The Martialist: The Magazine For Those Who Fight Unfairly

Two Knife Sheaths from Lenny Magill

A Product Review by Phil Elmore

Previously in The Martialist I reviewed Lenny Magill's Advanced Folding Knife Techniques video. In the course of that video, Lenny speaks about two products his company sells. One is an inside-the-pocket sheath he uses with his folders (because he does not like to use the pocket clips). The other is a "horizontal concealment sheath," which is a belt sheath that has a quick-removal Velcro strap for easy placement anywhere on your belt line. I liked the look of these sheaths and immediately ordered one of each for myself.

The pocket holster, seen here bearing an Advanced Folding Combat Knife from Benchmade (just as shown in Lenny's video) is a natural-look pouch that fits easily into the pocket of my jeans. I am a large man, however, so it's possible that those with much smaller builds will find this sheath bulky. I did notice that it "printed" somewhat through my pants, though the unusual shape was not identifiable as a knife. I asked several coworkers if they could discern just what it was (pausing to endure their laughter after asking them if they could tell what I had hidden in my pocket) and none of them could guess that there was a knife involved.

Of high-quality leather, the pocket sheath displays excellent stitching and finish. It is almost a hard-shell pocket scabbard in that it retains its squared shape regardless of contents. This means thinner knives without pocket clips will rattle around a bit inside, but they are maintained in an upright position (which is the point of the holster). The pouch is large enough to accommodate a pistol magazine, too, depending on the pistol. With this sheath, you can keep your knife tucked away out of sight, yet be confident it will not shift out of position.

The "concealment sheath" is also designed to accommodate a pistol magazine. My model, which fits the AFCK, is labeled with a number of pistol brands, but no models – so the size of your magazines must be considered when selecting a concealment holster. (The holsters are available in more than one size.)

Concealment sheath with AFCK.

The wraparound Velcro tab makes the sheath quite secure on the belt. The sheath can be positioned in either direction horizontally, but there is no vertical carry option. (The point of the sheath is that horizontal carry is more comfortable and less obtrusive.) Constructed of top-quality black leather from Safariland, the unit displays the same attention to stitching and finish as the pocket holster.

In use I found the sheath quite comfortable (it was easy to put it on my belt and forget it), but like all Velcro-closure sheaths it makes a lot of noise when opened. While considerably more expensive than the horizontal ballistic nylon sheaths on the market, this sheath looks a lot classier than any of those. It's a good choice for "semi-formal" carry.

There are plenty of aftermarket knife sheaths available. These are two quality offerings.

Click Either Image to Order