What do you use your knife for?

[Oeanda]

A few cheap filleting knives are good to have around. One or two in the dinghy as well for fish etc- basically disposable when they rust or snap.

We always have a few of these conveniently located in case of emergencies requiring rope cutting.

In reality they’re mainly really great for accidentally cutting yourself with.

Halibut longlining we’d each keep one in a sheath on our chest or hanging on necks a lanyard. The theory being that we could cut ourselves or our friends free if we ever got tangled up in anything.

I only ever encountered one bona fide emergency situation where the knife was exactly what was needed. Baiting hooks off the stern, a hook caught in my hand after I’d snapped the gangion to the ground-line and let go. We were early in the set so the main anchor weight and two five gallon buckets of concrete were still on their way to the bottom 1500 ft down. I stared in horror. Then flapped my hand around uselessly trying to free the hook, while the other master baiter started laughing hysterically at my antics. (Thanks a lot by the way Shawn). It didn’t occur to either of us to remember our knives. We were not newbies either- not sure what came over us. I suppose I had a funny look on my face that set him off.

A few seconds later the line snapped tight and the circle hook dug a shallow cut through my glove and palm then ripped free without quite catching. We carried on working and had a good laugh. Dark humour being the main variety on the boat.
So yeah- always keep those kind of knives handy!

Funny stories aside I mostly carry a not very precious sturdy combat knife in a sheath for general purpose. Mainly used on beach crawls for everything from splitting kindling for fires, to cutting up seafood. But good for whatever. It has a hollow handle compartment that I keep forgetting to put anything in, but would be handy for something if I would ever get around to using it.

[MicHughV]

If you don't want them, you should re-gift to all your CF friends. I'd be happy to take a few off your hands

You should know that leatherman's come in all sizes, I have some about the size of my small finger.....a stocking stuffer if you will. They honestly aren't worth a damn...cutsie, for sure, but completely impractical....you can clean your fingernails with them is about the extent of their use.

You may recall that some time back the "Swiss Army Knife" was the gadget to have. It also came in various sizes, with various doodads on them. I have a collection of those too.

If I was on a deserted island, with nothing else...sure....I'd find a use for those little things....

But....I've come to like to carrying a small canvas toolbag with me.....about the size of a purse with a zippered top. It has a long strap so can be carried over one's shoulder. Inside I keep a variety of hand tools, knife, some duct tape, s/s wire, etc, and some other odds and ends, with which, I can accomplish most anything I need to do on deck. I usually keep it nearby to tackle the odd job here and there.

[Oeanda]

Australian army knife.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

If you don't want them, you should re-gift to all your CF friends. I'd be happy to take a few off your hands

You should know that leatherman's come in all sizes, I have some about the size of my small finger.....a stocking stuffer if you will. They honestly aren't worth a damn...cutsie, for sure, but completely impractical....you can clean your fingernails with them is about the extent of their use.

I thought you were discussing the Leatherman tools that have actually been mentioned here, not some stocking stuffer toy. So you don't have two dozen of the relevant ones stashed around. Got it...

It's great you've found a solution that works for you. To me, carrying around your small canvas toolbag sounds pretty unreasonable. I'd much rather carry my little mutlitool. But whatever works is great.

[MicHughV]

I actually have a collection of the larger leatherman multi tools as well, but find them about as impractical as the smaller one's...besides the plier feature, I have not found a use for the other doodads on there.

But back to the knives....some time back, someone gave me a leatherman type knife...the handle was hollow and filled with some matches, and other survival type things. The knob that opened the handle was a mini compass. Can't say I ever tried to light a fire with it though.

The fillet knife as shown in post #31 is similar to my fillet knife. Mine is about 30 years old now, and still going strong. I could not explain why, but it holds a really sharp edge for a long time.

[pcmm]

I generally carry one of two knives with me. For general day-to-day I carry a folding utility knife (the kind that uses the replaceable trapezoidal blades). When at the boat I also carry a Spyderco Atlantic Salt serrated blade. The second one cuts through rope like butter (which is why I carry it onboard)

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Giro

Whatever you get, make sure it has a marlin spike. It’s an absolute must.

What is the marlin spike for, that it is essencial to have at hand? Serious question, since I have had knives with them but now find them to be an annoying bump.


Loosening knots. (a) I almost never have a really jammed knot where it would help. (b) A pair of pliers, often two, is much better. The spike is mostly a time waster, when you would be better of getting the correct tools.


Splicing. That is what proper fids are for, either Swedish or wire.


Making a hole. For sewing, that is what an awl is for, or a big needle with a palm. But yes, this is one (uncommon) use, not enough to want it on my knife. I keep a spike in my sewing kit.


I there some common use I am missing?

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by thinwater

What is the marlin spike for, that it is essencial to have at hand? Serious question, since I have had knives with them but now find them to be an annoying bump.

Loosening knots. (a) I almost never have a really jammed knot where it would help. (b) A pair of pliers, often two, is much better. The spike is mostly a time waster, when you would be better of getting the correct tools.

Splicing. That is what proper fids are for, either Swedish or wire.

Making a hole. For sewing, that is what an awl is for, or a big needle with a palm. But yes, this is one (uncommon) use, not enough to want it on my knife. I keep a spike in my sewing kit.

I there some common use I am missing?

Agreed. I've found my decent needle-nose pliers (on my Leatherman) is far more useful when dealing with jammed knots. And if I'm splicing a line, I'm using my fids.

I've got a marlin spike on my rigging knife, but it rarely sees the light of day.

[MicHughV]

In 35 years of sailing, I don't think there has been a time where I used the marlin spike found on some knives.

The only time I had a knot I was unable to untie, I simply cut it off

[John_Trusty]

Originally Posted by thinwater

What is the marlin spike for, that it is essencial to have at hand? Serious question, since I have had knives with them but now find them to be an annoying bump.
I there some common use I am missing?

I use the folding one on my Myerchin for loosening knots or overwraps. Also handy as a shackle key for those shackles with a hole in the pin. Miscellaneous picking at things where fingers are too big or delicate. I don't know if I'd design a knife with one, but since it's there I use it, actually more often than opening the knife blade.

[bensolomon]

I keep a west marine rigging knife in my pocket. Recently, I was sailing from Chesapeake to mystic, CT. Noticed a squall line coming from the Stern, put the main away, and had postage stamp jib out. The wind veered and I had 60 knots on the beam and I was hard over. There was too much tension to furl the jib, so I went to just let the sheet fly free, but as a dutiful sailor I had a stopper knot on the bitter end. The stopper knot hit for the cheek block and now I had full jib out in 60+ knots, on the beam, and now the jib is taking on water. I reached out and touched the jib sheet with my knife and cut it. Saved the boat. I would have no chance to leave the helm and scramble around.

I use the marlin spike to undo all of my bowlines.

Oh.....no more stopper knots for me.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Snore

All those tools in one device that you can open with one hand.



https://myerchin.com/product/p300bl-...l-blue-handle/

True, but you can only use them one at a time, you can't hold something with the spanner while using the fid or screwdriver to turn a bottlescrew for example.. that's why my multitool spends its time in a drawer..
Plus slung low it suits my 'wanna be' John Wayne mentality..

[Rohan]

I bought this rigging knife and I love it. It comes with a very sharp serrated blade, a shackle key, and a pry tool.

I could use it to cut a line in an emergency, but that has never come up. But I usually use it for opening boxes and packaging, to loosen/tighten shackles, or the pry tool to untie knots. Has a very solid feel, and as a bonus, it looks great.




https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BDP5KCG/

https://myerchin.com/product/wf377p-...ndle-crew-pro/

[carstenb]

I've found that multiuse tools are generally multiuseless.

I always carry a folding riggers knife in my pocket (mainly because I frequently seem to have a use of at knife - to open boxes etc.)

We have sheathed knife at the helm and one on the mast.

Never had to use them - but they only cost a few bucks and I sharpen and grease them every couple of months

[lestersails]

Check out Boye Knives. These knives are a little more expensive than the mass market ones, but extremely high quality and handmade in the US. You can save 15% or so if you buy a second - by that I don't mean two, I mean a quality second. Mine is a second and I'll be damned if I can figure out what is wrong with it. The manufacturer is such a perfectionist, even the second was nicer than I could hope for.
https://www.boyeknives.com
As has been said many times in CF, there is low price, quality, and service. Pick two.