Knife lanyard

From WildernessWiki.org

Knife lanyards in the form of a loop large enough to fit around the hand are often worn to keep the knife secure and lanyard out of the way of cutting. Many cultures have adapted the following style of wearing a lanyard. It is not only fast to put on and off and prevents the knife from being dropped, but also keeps the hand from slipping forward onto the blade section - especially important while making difficult cuts or using smooth or wet handles.

As the photos below show, this method also works well with large knives and machetes for work chopping wood or slashing through vegetation. It allows the user's grip to remain relaxed, yet retain, and even enhance, control and power.

The lanyard is passed over the thumb and then around the backside of the palm. If the lanyard is the correct length for this use, it will be just long enough to wrap around the side of the palm without slack - this prevents the knife from moving forward out of the hand and also prevents the hand from moving forward onto the blade.

Click to Enlarge
Zorrro demonstrates proper Lanyard technique:

Bearthedog on BF WSS, shows the lanyard being properly used with his machete in the jungle of Peru.

For small folding knives, or other instances where a full-sized lanyard is
impractical, a smaller lanyard can be passed around the fourth
and fifth fingers to provide some security and safety.