Hook Knives

[goose491 0]

Hello all,

As is, I don't wear a hook knife. Family is starting to ask about a christmas wish list though, and I have been thinking it would be a nice idea.

One thing you hear a lot of when discussing them, is how easy it is to fumble around and drop one given the nature of any situation you would need one for. So I started looking at SCUBA net cutters, designed for use underwater, with thick neoprene gloves on and such.

The most "Clumsy Proof" one I found was the Beaver Pro (picture attached). It has a cool muff-diver-type of name, it's sturdy and looks pretty hard to drop. Has anyone seen one in person or used one? Opinions?

Then I move on to the cooler, Bond-type gear. lol. Any opinions on items such as The OMS line cutter or the Scubapro mesh cutter in comparison to say the popular Benchmade blades we tend to see?

My Karma ran over my Dogma!!!

[jakee 1,254]

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As is, I don't wear a hook knife. Family is starting to ask about a christmas wish list though, and I have been thinking it would be a nice idea.

I could think of some much more expensive, uhh, I mean nicer things to ask for at christmas

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[goose491 0]

Well, that's sorta the point. The Hook knife is an excellent idea for something that isn't too expensive, but that will still be quite meaningful and useful (well actually, hopefully NOT useful lol) to me.


Come on folks? Nobody ever seen these in person?

My Karma ran over my Dogma!!!

[airtwardo 6]

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Well, that's sorta the point. The Hook knife is an excellent idea for something that isn't too expensive, but that will still be quite meaningful and useful (well actually, hopefully NOT useful lol) to me.


Come on folks? Nobody ever seen these in person?

***

I have one of the 'Benchmade' ones and I really like it..small, durable...

The bigger ones would be a bitch to PLF on if you had it in the wrong place!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[goose491 0]

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The bigger ones would be a bitch to PLF on if you had it in the wrong place!

More, do you figure, then a "Raptor" or "Jack the Ripper" ? I mean, that yellow one has a big "clunky" handle to it but shares similar dimensions.

The OMS line cutter looks real hot and comes in at 4.87". My concern with that one is that the blade seems to run all the way down it's edge and also, the "gap" is fairly large and would likely allow a finger in.

I always liked the Benchmade... can you tell me it's "length" roughly?

My Karma ran over my Dogma!!!

[koppel 3]

IMHO if the knife hasn't got two blades then it aint worth shit. There are some single blade knives that seem to work okay most of the time yet most of the knives supplied with new rigs are complete CRAP!

My advice FWIW would be to get yourself a a sample of different lines (Dacron/Spectra etc) and test the knives. I have found that twin blades like the Jack the Ripper (ParaGear do a little brother of it as well) work easily every time and without any effort, while others take a sawing motion to get through.

Remember the Golden Rule is "If you carry a knife you will never need it. If you don't carry one..............

I like my canopy...


...it lets me down.

[popsjumper 2]

That's not a hook knife....THIS is a hook knife...








Bill Zuchelli belly reserve....
(thanks to Roger RamJet)

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[councilman24 36]

I have the benchmade knife you referenced, actually two. I don't use them for skydiving. Not big enough to grip well. Benchmade also makes a version with an extended handle that is better but still not my first choice.

Stay away from the one with the exposed blade. And I agree with above, the dual opposing blades seem best. Jack the ripper is what I have. Ummm two or three. I don't see a need for the metal versions. For extra give away/disposable you can go to a feed/cattle/farm supply store and get knives made for cutting ear tags off livestock. They look just like Jack the Rippers but are softer plastic. Still dual blades and only two or three dollars. Good for people doing casual crew with you but don't have good hook knives.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[diablopilot 2]

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And I agree with above, the dual opposing blades seem best.

That might seem to be obvious at first, but it's not true. A single blade sharpened on both sides of the blade edge set at a steep diagonal angle is the best bet. The problems with the dual blade system (especialy in the "JacK" knife -the's real name BTW) is that material gets jammed in between the two blades. It's a bigger problem when the frame they are contained in is flexible (such as the plastic "Jack" knife) and allows gapping between the blades. A secondary problem is the fact for the dual blade knife to work, the blades can only be ground on one side of the blade edge, and that means the can be installed incorrectly. The designer of the "Raptor" knew this but chose not to combat peoples assumptions that "Two is better than one".


Nicest all around for cost and usefulness IMO is the Syare One PolyCarbonate 4" knife....

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[Tonto 1]

Agreed.

Both T and I have Raptors for the hook knife pocket on our S3-S's.
(The pocket is a long one - and I don't like the "Jack")

My Mirage G4 has the 4 inch aluminium knife as an option, and the
Square 1 four inch polycarbonate in the same place on the right side.

Both Mirage G3's have Square 1 four inch polycarbonate's on both sides, and I have a few spares in case I want one on the chest strap.

I've used the Square 1 four inch polycarbonate knife once, to cut lines off an injured jumper who had survived landing a canopy collision. Dispite there being no tension on the lines, they posed no resistance what so ever.

I have a Jack Knife, but don't wear it cos of the flex issue you mentioned. Apart from the blades separating, if they're pushed towards each other, the blades chip. Both options signal disaster for any emergency cutting.

I've been in a few wraps. If nothing else, knives will entertain you while you go in.

I would question the logic of the origional poster choosing a scuba design for skydiving. If dropping the knife is your fear (and it is a valid fear) then the answer is to carry more knives.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[goose491 0]

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That's not a hook knife....THIS is a hook knife...








Bill Zuchelli belly reserve....
(thanks to Roger RamJet)

Hahaha!

I saw that picture in the history/trivia forum. I recognized that knife as a Hitler Youth dagger. (I have one myself).

I would hate to have to use something like that under a spinner. They say you should carry two knifes because it's "certain" that you'll drop the first one. With that blade, I'd be more concerned about dropping a few fingers! lol

My Karma ran over my Dogma!!!

[goose491 0]

Thanks diablo. Actually, I did a search before posting and had found a thread in which you shared this advice. Makes sense to me and I've spoken to a few in person that agree with the problems of two blades. You've mentioned the Raptor before, but it is also two bladed.

My Karma ran over my Dogma!!!

[goose491 0]

Thanks Tonto.

For the record, this is the one you and Diablo are refering to (attached). Melikes! I can get a real firm grasp with a handle like that, it seems pretty hardcore/firm, and the blade is stainless and replaceble.

Adding to the "wish list" now

My Karma ran over my Dogma!!!

[mr2mk1g 10]

love that knife (immediately above this post). Have two.

Hate the benchmade in your first post. Have two. Gave one away, the other sits in my gear bag and gets to save my real hook knives from being used on bungees etc round the packing hall.

[tdog 0]

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Thanks Tonto.

For the record, this is the one you and Diablo are refering to (attached). Melikes! I can get a real firm grasp with a handle like that, it seems pretty hardcore/firm, and the blade is stainless and replaceble.

Adding to the "wish list" now

Looks just like mine... Somewhat on topic... If you put these on your rig, and you choose to carry on you rig to a commercial airline... Check the knife in your baggage... I almost forgot last time I flew because it tucks in so well, I don't know if they would have seen it on the X-ray, but I am guessing they would have.

[Tonto 1]

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I don't know if they would have seen it on the X-ray, but I am guessing they would have.

Negative. When I went to the DZ.com boogie last year, I flew JBH to Amterdam to Boston to LA to Phoenix to LA to Boston to Amsterdam to JHB. My rig was never checked, always carried on and none of my hook knives were ever picked up.

They did make me take my shoes off though, and ask me if my reserve had a CO2 cylinder though.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[mr2mk1g 10]

Ditto - I cleverly removed both hook knives from my rigs coming back from Russia earlier this year. Rather less cleverly I somehow thought that putting them in a pocket of my rig bag was the best idea... which of course was what I was carrying my rigs onto the plane with.

They still never noticed them, despite going through two airports and what I can only describe as the toughest security I've experienced anywhere while enplaning in Moscow.

... then again I'm sure we've all read posts by people who have had their knives confiscated... and on the way out there my teammate got a bottle opener confiscated from inside his wallet.

[ernokaikkonen 0]

Does anyone know how well the Square1 4" polycarbonate knife handles freezing conditions? I know the cheap crappy orange knifes("Z-knife", I think) get brittle when the temperature drops below freezing. I'm considering buying one of them polycarbonate knives, but I want to be sure it wont snap the first time I try to use it at -20C.

I guess I could always play it safe and get the metal one, but they're so expensive...

[mr2mk1g 10]

If you're talking about the one in Goose's post 5 reply's up - they also come in metal.

[ZigZagMarquis 8]

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...it's sturdy and looks pretty hard to drop...

Dunno, I've always heard from my CRW-Dog buddies that you should always carry at least 2 hook-knives... why?... if you have a problem, pull the first one out and throw it away... you were going to drop it anyways... then carefully pull your back-up hook-knife out and get to work.

[goose491 0]

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If you're talking about the one in Goose's post 5 reply's up - they also come in metal.

The one, now 7 reply' up, IS the metal one

My Karma ran over my Dogma!!!

[mjosparky 3]

I carry a hook knife like the one in the attached pictures. I have a pocket sewn on each of my jumpsuits on the front just below the chest strap. I can see the knife and reach it with either hand.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals