now that I sail…
I never really felt it was necessary to have a knife so handy, but now that I sail, I’ve got ropes all over the place. Feels good to have a knife right there.
Bear Claw
I have a crkt bear claw, got it from agrussell with an emegerncy orange handle, blunt tip, serrated, sheath lashed on the pfd. Had another one before that disapearred (gnabbed me thinks) that I used once to cut a friend free of his boat (towline got loose in the surf, he got rolled and bailed, was getting pounded by the boat in like chest deep water)
Always have one, but the rescue knife doesnt get used to setting up camp, or cutting cheese, it has one purpose.
35 years, never in a situation where I
I used or needed one. I recognize that I might need one some day, but then there is other gear I might need and don’t carry.
Witnessed rescue
Woman in a whitewater race flipped her canoe in a short rapid. She wasn’t wearing cold water gear (March) but she had the required waterproof container of spare clothes. The river below the rapid is all deep, fast-moving water with steep banks.
Somehow, the painter on the canoe and got wrapped around her neck.
She wasn’t aware of it until she got to shore and grabbed a tree. That’s when the rope tightened around her neck as the canoe, loaded with water, continued downstream.
She braced, but was slowly being dragged back into the river, to more serious potential dangers. The cold shock had already affected her coordination. She couldn’t get the rope loose from around her neck.
Then a spectator who saw the accident, came by and cut the rope loose. Disaster averted.
I carry a river shorty all the time. Haven’t used it myself in a rescue, but I was only minutes away from having been the person there with my knife in the above-scenario.
Also, it has come handy when there is no beer bottle opener to be found.
-rs
I carry a Victorinox Forschner boning
knife. Made a sheath out of polyester straps. The knife is light weight and holds an edge well, even after being in salt water a lot. Could also be used as a weapon…
Coyote-love…
My teeth are old and dull and my spyderco knife I keep on my PFD is sharp and pointy - just in case I need to cut my own arm off in the morning to escape gals I selected the night before while under the influence.
And yes, I do wear my PFD when fishing at bars…I learned real early that the life you save may be your own!
Real reason
I got some monofilament fishing line wrapped around three fingers while dragging my hands through the water while drifting with the current several years ago. Needless to say - I discovered that day that you cannot break that stuff, no matter what you do so it is either use a knife to cut it fast or lose your fingers.
(no - I am typing this with all fingers - as my paddling partner cut it with his knife…thanks Sam!)
Now I always carry a one hand operating folder on my pfd.
Scott
kayaking for years
– Last Updated: Feb-15-08 3:50 PM EST –
and have guided for three. I wear this Gerber dagger type knife on my vest in a sheath. The only time I have used it is when I fix meals. It does look impressive though and if I ever am attacked by sharks I'll be ready. I tend to agree with the comments above that it is for macho show--but if I ever need to cut something I'll be all set.
Question on the EMT Scissors
– Last Updated: Feb-15-08 9:30 PM EST –
I have always carried an small knife on my pfd. I actually used it once to 'rescue' a power boater who's anchor had run afoul on some submerged obstruction. Believe it or not, they had no tool with which cut themselves loose and the line could not be untied at their end. It had been whipped/braided around a deck cleat on the boat. They hailed me over and I cut them free.
I have a couple of questions on the EMT/Rescue scissors which have been cited by owners as potentially a better tool for sea kayakers than a pfd mounted blade.
First, is there any difference between the scissors sold in dive shops and the standard EMT scissors?
Second, have you tried using your scissor to cut 2-6 mm perlon/deck line?
When I first heard the scissors idea it sounded great to me. "Maybe I'll pick up one of those to replace my knife". I eventually realized I actually owned a standard EMT scissor, which is in my large wilderness first aid kit. This particular scissor was advertised as being able to "cut a penny in half!"
Everyone say "Ooooo!"
Hey, I'll give it a try. Well, my results were poor at best. Yes, my EMT scissors worked great on flat webbing, which makes sense since it should be able to quickly dispatch a seatbelt or clothing. However, when it came to cutting any thing that was round or circular in cross section (i.e deck line) it honestly sucked. I couldn't even cut a 2mm line. The scissors simply jammed. Not good. I tried test cutting several diameters, ranging from 2 to 6 mm and it would not work on any of them.
YMMV
I wondered about the scissors.
I have also tried cutting thicker stuff and they didn’t work very well.
caught in kelp
– Last Updated: Feb-15-08 9:13 PM EST –
this summer, i was launching out through bouncy headland swells (Amphritite Point), and my bow plunged just enough for a strand of bull kelp to come over the deck and slide up to my waist. i might have been able to pull it free from one side, but got nervous as it was pretty rough, and i was stuck, so pulled my folder out to cut it. still have the folder, still in a pocket on a lanyard, but it made me question not using a fixed blade on the outside of pfd, like on my river jacket. what would you do if you were me, switch knives? Murray, i mean salty?
Ginger…
As I recall, there once was a group who went out on the water … I believe the Skipper had one but his little buddy Gilligan didn’t. Lovie wanted to carry but Thurston wouldn’t let her. MaryAnn didn’t but should have as the Professor couldn’t be trusted.
Good point…
…I had a similar incident playing in the rocks a bit crossing Esperanza Inlet enroute from Kyuquot to Nootka Sound. Made me consider more clearly the implications of being around any kind of kelp in surging swell and rocks. The knife option crossed my mind as I was hurredly clearing the kelp from the deck before the next swell came in. I felt pretty stupid not to think that through beforehand–I’d just seen a ‘surgy’ channel that looked fun. Fixed blade knife would be faster to get in action, no doubt.
Good if you have a knife
– Last Updated: Feb-16-08 5:36 AM EST –
bad if you need one (for rescue)...
Personally I feel lucky that I only once had to use a knife as a rescue tool in an emergency life threatening situation, and hope I never have to use my rescue knife again.
Scissors
Never really thought about scissors, even though I carry a small pair for cutting the new braided fishing lines. I can see lots of other uses now. I also carry a cheap folding knife, that I strap to my PFD, for use in fishing, but mainly use my other fillet knife for fishing purposes.
I have seen knives with the rope hooks on them. Until now, I haven’t given one of those much thought.
I am so glad I saw this thread. I have always been careful not to throw any fishing line overboard because of injury to fish and birds, but I will be even more careful now that i’ve heard all these cases of freeing birds.
Ginger, I am in NC also. I mainly fish around the Swansboro area. If you see an old stocky guy in a mango colored SOT, with a straw hat on, and a yellow PFD, give me a wave.
that’s not my experience…
i don’t know if emt shears are the same as the shears i buy in dive shops…about $10-$15 or so, stainless?
i’ve never tried the cut the penny in half thing but i’ve cut all kinds of line (mono, para cord, deck line and even some thin rope) with them and they’ve never jammed and i can usually cut all of that using only the scissors…so one hand use.
for me, the thing i like about scissors is that you can cut line without having to have tension on that line…so if the mono is wrapped around the bird, me, whatever, i don’t need to add or have tension on it, i just need to slide one leg of the scissors under it.
anyways, for me, they’ve been a superior tool for the application…there are still a # of knives in my kit though for other things.
McNett Blakely Dive knife?
Has anyone used the McNett Blakely Dive knife? Rutabega carries it now, and so do a lot of dive shops.
McNett knife
If you get one, be sure to get the newer style sheath. The older ones break easly. Got mine replaced under warranty.
Rick thanks for the feedback
– Last Updated: Feb-16-08 1:33 PM EST –
Yeah, I was very perplexed by my experience. I also tried a second pair of EMT scissors and they did not work any better.
Yes, mine are stainless are ran around $12-13.
I have looked that the models in several dive shops and they did not appear to be any different from the EMT shears, with the exception of the fancy nylon case.
I really like the idea of being able to cut a line without it being under tension, but I couldn't get the various diameter perlons to cut no matter how I held lines.
I guess I would have to go shopping for one with several diameter nylon lines in hand.
Joe
Im sure shes never heard that one before