A lanyard used to suspend a pistol is called a “Kenchu” (懸紐). While many replicas of kenchu are available for purchase, none of them felt quite right to me, so I decided to make one myself.

Here is a photo of the completed piece, right off the bat. I used 100% Japanese-made cotton braided cord, and the leather parts are made of cowhide. Some overseas replicas use synthetic leather, which doesn’t have the same quality and texture.

The original color of the lanyard was black, but it was later changed to khaki. This time, I’ve recreated the khaki version.

The colors are close to military khaki and light khaki. The light khaki color is intended to resemble the faded state caused by sunlight and other elements. The backdrop in the photo is an authentic portable tent, which is almost the same color as the authentic Type 98 summer Tunic.

The light khaki color may appear white in photos, but it actually has a muted tone. It pairs well with sun-faded, whitish items like Tropics 2/3 Sleeves Shirt, creating a nice, authentic look.

I carefully finished the leather parts as well. To prevent the edges from becoming too thick at the seams, I skived the edges. Additionally, I treated the inner side of the keeper loop to ensure smoothness. If the underside is rough, it can cause friction, making the lanyard difficult to slide and potentially damaging the cord.

Here it is attached to the Hartford Type 26 Revolver.

Here it is attached to the Marushin Type 14 Nambu. The Type 14 Nambu has a small ring for attaching the lanyard, but I was able to fit it through properly.

The ring on the Type 14 Nambu is small, so attaching the lanyard requires careful handling. Gently pull the lanyard through the ring, using another string to help guide it through.

Here is an image of it actually worn. The torso is dressed in an S&Graf-made Type 98 Summer Tunic (modified version), so the color of the uniform is very close to the authentic one.

The light khaki lanyard stands out as a nice accent, but the dark khaki lanyard is the official color. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference.

I have several more pistols, and it’s quite a hassle to change the lanyard every time I dress them (especially since repeatedly attaching and detaching it from the Type 14 Nambu might eventually break the ring…). So, I think I’ll make a few more lanyards.

I might try listing them on Yahoo Auctions to see if there’s interest. If they sell well, I might consider producing them in larger quantities.