What knife do you carry

[WayneS]

As well as a Gerber EZ I carroy one of these

 

[Seajet]

Even if faced with a really over-zealous police 'officer' ( zealous to collect 'solved crime' points; zealous to uphold the law and prevent crime seems a romantic fiction ) I can't see any jury going against a respectable yottie with a Swiss Army knife he forgot was in his pocket while being hassled to go ashore.

Personally I've never found anything to beat a bread or freezer knife, underwater or not, though I agree with keeping hacksaw blades handy as well.

I knew a chap a fair few years ago who was the living personification of the sailing cartoons, he worked for Trinity House in some way, always wore a battered cap, was partial to a tot - especially if someone else was funding it, and sailed his beautiful Folkboat at warp 9 through Falmouth, ( reefing was for fairies ) a lot would say a 'lovable rogue'.

When it became clear he was heading for his final harbour bar, his long suffering wife organised a holiday somewhere hot and sunny - it was the first time John had ever flown, and he took massive exception to being asked for his knife, which went everywhere with him !

Travelling without a knife was like being naked to him.

-In fact the knights of old when saying they were 'naked' meant 'unarmed,' which has made old legends a lot more interesting than intended.

 

[duncan99210]

Short divers knife on my harness - serrated blade and line cutter. 7cm Spyderco serrated lockblade by the chart table.

Interestingly, when I'm diving I've always carried a knife, varying from a 6 - 8 inch blade strapped to my calf to a 2 inch blade clipped to my buoyancy jacket. However, the only time I've ever used any of them is cutting ropes and nets of the props of various boats..... Never had to use it in anger to free myself or my buddy, as we were told was the reason for carrying them in the first place.

I tend to keep a knife close to hand most of the time on board anyway, not for any safety reasons but because it's easier to reach into a pocket than it is to go hunt for one down below.

 

[badman]

A knife a most useful object IMO especially on a boat, unfortunately it is a criminal offence to carry one when ashore.
So on land only criminals carry knifes which puts honest men at a disadvantage.

 

[SailBobSquarePants]

Even the dummest dibble or the clumsiest CPS person can get round that one.
"If you only use the weapon in question when you are on your boat, Sir (or "you scumbag", if you're not actually in court yet) then why don't you leave it on board? Why did you take it to the pub with you when you knew you would be going back to your boat?"

"Because officer, it CORRODES if left in salt air for any length of time, so I take it home to keep it from deteriorating."

Let them try and prove that I DO have a layer of WD40 on all of it's surfaces...which of course, I do on all my tools on the boat.

 

[Ubergeekian]

The most useful tool I have on board is my Currey Lockspike Bosun's Mate, which was my reward for going solo in a dinghy as a child:

Of the three tools on it the spike is probably the most used, followed by the shackle key and then the knife. I generally have a Swiss Army Knife hanging around, and just inside the companionway I keep a very sharp breadknife which has twice been used for cutting away pot lines from the rudder on the Jouster (no reasonable offer refused).

 

[timbartlett]

I can't see any jury going against a respectable yottie with a Swiss Army knife he forgot was in his pocket while being hassled to go ashore.

But it wouldn't go to a jury: it would go to magistrates. And the part-time magistrates would be "advised" by their professional clerk that they had no option but to convict.

 

[peterb]

We also carry a very sharp machete and a sharp axe (sharp enough to sharpen a pencil!) just in case we need to cut a large rope very quickly.

A couple of months ago we found ourselves moored by 18mm nylon warps in a F8-9, and had to get away. All but one of our warps were secured on the pontoon and cleated on deck, but just one had a bowline on board and was cleated on the pontoon. We had to undo our warps and leave them behind while we made for better shelter. With most of the warps that was easy, but the bowline on our centre cleat had to be cut.

I carry an original Leatherman. It has a serrated blade whose sharpened edge is only 2½ inches long. It went through the 18mm warp in one cut.

 

[chinita]

IMO one of the finest knives was the Wilkinson Sword Sailors knife. No longer available since the factory was sold off and asset stripped in 2006.

I saw one last winter lying on the side deck of an unoccupied yacht in a Chichester Marina.

I resisted the temptation but, my God, it was difficult!

 

[capnsensible]

Went out sailing for most of the day today. Was forced to use a knife once.

Couldn't have cut the cheese without it

 

[Deleted member 36384]

.... There have been guys done for carrying multi-tools with locking blades, but as EVERY multi-tool has a locking blade it is hard to avoid. If very paranoid, put it in your trunk, or at least under your seat...

I understand that if you take a knife between jobs then it is recommended to place it where it can not be accessed in a straight forward manner. As you suggest the boot of a car, or at least the glove compartment. Under the seat, if discovered by plod does not look good i.e. concealment

The only reason that I mention this is because it was discussed when some OAP was arrested for carrying a pen knife in the UK, in his car and that plod used this argument to justify their actions. It's sad that its come to this.

On the knife front I have loads of knifes, no particular favourite, just sharp. I keep a nice curved blade, ex-filleting knife but thicker, blade 8", plastic handle, stainless, on the binnacle, for whatever purpose its required for. The curve provides smooth control for length and depth of cut where that is relevant. A scattering of Swiss Army knifes on the boat and at home.

Meanwhile in the good ol' US of A

In the late 1830s, several southern states passed anti-Bowie knife legislation attempting to curtail the manufacture and sale of these knives. In 1837, the Alabama legislature imposed a $100 transfer tax on Bowie knives and stipulated that any killing with a Bowie knife was murder regardless of the circumstances.[13]
In Texas, the state where Jim Bowie died, it is now a criminal offence (generally a Class A misdemeanour) to carry a Bowie knife, as a Bowie knife is classified in Texas as an "illegal knife".[14] This law does not apply if you are travelling in a private vehicle because it is now legal to carry a handgun, knife, or club while en route to or from the vehicle or engaged in a sporting activity involving the use of such equipment.

 

[sarabande]

Spike, knife and pliers set, with extra lanyards attached to each so that I can put my hand through the lanyard and dangle the implement if needed.

The scabbard is attached in turn to an elastic belt, a shearer's belt in fact, so that I can put it easily on over ordinary trousers as well on a pair of overalls.

 

[SailBobSquarePants]

The only reason that I mention this is because it was discussed when some OAP was arrested for carrying a pen knife in the UK, in his car and that plod used this argument to justify their actions. It's sad that its come to this.

It is sad that the UK's legal system has become TOTALLY focused on the elimination of mechanisms, rather than paying attention to INTENT. This is a basic LEGAL FAILURE, because it allows sloppy and lazy police work - the cops LOVE it, because they never have to try and prove intent. Meanwhile the politicians can "prove" that they are doing everything possible to try and control crime...even eliminating basic freedoms and sanity.

Part of it is because UK law is perversely so lax on criminals - you wouldn't NEED to criminalize knives if there was a mandatory 5 year sentence for the use of a knife in any crime, or threat of the use of a knife. But by all means, carry whatever makes you happy and is useful in your sports. But PULL it in anger, and you have 5 years to look forward to. In short, punish the person, not the knife.

Next we can start a thread on GUNS in the UK, which I will therefore rail against similar laws, if only because the current laws have made it impossible to buy 25mm parachute flares and flare pistols for most people. And for those of us that CAN buy them, we find that we can buy the pistols, but no one sells the flares, because so few people can own them...again, blaming the tools, not the illegal use of them...[/rant]

 

[cgull]

I have had knives taken off me 3 times by customs. Last one was on a Brittany Ferry, customs man told me "next time hide it better"!

 

[LadyInBed]

unfortunately it is a criminal offence to carry one when ashore.

Not quite true this link describes the law as I understand it.
I have always carried a "less than 3 inches, non locking" pocket knife, which gets used for one thing or another daily.

And from the Scout Notebook:
Section 139(1) of the Criminal Justice Act 1988
This provision makes it an offence for a person to carry an article with a blade or a point in a public place . . . . . . . Folding pocket knives with blades not exceeding 3 inches are exempt from this provision.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Hands up who has actually needed a knife at instant notice?? i never have, more likely to loose it or make meself bleed! Only ever needed to get something out of the cutlerly drawer and do it.

My opinion only!!!!

My hand is up; to cut stern lines when the bow mooring dragged in a gale.

 

[flaming]

My hand is up; to cut stern lines when the bow mooring dragged in a gale.

Mine too.

We keep a safety knife in a holder strapped to the rigid kicker. It has been used more than once.
Pretty much the whole crew has a leatherman in their belt too. Pliers get used most times out for shackles, but the my knife has been useful on more than one occasion.

I've told this story before, but shortly after the knife legislation came in I was living in London, but working for a "well known south coast sailing company". I got back late one night and wandered into Brixton for some grub, completely forgetting that I still had my Leatherman on my belt.
PC observant stopped me, and I was only saved by the fact that I was still wearing my branded clothing, making my "story" clearly true. He advised me to stop wearing the knife, but I told him that was a complete non starter afloat, so he told me if he saw me with it in Brixton again he would arrest me.

 

[LadyInBed]

Hands up who has actually needed a knife at instant notice??

Down Lock on French canal - Only use one line on a centre cleat looped round a bollard then payed out from the boat (I was single handed).
The line up to the bollard got jammed in the groove between two capping stones, so had to cut it PDQ or the boat would be left hanging!

 

[sail sail]

I carry a leatherman. To be honest I dont use it much. The pliers are probably the most useful part for me.

 

[timbartlett]

Originally Posted by badman
unfortunately it is a criminal offence to carry one when ashore.

Not quite true this link describes the law as I understand it.

My reading of that link says exactly what badman suggested: it is illegal to carry a knife.
There are a couple of defences: one is the 3" exception: the other is if you can prove you had a reason for carrying it at that particular place and time. "I was using it yesterday" Or "I thought I might want it" doesn't count.