Well, since Paul's post and my query I have not seen one truely negative post regarding solo paddling. Sounds like there is agreement that if you truely prepare, honestly asscess your skills and reherse you can give yourself as good or better odds than if you were in a group. Especially if you are in a group of unknowns. The day after Pauls post, believe it or not, I took a long look at my boat and the equipment. I go out every evening, solo, but skipped one. I stripped the boat and resecured everything. Gave better thought to some things, remembered where things were, read labels on flares etc. It was a pretty good exercise. Actually, I took the boat out later with the intent of practicing rolls and wet exit stuff with the gear in the new configuration but the lions-main jellyfish were everywhere! Quick question... I usually keep a diving knife strapped to my leg. It is in a hard sheath and there is very little chance it can hurt me if I get curled somehow. The bad thing is you can't get to it without taking the skirt off. What is good stuff that has a hard sheath that can attach to a PFD? Fixed blade only, nobody has time to fiddle with a folding knife. TM *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 98-07-09 10:44:05 EDT, WILAX_at_aol.com writes: << I usually keep a diving knife strapped to my leg. It is in a hard sheath and there is very little chance it can hurt me if I get curled somehow. The bad thing is you can't get to it without taking the skirt off. What is good stuff that has a hard sheath that can attach to a PFD? >> There was a long thread on knives on PaddleWise a while back --- there are archives, but I'm too computer-challenged to tell you how to access them. Colorado Kayak has a lot of the models discussed. Haven't checked their web site <www.coloradokayakusa.com> lately, but it's a good place to start. As I recall, there was a lot of support for the Gerber River Shorty and some interest in the Guide's Safety Knife (a take-off on a marinized shroud cutter from the aviator and sky-diver communities). The latter does not have a hard case, but can be fit into flat voids in a PFD zipper. Jack Martin *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
At 11:19 AM 7/9/98 EDT, JCMARTIN43_at_aol.com wrote: >In a message dated 98-07-09 10:44:05 EDT, WILAX_at_aol.com writes: > ><< I usually keep a diving knife strapped to my leg. It is in > a hard sheath and there is very little chance it can hurt me if I get curled > somehow. The bad thing is you can't get to it without taking the skirt off. > What is good stuff that has a hard sheath that can attach to a PFD? >> > >There was a long thread on knives on PaddleWise a while back --- there are >archives, but I'm too computer-challenged to tell you how to access them. > >Colorado Kayak has a lot of the models discussed. Haven't checked their web >site <www.coloradokayakusa.com> lately, but it's a good place to start. As I >recall, there was a lot of support for the Gerber River Shorty and some >interest in the Guide's Safety Knife (a take-off on a marinized shroud cutter >from the aviator and sky-diver communities). The latter does not have a hard >case, but can be fit into flat voids in a PFD zipper. Check the plastic sheat carefully. Some (Schrade's river knife for example) are difficult to release with non-gloved hands, impossible with neoprene on your fingers. The blunt-ended River Shorty is a good knife. I can't remember much about the sheath though. I use the smallish folding Schrade Cliphanger. It must not be too tough to open in a scrape--many of the Army's Rangers are carrying them as backups. You just clip it on. I use a small bungee so I can get about a 2' range with it still attached. Wynne Americus, GA USA *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
At 11:56 PM 7/9/98 -0400, you wrote: (coupage majeure) The blunt-ended River Shorty is a good knife. I >can't remember much about the sheath though. (encore de coupage) >Wynne >Americus, GA >USA > The River Shorty sheath is space age plastic and indestructo. It has a clip that hangs it upside down from the "gear patch" on the PFD. The clip is slightly larger than the standard gear pacth slot. Forcing the clip into the slot ensures a secure fit. There are "buttons" on the back of the sheath that allow fastening through fabric--the sheath on the outside of the fabric, the buttons being jammed into the sheath from the other side of the fabric. This mount probably stretches the fabric but does not put a hole through it. The tip of the sheath features a fairly large, solid "loop" which allows for a lanyard. There's enough space in the loop to pass the loose length of the lanyard so that the line is secure and not dangling loose, yet ready with just a firm pull. The handle of the knife features a large opening for the lanyard. (I secure the knife with a bowline loop passed through the handle in a double half-hitch to allow the knife to be freed from the lanyard for slicing bagels and cheese.) Finally, the knife secures in the sheath by a triple detent of notches on both sides of the handle. It takes three "clicks" to pull the knife free from the sheath--secure, but nonetheless ready for an emergency, no clumsy snaps. The blade is heavy with a thick "rib" down the centerline. It's a serrated blade which is prefered for cutting lines, fiberglass, roto-molded plastic, neoprene . . . The tip tapers symetrically to a blunt end which would work as a flat tip screwdriver. The handle is space age plastic and ribbed for a good grip. One large rib on the "sharp side" makes it easy to orient the knife blade even through heavy gloves. ______________________________ George Bergeron, Secretary '99 Oswego Heritage Council www.europa.com/~heritage/ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 98-07-10 04:08:15 EDT, heritage_at_europa.com writes: << The River Shorty sheath is space age plastic and indestructo. It has a clip that hangs it upside down from the "gear patch" on the PFD. The clip is slightly larger than the standard gear pacth slot. Forcing the clip into the slot ensures a secure fit. >> Have used the Gerber River Shorty in very much the same way George describes --- mounted pendularly --- for about five years. It's an excellent knife, and I still have the original. Having said that, I believe Gerber recommends against mounting the River Shorty in this manner because, unlike the Kershaw SeaHunter which Larry Pfisterer described, the Shorty does not have a positive mechanical click release button; it does ratchet in the way George describes, but it's not the same as having a clean, mechanical release mechnism that some knives have. But, having said <that>, both George and I --- along with a lot of ww and sea kayakers who I've seen --- do mount the Shorty in a pendular manner and seem to get away with it. The Shorty is excellent, but, if I were doing it over, I'd look hard at the SeaHunter or another mechanical release knife. Jack Martin *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
When I went looking for a knife, I had the River Shorty in mind, as I've been a fan of the Gerber LST 3" folder for years. When I went to one of the big Seattle paddling shops for the Shorty, the guy there told me they'd had a number of customer complaints of the knife coming out of the sheath and flailing around at the end of a lanyard or being lost. One customer had bought three. Talk about the triumph of hope versus experience! Larry JCMARTIN43_at_aol.com wrote: <George's comments SNIPPED> > > Have used the Gerber River Shorty in very much the same way George describes > --- mounted pendularly --- for about five years. It's an excellent knife, and > I still have the original. > > Having said that, I believe Gerber recommends against mounting the River > Shorty in this manner because, unlike the Kershaw SeaHunter which Larry > Pfisterer described, the Shorty does not have a positive mechanical click > release button; it does ratchet in the way George describes, but it's not the > same as having a clean, mechanical release mechnism that some knives have. > <Remainder snipped> *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
I've been using the same Techna in its sheath on my pfd for over a decade. No problems so far, even though it has had some interesting experiences. Richard WILAX_at_aol.com wrote: --snip-- > What is good stuff that has a hard sheath that can attach to a PFD? Fixed > blade only, nobody has time to fiddle with a folding knife. > > TM *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
WILAX_at_aol.com wrote: > > Quick question... I usually keep a diving knife strapped to my leg. It is in > a hard sheath and there is very little chance it can hurt me if I get curled > somehow. The bad thing is you can't get to it without taking the skirt off. > What is good stuff that has a hard sheath that can attach to a PFD? Fixed > blade only, nobody has time to fiddle with a folding knife. I wear a Spyderco folding rescue knife in a plastic slip case on the lashtab of my PFD. It slides out and can be opened easily with one gloved hand, which I proved Saturday when I got tangled in some discarded 30# fishing line (Arrgh!) near the shore. I can get it out and open as quick as any fixed blade knife I've ever owned. Lots of places sell this knife, but I've only seen the case at NOC. Steve *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
I've been very pleased with the Kershaw SeaHunter, model 1008BL-P (diver's type). It has a 4 inch blunt chisel tip, one edge regular blade and other edge is about 2/3 serrated with regular edge nearest the tip. The handle has a rough rubber covering. It has a hard plastic sheath with a large push button to release the blade. The sheath has attachment loops on the back that are spaced just right to fit on the side straps of my Lola. You have to drill a hole in the plastic portion of the handle to attach a lanyard. They also sell sharp pointed double edge replacement blades that are interchangable with the blunt tip blade. If you can't locate it, let me know. A guy I work with runs a mail order knife and martial arts business. Larry Pfisterer *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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