Boot knives have been popular backup weapons for decades.
Since they are small, they are very convenient to use in many different situations.
Whether you are into hiking, camping, hunting, or fishing, boot knives make for great, all-purpose tools.
If you have been wondering how to wear a boot knife, you have come to the right place.
This guide will explain what a boot knife is, why you should wear one and what kind you should buy. Most importantly, we will cover four different ways to wear a boot knife.
Let’s get started.
What Is a Boot Knife?
Before we teach you how to wear a boot knife, let’s look at what a boot knife is exactly.
A boot knife is a fixed blade knife that manufacturers have designed to fit on a boot. Boot knives are small and will typically be anywhere from 3 to 9 inches.
Mostly all boot knives have double-edged blades and are daggers. Another defining feature of boot knives is that they normally come with a sheath with a clip on it. The owner will then clip the sheath to their boot or their belt.
People will also sometimes wear boot knives around their necks on a lanyard. However, when someone wears a boot knife on their neck, it is called a neck knife.
Why Should You Wear One?
There are a few reasons why wearing a boot knife is a good idea.
Boot knives make for great backup knives. Since the knife is pretty small and standard, it won’t be your first choice for many situations. However, other knives can become dull or even break.
Police officers, for example, may sometimes need to grab a secondary weapon if their primary weapon becomes unavailable. A boot knife will be a reliable option if all else fails.
Furthermore, many people still use boot knives as self-defense weapons. Boot knives are extremely easy to conceal. The knife is the best of both worlds since nobody will notice it, yet you will have protection if you need it.
Since boot knives are small and have double-edged blades, they will also be easy enough to maneuver. Just because someone owns a knife doesn’t mean they are a pro at handling blades.
Boot knives work well as basic self-defense weapons since they are effective with little knowledge of using the blade. The blade will work well whether a person uses a stabbing motion or a cutting motion. (However, a stabbing motion will be most effective.)
Many hikers and campers will also bring boot knives along on their trips. They are light and easy to carry and will take up next to zero space. The knife will perform well for small jobs around the campsite.
Another great reason to invest in a boot knife is that you will never forget it at home. You will always have the knife strapped to your boot, so even if a knife is not on your mind, you will be carrying one in case you need it.
Compare this to a regular pocket knife, where you will have to remember to grab it every time you leave the house.
Overall, boot knives are small and convenient knives to use in many different situations. Whether you are hunting, fishing, hiking, or walking through a city at night, a boot knife can be an effective backup tool to have.
Choosing a Proper Knife
Before you learn how to wear a boot knife, it’s a good idea to know what kind of knife you need.
There are a few different factors to consider when choosing a boot knife.
Choosing Between a Folding or Fixed Blade
The first thing you need to decide is whether you want a folding or fixed blade. Boot knives will come in both.
Folding blades are knives where the blade folds and fits into the knife handle. On the other hand, fixed blades are knives where the blade stays in the same position.
Generally, folding blades are much thicker than fixed blades. The more thick a knife is, the less comfortable it is to carry. Folding blades will feel much bulkier and heavy compared to a fixed blade.
Furthermore, another factor you need to consider is the time it takes to draw each blade.
When you pull a fixed blade, your weapon is ready. You do not need to push any buttons or perform hand movements to release the blade. In contrast, when you pull a folding knife, you need to perform another step to enable the weapon.
On top of the extra step to release the blade, you have to bend down and grab the knife from your boot in the first place. All of this added time will add up. In certain situations, a few seconds could mean the difference between life or death.
In general, many people prefer to buy fixed blades when shopping for a boot knife. The knife will be lighter, more comfortable, and much easier to pull out than a folding blade.
Choosing a Blade Length
There is one more thing you need to think of before learning how to wear a boot knife.
Boot knives come in many different blade lengths. You can typically find boot knives ranging from 3 to 9 inches.
When choosing a blade length, there are a few things you need to factor in. First of all, the knife should never stick out much higher than the top of your boot.
You should also be able to easily grab the knife if it falls into your boot.
Furthermore, if you buy a boot knife that is too long, it could restrict your foot movements. Having a knife digging into your ankle will also be extremely uncomfortable.
Another thing that will affect what length you choose is what boots you will be wearing. If you are wearing a longer boot, you can get away with a long knife.
Ways of Wearing a Boot Knife
In this section, we will cover how to wear a boot knife.
There are a few different ways, so let’s take a look.
Inside the Boot
The easiest way to wear a boot knife is to simply slide it inside of the boot itself. However, many knife enthusiasts do not recommend this.
Since the knife is not attached to anything, it could easily fall out if you do any sort of physical activity such as running.
To counteract this, people will tie their boots tight to make sure the knife stays put. Even though this will work, it will be extremely uncomfortable after a few hours.
There are a few things you can do to wear a knife inside the boot more comfortably. First of all, you can buy a strap to tie the knife around your ankle. The second option would be to buy a clip for the inside of your boot.
Outside the Boot
Another option is to attach the knife to the outside of your boot.
Only use this option when you are not too worried about concealing the knife.
Some boot knives will come with sheaths that attach to the laces. If the knife does not come with a clip, you will need to buy a strap or a clip to attach it to your boot.
Keep in mind that if you have a short boot and a long knife, you will need to strap the knife to your calf and not your boot.
Inside a Pocket on the Boot
This option will be the easiest of the four.
If you want to simply slide your knife into your boot and not have to worry about it falling out, you may want to search for a special pair of boots.
Some boots on the market will have a pocket inside of the boot. These pockets will be secure; you won’t have to worry about losing your knife this way. However, the pockets will not fit all kinds of knives.
Inside the Laces
The last option is to keep your knife inside of the laces.
Some knife holsters will have holes on the sides. To do this option, take your holster and place it next to the tongue of your boot. Then take the laces and put them through the holes of the holster to securely attach it to your boot.
Now, your sheath will stay fastened to the boot when you pull your blade out. However, keep in mind that this option only works well for small knives.
Conclusion
We hope that this guide has helped you learn how to wear a boot knife.
There are a few different options, and each one has pros and cons. If you have a shorter knife than the length of your boot, you can use a clip to attach it to the inside of your boot. You can also buy boots that have pockets on the inside to keep your knife in.
If you are not worried about concealing your knife, you can also wear it on the outside of your boot. Some knives will come with clips on the sheath to attach to the laces.
Lastly, if your knife holster has holes on the sides, you can weave your boot laces through and secure the sheath inside the laces.