I cannot track down a local hook knifes supplier here. Is kiting the ONLY discipline that uses them? I want to make sure I have one on my when I hit the water in case I ever need to dump to a safety and things get wrapped on the relaunch attempts (the safety line on the CSS bar is long and will end up all around me in the water).

I have one but it's heavy and small so it's not easy to mount it anywhere easily accessible because I have to add a rope to it to give me something to grab. WOuld like to know where to find one and then where/how people have strapped them on for quick but secure access.

What you want to look for is a "rescue hook knife", should find a big selection using google. Look for something made out of stainless steel and perhaps plastic. Prices will range from dirt cheap to pretty expensive. Sizes will range pretty widely as well.

Hey

May seem funny but two options for you if you can't find a hook knife are a milk bag opener or a seat belt cutter.
I have a hook knife and there is not much difference between it and the milk bag opener. The seat belt cutter I'm talking about would be better but I have no idea where you would get one. Maybe a safety store? My kids got them in a bag of stuff when the OPP visited there school.
The hook knife I have on my Mystic harness is in a little pocket and it's small as well. I have serious doubts I could get to it in an emergency.

John

Did you have a brand preference?

To get a rough idea of your paw size, what size gloves do you wear?

I did a sampling of them last year.

Benchmade 15040 Bone Collector Gut Hook:


A tad long for my tastes. Grip is provided by cut-outs and spine ridges. Easy to use with gloves. Built-in lanyard hole. Nylon sheath with elastic flap keeper.

Benchmade 8 Hook Strap Cutter


Still a little long.... can grab by handle or finger hole. Nylon sheath.

Benchmade 7 Hook Knife


Nice size.... can hold by handle or finger hole. Available in nylon or hard sheath. Black or orange handle (I prefer the orange, just because it shows up better in your peripheral vision or if you drop it).

Benchmade 5 Hook Knife


A tad small.... Grip by finger hole... even with gloves on. Easier to grab/hold with a paracord lanyard. Available in nylon or hard sheath. Black or stainless finish.

Gerber Rescue Safety Hook


Nice size. Works with gloves as long as they are of the deep winter variety. Hard sheath only. Sheath comes with standard webbing clip and Malice clip. Available in Black, Foliage Green or Coyote Brown. The Benchmades a tad sharper, but not by much.

Gerber Crisis Hook



New longer version of the Strap Cutter.

OMS Titanium Hook Knife


Grip is accomplished by surrounding the finger notches with the index and middle finger, trapping the butt of the knife in your palm. Once locked in, the grip is good. Doable with light/medium gloves, but not arctic gloves. Nylon sheath. Lanyard hole. Not as sharp as steel counter parts, because titanium won't hold the same edge. Still pretty sharp, and serrations help. The selling point is corrosioin resistance. However, if Spyderco comes comes out with a hook knife in its H1 steel (or Benchmade in their marine steel variant), it's a moot point.

How you have it strapped is going to depend on what you are wearing, what you are using as a harness, and the sheath the knife comes with.

Hard sheaths generally draw faster and dry out faster.

Should be available at cutlery stores, dive shops, EMT/Fire/LEO supply houses, gun stores (if they are well stocked), and some EDC-type stores.

ATB,
Sam

Dive shops! Thanks Indigo. I'll give them a call and see.

slingshot hook knife $9.00


http://www.slingshotsports.com/lines_and_rigging

Holy Serrations, Batman..... Canada is a blade wasteland.... which is strange considering the number of knife designers (tip of the hat to Mr. Moeller) from up North.

Another place to check would be parachuting/paraglider schools/shops.

There are a couple of large blade stores in Calgary and Saskatoon, but their catalogs aren't online. :sniff: :puzzled:

Give a holler if you run into probles finding something. Can always get you something from down here... I probably have a couple of spares. Would just need to check into the legalities of shipping.

ATB,
Sam

Found the OMS local. $50....steep compared to the SS knife but that's just like the one I have. How / where do you mount those for safety if your harness doesn't have a good spot. My harness has a pocket but it's so loose the knife would slide right out. (PL Seat Harness)

The Benchmade brand shown above makes top notch knives. Skydivers use hook knives also......Happy cutting!!!

I have the stock knife in it's pocket on my harness but am sure I will never get to it on time. Can't imagine getting it out with gloves on?

I have a small one tucked in between the foam and shell of my water helmet just behind the ear and have a pull ball attached to it. I used a bit if stick on velcro to secure it. On my land helmet it is where your goggles get restrained and a standard dakine one. I know where they are and am far more likely to get at them FAST ! I hope?

Quote:

Originally posted by macboy Found the OMS local. $50....steep compared to the SS knife but that's just like the one I have. How / where do you mount those for safety if your harness doesn't have a good spot. My harness has a pocket but it's so loose the knife would slide right out. (PL Seat Harness)

Are you sure you want to spend $50 on a hook knife? The only reason I have the OMS one is because I was comparing knives and lucked into one on eBay at fire sale pricing.... apparently when no one else was looking.

OK... I also gave into the titanium addiction. :embarrased:

I tend to lean towards the Benchmade and the Gerber. In a perfect world, I would replace the sheath on the OMS with a Kydex one, but I suspect actually using the lanyard hole on the knife would make the stock sheath easier to use to the point where Kydex would be a luxury.

Is this your harness?



Could you measure the width of the strap at 9:00?

ATB,
Sam

Dakine spreader bar pads from 2011 on has a little pocket in the front for their hook knives - handy but out of the way ...

I carry the Mystic Knives