying a defensive blade (im thinking it's a nimvarus, fixed) on his ankle.

He insists he has no room on his waist, and vest and pockets won't work for him either. Are there any solid options for knife ankle carry that folks here would recommend? Any other suggestions?

[voodoo_man]

I'd highly recommend not carrying an ankle based blade.

Better to find a spot on his waist...

[Dagga Boy]

I spent my first several years in LE with a Cold Steel Master Tanto on my ankle in an Eagle Ankle cuff case to offset my back up on the other ankle. In that time, you simply did not carry a fixed blade...so discretion was important. I also carried a Cold Steel large shinobu on my belt in a basket weave pouch as required by policy. This was replaced fairly soon with a big left handed Spyderco police folder in my support pocket that got used regularly. I carried that Tanto on my ankle for long enough to wear the rubber off the grip. It was black coated by my gunsmith and wrapped in 550 cord on the handle. When I went to bike patrol, it was obviously a no go, and that is where the Strider DB really came from developmentally.
Ankle carry served a purpose at the time, but better options came along. It worked, and I found it viable but not optimal.

[Wondering Beard]

I have a friend who is a rookie cop who is interested in carrying a defensive blade (im thinking it's a nimvarus, fixed) on his ankle.

He insists he has no room on his waist, and vest and pockets won't work for him either. Are there any solid options for knife ankle carry that folks here would recommend? Any other suggestions?

For the knife yes: A variation of the HiTS Ti as sold by Blue Line Gear; slim, light and very effective. HiTS Skeleton Ti (http://www.bluelinegear.com/product/HiTS-Skeleton-Ti)
http://www.bluelinegear.com/thumbnails/userfiles/files/10.15_048%282592%29_800x600.jpg

I prefer the cord wrap myself as I can easily imagine this knife twisting in the hand, but if one wants slim and light for ankle carry, this knife would be top notch.


For the carry system: I have no clue. I thought for a while that having a knife at my ankle could work well for an entangled fight that ends on the ground, but that ends up both being a truly last ditch weapon and relying on being on one's back, or having plenty of time, in order to get to the blade. Better than nothing, I guess, but far from being optimum.

Somewhere on the belt is by far better but if your friend really can't find a spot on the belt (The Nimravus is kinda large and he might want to look for smaller blades that can easily be just as effective), then neck carry is next best.

P.S. Wasn't there a holster/sheath rig that was developped by Safariland where a Stryder DB was held vertical in front of the holster?

[blues]

I carried an ankle gun but not a knife.

Aside from a folding knife clipped to the pocket, I carried an unobtrusive neck knife under my shirt for many years on the job and no one was the wiser.

Here are a few examples:

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[Cookie Monster]

Better ways to carry a blade but Ken Null has a great ankle holster specific to a blade.

[SAWBONES]

...a big left handed Spyderco police folder...

Nice to hear. Didn't know anybody but me who ever owned one. (I got mine back in '93 at the Left Handed Store on Pier 39 before Spyderco started making resin handles for folding knives or ambidextrous anything.)

[SeriousStudent]

I carried an ankle gun but not a knife.

Aside from a folding knife clipped to the pocket, I carried an unobtrusive neck knife under my shirt for many years on the job and no one was the wiser.

Here are a few examples:

......



I carry a Joe Watson Little Bird as a neck knife every day. It was a very kind gift from Joe and Dagga Boy.

While you are saving up for something nice, here is a cheap interim knock-off of an Emerson Lagriffe:

http://www.lapolicegear.com/lapg-kn-cqn-01-neck-knife.html

The Emerson is obviously better steel, I have one of those as well. Joe has not made the Little Bird in years, I wish he would have time enough to make another run.

[blues]

I carry a Joe Watson Little Bird as a neck knife every day. It was a very kind gift from Joe and Dagga Boy.

While you are saving up for something nice, here is a cheap interim knock-off of an Emerson Lagriffe:

http://www.lapolicegear.com/lapg-kn-cqn-01-neck-knife.html

The Emerson is obviously better steel, I have one of those as well. Joe has not made the Little Bird in years, I wish he would have time enough to make another run.

I got my Griffes directly from Fred Perrin, (and one from Laci Szabo who was selling some of Fred's work back in Miami), who was the driving force behind the pattern. The others, even Ernie's, piggybacked on Fred's design and created some consternation in the knife world some years back. Much as I like Ernie and some of the other makers, I stick with Fred's work when it comes to anything related to the Griffe.

I'm not familiar with Joe Watson's work personally though I've heard his name a few times.

[Wondering Beard]

I got my Griffes directly from Fred Perrin, (and one from Laci Szabo who was selling some of Fred's work back in Miami), who was the driving force behind the pattern. The others, even Ernie's, piggybacked on Fred's design and created some consternation in the knife world some years back. Much as I like Ernie and some of the other makers, I stick with Fred's work when it comes to anything related to the Griffe.

I'm not familiar with Joe Watson's work personally though I've heard his name a few times.

A few of the pics that I posted in the fixed blade gallery are Watson's, I posted some in other threads too. Dagga Boy and others have done so as well. I firmly believe they're top class and that you will appreciate them if you get your hands on one.

P.S. I like my Emerson version La Griffe, but it is a limited design (Emerson's not Perrin's).

[SeriousStudent]

I got my Griffes directly from Fred Perrin, (and one from Laci Szabo who was selling some of Fred's work back in Miami), who was the driving force behind the pattern. The others, even Ernie's, piggybacked on Fred's design and created some consternation in the knife world some years back. Much as I like Ernie and some of the other makers, I stick with Fred's work when it comes to anything related to the Griffe.

I'm not familiar with Joe Watson's work personally though I've heard his name a few times.

You are absolutely correct about the inspiration for those blades.

I'll try and get some pics up of the Little Bird. I'm currently wrangling a 4-year-old granddaughter and a GSD at the moment. ;)

[blues]

A few of the pics that I posted in the fixed blade gallery are Watson's, I posted some in other threads too. Dagga Boy and others have done so as well. I firmly believe they're top class and that you will appreciate them if you get your hands on one.

P.S. I like my Emerson version La Griffe, but it is a limited design (Emerson's not Perrin's).

Thanks, WB. I'll give the search function a whirl in a bit.

In the knife world there's very little that's new under the sun but I felt bad for Fred when his feathers got ruffled and others were getting credit for his design without any attribution or approbation. Wasn't my fight, of course, I'm just (sometimes pigheadedly) loyal to those I call friends.

[Wondering Beard]

Thanks, WB. I'll give the search function a whirl in a bit.

In the knife world there's very little that's new under the sun but I felt bad for Fred when his feathers got ruffled and others were getting credit for his design without any attribution or approbation. Wasn't my fight, of course, I'm just (sometimes pigheadedly) loyal to those I call friends.

Agreed.

[Lon]

When I first started at my current agency back in '99 BUGs weren't allowed. I carried this on my ankle for a couple years til BUGs were authorized. The ankle rig is red neck engineered. A Galco Ankle Glove for a seecamp that I cut the holster off of and zip tied the knife sheath to. Worked well. I put the ankle glove on then pulled my sock up over it.

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[drummer]

There's several othere locations that he could use that are preferable to ankle carry, in my opinion. A small push dagger behind a double mag pouch hides nicely or can be secreted elsewhere on the duty belt as preferred.

Off side pocket carry may be an option if items on his duty belt don't interfere with access. The Raven pocket shields are a great way to pocket carry.

Edited to add that a tuckable IWB sheath attached to the underbelt would be pretty invisible but accessible quickly. Vest compatibility would be a consideration.

[Lon]

ALOT guys at work carry these TDI Kabar knives. They have a sheath that goes on your inner belt. They wear them so theyre tucked in behind something on their off side, usually mag pouches or their taser.

https://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Enforcement-Knife-Fixed-Blade/dp/B003IXYW3M

[jc000]

Thanks everyone for the good thoughts and suggestions.

My inclination is to agree that ankle carry doesn't seem ideal. Being a younger guy, I doubt he's going to invest in a new knife, though I will suggest to him he look at a neck knife of some sort.

If anyone has some more specifics on waistline carry options (he insists his belt is "full") I'd be happy to provide more details over PM. Thanks again.

[jc000]

Tucking something behind a pouch seems like a good option.

[Lon]

Random interwebz photo of TDI knife:

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[wilco423]

I carry a clinch pick on my inner belt. Centerline, handle towards my right side, at about a 30 deg down angle. I can tuck the handle up under the belt, but I usually just let it hang out. I've carried it this way for at least six months and it's worked very well. I'll put up a pic next time I'm at work.

[Willard]

Ref TDI in post #19:

I may be misinformed, but I thought these were designed for weak side employment in the event of a gun grab, the officer could cut the attacker off his gun without relinquishing grip with strong hand? This one is oriented to same hand as gun...am I missing something about this design or an alternative employment technique?

[Lon]

Ref TDI in post #19:

I may be misinformed, but I thought these were designed for weak side employment in the event of a gun grab, the officer could cut the attacker off his gun without relinquishing grip with strong hand? This one is oriented to same hand as gun...am I missing something about this design or an alternative employment technique?

That's a random interwebz pic. It is designed for weak side carry. Not sure how he uses it but our guys carry it for weak side deployment (handle facing the other way than what's in the pic).

[J.S. Kamp]

Food for thought on knives, especially the TDI carry behind mag pouch, there is some nasty pics running around of some cops being stuck with their own knives. And it wasn't because a bag guy did it. They come loose out of the sheaths.

I also see guys with knives exposed on belts, external carriers etc. We are more likely to grapple with someone initially trying to control them and is a good way to get cut or stabbed by suspect being able to grab something merely retained by friction.

I recommend if folks are gonna carry exposed knives, as an instructor, make them carry a trainer and test that somewhere in your reality based training. A pig pile where if the role player feels the knife they grab it. Most likely a lot of cops won't realize the bad guy even got it.


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[PD Sgt.]

If I knew how imbed videos, I would put the scene from Dirty Harry in where he scotch tapes a switchblade to his calf here.

My personal experience is that weapons carried on the ankle are difficult to defend in a pile up and can often be dislodged. I always felt like I had two zones of concern I had to defend in a scrum, and ankles are often not within easy reach. I ended up moving back up weapons to concealed areas on my waist/torso and kept my TQ on my ankle ( my thoughts being that if I needed a tourniquet I would also not still be actively involved in a struggle).

[BobM]

[QUOTE=PD Sgt.;551678]If I knew how imbed videos, I would put the scene from Dirty Harry in where he scotch tapes a switchblade to his calf here.

That's funny. I just quoted that scene to one of my officers who was putting his knife in his boot. Kid had no idea what I was talking about.

[PD Sgt.]

In general you just click the Insert Video button on the editor tool bar (it's the next to last button on the quick edit toolbar and looks like two frames of a film strip) and paste in the video URL. Alternatively, you can just put the URL of the video inside [video] tags

Thank you sir.

[Flamingo]

Have any of you looked at the JITKnife? There is a Panteo video about it: https://youtu.be/JshG04dPDsY

[SeriousStudent]

Have any of you looked at the JITKnife? There is a Panteo video about it: https://youtu.be/JshG04dPDsY

Reminds me a lot of my old Hideaway Knife.

http://www.hideawayknife.com/main.php

I have had one of the old Ken Brock models forever, it must be 20 years old or more. It rides behind a lapel on a blazer.

[DI1]

Ankle carry is really sub optimal position as has been mentioned. This is really where the SOCP fills a niche.
Easily slips in on centerline of your armor, under a uniform shirt, or behind a pouch on your belt. Not my favorite blade, but for a specific purpose and price point, it works well.

[wilco423]

I carry a clinch pick on my inner belt. Centerline, handle towards my right side, at about a 30 deg down angle. I can tuck the handle up under the belt, but I usually just let it hang out. I've carried it this way for at least six months and it's worked very well. I'll put up a pic next time I'm at work.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170119/230d335036b2390f40bfd7561b706dbb.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170119/50d8987f42b9583f10c4882c8f7b2ca0.jpg

[voodoo_man]

That's doesn't bug you when you sit in the car?

That bugs me just looking at it..

And basketweave?

*shakeshead*

[Dagga Boy]

That's doesn't bug you when you sit in the car?

That bugs me just looking at it..

And basketweave?

The basketweave was the good part of that post........heathen.

*shakeshead*

[wilco423]

That's doesn't bug you when you sit in the car?

That bugs me just looking at it..

And basketweave?

*shakeshead*

Nope. Might have noticed it at first, but I don't anymore.

Let me guess...tactical nylon for you? No sense of tradition I tell ya. :)

[voodoo_man]

Nope. Might have noticed it at first, but I don't anymore.

Let me guess...tactical nylon for you? No sense of tradition I tell ya. :)

Why not just carry the 3x the weight custom leather belt nyeti posted a while ago?

I only have leather for formal events when I'm in my dress blues.

Otherwise, it's 2017 not 1917, no one in patrol should be wearing leather.

[voodoo_man]

The basketweave was the good part of that post........heathen.

Listen, I know when you rode a horse through town and wore your five point star badge that basketweave was the creme de la creme for those times...

[wilco423]

Why not just carry the 3x the weight custom leather belt nyeti posted a while ago?

I only have leather for formal events when I'm in my dress blues.

Otherwise, it's 2017 not 1917, no one in patrol should be wearing leather.

We have a few guys that use the Bianchi Accumold stuff, but we are a leather PD for the most part. Guys that bike a lot have a lightweight nylon setup for that duty. We're heavily car based due to minimal retail and relatively low density housing; if we had more foot beats, maybe there'd be folks calling for nylon. As of now, there aren't.

Nylon vs leather seems pretty regional, like just about everything else in policing.

[Dagga Boy]

Listen, I know when you rode a horse through town and wore your five point star badge that basketweave was the creme de la creme for those times...

I was a heathen when I started because I used "synthetic leather". Cleaned that basketweave with Armorall....

When I hurt my back initially, I actually had a prescription from a doctor to go to nylon gear......to which I was told that I would not be allowed to return to work if I made them comply. I mean forget about the disposable cops health......we have traditions to adhere to. Now.....everyone is wearing basically BDU's and nylon.

[Dave Williams]

Actually IMO what everyone should be wearing is Clarino. Every agency here in Ohio that wears it looks sharp. Looking good is half the battle.

[Hambo]

Listen, I know when you rode a horse through town and wore your five point star badge that basketweave was the creme de la creme for those times...

You're showing your youth and ignorance. Hand carved leather, dude. And bullet loops for those advanced enough to carry central fire revolvers. The rest of us loaded paper cartridges in our 1860 Army .44s.

[voodoo_man]

Actually IMO what everyone should be wearing is Clarino. Every agency here in Ohio that wears it looks sharp. Looking good is half the battle.

My PD recommends it, in a very gloss shine finish, for dress/formal occasions. It does look pretty sharp.


You're showing your youth and ignorance. Hand carved leather, dude. And bullet loops for those advanced enough to carry central fire revolvers. The rest of us loaded paper cartridges in our 1860 Army .44s.

If I carried a revolver that was worth showing off in such a fashion I might get that type of good leather.

But I'm just a patrol officer, I cut my teeth in the streets.

[PearTree]

Now.....everyone is wearing basically BDU's and nylon.

What is this bdu and nylon you speak of? Basketweave leather is the only thing permitted in my agency. Granted we seem to have stopped evolving once 1990 hit.