Hook Knife Location

[jfields 0]

I was wondering where you experienced jumpers and rigger-types recommend hook knives be placed. I bought one (Jack-Knife type), but haven't actually done anything with it yet. Unless I try CRW, I'll just jump with the one knife.
Should I put in my chest strap, have my rigger sew it one somewhere, or what? What location has it easily available in the widest range of scenarios? If it is best to have the knife sheath permanently attached somewhere, I have no problem paying my rigger to do it, but I just don't know where.
Any ideas or suggestions for this would be appreciated.
Justin
"If it can't kill you, it isn't worth doing."

[Zennie 0]

I sewed mine onto the leg of my RW suit. before that I had it on my chest strap, which was kind of annying because it would flip up into my face from time to time.
------------
Blue Skies!
Zennie

[PhillyKev 0]

What exactly is the purpose of a hook knife? It wasn't brought up in any of my emergency procedure training. Is it incase you have a main and reserve entanglement, or entangle with someone else?

[Geoff 0]

The main purpose is in case you have a line-over on the reserve - cut the offending line - usually it'll be a brake line and you can attempt to flare with rear risers, or at least avoid landing in a turn.
Geoff

[BadDog 0]

Mine stays mostly in the gear bag. ;-) I usually don't carry a knife when I dive (SCUBA) either. I have multiple jumpsuits, so sewing it on the leg doesn't work for me. If I'm doing CRW, I put a small knife on the chest strap.
CorporateLawyerDave aka BadDog

[OmriMon 0]

I've seen most people put it on the back of the leg strap or one of the ring covers
Free Skies,
Omri

[Aviatrr 0]

I have one under the left mud flap, one at the top of my right leg strap.. I didn't want to sew it to my jumpsuit, because I often jump without a jumpsuit or with different suits.. When I start CRW(which I will try soon), I will place another(a large Jack the Ripper type) on my chest strap..
Mike

[lazerq3 0]

Quote

The main purpose is in case you have a line-over on the reserve - cut the offending line - usually it'll be a brake line and you can attempt to flare with rear risers, or at least avoid landing in a turn.

Well just learned something new for the day. I never thought of that of coarse it was never brought to my attention, but thanxs for that info.
jason

[174fps 1]

This link will give you Brian Burke's (from Eloy) opinion
http://www.afn.org/skydive/sta/dta/knives.txt

[jfields 0]

Quote

This link will give you Brian Burke's (from Eloy) opinion
http://www.afn.org/skydive/sta/dta/knives.txt

Thanks for putting up a link to that article. I found it helpful, and it gave me more to think about.
Justin
"If it can't kill you, it isn't worth doing."

[Donna 0]

What's the mud flap?
Skies,
D

[OmriMon 0]

Quote

What's the mud flap?

It's another word for ring cover
Free Skies,
Omri

[Donna 0]

That's what I was guessing but wouldn't it be hard to get it out from underneath there?
Skies,
D

[Aviatrr 0]

Quote

That's what I was guessing but wouldn't it be hard to get it out from underneath there?

Not at all. Just to clarify, it's the piece of fabric that is below the 3 rings - it does not cover them.. It starts just below where the largest of the 3 rings is attached to the harness..
Look around next time you're at the DZ - it's a very common mounting location for a hook knife.. The knife is mounted upside down(you put it in from the bottom of the flap), with the strap on the knife sticking out.. The strap usually has a snap on it - but sometimes velcro - which folds back up and attaches to the other half of the snap on the mudflap.. To get it out, grab the strap, unsnap it(just pull), and pull it out..
Clear as mud? My explanation probably doesn't make it too clear, but it's the best I can do over the computer.. Mike

[Donna 0]

Quote

Clear as mud? My explanation probably doesn't make it too clear, but it's the best I can do over the
computer..

Awww, come on, Mike. Surely you could have gotten pictures or made some diagrams and shared them through links.
j/k Thanks. It was actually a good explanation and as soon as I get up from the computer I am going to go put my rig on and try it out.
Thanks!
Skies,
D

[3mpire 0]

Quote

This link will give you Brian Burke's (from Eloy) opinion
http://www.afn.org/...e/sta/dta/knives.txt

I know i'm digging in the past here but does anyone know if brian burke's opinion on knives is available somewhere on the intarwebs

[strife 0]

Courtesy of NSA and
http://web.archive.org/web/20060710140457/http://www.afn.org/skydive/sta/dta/knives.txt

From: Bryan Burke, D&TA at SkyAZ

Since the subject of hook knives came up, I thought I would put in my .02 along with a couple instructive stories...

A hook knife only costs a few bucks. Buy the small kind, except made of metal instead of plastic. The cheap plastic ones have a reputation for not being very sturdy. The big ones that look fierce and capable actually suck in my experience because the plastic flexes enough that the blades can split around a line, leaving you with a worthless knife stuck in the trash
you were trying to get rid of. Put the knife on your gear where it is easy to reach with either hand - chest strap or mud flap (on the shoulder.)

Now for the stories...

Story one: an experienced four way was climbing out of a C-182 to launch a formation. One guy was in the v of the strut, back towards the prop. His container opened, and the main fell out in front of the strut, still in the bag. There were two skydivers out on the step. They figured their best contribution to the situation was to leave the plane, leaving the guy with
the d-bag out tied to the plane, the diver in the door still with the plane, and the pilot, also still with the plane.

The main began to deploy after the lines and stuff had all come off the bag. The guy whose rig it was cut away, pulled the pilot chute, and when the stuff didn't leave the plane, he jumped and pulled his reserve. At this point the plane was nosing over and the canopy was partially inflated. The fourth skydiver, a very heads up guy (and to give him full credit, he is also one of the world's best videomen now - say hi to Gus Wing if you know him!) Anyway, Gus whipped out his five dollar plastic knife and cut all the trash off the plane. He confirmed that lines under
tension part instantly when touched with a hook knife. The plane landed safely with no damage. But for Gus' presence of mind and possession of a knife, it could have been a very different story. The canopy was recovered and sent in to be relined, not to participate in another adventure until it was inadvertantly cut away on exit because he had a couple inches of cable exposed between the end of the cable housing and the pillow, but that's another story.

Story two: even better! Woman gets off student status, gets her own gear. Buys a hook knife because someone on the dz says they are good to have. Is scoffed at by someone who says, "You don't do CRW. What did you buy a hook knife for?" She goes up to try her knew stuff out, solo from a D-18 at 12,000. Climbing out, the reserve opens and goes over the tail. She is now in tow, by her reserve, behind an airplane. She pulls out the hook knife she just bought, cuts free from the reserve, falls clear, and pulls her main. The pilot landed safely. Way to go! The person who witnessed this and relayed it to me said the woman had about 20 jumps. Very heads up, I am proud of her and hope she is still around. Of course, she made a mistake somewhere along the line because the reserve deployed, but the
point is she had the technology to fix the mistake. Again, it was one of the plastic cheapo knives.

In summary, I know of three people who have cut their own or someone else's parachute off an airplane. (The third was almost exactly like story number one) I only know a few people who have used a knife to cut away from a CRW problem, although these stories certainly indicate that you should have a knife!\ Also, hook knives are great for making new closing loops (so you won't have to cut yourself off an airplane) and for removing jumpsuits when you don't have a handy pair of trauma shears. I figure they might be handy in a crash, too, if you wanted to cut seat belts to get someone out.

Final suggestion. Pull the knife out of the pocket a couple times while you are still on the ground. Some of the little snap close ones are almost impossible to get out! I like to run a piece of suspension line through mine to make a loop about three inches long, and use a piece of velcro over the loop to secure it. I carry two hook knives, but then I also have two altimeters, a dytter, and a CYPRES. Call me cautious, I guess.

If you are too cheap to buy one, check the lost and found box at your dz. They are pretty common items there.

[3mpire 0]

doh! web archive why didn't i think of that

thanks for the link plus embedding the text. this thread can go back to sleep for another 13 years now

cheers

[kuai43 7]

Good find! My knife has been on my chest strap for years now.

Every fight is a food fight if you're a cannibal

Goodness is something to be chosen. When a man cannot choose, he ceases to be a man. - Anthony Burgess

[riggerrob 558]

Every Cessna - that I ever worked in - had a hook knife above the door frame. The pilot was taught to cut loose anyone stupid enough to deploy in the doorway, wrap a seatbelt around an ankle, etc.

[councilman24 36]

Old school style I wear a chest mount and my hook knife is tacked to the back handle down against my body. Against my sternum that doesn't bend so no issue with that, keeps my chest mount pillow from flipping up and the alt. pillow holds knife steady. Always there because I always wear my chest mount alt. And.moves from rig.to rig. The pouch that comes with some/most (especially the paragear jack the ripper pouch) of them are inadequate. A custom pouch will keep it in place on a chest strap or elsewhere.

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

[skydiverek 55]

One high, one low. Both accesible with either hand.

[deadwood 0]

Always wear 4 hook knifes.
The first one you will probably drop.
The second one you probably won't be able to get to.
So you end up using the 3rd one to solve your problem.

The 4th is your spare.

He who hesitates shall inherit the earth.

Deadwood
Skydive New Mexico Motorcycle Club, Touring Division

[erdnarob 1]

I have mine in a little poach on the chest strap. But it's mounted upside down and secured with a snap. The hook itself has a little orange biding tape on the handle for easier pull. After the opening, the harness is always few inches higher including the chest strap. This is why I decided for an upside down mounting and that way I have to pull the hook downward which is more natural.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[airtwardo 6]

skydiverek

One high, one low. Both accessible with either hand.

Bingo!


And get quality knives, when ya spend 7 grand on a rig don't spend 2 bucks on a knife!

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