which sailing knife

[Sonnamara]

I'm sure this has probably been done before, but I couldn't find it, and with Christmas round the corner I thought this would be a good time to bring it up again anyway!

What do you all think the best knife/multi tool is for keeping by your side at all times on board?

I personally use a swiss army skipper knife which has a very good blade, but is a bit light on useful tools. So what would the forum recommend as being the best knife, that fulfills all the necessary safety functions, and has some useful tools, whilst still being light and small enough to keep in your pocket or on your belt at all times?

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[flaming]

Leatherman Wave.

Fantastic bit of kit.

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[jimi]

Cheap knife + big toolbox. Lost 2 knives overbooard already

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[Evadne]

I have a Durol folding, locking knife with a carbon steel blade, bottle opener and corkscrew. The blade is kept sharpened with a light file and oilstone. It's a toss-up which of the three is the most useful component.
I also have an original leatherman that usually lives near the chart table or in my jacket pocket but the stainless steel blade is almost impossible to keep properly sharp, and it is useless when it comes to opening either beer or wine bottles.

I've not seen Durol in the UK (mine came from Bologne) but Opinel is just as good a blade.

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[Boathook]

Re: which sailing knife re flaming

Agree about the Wave but trying to keep a decent edge on the blades is a pain even when using a fancy diamond edge knife file.

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[tome]

Agree with Jimi. Keep a cheap but sharp knife in sheath fixed by helm, lives down below in another sheath when in port.

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[ShipsWoofy]

gerber safety knife

no tools, but a truly brilliant cutting tool with a blunt tip, folding but locks open.

I use a swiss army, but I bought a Gerber for SWMBO and now look on with envy as she slices through ropes like butter with her knife. (before I get shot down, she does not make a point of wandering around the boat aimlessly chopping up rope).



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[BrendanS]

It's certainly not aimless, she's just practicing for the next time you really upset her. Should we start calling you Bobbit?, or has ShipsWoofy already been snipped?

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[geoffatstanpit]

Best knife lives in the galley. All the other things that you get on a do-it-all live in the toolbox.

Anything that tries to do do more than one thing never does either well. Remember the Amphicar!

Geoff

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[Robin]

I have to say I would agree with that sentiment too, though we do have a simple multitool thingy in the grab bag.

We have an ultra sharp fileting knife in the tackle box and a variety of others in the galley with/without serrated blades, plus the usual Stanley knives in the toolbox.

I always wonder about those knife, pliers, marlin spike sets you see people wearing on their belts, are they really ever used or are they just part of the uniform? They seem to have been replaced in recent years by Leatherman multitools, ideal for those with no galley and no toolbox...IMHO of course.

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[Becky]

I have the best knives in my galley draw, and a quite sharp knife in a leather sheath which is handy to the companionway steps, but a Stanley knife? I have been warned that these are not safe as the blade can catch your hand when in a toolbox. I know the person who told me this wouldn't have such a weapon on his boat. But there is on in my toolbox although HWMBO is always putting the blade away. I forget you see. Haven't been cut by it yet.

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[Robin]

It pays not to climb into tool boxes thats for sure, dangerous places those! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif I have 3 Stanley knives on board, one in the electrical tool box, one in the smaller 'general' tool box and another in the huge 'tool for any job box' that needs the yard crane to lift it ashore. There is a smaller almost disposable type too that comes in packets of 3, little plastic blade guards on, and we have one under the chart table, one in one of the divider/pencil racks and the other in the electrical tool box.

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[BrendanS]

Proper Stanley knives have retractable blades, so shouldn't be a safety issue.

As well as a Gerber multi gadget thing, which is wonderful for those little quick tasks where getting toolboxes out would be a pain, I have a bread knife for ropes around prop, and one of these:

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Like a modern day Stanley knife, it has 15 blades in a cartridge. Slot in a cartirdge, push out first blade (retractable when not using for safety). When blade is blunt, retract, turn dial to second blade, push out and carry on. No trying to replace new blades with wet cold hands. Excellent. When all blades dead, put in a new cartridge

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[Peppermint]

Re: 4 knives

1 Kitchen Devil used as a cockpit knife. Great rope cutter. Never less than sharp.

2 Musto sailing sheath knife. On my lifejacket. Not very well made but it has a reversable blade with plenty of tools and a choice of edges. My "one hand" knife.

3 Swiss Army knife with all of the bells and whistles. Right hand pocket of top layer.

4 Scalpel. For fine work and first aid.





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[tugboat]

Went to see my sailmaker yesterday who has fitted new batten cars on my mainsail. To demonstrate adjustment, he whipped out his multitool and started undoing screws. Well, talk about awkward - the handle was a totally 'unfriendly' shape to use the thing as a screwdriver and it took him ages. Personally I think these multiwhatzits are a way of separating otherwise sensible peeps from their dosh. A knife to do a knife job, a screwdriver to do a screwdriver job, etc, says I. A sheath with a knife, spike/shackler, pliers and screwdriver makes each tool ready to hand without b***ering about. Remember to take it off before going ashore though. /forums/images/icons/crazy.gifImagine trying to open a multigizmo on a pitching foredeck! Back in my formative years in the MN we all used to wear sheaths on macrame belts done up with inglefield clips. Sounds a bit 'gay' writing that (no offence meant) but it was like a badge of honour to have made your own belt to your own design. I still have mine - trouble is I'm so porky it doesn't fit any more. /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

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[jerryat]

Yep, agreed!! Leatherman Wave is unbeatable IMHO.

Cheers Jerry

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[ShipsWoofy]

I popped over to my mums a couple of months ago and she needed a new ceiling light fitted.

Out comes a multitool from the kitchen drawer. I needed to use the pliers, can't remember exactly what for now, but needed to grip something tightly and pull to remove it (no bobbit jokes again please). The damn things near cut into my skin, see, in order for them to fold up neatly the handles need to be open, leaving thin bare metal strips to hold on to.

What a total load of poo, oh and the screwdriver part was so awkward I nearly threw them out of the window, I would have done, but they were not mine.

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[fireball]

The Gerber tool would've suited you better then, the handles don't fold, the pliers slide up the handle.

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[BrendanS]

Think it depends on the multitool you are using then. The Gerber I have has good pliers with you press button to extend out from tool, leaving nice chunky smooth handles with not sharp or knobbly bits to hurt hands.

If doing any serious work, I'd rather have a toolkit with dedicated tools to work with, but a decent multitool is great for quick tasks.

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[Uisteach]

Most dedicated sailing gear is relatively poor quality and/or very expensive compared to alternatives. For knives, for something sharp, strong and rust-proof, diving gear is best. Have a look at the Underwater Kinetics Blue Tang Titantium (£65 - very strong and immensely sharp).

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