Saturday, December 10, 2011

Origins of the Lanyard - Not Just For Fashion

The lanyard was born on the high seas. Imagine yourself on a ship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. This is not a clam sea; this is the ocean at its worst. The boat is crashing through the waves; the boat is pitching and rocking. It is being tossed around like a child's toy in the bathtub. The Captain orders you to climb the mast and cut the mainsail. You know that you only have seconds to scramble up the mast and cut the lines.

You are going to need both of your hands to make the perilous climb, but how are you going to be able to get your knife with you to the top? You could place it in your pocket or try to put it in your sock. However, what would happen if the ship rolled and the knife fell out? You and the boat would perish. You certainly do not want to risk having it in your hand while you are climbing? What do you do?

This situation was one, which sailors faced regularly. Sailors needed a practical solution, and they found one in the lanyard. If there is anything that sailors do well, it is tie knots. They realized that they could fashion a knife carrier from almost any kind of rope that they found on board the ship, and then they could tie their knife to the cord. This tool permitted every sailor to have their knife right at their finger tips, regardless of what they were wearing.

When one person comes up with a great idea, it is not long before it catches on with others. This was the case of the lanyard. Sailors on ships all over the world began to create and use this device. Additionally, they realized that the idea was not limited to carrying a knife. They could tie other tools to the lanyard and have the same advantages. Furthermore, the inspiration did not stop when the ship put into port. Sailors took this idea and used it on land, and they passed it on. People all over the world began to find new and various uses for the lanyard.

Few things are able to stand the test of time. However, a simple tool used by the sailor on the high seas can be found all over the world today. People use lanyards for everything from carrying high tech identification to walking their pet down a busy street. They employ it to hold their keys or modern electronic equipment and all the while, it is almost exactly the same as it was hundreds of years ago.
If you do not own a lanyard, you might want to take a lesson from the sea and get yourself one of these versatile devices.

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