Neck knives

[Ben Meyer]

Ive seen folks carry their small patch knives in a small sheath around their necks. Ive seen others carry bigger knives in beautiful quill sheaths around their necks too. Are "neck knives" historically accurate?" I'm thinking about getting a small patch knives and carrying it that way. I have a nice belt knife but it's kind of unwieldy cutting patching with it. When I shoot ar the range, I use one that's in my shooting box.

 

[Cruzatte]

Yes, they are historically accurate. The Swedish naturalist Peter Kalm mentions seeing Iroquois wearing knives suspended around their necks.
For further reading And here's another article.

 

[tenngun]

There was a big debate on this years ago. They were thought a reinactoism. Then we got a contemporary drawing of one.
We know they existed, but are not seen in drawings and paintings in general.
I would hazard they are more common today then in the past
I tried one found it a PIA every time you bent over it’s in your way…at least my way.
lots of foals love them

 

[Flintlock]

Neck knives are historically accurate if worn by native types and have a 6-7 inch blade. The little "patch knives" are pretty much historically accurate from 1995 on. The best use of a neck knife is to wear about town to announce "HEY, I'm a buckskinner" and would like to B.S. about the hobby.

 

[LRB]

I used to carry my 9.5 bladed knife via neck sheath while hunting, but it was under my heavy coat and did shift around. They are, as mentioned, a PIA if just hanging free AND there is a degree of danger in a fall if your sheath is not well made with a good welt.

 

[Red Owl]

I think most of the sheaths I've seen on neck knives were from the Great Lakes area. In the winter a neck sheath is a convenience.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Ive seen folks carry their small patch knives in a small sheath around their necks. Ive seen others carry bigger knives in beautiful quill sheaths around their necks too. Are "neck knives" historically accurate?" I'm thinking about getting a small patch knives and carrying it that way. I have a nice belt knife but it's kind of unwieldy cutting patching with it. When I shoot ar the range, I use one that's in my shooting box.

I carry a small skinning knife in my neck sheath. They are documented but as others have written, probably more like a 5"+ blade while mine is only 3", and all documentation shows them on natives, not white men. Now "Indian Dress" was also disapproved in a lot of places, and in fact Christopher Gist, close friend of George Washington was not allowed to speak to the general until he had swapped out his breechclout and leggings for knee breeches. However, over time "Indian dress" caught on, so perhaps the neck knife caught on for whites as well ???

LD

 

[andy52]

I carry one in a quilled sheath but like tenngun said they can be a PIA, so I normally keep mine under my shirt.

 

[Walkingeagle]

Use mine while hunting small game or birds. About a 3.5” blade and its always tucked in.
Walk