Sailing knife as a present ?

[davidaprice]

I've a Wichard knife, the previous-generation glow-in-the-dark model with a separate shackle key and marlin spike. The current version has a combined shackle key and marlin spike, which looks to me like a rather poor marlin spike.

And everything locks. Finland has much less restrictive knife laws, and hence you don't have to be paranoid about being caught with a locking blade. Personally, I wouldn't want to be messing with a non-locking blade on a rocking boat, I'd have my fingers off!

 

[penberth3]

A bit off the wall, but how do you sharpen a serrated edged knife? I'm happy sharpening a straight edge, but I can't for the life of me see how you sharpen a serrated edge.

Good question. Something I've looked at but never tried. The serrated knives I've seen are all scalloped and sharpened on one side, flat on the other, so work on the flat side. Oilstone or wet-and-dry paper.

It should also be possible to sharpen the scalloped sections with a round diamond file, or wet-and-dry wrapped round a bit of dowel.

Before you do anything have a close look, you should see the original grinding marks and work out how they were made and sharpened at the factory.

 

[Sailingsaves]

A bit off the wall, but how do you sharpen a serrated edged knife? I'm happy sharpening a straight edge, but I can't for the life of me see how you sharpen a serrated edge.

I use a round tapered file Penberth3 talks about.

I don't need to do it often though.

 

[JohnDL]

New materials and designs have made the old Capt Curry lockspike a possibly less effective knife. What would people recommend of the new makes, please ?

I have had mine for at least 40 years and, with more than a few sharpening's, it is still good so I will stick with it.

Having said that Gerber do make good blades for industrial and domestic use.

 

[Daverw]

Many good knives available to Kayakers who always carry them, worth looking as costs likely to be lower as well

 

[KellysEye]

We had two Ceramic knives, both in sheaths, one for diving and one attached to a starboard quarter guardrail in case we needed to cut a rope in an emergency.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

We had two Ceramic knives, both in sheaths, one for diving and one attached to a starboard quarter guardrail in case we needed to cut a rope in an emergency.

I'd be concerned that a ceramic knife might shatter too easily; I am careful not to apply any sideways force to our kitchen ceramic knives, and always use them on a wooden chopping board! But you've mentioned the best reason for carrying a knife, which is for emergencies. I've only once needed to cut a line in a hurry, but when I needed to, I was glad of wearing a sheath knife that I kept shaving sharp! Not QUITE like Crocodile Dundee's, but a junior relative of it! Sadly, modern knife laws make forgetting to take such a knife off when you leave the boat a serious offense. I wore a sheath knife most of the time at weekends when I was a boy, and almost always carried a pen-knife (one with a marlin spike - its main use was to sharpen pencils!).

 

[sarabande]

Ceramic knives as emergency kit does not seem a good idea, for the reasons stated. Lateral pressure will shatter the blade and then you have razors all over the deck.

Youtube has many ceramic knife fail videos.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ceramic+knife+fail

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

I'd be concerned that a ceramic knife might shatter too easily; I am careful not to apply any sideways force to our kitchen ceramic knives, and always use them on a wooden chopping board! But you've mentioned the best reason for carrying a knife, which is for emergencies. I've only once needed to cut a line in a hurry, but when I needed to, I was glad of wearing a sheath knife that I kept shaving sharp! Not QUITE like Crocodile Dundee's, but a junior relative of it! Sadly, modern knife laws make forgetting to take such a knife off when you leave the boat a serious offense. I wore a sheath knife most of the time at weekends when I was a boy, and almost always carried a pen-knife (one with a marlin spike - its main use was to sharpen pencils!).

Thought that spike was for getting boy scouts out of horses' hooves

 

[rogerthebodger]

New materials and designs have made the old Capt Curry lockspike a possibly less effective knife. What would people recommend of the new makes, please ?

The spec includes:-

an all in one tool, not a sheath with 3 or 4 separate items
good safety features
bright colour
able to be fastened to a lanyard or carabinier
definitely non-rusting

I have had a sailing knife for with folding blade, Shackle wrench and a thing for getting boy scouts out of horses hooves (marlin spike) and a lanyard.

I also have a fixed blade knife in a sheath by the companion way .

My local took mart has these on special off of 30 rand each (1 pound 65 pence) so I got 10 off as I keep on loosing them

https://www.adendorff.co.za/product/utility-knife/

Also do then in stainless steel

https://www.adendorff.co.za/product/mac-afric-folding-utility-knife-stainless-steel-head/

 

[penberth3]

Many good knives available to Kayakers who always carry them, worth looking as costs likely to be lower as well

The climbing/caving/rope access market is also a good place to look. Often see identical products at a half to a third of "marine" prices.

 

[penberth3]

...But you've mentioned the best reason for carrying a knife, which is for emergencies. I've only once needed to cut a line in a hurry, but when I needed to, I was glad of wearing a sheath knife that I kept shaving sharp!...

Back to the subject of sharpening - use your rescue knife/cutter for emergencies only, then it will stay sharp. Use a different knife for all the other jobs.

 

[Humblebee]

Another vote for a Swiss Army knife. Mine sharpens up nicely, has a good bottle opener and the two screwdrivers have stood a lot of use - and abuse - without being damaged.

 

[duncan99210]

I have a Gerber multitool with a locking blade which I find invaluable on board: often don't need to bother going to the tool box as I can fix things just using it. I also have a Swiss Army knife which goes everywhere with me as the blades are small enough to the legal. Also have a filetting knife in a sheath of the binnacle for emergencies: I've used it to cut the mooring lines on more than one occasion.

 

[machone]

Myerchin Titanium......nice.

 

[Daverw]

I’m not sure I would use a multi tool as emergency knife, try and open one single handed

 

[KellysEye]

> I wore a sheath knife most of the time at weekends when I was a boy

I did too because I did a lot of fishing, unfortunately now I would probably be arrested.

 

[alahol2]

I’m not sure I would use a multi tool as emergency knife, try and open one single handed

My Leatherman Wave opens/closes singlehanded without problem. Along with a standard Swiss army knife which is always in my pocket and the serrated bread knife, which is on board, all my (knife) needs are met.

 

[GrahamC]

Vitrinox do a Nautical Knife with serrated blade like a bread knife, Spike, shackle key and pliers with the usual Can Opener , Bottle opener Saw, tooth pick and tweezers, not available in UK as the blade locks but can be got from makers who will engrave your mane and Boat name on he case, great tool

 

[NUTMEG]

Vitrinox do a Nautical Knife with serrated blade like a bread knife, Spike, shackle key and pliers with the usual Can Opener , Bottle opener Saw, tooth pick and tweezers, not available in UK as the blade locks but can be got from makers who will engrave your mane and Boat name on he case, great tool

I think they are available in uk. I have two��