[Paddlewise] Knives

Hello to all you list folks,

I really enjoyed the discussion on tethers.  It's one of the reasons I
monitor these lists.

During the tether discussion, the subject of knives came up.  This is a
subject area that I'm just beginning to consider seriously and i'd like to
solicite some group input.  Soooooo, response to the following will be much
appreciated:

(Before we start, let me say that I'm a sea kayaker.  I'd really expect my
knife choices to be different if I was doing white water.)

1.   I'd like people to comment on the issue of pointed vs. non-pointed
knives.  While a non-pointed knife is probably best for rescues in or
around the boat, a pointed knife would be more versatile in "on shore"
survival situation.  (Maybe we need two knives).

2.   Of course it would be foolish to discuss point vs. no point without
discussing sharp vs. modified sharp (i.e. cuts only one way).

3.   I don't want to look cool!  I've never been comfortable with the
prospect of attaching an intimidating looking knife to the lash tab of my
PDF because that is not the image that I want to project.  I know that some
people attach a knife to their PFD cinch straps under their arm.  How does
this work out regarding accessability and just banging it with your arm
while paddling?

4.   I'd definitely like to request Ralph Diaz to speak more on the knife
he mentioned earlier.

5.   I'd also like to hear more from Joq Martin.  I too carried a knife
with a hook for cutting parachute cords while flying.  As I recall, that
knife had a push button opening (aka switch blade) for the normal pointed
cutting blade but the hook blade had to be folded out.  The knife used to
reside in the little pocket on the left thigh of my flight suit and it
sounds like you've duplicated this pocket near the zipper on your PFD.  Are
these knives a viable candidate for kayaking and are they available to
civilians?

6.   Please identify any other knife issues we should be aware of and
possibly discuss.

Thanks,   Bill Leonhardt
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