The Armour Archive

It is so simple I defy anyone to get it wrong...

NB I live in the UK so if you screw up and kill someone with a dangerously insecure botched lanyard, You'll be a long time sueing me

A Votre service

Robert

Cut a strip of leather with a slit in each end, (making two end loops)

[img]http://home.armourarchive.org/members/robertdc/Lanyard%20003.jpg[/img]

Loop it around your basket or hilt and thread one end through one slit

[img]http://home.armourarchive.org/members/robertdc/Lanyard%20004.jpg[/img]

Pull it tight

[img]http://home.armourarchive.org/members/robertdc/Lanyard%20005.jpg[/img]

Pass the middle of the strap through the other end loop

[img]http://home.armourarchive.org/members/robertdc/Lanyard%20006.jpg[/img]

[img]http://home.armourarchive.org/members/robertdc/Lanyard%20007.jpg[/img]

[img]http://home.armourarchive.org/members/robertdc/Lanyard%20008.jpg[/img]

[img]http://home.armourarchive.org/members/robertdc/Lanyard%20009.jpg[/img]

Insert your hand at eyewatering speed!

[img]http://home.armourarchive.org/members/robertdc/Lanyard%20010.jpg[/img]


Catch your breath,

[img]http://home.armourarchive.org/members/robertdc/Lanyard%20011.jpg[/img]

Pick up sword

[img]http://home.armourarchive.org/members/robertdc/Lanyard%20012.jpg[/img]

done!

It's a good system, I use a similar one but I attach it to the front of the basket, with very little "excess" leather hanging around my wrist

You beat me to it, Robert! I was about to do the exact same thing. Thanks!!

One small difference is that I turn the open end (the one that makes the loop for the wrist) "inside out" before stuffing the "bend" through the slit (picture #3 in Robert's essay). This takes out the little half-twist out of the resulting slip knot. Probably doesn't affect the performance one bit, but I'm pretty anal about this sort of thing and I think it looks "cleaner".

I also punch small holes at either end of the slit as a strain relief to keep the leather from tearing (actually, I punch the holes first, then connect them with the slit). Finally, I have always used fairly substantial latigo (belt weight, or close to it). These tend to last forever (or until you give it away).

I use cup hilt style baskets (Illusion), so I just loop it around the grip below my hand.

And there certainly is no patent. It's a trick just about any leatherworker will know (or Boy Scout with a Leatherworking merit badge). I just had this strap in my hand one day, and my sword in the other, and... well, necessity gave birth to invention.

With regards... AoC

My lanyards are almost identical. The only difference is that I create a small loop at each end using a rivet or thread, as I did not trust slit leather not to rip over time.