Knife?

[SailFastTri]

The best marlinspike for untying knots is on the Victorinox Skipper knife. It's flat and smooth so it can get between the loops and pry them out. The serrated blade is wicked sharp and the small pliers also are handy. Very good quality.
Amazon.com : Victorinox Swiss Army Skipper Multitool : Folding Camping Knives : Sports & Outdoors

[SailRedemption]

I love my sypderco sheeepsfoot serrated knife. I have had it for 4 years now and use it sailing, at work offshore, at our marina, etc. Thing just doesn't give up and I use it improperly all the time, scraping things, prying paint lids, using it for a flathead screwdriver. It's a little dull now as I don't have a fancy serrated knife sharpener. it has saved my twice with crab traps getting stuck on the prop. Once of which we were racing, I hopped overboard and cut the line and we still placed!

My next knife will be either another sypderco or SOG fixed blade sheath knife. Or a similar dive knife. Something with utility, not a tactical or hunting knife.

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[SaltyMonkey]

A marlinspike is useful for TIGHTENING lines, as well as loosening knots. I find a stand alone is more useful and used than a knife. Oh, and a shacke key in tip of handle.

[JPA Cate]

You guys might like to see Minaret's marlin spike.

Now, back to the knife search.

Ann

[Hudson Force]

I don't think we're really talking about a knife here. It seems that it's more like some amulet or token of passage to manhood. Have you ever noticed that no one asks, "What is the best screwdriver?" ...."What are the best scissors?" ...."What are the best forks?" .... but it's that knife question again.

My best knife is the one that I won't miss if it's dropped in the ocean because I have a couple other cheap ones that still keep a good edge. It's the fillet knife that I can abuse by slipping it under a fitting and sawing through that 5200 bedding compound. My best knife is sometimes plastic and used to mix up some epoxy. My knife, at any moment, is a simple tool and not deserving any scrimshaw, macrame or special lanyard hanging from my belt.

These knife topics remind me of my wife's champagne glasses. She comments on the flare at the rim or the length of the stem and I'd be no less pleased with a dixie cup.

Hey, so what's to look for in a good fork anyway?

[StuM]

Originally Posted by colemj

And if you are not wearing shorts, you have multiple options!

BTW, I consider anything hanging from a cord around my neck while working on deck to be a very dangerous thing.

Mark

Same here. I carry a locking serrated folder with thumb stud for one handed opening and a side clip. Clips inside a pocket if the shorts have one or inside the waistband of swimmers.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

......

now the only thing on my belt is the leatherman wave. i seem to wear it everywhere, not just on the boat - weddings, funerals, used car buying....

Gotta love the wave but for me, it's a use at work knife/tool, not a use on-board tool.
YMMV

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

wotname is still using his trusty Buck!

Yep, folding hunter 110
It's got a lot of dings and I have had to tighten up the pivot with a few centre punch taps over the years. A few dents on the brass bolsters when desperation measures required the use of a rock to convert the small 4" inch blde into a log spiltting axe .

Blade modified from a clip point to a semi-drop point - 'cause it seemed a good idea at the time (long time ago). Possibily considered "knife abuse" in this day and age; could get reported .

But it still works as good as when brand new
Also have a Buck filleting knife on board (same vintage) but it get more use as a cheese knife than filleting

The hand made Puma Hunter isn't allowed on board - 'cause it's still in mint shape after 30+ years

[Canibul]

I had terrible luck with Leatherman tools. Very limited multitool choices in the Turks and Caicos, so on a trip to Colorado I bought three Leatherman tools. I forget the names of them, they were three different ones. I wanted one small enough to fit in the pocket of my cargo shorts, and then one for the boat and one for the house.

Two of the three failed within six months. The springs broke. I contacted Leatherman, and they said "Send them back" but Fed Exing them back would cost about $60 and I decided that I didn't want another Leatherman and am looking for another brand that holds up better in this environment.

In the two years since I gave up on Leatherman, I've been carrying a Swiss Army knife in my pocket, and it seems to do everything just fine. Holds up well, holds an edge okay for stainless, and nothing has broken on it. I lost the toothpick, though.

[mariner36bob]

Fastened with zip ties to several key areas on the boat i have net knives. Helm, bow, base of mast, aft stanchion. A knife is never more than 10 ft away and often closer. They're cheap, have plastic handles, plastic sheaves and SS blades. They don't sharpen well. They are throw away blades and the cost makes them insignificant if they go over. I also fasten one to all my weather gear">foul weather gear on the suspenders or on the jacket. Old fishing trick. If you get tangled and go over the knife is accessible on your chest not your waist band.
On my hip is a leatherman 300. Big beefy tool. 25 year warranty. Bought one in 1995. Been repairing or replacing on that warranty since then. I go through one a year. I'm tough on tools. A periodic soak in PB Blaster keeps the salt from making it a paperweight.

[weavis]

I use serrated bread knives and good quality kitchen knives. Got tired of breaking expensive folding knives. Also in the UK its an offence to carry a knife in public so got out of the habit of putting the swiss army in my pocket....

[colemj]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

I don't think we're really talking about a knife here. It seems that it's more like some amulet or token of passage to manhood. Have you ever noticed that no one asks, "What is the best screwdriver?" ...."What are the best scissors?" ...."What are the best forks?" .... but it's that knife question again.

My best knife is the one that I won't miss if it's dropped in the ocean because I have a couple other cheap ones that still keep a good edge. It's the fillet knife that I can abuse by slipping it under a fitting and sawing through that 5200 bedding compound. My best knife is sometimes plastic and used to mix up some epoxy. My knife, at any moment, is a simple tool and not deserving any scrimshaw, macrame or special lanyard hanging from my belt.

These knife topics remind me of my wife's champagne glasses. She comments on the flare at the rim or the length of the stem and I'd be no less pleased with a dixie cup.

Hey, so what's to look for in a good fork anyway?

I agree that there is some romantic or perceived amuletness about knives with many people. On the other hand, though, there is a special feeling about an exquisite purpose-built tool that needs to do a job very well. Screwdrivers and forks just don't fall into that category.

While I have lots of knives around, and like some better than others, the only one that reaches worship status for me is my fillet knife. I do a lot of fishing for a wide variety of different types of fish, and a fillet knife that is an extension of your brain is magical.

My old one was many decades old and fit me and my use of it perfectly. Then it broke (because I was stupid with it and tried to use it for another purpose). I spent a couple of years buying and throwing away a dozen knives until I found one that worked with me again. Everything else was just hacking at a dead fish and not carving out a tuna loin in such a way that the sashimi will have the perfect texture size and cut, or working a debone on a snapper so that no one gets a nasty surprise when eating it, or taking the fine and fragile skin off a mahi, etc.

But I don't carry it to church and funerals, et al!

Mark

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

You guys might like to see Minaret's marlin spike.

Now, back to the knife search.

Ann

Which one Ann? Got a nice collection.


I think you mean the real deal. A Marlin spike...

[Delancey]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

Hey, so what's to look for in a good fork anyway?

Titanium Spork

[onestepcsy37]

Originally Posted by colemj

Belt??? I seem to remember what those were. Barely.

yeah, something about my physiognomy (sp?) that requires me to either wear a belt, suspenders, or no pants at all. or