Description
If you really want to customise your own rig to suit how you want to use it, this little MultiFit Mounting Plate is a great addition to your kit. The bonus is, that we made it really easy!
There are so many different ways you can rig these MFMPs. You have access to three tunnels under the HeatShrink to play with. You will easily find a creative way to set your tools up to suit exactly how you want them to perform.
I'm after one of your Belt Hung Sheaths, how will this MFMP benefit me?
Our belt hung sheaths are still my favourite general purpose style sheath. The one handed, quick draw and drop feature has so many advantages while your working or walking...But, you may not always want to carry your rig on your belt. This is where the MultiFit Mounting plate comes in:
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You can quickly and securely strap your sheath to your pack. The belt loop folds back on itself out of the way.
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You have the ability to run a safety lanyard through one of the three tunnels. You can use this cord as a fixed point to attach important equipment. Think companion knife, a small fire kit or first aid kit. Maybe even a little Hobo Fishing Reel or TinderTube.
I'm wanting a Backpack Sheath, how could I use a MFMP?
This is the sheath that will see the most benefit from a little MultiFit Mounting plate. You can easily rig this plate to quickly convert your Backpack sheath into a belt carry, a shoulder carry rig and then back to a pack mounted sheath. These MFMP offer more solutions to solidly mount your sheath to your pack. The included picture shows one of first MFMP upgrades that started us off on this new mod.
What is so good about the Simple Paracord Loop?
Apart from being a very basic use of the MFMP, it should allow for most shoulder straps, soft belts, ropes and bag straps to sit correctly across the face of the sheath. It's a tough little loop that we stitch into the MFMP and we carefully set the length for good reason. When you pass a strap across the face of the sheath and then back down the other side, it should clamp down on the strap. If you have a stiff leather belt, want to set one side high to suit or get creative with an adjustable loop, you might be interested in rigging these yourself.
Can I rig up my own MFMP?
This is the fun bit! You can customise your own rig. These MFMP's need to be set up to suit your straps, bags, belts etc. The simple paracord loops we offer are a good 'do all' set up but, you're not really using this little plate to its full potential.
As standard, we don't punch the openings or rig up the plate with paracord (unless you order the simple paracord loop above). There are so many different ways you can string these plates up. Only you will know what will suit your gear and how you want it to function. The easiest is just a single strand of cord through two of the tunnels and tie a knot to fasten it. You can use simple tools like a blunt chopstick to punch a hole. A bamboo skewer makes short work of passing the cord through the tunnel.
If you want to make it real easy, a Slim Paracord Fid is going to be your friend. If you're planning on doubling up the paracord in the tunnel, these 4mm fids will help make short work of it. The standard 5mm, 6mm and 1/4” on the market fids are too big to fit.
Do you have any tips on how to rig up my MultiFit Mounting Plate?
Apart from the above examples, there are many different ways you can rig this MFMP. Here are some ideas to help get you started:
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Set your loops to sit just behind the face of the sheath. This lets your belt or strap hug the sheath. How stiff and thick your belt/strap/rope/cord is will also dictate the length of the loop.
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When pack mounting your sheath, set the height of the machete handle to sit well below the top of your pack. This helps prevent it getting hung up on obstacles. The best practice is to set the height so the lid of your pack encloses the handle. This becomes an extra layer of safety.
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If you have angled straps on your pack, why not have one loop high and one loop low to suit.
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If you're doubling up your paracord in the tunnel (max 2) cut some of the excess heatshrink away from the opening of the tunnel. It gets tight in there and the main binding point is excess heatshrink being pushed into the tunnel.
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You're not limited to a fixed loop length. Make an adjustable loop by brining the tag ends of the paracord to the front of the sheath and secure the length there with a knot. You can also stitch the paracord through itself to create some friction.
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If you want to get creative with your rig, using a paracord fid that can stitch full strand paracord through itself is a real advantage. The 4mm Slim fids can do this with ease.
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We use 4mm slim fids with a ball point tip to punch the holes in the heatshrink as well as using them to pass the paracord through the tunnel. We use a scalpel to cut the excess heatshrink if we are doubling up.
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5mm, 6mm and 1/4” fids are too large.
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Brass hobby tube (5mm and 6mm) make great little paracord stiffeners when cut up into long beads.
Do I set my straps across the front of the sheath or behind?
If you set your belt/strap to sit across the front of the sheath, this will better hold your rig to your body or bag. If you set it behind, the sheath will not ride properly and will want to pull away from you. This set up is strongest with the strap across the face.
Do I need a Handle Retention Strap when I pack mount my sheath?
This essentially is a safety question. Every extra layer of safety we add into the tools we use can only be a good thing. When combining the pinch point already built into the sheath and a Handle Retention Strap, you're drastically increasing the safety factor. By setting the handle lower than the top of your pack or even better, tucking the handle under the lid of your pack, you just increased the safety factor again.
Knowing the condition of your equipment during use is important. You cannot solely rely on the Handle Retention Strap (or any other layer of safety) to keep your machete retained within the sheath. It is unlikely that a branch or vine will open up the strap while you're walking but it is still a possibility.
Where does common sense come into the picture?
I'm glad you asked! This bit is important. We can't know or control how you customise and use your gear with these sheaths. Only you can know if this rig is appropriate for you and safe to use. How you set these up, use and take care of your gear is your responsibility. Knowing the condition of your equipment before, during and after use is vital.
