Ruffles 0 #1 November 10, 2002 I purchased a used rig and recently found a small knife-like thing on the left shoulder strap. this must be the elusive hook knife. One question...... what the hell do I do with it??? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JPA 0 #2 November 10, 2002 Keep it there and learn how to get it out fast. What you'll really want it for is if you have a line-over on your reserve, but there are certainly other situations in which you'll be glad to have one. Chances are you'll never need it, but if you ever do and you don't have it, well... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shark 0 #3 November 10, 2002 Quote what the hell do I do with it??? Use it to cut off broken line stows on your dbag. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Squeak 17 #4 November 10, 2002 I'd also like to know when the hook knife is used, so far all i have heard is that it's for the reserve, my way of thinking is "if you cut the lines on your reserve, start flapping those arms and think like a bird. You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky) My Life ROCKS! How's yours doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,146 #5 November 10, 2002 If you cut one line on your reserve, the one going over the canopy or otherwise entangling, then you'll go from having something spinning to having a reserve with the vast majority out of the lines still attached and no spinning. Not a great situation, but a huge improvement. Wendy W. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ernokaikkonen 0 #6 November 10, 2002 >I'd also like to know when the hook knife is used, so >far all i have heard is that it's for the reserve That's the one situation everyone should carry one for. Serious CRW(intentional or unintentional) would be another reason... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #7 November 10, 2002 Any CRW... Serious, casual... they all can wrap so you better have 2 knifes if you want to dock. Knifes are used incase you have something entangled with you, you become entangeled with the plane, you have a line over on the reserve, or any other case that you want to cut something with out having to cutaway. Pilots of 182' 206's and other similar aircraft should have a knife incase some ones bootie gets stuck on the step and they can free them that way.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
drenaline 0 #8 November 10, 2002 Quotewhat the hell do I do with it??? Use it to cut the safety belt of the plane if you get entangle while exiting (pilots should have one just in case). Cut line over on your MAIN, if you have the altitude and the time, try to cut the line over main if you can't cut it, go to the reserve, the reserve can also have a line over so its best to try things with the main before going to the reserve and it can be done. Use it to cut risers if you can't release them when having a mal. As a last resort to cut the line over on a reserve. If you try CReW the CReW instructor will teach you some other use. HISPA 21 www.panamafreefall.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sonic 0 #9 November 11, 2002 QuoteUse it to cut off broken line stows on your dbag As long as you want a nice blunt knife for when you NEED you cut that line in order to save your life----------------------------------- It's like something out of that twilighty show about that zone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooknswoop 19 #10 November 11, 2002 QuoteCut line over on your MAIN, if you have the altitude and the time, try to cut the line over main if you can't cut it, go to the reserve, the reserve can also have a line over so its best to try things with the main before going to the reserve and it can be done. I tested the possibilitly of cutting a line over on a main canopy. Sounds good in theory, doesn't work very well in practice. I packed a line over on a PD-170 and did a H & P. (I had on 3 parachutes). I knew the line over was coming and I knew which line it was. I was loaded at just over 1:1 (probably at 1.1 or 1.2:1) on an F-111 9 cell. I was un-able to cut the line or even identify the line causing the line-over. The spin was very violent and losing alititude rapidly. Even had I cut the correct line, it would require quite a bit of altitude to accomplish and then I would have been under a canopy w/ one brake set and one brake line cut. So spinning in the other direct now, I would have to release the other brake, more than likely kick out of line twists, then use the rear risers to steer and land with. The cost to repair the main canopy wouldn't be much less than the cost to get a reserve re-pack. I think it would take less time and altitude to simply cutaway a line over malfunction than to spend time and altitude attempting to fix it. And if un-succesful at cutting the line, now you are still under a malfunction requiring a cutaway, now at a much lower altitude and you'll probably lose the hook knife during the cutaway and reserve pull. I would never attempt to cut a line over on a main canopy as long as I had a reserve on my back. Hook Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wonko 0 #11 November 11, 2002 Quote Use it to cut off broken line stows on your dbag. Seriously, I would not rely much on a hook-knife that has been used for cutting line stows, onion, shoelaces etc...I do avoid any sharp steel when packing. So I use an opening pin to remove broken rubberbands if they too tight for my fingernails. Have fun up there!villem life is what you make it to be http://www.youtube.com/villu357 http://www.flickr.com/photos/skybound Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TB99 0 #12 November 11, 2002 Quote So I use an opening pin to remove broken rubberbands if they too tight for my fingernails. Me tooBut yea, same thing, cutaway lineovers here ... Trailer 11/12 was the best. Thanks for the memories ... you guys rocked! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shark 0 #13 November 11, 2002 QuoteQuoteUse it to cut off broken line stows on your dbag As long as you want a nice blunt knife for when you NEED you cut that line in order to save your life Sorry, you guys are way too serious. The hook knife is an essential piece of equipment, regardless of your discipline. We crewdogs often carry multiple knives and often change the blades even if they are unused after some time. And about usage, I know several guys that have never used their knife. Their average jump numbers are over 4,000. A couple have never used them to cut lines, but rather to cut a whole in the canopy that was wrapped around their head. Being unconcious is not good option. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pchapman 262 #14 November 12, 2002 Actually having the chance to use a hook knife seems rather rare, but I'll give a very unusual example of where the knife was useful: A jumper once had her reserve go over the tail of the aircraft on exit. The reserve was shredded, but she didn't hit the tail and was conscious. She hook-knifed all the lines, then deployed her main canopy. This jumper only had about 40 jumps. Impressive. [I remember this from USPA accident reports, in the early to mid 1990s] Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
