I'm looking for a knife to carry on my life jacket for emergencies, for cutting lines or straps if I get hung up. There have been a few posts over the last several months related to this (emergency equipment, etc.). I've been carrying a folding knife with serrated edge and a strap cutting hook, but it is burried in a pocket on my vest, and the chances of getting it out and successfully opening it while tangled upside down underwater with a nose ful of water are slim. I think a fixed blade dive knife is what I need. I like the shorter length flat tip knives which will have less chance of hurting someone than the sharp pointed knives. And dive knives should be very corrosion resistant, unlike some rigging knives that may put the emphasis on blade sharpness. Dive knives have a latching mechanism to keep them in the sheath, or an oring that you can simply tear away in an emergency.
Does anyone sail with something like this strapped to the outside of their life vest?
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John Fricker
Prindle 16
Seabrook, Texas
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knives
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Posted: Dec 08, 2011 - 08:52 AM
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Posted: Dec 08, 2011 - 09:24 AM
I sail with a CRKT STIFF KISS fixed blade on the left shoulder of my life jacket for quick right handed access. The handle on mine is wrapped in 550 cord and I keep a very small aluminum key chain carabiner attached from the 550 to a loose strap end on my jacket just in case the knife slips out of the sheath although it never has. I see your point about a flat tip knife but I want the ability to easily poke through and slice sails or tramp if need be. I have carried this knife sailing and backpacking for about 8 years and it looks almost new. When it is used near salt water I replace the 550 chord after my trip. (1-2 a year) but a rinse would probably suffice.
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Posted: Dec 08, 2011 - 11:35 AM
some people carry medical / scuba scissors, i like that idea and they are cheap. not sure how they would best attach to a vest -
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Posted: Dec 08, 2011 - 12:59 PM
I have one of these attached to each vest.
http://www.bladehq.com/item--Benchmade-Rescue-Hook-Strap-Cutter--8382
They strap very easily to the little square strap thingy on my vests. They're crazy sharp, and won't cut you unless you really try hard. Thankful I've never had to use it, but on my last capsize, my jib sheet was somehow wrapped 3 or 4 times around my leg. It was loose, so I just worked out of it, but I couldn't believe how fast it happened.
I also have a Benchmade griptillian tied to my boom. -
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Posted: Dec 08, 2011 - 02:26 PM
It is absolutely imperative that you carry a life rescue device that serves more than one purpose . . . . .
You do realize that the handle will open a bottle of Corona? . . .
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Philip
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Posted: Dec 08, 2011 - 02:51 PM
I like the idea of the hook strap cutters but I also see the point about being able to cut through Tramp and sails if absolutely necessary and a point would be good for that. i might have to have both. One for cutting people out of lines and one for poking and cutting through things.
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Dustin Finlinson • Magna, UT
Member: Utah Sailing Association
1982 Prindle 18
1986 Hobie 17
1982 Prindle 16
1980 Prindle 16(mostly)
1976 Prindle 16(mostly)
Check out "Prindle Sailors" on Facebook.
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Posted: Dec 08, 2011 - 03:48 PM
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Posted: Dec 08, 2011 - 06:53 PM
i clip the small leatherman on my left shoulder strap w/lanyard cliped to carbineer. keep the big leatherman and the myerchin(marlin spike) in the dry bag and the kershaw on the crews vest. the small leatherman has wire cutter on it and the kershaw is one wicked little knife. the big leatherman(supertool) has every tool you could ever need to fix anything on the boat. all tools have a lanyard to put your hand through so you can't drop them. the myerchin is kinda chinky but the marlin spike comes in handy more often than you think and the plier bottm jaw makes a great shackle key. i mostly fix other peoples stuff though...
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bill harris
hattiesburg, mississippi
prindle 16- "BLUE RIBBON"
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Posted: Dec 08, 2011 - 09:38 PM
I like these maybe for my Crew/Kids vests
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Dustin Finlinson • Magna, UT
Member: Utah Sailing Association
1982 Prindle 18
1986 Hobie 17
1982 Prindle 16
1980 Prindle 16(mostly)
1976 Prindle 16(mostly)
Check out "Prindle Sailors" on Facebook.
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Posted: Dec 08, 2011 - 11:07 PM
Another vote for the Benchmade rescue hook. http://www.benchmade.com/products/7 Lightweight, one handed deployment, easily attaches to pfd and small enough to not get hung up on stuff. Safe, designed specifically to cut line. $30, could save your life, or crews. Do it!
Buy one for your crew, it's Christmas!
Dave -
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Posted: Dec 12, 2011 - 02:44 PM
I carry a Victorinox Soldier's Knife in my vest pocket with a wrist lanyard. If I am too panicked to get a kniffe outta my vest pocket, I am gonna die anyway. A cool head is the only survival tool that never lets you down. The Victorinox is one-handed open, locking blade, both serrated and straight cutting edges and all stainless steel. Sometimes I carry a Tekna survival knife that straps to my forearm, but it gets in the way on occasion.
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Sheet In!
Bob
_/)_____/)_/)____/)____/)_____/)/)__________/)__
Prindle 18-2 #244 "Wakizashi"
Prindle 16 #3690 "Pegasus" Sold (sigh)
AZ Multihull Fleet 42 member
(Way) Past Commodore of Prindle Fleet 14
Arizona, USA
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Posted: Dec 13, 2011 - 12:33 PM
One thing to keep in mind, almost all stainless steel corrodes (and dulls) in saltwater, which is less than ideal for an emergency knife. However, some companies (like Benchmade) do make premium stainless steel dive knives and cutting tools specifically designed to resist salt water corrosion. Look for alloys such as N680 and H1. Titanium knives are also a good choice - they are inert in salt water and retain their edge.
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Mike Ketcham
Dive Knife Retailer
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Posted: Dec 14, 2011 - 12:43 PM
I really like the Myerchin Titanium T377
http://www.myerchin.com/Titanium_Series.html
German steel blade, titanium handle, shackle key and marlinspike. The non-serrated blade is easier to take care of and can be used to finish sheets, the serrated blade makes a mess of them. The blade came unbelievably sharp, I took most of the hair off my forearm when I went to test the sharpness - yes I looked silly. You can open it one handed easily and the locking mechanism is probably the best I've seen.
I actually have the T300, but the blade on it is HUGE. Unless you are hunting deer or pirates, the shorter version is more than adequate.
Regards,
Dave
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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Posted: Dec 14, 2011 - 05:33 PM
I carry a leatherman skeletool... they were just onsale for 1/2 off at west marine on black Friday and I almost bought a spare
Ernie
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Ernie Kamp
http://www.youtube.com/user/TopSpin80#g/u
Richmond / Livingston / Galveston / Kemah / Texas City, Texas
Supercat 19 and Blade F16 "Nauti Habit", 2 Sunfish
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Posted: Dec 16, 2011 - 04:20 PM
Good advice, Mike.
Thank you.
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Sheet In!
Bob
_/)_____/)_/)____/)____/)_____/)/)__________/)__
Prindle 18-2 #244 "Wakizashi"
Prindle 16 #3690 "Pegasus" Sold (sigh)
AZ Multihull Fleet 42 member
(Way) Past Commodore of Prindle Fleet 14
Arizona, USA
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