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Which Emergency Knife?


rusty69

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I've just bought a Draper knife which has a Stanley blade, it clips on to belt loop, although neon highlights, it does not look like a knife, I have used it about five times a day, last two uses slicing spring onions, opening a black plasiic package.  Never be without a knife.

https://www.kelvinpowertools.com/draper-folding-trimming-knife-c-190-p-10925?gclid=Cj0KCQjwgIPOBRDnARIsAHA1X3RQLxw8GwmucnSa5jzqxK-bfxMExAXF7S9bqLXCNTtmEmSHEbA0lIaAsaYEALw_wcB

An axe is not always where you are.

Edited by LadyG
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49 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I've just bought a Draper knife which has a Stanley blade, it clips on to belt loop, although neon highlights, it does not look like a knife, I have used it about five times a day, last two uses slicing spring onions, opening a black plasiic package.  Never be without a knife.

 

When I were a lad, no self-respecting eleven year old would go out (school excepted - most of the time) without a six inch sheath knife hanging on his belt.

I wonder what reaction that would get today?

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I think we need to differentiate between an emergency knife used for cutting ropes above decks from the various tools kept down near the weedhatch for clearing fouled props. Whatever your stern design, in most above decks emergencies when a rope needs cutting quickly you're not going to have time to go into the engine room and start fumbling around near your weedhatch looking for that knife - and you might be foolish to even try.

I just keep a small sharp 3" kitchen knife on top of the control pedestal, but I have to admit that until today I hadn't really thought this though properly. Being single handed I guess I should always have a sharp penknife in my pocket too. Not much point having an emergency knife on board if I'm standing on the top of a lock and need to cut a rope quickly. But I can't imagine having a hand axe on display at the helm - or carrying one on my person along with a windlass. Just too big, too impractical and unwieldy.

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8 minutes ago, blackrose said:

I think we need to differentiate between an emergency knife used for cutting ropes above decks from the various tools kept down near the weedhatch for clearing fouled props. Whatever your stern design, in most above decks emergencies when a rope needs cutting quickly you're not going to have time to go into the engine room and start fumbling around near your weedhatch looking for that knife - and you might be foolish to even try.

I just keep a small sharp 3" kitchen knife on top of the control pedestal, but I have to admit that until today I hadn't really thought this though properly. Being single handed I guess I should always have a sharp penknife in my pocket too. Not much point having an emergency knife on board if I'm standing on the top of a lock and need to cut a rope quickly. But I can't imagine having a hand axe on display at the helm - or carrying one on my person along with a windlass. Just too big, too impractical and unwieldy.

When i posed the question, I really had in mind a knife for cutting ropes lockside in case a boat got hung up (not that that would happen to all us highly experienced boaters:) ).

Like you, I have also reconsidered. The best knife has got  to be the most easily accessible in an emergency (preferably in my pocket). Perhaps my gerber isn't too bad after all, and can be opened with one hand. 

As for weedhatch tools. Whatever it takes. 

Edited by rusty69
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3 hours ago, blackrose said:

I think we need to differentiate between an emergency knife used for cutting ropes above decks from the various tools kept down near the weedhatch for clearing fouled props. Whatever your stern design, in most above decks emergencies when a rope needs cutting quickly you're not going to have time to go into the engine room and start fumbling around near your weedhatch looking for that knife - and you might be foolish to even try.

I just keep a small sharp 3" kitchen knife on top of the control pedestal, but I have to admit that until today I hadn't really thought this though properly. Being single handed I guess I should always have a sharp penknife in my pocket too. Not much point having an emergency knife on board if I'm standing on the top of a lock and need to cut a rope quickly. But I can't imagine having a hand axe on display at the helm - or carrying one on my person along with a windlass. Just too big, too impractical and unwieldy.

If you are at the helm, would it be possible to reach the centre rope with the axe, I don't see anything against a nice axe on display when motoring, but I suppose it might attract unwelcome attention when mooring outside Tesco's.

Edited by LadyG
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