Hook Knive

[mirochristie 0]

I have my hook knive on my left leg strap-close to my hip...I`ve seen many skydivers, including FF coaches, who have theirs installed in the padded part of the harness on their chest with a button clip, (on the shoulder were the padding ends and the housing starts to show-close to the chest strap).

1. In what part of the rig should it be installed for quick acces?
2. Should we all have the hook knive sharpened every now and then...For example...every reserve re-pack, for it to be able to function well in case of emergency?

LiquidSky
@(^_^)@

[andy2 0]

if you never use it you should never have to sharpen it. Just use it for an emergency. I find it weird when I see people randomly using their hook knife to cut things in a non emergency setting. But what do I know!?

---------------------------------------------
let my inspiration flow,
in token rhyme suggesting rhythm...

[freeflybella 0]

Hi Christie,

I'll let someone with more experience than me elaborate but one thing is for sure, wherever you have the knife - it should be securely fastened.

I mean, it should not be attached only by the crappy little elastic band that comes with it to your leg strap. If it moves up and down the strap, or has give when you try to release the knife -it will be harder for you to get it in your hands when in an emergency.

Inside the mudflap works well because in most emergency situations, that part of your rig will be accessible. Also, it is secured in place - no fumbling around if you need it.

Also, I honestly believe there is not adequate training in the use of a hook knife - when it's appropriate to use one, etc. We have lots of drills on what it feels like to peel away your handles so there is muscle memory in emergency times, but who knows how much energy/effort/time is needed to cut through lines or a riser?

I understand that situations where one would use a hook knife are rare - but it is one more option in emergencies where options can be critical.

Just a little rant.

Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

[Kris 0]

If you have one of those cheap plastic hook knifes, throw it away. They're worthless and could fail when you need it most. Get a real knife.

I like to wear one high and one low. On opposite sides of my body. I have a metal knife in my left legstrap by the hip and I have one for my chest-strap.

I'm going to get rid of the chest-strap knife and go with one mounted under my right mud-flap. If you don't have a pocket there, make sure that you mount the knife with the hook facing away from you. Heck, it's a good idea to do that anyway. Since you'll probably be pulling it out at an angle with your opposite hand, it's less likely to snag or cut on its way out.

You don't have to sharpen a hook knife, just inspect it to make sure it isn't bent, no rust, etc...

NEVER use your hook knife for anything but an emergency. No cutting off rubber bands with it, no slicing lines to make closing loops....use common sense. But, you can test it once on a piece of paper, or a piece of spectra under tension, to make sure you have a good blade.

Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

[TattooedMoFo 0]

Makes no difference where you have it, as long as it is accessible with both hands. Agree with Kris, try avoid using the plastice ones if possible, you never know when you will need it and for waht situation.

[TattooedMoFo 0]

PS: make reaching for your knife part of your emergency drills, and don't keep changing the location of your knife either...eg on your leg, then your chest strap etc..

[winsor 236]

Quote

I have my hook knive on my left leg strap-close to my hip...I`ve seen many skydivers, including FF coaches, who have theirs installed in the padded part of the harness on their chest with a button clip, (on the shoulder were the padding ends and the housing starts to show-close to the chest strap).

1. In what part of the rig should it be installed for quick acces?
2. Should we all have the hook knive sharpened every now and then...For example...every reserve re-pack, for it to be able to function well in case of emergency?

I recommend a minimum of two knives on every rig (okay, so I only have one knife on my round rigs), with one mounted high and one low.

A Zak knife (cheap orange plastic) is better than nothing, but not much. Aluminum knives are a good standard, and Jack the Ripper types work well. Be advised that the Jack the Ripper types are difficult to unsheathe quickly unless the sheath is sewn in place to a jumpsuit or something - removing it quickly from an unsupported sheath is a two-handed operation, and should be practiced before attempting it under duress.

The nice thing about the Jack the Ripper knife is that it will cut through ANY line or webbing on the rig - fast. The down side is that if you're not paying attention, you can slice through the wrong risers or whatever without trying real hard.

Keep some kind of folding knife on hand for general utility and dedicate the hook knife to emergency duty. Microline will dull a sharp blade so fast you wouldn't believe it, and you definitely want a virgin blade to get you out of a jam.

Don't sharpen the blade. If it's suspect, replace the blade or the whole knife.

A couple of low-timers were talking on the way to altitude about doing CRW after opening, and I asked if they both had hook knives. I gave my extra one to the guy who didn't have one. He returned it after landing, and made the investment.

I can personally attest that it's better to have one and not need it than to need one and not have it, because you tend to need it rather badly when you do.


Blue skies,

Winsor

[sducoach 0]

I have a Jack the ripper sewn on every one of my jump suits in the same exact location so the reach is the same. This is my low knive located on my right thigh. The second knive is an aluminum version of the Zac knive under the left mud flap on each rig.

Jack the ripper knives have replacable blades if needed.

I am very surprised my how many skydivers ask me "what is that" when the look at my

James 4:8

[drenaline 0]

Quote

1. In what part of the rig should it be installed for quick acces?

I have seen a couple of rigs that have a pocket in the legstrap for the hook knife. I have mine, a jack the ripper, in my jumpsuit leg but I don't quite like it because when I do a good fast track, the button that holds the knife usually gets off (help with grammar please) so I wouldn't recommend it.

Quote

2. Should we all have the hook knive sharpened every now and then...For example...every reserve re-pack, for it to be able to function well in case of emergency?

Hook knife shouldn't be sharpen at least the jack the ripper knife because it has some very sharp blades that don't need more sharpening, trust me they really cut (had to cut a jumpsuit 2 weeks ago and it cut like hot knife on butter).

A good thing to do is to check if the blades are rusted, if they are then just change them. Jack the Ripper comes with replacement blades.

HISPA 21
www.panamafreefall.com

[Tonto 1]

Quote

If you have one of those cheap plastic hook knifes, throw it away. They're worthless and could fail when you need it most. Get a real knife.

Wise words. Hook knives are seldom used. I've been in mulpiple wraps and entanglements (CReW) and have never had cause to use one. The only time I've seen one used it was one of the plastic ones (designed for gutting trout) and it broke and cut the user. He got spat out the wrap later anyway.

I know of a SL student in tow being cut free with a nail clipper. If airlines think that's a weapon - they're nuts. You're going to clip someone to death?

"Get a real knife." So true.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[pds 0]

sooo... would you say that someone who does not have a hook knife is ill prepared? (that someone being me)

namaste, motherfucker.

[DBCOOPER 5]

Quote

sooo... would you say that someone who does not have a hook knife is ill prepared? (that someone being me)

A line over on your reserve and you would be "ill prepared".

Replying to: Re: Stall On Jump Run Emergency Procedure? by billvon

If the plane is unrecoverable then exiting is a very very good idea.

[mr2mk1g 10]

I will shortly be posting a full review of 3 of the most common hook knives on the market.

I am simply waiting on the use of a Newton metre so I can ensure the tests are a bit more scientific than "well that one worked well".

The knives I have for review are the plastic "Zak" knife, the Benchmade 5, and the Aluminium Knife that Square 1 sell.

I'll keep you posted.

[Tonto 1]

Cavemen needed knives, and they didn't play with nylon - and had till sunset to solve most problems.

A knife is a simple tool, but when you need to cut something fast - nothing else will do.

I have 1000's of dives without a hook knife, but when you need one, you need it bad.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[TattooedMoFo 0]

Quote

sooo... would you say that someone who does not have a hook knife is ill prepared? (that someone being me)

Not sure about USPA, but BPA rules states it's madatory to have a knife before boarding a plane.

[pds 0]

Quote

Cavemen needed knives, and they didn't play with nylon - and had till sunset to solve most problems.

A knife is a simple tool, but when you need to cut something fast - nothing else will do.

I have 1000's of dives without a hook knife, but when you need one, you need it bad.

t

so why isn't this issue covered in student training? i know what a hook knife is and what it is for and sometimes i even wonder why i dont have one, but it was never mentioned during training. hmmmm. am i missing something?

namaste, motherfucker.

[freeflybella 0]

Quote

so why isn't this issue covered in student training? i know what a hook knife is and what it is for and sometimes i even wonder why i dont have one, but it was never mentioned during training. hmmmm. am i missing something?

My point exactly!

A CReW guy on our DZ gave me my lesson in hook knives. (yeah, yeah, which is better - not knowing anything or getting what you know from a CReW dog
Maybe because as a student, you shouldn't have "info overload" - they want you to be taught VERY simple emergency procedures. The times when a hook knife would be necessary are rare.

But if that's the case, when does the student get the 'intermediate' emergency procedure training?

Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

[mr2mk1g 10]

in the uk as a student you're not allowed a hook knife as you can pretty much guarantee that some dumb student somewhere will get it out and start cutting shit.

Then you graduate... one dive your not allowed a hook knife, the next its mandatory. I've never seen anyone give any training on its use. I got some cos I asked for some... too many people dont know why they have to carry one.

[drenaline 0]

Quote

A line over on your reserve and you would be "ill prepared".

I think it would be best not to try to cut a line over in a spinning reserve, scares me more the idea of cutting a wrong reserve line than going down to the floor with a spinning reserve. Maybe somebody with more experience can tell me more about this.

HISPA 21
www.panamafreefall.com

[mr2mk1g 10]

Let me get this straight... You're going down on a spinning reserve and you'd do nothing???? You have a hook knife in your hand and you think... "no, hang on a minute, I think I'll have a go at landing like this..."

Since when was no chance is better than some chance?

Why would you do nothing? Would you do nothing if you had a total on your main because you were afraid of pulling the reserve handles in the wrong order. Of course not. Why? because someone took you asside on the ground and make you do a reserve drill about a 1000 times.

Its the same thing... you darent do anything with your hook knife cos you havent had full training or practiced drills with it. Go see someone at the DZ next time you jump and get some training before you find yourself in a situation where you have to use one.

[Nick 0]

Personnally I have 2 hook knives. My main one (a nice big jack knife on the right leg of my jump suit) and a reserve (cheap plastic one on my left leg strap). Reasoning behind having one on each side is so that if one arm is unusable and I can't get to my main I can get to the reserve.

Another thing to note is that if you do have a knife on your chest strap it is orientated so you have to pull it down to get it out of it's sheath (don't want to go cutting your nose off). If you have knives on your legs you have to pull them up to get them out as you'd have to reach to far to pull them down.

Nick
Gravity- It's not just a good idea, it's the LAW!

[skydiverek 63]

Quote

Personnally I have 2 hook knives. My main one (a nice big jack knife on the right leg of my jump suit) and a reserve (cheap plastic one on my left leg strap).

What if you can only get to this cheap plastic one, and it breaks... What I meant is that your reserve (knive or parachute or whatever) should be as good as your main (knive or parachute or whatever), or better . Just my 2 cents...

[mirochristie 0]

Please do so!
Thanks

LiquidSky
@(^_^)@

[mirochristie 0]

"Hook knife shouldn't be sharpen "

Ok, Thanks!

LiquidSky
@(^_^)@

[drenaline 0]

Quote

Why would you do nothing? Would you do nothing if you had a total on your main because you were afraid of pulling the reserve handles in the wrong order. Of course not.

I have the reserve, so am going for the reserve but having a line over on a reserve and cutting the wrong line? nice. There is a very old thread here of somebody doing tests with line overs using the hook knife to cut the line and he said that in the test a couple of times he cut the wrong line, good thing he still had a reserve (he was using a cutaway rig or was trying it in a hanging harnes, cant remember).

Anyways whatever I say here about that situation might be BS because nobody has an idea on how he/she will act in given situation.

HISPA 21
www.panamafreefall.com