hook knife question

[leonanderson 0]

Hey All, Is there any difference between different kinds of hook knives? Any suggestions for having with a novice rig? Thanks much, LA

[phoenixlpr 0]

Hi, you need at least a cheap plastic one. Check e.g. paragear's offer for hook knives.

[mark 107]

Quote

Hi, you need at least a cheap plastic one. Check e.g. paragear's offer for hook knives.

I agree with checking Para-Gear's selection of hook knives.

I disagree with "you need at least a cheap plastic one." The plastic-handle ones are worse than nothing at all, because they give the illusion that what you have might work in an emergency.

Spend a few bucks more and get one with polycarbonate or metal handle.

Mark

[phoenixlpr 0]

Quote

I disagree with "you need at least a cheap plastic one." The plastic-handle ones are worse than nothing at all, because they give the illusion that what you have might work in an emergency.

Do you or don't you need a hook knife for jumping?

A cheap plastic one is good by the letter of the requirement. Other question is that good enough for you.....

[DougH 270]

Quote

Do you or don't you need a hook knife for jumping?

A cheap plastic one is good by the letter of the requirement. Other question is that good enough for you.....

There is no hook knife requirement @ USPA group member drop zones.

Besides even if it was a requirement I would rather have a real tool, then a cheap one worn as a prop!!! So is it a hook knife or costume jewelry?

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[jee 0]

sounds like a pissing match to me.
a cheap plastic hook knife cuts just as well as a metal or carbon fibre knife. any knife should however be preflighted along with the rest of your gear before every jump. i had an expensive carbon knife where the blade fell out mysteriously.
and don't let my jump numbers fool you....i've been around the block a few times.

[mark 107]

Quote

A cheap plastic hook knife cuts just as well as a metal or carbon fibre knife. any knife should however be preflighted along with the rest of your gear before every jump. I had an expensive carbon knife where the blade fell out mysteriously.

I agree the blades in most knives, including the cheap ones, are adequate.

However, about two years ago at a nearby dropzone, a jumper snagged his main risers on part of the Cessna inflight door. He whipped out his orange-handle hook knife, which broke before he could complete the job. We do not know if the handle was damaged before the jump, so we don't know if a hook knife preflight would have been helpful. (Airplane preflight, maybe -- that's a different thread.)

We do know that metal and polycarbonate handles do not break as readily as the orange plastic ones. It doesn't matter how good the blade is if the handle breaks.

Your point about blades falling out is well taken, though. It doesn't matter how good the handle is if there's no blade.

Mark

[DougH 270]

Quote

don't let my jump numbers fool you....i've been around the block a few times.

What do jump numbers have to do with the conversation.
You make a good point about checking to see if you still have a blade in the knife before the jump, I totally agree. But I don't think that changes the fact that the cheapo knives don't hold the blades well at all!

I had mine break and lose the blade. I bought one of those cheap hook because it was cheap and a big container of them was right by manifest. I was using it to trim a stray thread on my sneaks and the blade fell out. It hadn't been used to cut anything else before. I guess the damage occurred during the normal use of my gear (taking it off and on, storing it), and the normal use of my gear is pretty gentle.

Probably for my own good though, I can't think of many useful things I could have done with it at the time with only 20 or so jumps other then a reserve around the tail!! That being said I probably won't do anything useful with the benchmade knife on my Icon, or the Jack knife on my rw suit either.

I am curious how many people have them, and have also had the blade fall out.

Edited to include a link to a past post:

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=682984;page=1;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;mh=25;

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[phoenixlpr 0]

Quote

There is no hook knife requirement @ USPA group member drop zones.

My club is a USPA member and hook knife is a requirement.

[jurgencamps 0]

Cheap plastic ones tend to break when you need them.
Zwartberg, Belgium: 2001: hookknife (cheap plastic) breaks when jumper has through cut one riser.

PS When you buy a metal one, check regularly that the screws holding the blade, are still "there".

Jurgen

[DougH 270]

Quote

Quote

There is no hook knife requirement @ USPA group member drop zones.

My club is a USPA member and hook knife is a requirement.

That is cool I didn't know that there were many USPA group members out of the US.
So is it just a DZ requirement for you, or a requirement from your national parachute org?

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[phoenixlpr 0]

Quote

That is cool I didn't know that there were many USPA group members out of the US. Smile

AFAIK it does not depend on the location.

Quote

So is it just a DZ requirement for you, or a requirement from your national parachute org?

I know at least 2 national organizations having this requirement, but the quality of the knife is not specified.

[steve1 5]

I like the small plastic hook knives, because they are easy to fasten onto your rig without creating a snag point. And yes, I imagine the handle could break if you yanked on it too hard....Particularly when the adrenaline is pumping.

I also have a Jack the Ripper knife. I like it a lot, but does anyone have a good way to stow it out of the way? I had it stuck in a leg pocket on the front of my jump suit, but I was wondering if anyone had any other good locations to put it. Since I got a different jump suit, I quit packing it.

In the old days, I just tied a small hunting knife on top of my belly wart, right next to my altimeter dashboard. I never used that one either, but who knows the day may come.....Steve1

[monkycndo 0]

My main rig has the knife in the legstrap. No snag hazzard. I use my back up rig for WS and CReW. On it, I have my Jack the Ripper mounted across the chest strap. Can reach it with either hand. Works great.

50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

[Couloirman 0]

So, is the double bladed rescue knife they have on para-gear that much more effective than the single bladed one? Being the same price as the sisngle blade, you'd wonder why they have both and not just the more effective one.

[phoenixlpr 0]

Quote

So, is the double bladed rescue knife they have on para-gear that much more effective than the single bladed one? Being the same price, you'd wonder why theyd have both.

There is an endless discussion about the quality of hook knives.

There seems to be a demand for even the cheap plastic hook knife.

Don't worry too much you might drop you knife anyway, before use.

[Couloirman 0]

maybe we should all be carrying two hookers then?

[phoenixlpr 0]

Quote

maybe we should all be carrying two hookers then?

Or more

Ok. only if you are getting in CRW.

Anyway one hook knife should do. Just don't forget where have you put it.

I have a cheap plastic and a one with metal handle on my rigs.

[monkycndo 0]

Quote

maybe we should all be carrying two hookers then?

That's why I carry my cheepo orange plastic one as well. You always drop the first one you pull out. So I just pull it and throw it away, then use my Jack Knife. Saves a a few bucks that way.

50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

[crazydiver 0]

The best knife (in my opinion) is the Jack the Ripper knives. Although they are plastic, they are a much stronger type of plastic, they are larger and easier to grab, hold onto, and use, and they have been proven to work over and over in multiple incidents. I ALWAYS carry one attached to my thigh on tandems.

And USPA does not require a hook knife, certain dropzones may, but USPA does not.

Cheers,
Travis

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

Quote

maybe we should all be carrying two hookers then?

Most CRW dogs you see will have at least two hook knives, if not more.

If asked, "Why do you have two (or more) hook knives?" They're likely to say something like, "In case I need one, I pull the first one out and throw it away... was going to drop it anyways... then pull out the second one and get to work."


Anyway... Et All,

I really don't mean to pile onto a pissing contest... well... okay, like its ever stopped me before...

But those "cheap plastic" hook knives that a lot of gear mfgr's give away "free" with a new rig are about useless.

If you're going to carry one, get a real one.

[divegoddess 0]

happy hooker hook knives have a metal handle AND the blade is screwed into place! I love mine