PaddleWise by thread

From: Nil9000000 <Nil9000000_at_aol.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Re: Knives
Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 13:01:47 EST
 On 3/25/98 11:04AM, Anders.Marklund_at_uab.ericsson.se wrote:

>The cutting edges reside inside a hook, hence the name hook knife. The
>design makes it impossible to cut yourself. I don't know of any hook
>knives with button opening. 

I also have a hook knife with a locking button opening (aka switchblade). 
I understand this is standard isssue for paratroopers, at least that's 
what the ex-US Army Ranger told me who gave this knife to me.  The knife 
is international orange, but unfortunately the switchblade is the long 
blade, not the hook blade which one has to open as per a normal folding 
knife.  Since the blade is a switchblade, this design is not commercially 
available in the US as spring loaded knives are considered illegal (at 
least that;s my understanding). Still you may be able to find one at an 
army surplus store.

I tried carrying this for a while, but because the hook blade had to be 
opened with both hands, I was afraid of getting into a situation where I 
needed the blade 'right now' and having to fiddle around getting the 
knife out and hook blade open. I also had one incident where the spring 
blade opened on it's own in my pocket while loading a boat (I had 
forgotten to lock the button).  While the blade did no damage, I decided 
carrying a spring-loaded knife was not a good idea. 

I now prefer my Kershaw Amphibian (I got mine at REI) knife which lives 
on the cinch straps on the left hand side (so I can access with my right 
hand)  of my Lotus Rio Grande PFD.  It is out of the way and almost out 
of sight, thereby avoiding the  "Rambo" look.  I like this knife a 
lot...is the same size as a gerber river shorty, but has a serrated edge 
on one side, a sharp straight edge on the other and a sharp rather than 
blunt point.

As a minimalist gear-head, I prefer to carry one knife which does several 
duties, such as spreading peanut butter and cutting entanglements, hence 
the point and double edge.  



-------------------------------------------------------------------
                    Neil Harrison-Houston, Texas
          email: nil_at_nol.net   (_at_ _at_)  web: www.nol.net/~nil/   
----------------------------ooO~(_)~Ooo----------------------------
                      100% recycled electrons

***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/
***************************************************************************
From: Mark Zen <canoeist_at_netbox.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Re: Knives
Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 11:12:22 -0700 (MST)
On Wed, 25 Mar 1998, Nil9000000 wrote:

[snip]

>>I now prefer my Kershaw Amphibian (I got mine at REI) knife which lives 
>>on the cinch straps on the left hand side (so I can access with my right 
>>hand)  of my Lotus Rio Grande PFD.  It is out of the way and almost out 
>>of sight, thereby avoiding the  "Rambo" look.  I like this knife a 
>>lot...is the same size as a gerber river shorty, but has a serrated edge 
>>on one side, a sharp straight edge on the other and a sharp rather than 
>>blunt point.
>>
>>As a minimalist gear-head, I prefer to carry one knife which does several 
>>duties, such as spreading peanut butter and cutting entanglements, hence 
>>the point and double edge.  

wrap a rope tightly around your leg, now, use that pointy knife to cut the
rope... there's a reason most river rescue knives [NOW] have blunt points,
or should i say blunt ends, as there's no point... do you see my point??
[oouch, i probably pay for that ;-) with a blunt ended knife, i can stick
that blunt end under the rope, and pry somewhat against _your_ leg ;-)
without cutting _you_ <grin> use a large bladed screwdriver, or something
like that to test the difference, and you'll [hopefully] see what i mean.

mark

#------canoeist[at]netbox[dot]com--------------------------------------
mark zen                      o,    o__              o_/|   o_.
po box 474                   </     [\/              [\_|   [\_\
ft. lupton, co 80621-0474 (`-/-------/----')      (`----|-------\-')
#~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~
http://www.diac.com/~zen/cpr   [Colorado Paddlers' Resource]  
http://www.diac.com/~zen/rmskc [Rocky Mtn Sea Kayak Club]  
http://www.diac.com/~zen/rmcc  [Rocky Mtn Canoe Club Trip Page] 
http://www.diac.com/~zen/mark  [personal]
--
Fortune:
The goal of science is to build better mousetraps.
The goal of nature is to build better mice.

***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/
***************************************************************************
From: Mark Stirling <msti_at_istar.ca>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Re: Knives
Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 01:29:55 GMT
paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Wed, 25 Mar 1998 11:12:22 -0700 (MST),
you wrote:

Try Paramedics Scissors these have blunt ends and are strong enough to
cut through plastic yaks if needed.

Mark S, :-)
>
>wrap a rope tightly around your leg, now, use that pointy knife to cut the
>rope... there's a reason most river rescue knives [NOW] have blunt points,
>or should i say blunt ends, as there's no point... do you see my point??
>[oouch, i probably pay for that ;-) with a blunt ended knife, i can stick
>that blunt end under the rope, and pry somewhat against _your_ leg ;-)
>without cutting _you_ <grin> use a large bladed screwdriver, or something
>like that to test the difference, and you'll [hopefully] see what i mean.
>
>mark
>
>#------canoeist[at]netbox[dot]com--------------------------------------
>mark zen                      o,    o__              o_/|   o_.
>po box 474                   </     [\/              [\_|   [\_\
>ft. lupton, co 80621-0474 (`-/-------/----')      (`----|-------\-')
>#~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~
>http://www.diac.com/~zen/cpr   [Colorado Paddlers' Resource]  
>http://www.diac.com/~zen/rmskc [Rocky Mtn Sea Kayak Club]  
>http://www.diac.com/~zen/rmcc  [Rocky Mtn Canoe Club Trip Page] 
>http://www.diac.com/~zen/mark  [personal]
>--
>Fortune:
>The goal of science is to build better mousetraps.
>The goal of nature is to build better mice.
>
>***************************************************************************
>PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
>Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
>Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
>Website:         http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/
>***************************************************************************
>
>
>

***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/
***************************************************************************
From: Mark Zen <canoeist_at_netbox.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Re: Knives
Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 10:23:44 -0700 (MST)
On Wed, 25 Mar 1998, Mark Stirling wrote:

>>
>>paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Wed, 25 Mar 1998 11:12:22 -0700 (MST),
>>you wrote:
>>
>>Try Paramedics Scissors these have blunt ends and are strong enough to
>>cut through plastic yaks if needed.
>>
>>Mark S, :-)


have you actually tried that?? someone i know went to a rescue class, and
a boat was put into a "pinned" position, and anyone who wanted could try
to cut it up. even folks who carried small rescue saws had a rough time. 
i bought my knife before the "modern convention" of blunt points [which
makes great sense]. it was relatively inexpensive, and _had_ to have three
things, which i deemed most important. 1) a darn thick blade, so it
wouldn't snap as i pried and hacked, so i starts thin, and gets pretty
thick at the base   2) serrated blade on both sides. i carry a small
"swiss army knife" for apples & peanut better, etc, so this knife is/was
only for rescue/emergency work. i wanted to be able to cut through a boat
if someone was pinned  3) full length tang. the knife is one piece, point
to the bottom of the hilt. no lock to jam/gum up, can't fold closed on my
hand, and it does have a rubber handle cover, so i get good grip. i showed
my "pride and joy" to the friend who went through the rescue course, and
he fell down laughing. essentially it will generally take a saw to cut up
a boat, and he didn't think my knife stood a chance.

i still carry the knife i originally bought, but know i am looking closer
at other knives as well. looks like gerber will be the choice, even though
for rescue i'd rather not have a folder, it meets all my requirements,
except price!!

note to jackie: i'll compile the "knife" posts, and get them to you for
the website, since that's one of my personal foci right now ;-)

mark

#------canoeist[at]netbox[dot]com--------------------------------------
mark zen                      o,    o__              o_/|   o_.
po box 474                   </     [\/              [\_|   [\_\
ft. lupton, co 80621-0474 (`-/-------/----')      (`----|-------\-')
#~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~
http://www.diac.com/~zen/cpr   [Colorado Paddlers' Resource]  
http://www.diac.com/~zen/rmskc [Rocky Mtn Sea Kayak Club]  
http://www.diac.com/~zen/rmcc  [Rocky Mtn Canoe Club Trip Page] 
http://www.diac.com/~zen/mark  [personal]
--
Fortune:
The goal of science is to build better mousetraps.
The goal of nature is to build better mice.


***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/
***************************************************************************
From: Nil9000000 <Nil9000000_at_aol.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Re: Knives
Date: Fri, 27 Mar 1998 09:50:44 EST
 On 3/27/98 01:14AM, msti_at_istar.ca wrote:

>I do carry a chain saw 


How do you attach this to your pfd?  (:-) 

-------------------------------------------------------------------
                    Neil Harrison-Houston, Texas
          email: nil_at_nol.net   (_at_ _at_)  web: www.nol.net/~nil/   
----------------------------ooO~(_)~Ooo----------------------------
                      100% recycled electrons

***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/
***************************************************************************

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:32:48 PDT