Re: [Paddlewise] Knives

From:           	Julio MacWilliams <juliom_at_cisco.com>
Subject:        	[Paddlewise] Knives
To:             	David_at_wainet.com (David Seng)
Date sent:      	Thu, 8 Apr 1999 09:43:50 -0700 (PDT)
Copies to:      	paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net

> My experience with knives is that they provide a false sense of safety.
> Most people put knives on their PFD, but have never tried them 
> in simulated or real situations.  When the time comes, you may be
> in for a surprise. An example follows.
> 
> In hangliding, the knife fashion is still alive.....

Don't know anything about hangliding, Julio, but in Naval aviation 
we always carried a knife called a "shroud cutter" --- in addition to 
our huge K-Bar survival knives, of course.  The shroud cutter is a 
"J" shaped knife, either a solid piece of steel with a hook shaped 
blade or a hook shaped casing with two replacable razor sharp 
blades incorporated inside the hook.  (It's the knife I espoused in 
the last Great PaddleWise Knife War we had --- what was that?  
Last month?  The month before?  Dunno.)  It is reincarnated in one 
of the catalogs as "The Guide Knive", and, other than its really cool 
flourescent yellow handle (that you don't see inside its case), it 
looks pretty boring.  About $20.  A very good deal.

I've never fired this knife in anger, but I've used it extensively to 
shred some big and nasty stuff including aircraft cargo nets which 
were used to construct duck blinds and later abandoned during an 
enviro-cleanup at NAS Pax River last year.  The little critter sliced 
through heavy webbing in a flash.  I'd tested it on new seat belt 
material straps when I got it, and it did the same thing --- sliced the 
material in half with little effort.  AND it's pilot-proof --- the round-
tipped scissors for Navy pilots, please --- and can, in a pinch, also 
be used to spread peanut butter, although I agree with Dave Seng 
that the "fire for effect" Gerber River Shorty --- which I also carry 
mostly so it looks like I have a real knife --- is much better at lunch 
time.

Jack Martin
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