Anyone here have a "Rigging" Knife and if so do you also have a boat...

M

Mathew J

Joined
Apr 7, 2002
Messages
110
Or do you love the water, or is it blasphemous to have one and not really like either....

I found an old knife of my fathers and it makes me want to buy one for nostalgia sake (which is odd as we never got along nor really liked each other it seemed but I will leave that to my psychiatrist)...

I found the same knife/brand on ebay and it is short money (under $30 bucks) but I am having an issue with buying a "Rigging knife" when I really don't like boats much

Anyone own one and like it, for reference here is what the knife looks like

Thanks

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I was issued one being a boatswain mate and rescue swimmer for the uscg. You'll find an insane amount of uses for a good marlin spike. I by far used it off the boat around the house an shop then anywhere else
 
I have a wichard rigging knife in the glove compartment of my truck. I've used it quite a bit actually for working stubborn knots when I tie things down. I don't sail, but I use canoes & power boats occasionally. Ironically, I usually leave the knife in the truck.

If I were you, I'd just get the knife. Seems like it reminds you of fond memories. If it "floats your boat" it's got to be right, right?! :thumbup: :D
 
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i have had several of them over the years. The first one I can remember was similar to yours but stamped "Yachtsman's Outrigger" on the handle. My dad gave it to me, and I used it for a few years as a mate on a charter boat. I replaced it with one identical too yours, a Curry Lockspike. I owned but later sold a Myerchin Offshore folder. It was heavier than a Buck 110 and difficult to use one handed. I have owned a Camillus with plastic handles and a Buck 315 (i think) rigging knife.

I can't remember ever using the marlinespike very often. It was good for getting backlashes out of fishing reels. Other than that, for splicing, I usually used a screwdriver or when I worked on river tugs in Illinois, a wooden fid. The only time I use a spike or fid is when splicing large diameter (over 2 inch diameter) or very tightly laid rope.

I am a commercial lobsterman now and own my own boat. I don't see the need for a marlinespike on a knife because any knots we tie are usually untied with a knife :D

There's no blasphemy in owning a nice rigging knife. I think that you will find more uses for that marlinespike off the water than on. And nothing beats a sheepsfoot blade for a working knife. :thumbup:
 
I worked at a marine in the late '70s early '80s, always had a rigging knife, topsiders and raybans with the leather sheilds on the sides (great for hangovers). Cane is right the marlin spike is invaluable! Mine was all stainless with a ss bail. Cant remember the make, but it was long before anything was made in china
 
I had a ceramic Riggers Knife from cermicknife.org and I loved it. It cut a rediculous amount of spectra, kevlar, dyneema and vectra cloth & ropes before needing touched up. It did jobs that made my D2 steel blades dull like cheap china-stainless. But you couldn't beat on it too tough or it would chip. Of course some 600, 1200 & 2000 SiC emory paper brought it back to razor sharpness quickly.

Unfortunately I lost it somewhere a few months ago... hopefully it's lost in the house.
 
Hey thanks all, so yeah my dad was a big boating guy...in the navy, had a boat...grew up on boats.

I used to go out on his when I was younger but he stopped putting it in the water...

As for the knife, I have his old one that I found in the house, the blade is ruined on it though as he used a mechanical sharpener on like a can opener so what used to be a nice thick blade is now something that looks like a butter knife that was beaten to death.

I could get a new one but wonder if it would be even worth the 30 bucks...always feel why spend 30 when I could get a Sebenza for 400 :)
 
I don't do much on the water here, but I do have a Camillus-brand Rigger's knife, and I carry it & use it occasionally. The marlin spike is much more useful than you would think. That big thick sheepfoot blade is quite a rugged cutter as well. I have no problem using it where I wouldn't use a lighter-weight pocket knife.

My dad was issued one (a Schrade-Walden) when he was in the navy in the 60's, and he gave it to my grandfather. It was my grandfather's favorite knife, and it sure looks like it:
GrandpaKnives003.jpg


I'd say get it and try it out. If it doesn't "float your boat" [sorry - had to throw that in there :p] you can always trade it here.

~Chris
 
aside from undo knotted ropes and tangled nets, what else does a marlin spike do? can sew nets with it?
 
The folding spike/knife is as invaluable as a leatherman tool. Personally I use seperate pliers, knife and screw drivers, so I also use seperate spike and knife. But to those people who find a leatherman handy, will likely find a spike knife handy. I race sailboats semi professionally, I have always had a spike knife, and really never used it a whole bunch. My dad loves to use it when he's on (one of) my boats with me, but he's a leatherman tool type of guy.

For uses, ever try to tighten a knot in thin cord? Throw a constrictor knot or spike hitch (slip knot variation) on the spike and use it as a handle, open paint cans, tighten shakels, knitting (two spikes required), eating cor on the cob, pinning pirates to the bulkhead so you don't ruin your sebenza, there are all kinds of uses!

Use the knife, enjoy it.


-Xander
 
I have used a couple over the years and like certain ones for certain things. i have gone to a sheepsfoot single blade of stellite with shackle slot in the handle and I made a CRES aircraft bolt spike with a ball you can remove, The spike has a recessed eye that makes a great fid for small cord. Everything fits into a tight kydex package that I have more than once been swimming with.....

Spike.....


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My dad had a rigging knife that i used to play with when i was little. not too long ago he bought me a myerchin (great knife btw) and i try to take it whenever i go sailing. I have never used the marlinspike for splicing or any other rope work and probably only a few times to undo knots but it's useful for other stuff, like others said. i think rigging knifes are really cool and i would collect em if i had the money
 
I recall seeing the boatswain's mates on the ship carrying rigger's knife's while I was in the USN '69-'72 and on a ship. I had no idea why - but I wanted one. I owned a 21 ft sailboat from '78-'90 - kept it wet-moored at inland lakes. The closest thing to a Marlinspike I had then was the Phillips head screwdiver on my ever-present Vic SAK ('Craftsman') - which was shockingly efficient at undoing docking line knots. Skip ahead to several years ago and my early retirement... I found a Vic 'Skipper' - then a 'Mate' - then a pair of Bucks, thanks to evil-bay, and, finally, a Myerchin Offshore (and a PRC-made Myerchin.). I carried the Vic's for a while... but, no boat anymore, they were just for the memory. More 'stuff' for a son or grandson to go through one day...

IMG_4131.jpg


Other than nostalgia, I see no need for a small boat owner to 'need' a rigger's knife - as I said, an SAK with a Phillip shead will suffice for most docking line knots. Of course, we all have 'wants'...

Stainz
 
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