Rigging knife

[SVRealityCheck]

I'm looking to get a "rigging knife", and was wondering what others have and recommend. I see everything from a $15 Sea-Dog to a $200 Boye.

Something with a folding serrated blade, shackle key, and integrated marlinspike seem to be the standard.

[roverhi]

Have a Boye and it's been a great knife. Like the Marlin Spike set up. Haven't needed to sharpen the knife since I got it 5 years ago. They sell seconds, which I bought, a little less expensive but mine seems to work just as well as the more expensive firsts.

[Orion Jim]

I have several but my favorite is a Camillus “sailors jack knife” which was their term for a single blade folding rigging knife. They were produced from 1941 to 1946 only (military issue) and hold an edge like a scalpel.
I prefer spikes and shackle keys separate from blades since “one size fits all” means it fits no one perfectly.

[topham]

I have this one, I love it. Gift from my wife!

https://www.amazon.com/Myerchin-MYB3...6968534&sr=8-3

[Joh.Ghurt]

I'm using the one from the German Navy. Robust enough and cost me under $20. If it breaks or gets claimed by Neptune, I'll get another one. Rigging knifes are work-tools and break from time to time

[wholybee]

I bought several of the cheapest knifes WM sold, plastic handle with a serrated blade, to attach to various stations around the boat so one would always be within reach. Then one much more expensive one for me to carry.

After a year, all the knifes outside in the weather were still as good as new. The expensive one was rusted and I couldn't open it.

YMMV.

[Spot]

I was at a Messabout (weekend camping/boating gathering, many homemade) and had sailed out into the middle of the lake. The boat was newly built, maiden voyage, and I needed to add a block to the mainsheet traveler. I had a block and extra cordage but no knife. One of the organizers of the the event saw me dead in the water and fumbling around and sailed up to me. He threw me a folding pocket knife, snapped my picture, and sailed on. Back on shore I went to give him the knife back and he said 'keep it, I get them for a dollar at Walmart'. His nickname is 'mean Gene' but he is as nice as the day is long. It was a good object lesson about having spares and tools on the boat.

[denverd0n]

I have one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Atla...7023102&sr=8-2


It is a great knife, well made, hasn't rusted in eight years now with only minimal care.

[tkeithlu]

The frequency of needing a marlinspike has gone down with new fibers and alternatives to three strand rope. The frequency of other tasks such as opening packages has gone up. I keep several sizes of marlinspikes/fids in the "Rigging" tool box, but carry a Spyderco Enduro and a Victorinox Super Tinker. Spyderco is about the only knife maker that has realized that putting the clip at the point end, blade up in your pocket, makes it come out of your pocket the right way up for opening one-handed. The Super Tinker includes tiny scissors, which are really useful, but does need its screwdrivers sharpened before use - they come rather rounded.

I also carry a ViseGrip Toolbox, unfortunately no longer made. Ordinary pliers just don't make it.

Some people would prefer a multitool for all life's tasks, but my system sort of evolved over the years, and I'm happy with it.

[dfelsent]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

I have one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Atla...7023102&sr=8-2


It is a great knife, well made, hasn't rusted in eight years now with only minimal care.

My oldest gave me one of those for a birthday gift. It’s been 5 years or so, still a good knife. My daily driver when afloat.

[Snore]

This is the perfect knife.

Why? When things are full-on going sideways, I can open it with one hand. Once open is locks securely. It does take two hands to close. I carry 2-3 when I do a delivery. If I lose one, or have to toss it instead of close it, I'm only out $35.



https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Comes is a variety of colors.

[John_Trusty]

Knives - a topic near to the sailor's heart. My votes:
Folding knife that's always clipped to my right-hand pocket if I'm floating: Myerchin Offshore Crew Knife - Partially Serrated Blade TF377P - $70 and worth every penny of it. https://myerchin.com/product-categor...-generation-2/

I own one of the Myerchin sailing knife combos with pliers that Snore shows, and don't like it. It's Myerchin, so durable and perfectly made, but I just don't prefer the design and never use the pliers. Entirely a matter of taste.

A few of these scattered about (mast, cockpit by winches, etc.) about $50: Myerchin safety (handle wrapped with paracord or leather). https://myerchin.com/product/a510p-o...e-safety-dive/

That said, I've used Spyderco knives, and think they are extremely well made and durable. (https://www.spyderco.com/catalog/category/salt-series). They don't sell one with a marlin spike, other than the $400 Tusk (!).

Advice I always give people buying sailing knives:
Buy for the single purpose of cutting your lines, not gutting fish, spreading peanut butter, or opening chips packages. You will do all those things, but focus on the single safety feature
Sheepsfoot blades will limit the amount of human flesh that you cut. Think about using it in a choppy sea with no time for the niceties of being careful.
Make sure you can open it with one hand as you may not have a choice. Only open the knife one-handed when you use it normally, to practice this.
Most shackles have a hole for a marlin spike, so I don't worry about that key thing or pliers.
Serrated cuts line faster than straight, but you cannot easily sharpen, so tradeoff.
Tie on a lanyard that you can hook over your thumb when using over water (unless you don't mind throwing $70 away). Don't tie it to your wrist, unless your life is worth less than the knife.
Professional riggers, divers, and seamen that I have seen only used fixed blade knives (with a separate marlin spike if they use one) similar to the https://myerchin.com/product-categor...-generation-2/ I've considered why, and hence the multiple fixed-blade knives in the cockpit.