Concealed carry knives pre-date concealed carry guns. And back when the West was being won, a boot knife had its place in a cowboy’s every day carry. A short, fixed-blade knife proved a very useful tool and, if needed, an even more subtle weapon. Despite the proliferation of very strong, easily hidden folding knives, boot knives — or, smaller fixed-blade knives — are still around and have their place, whether you’re a cowboy/cowgirl or not. But I’m going to argue there’s a better place than a boot for carrying them.
A little background: You know the drawbacks of carrying a gun in an ankle holster. Generally, the same apply to carrying a knife in a boot. While the hide-ability factor is good, accessibility is slow and requires you to bend over or otherwise get a hand near your ankle. You also have to defeat a pant leg. And then you have to get your hand on the knife and actually draw it. Moreover, not everyone wears boots! Even modern wrap-around-the-ankle knife holsters don’t solve these issues. So, for a tool as thin and light as a boot knife, you might as well wear it inside the waistband of your pants on your strong or weak side. That way, it’s right there, right now. And that’s much better.
Bear & Son’s current rendition of this defensive tool is their Model 789 Boot Knife (retail $79.99). The blade material is 1095 carbon steel with a black epoxy powder coating. Of course, it’s strong and sharp and even offers a double-edged taper-ground 3.25-inch blade, just like a boot knife ought to have. By the way, a double-edged blade is not only a superior piercing weapon, it’s also great for utility (as you have two sharp edges to work with instead of just one). The Model 789’s black G-10 handle features a texture that provides great purchase, allowing you to effectively wield the knife’s overall length of 7.875 inches. Best of all, the knife weighs only 4.8 ounces and is well balanced. Snapping into a Kydex sheath, the rig can be lashed to a pack or, better yet, worn IWB. A strong plastic clip does the job of keeping the sheath in place when carrying or drawing and the knife clicks in and out of the sheath positively.
You can wear this knife clipped to the inside of your boot, yes. And if that’s what you like to do, then have at it. But try it out IWB under a real gun belt, maybe at 4 o’clock (if you’re right-handed) or opposite your gun, behind a belt-mounted spare magazine. Practice carrying it and drawing it. For sure, get used to how it feels in hand and how your thumb and index finger fall on the guard. Once you do, I think you’ll appreciate — as many have before you — the speed and utility of a boot knife. But I think you’ll also agree there’s a better place than a boot for carrying it.
More info at Bear & Son Cutlery: bearandsoncutlery.com
