Commercial Fisherman

Sal Glesser

Sal Glesser

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Joined
Dec 27, 1998
Messages
11,670
We've (R&D Skunkworks) have been working on a knife specifically designed for commercial fisherman. We had the original request from a CF that was familiar with our products. He and his co-workers had used and appreciated our products.

He said that a composite of several models would serve a variety of funtions very well. We build prototypes but have lost contact with the original CF that we were working with. Are any of you or do any of you know any working Commercial Fisherman that might help us test and improve the model?
sal
 
Hi Sal,
as an active duty Coast Guardsman, I can probably set you up with a few local folks here in Northern California. How many testers do you have in mind? Would a Coastie do?
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-Tim-

 
Sal,
I'm active duty Coast Guard, too & Kodiak's main industry is commercial fishing and I know a bunch of these hard working men and women. I can easily help set up something to get them tested--I would be glad to do it.

Please email me at: KnifeKnutt@aol.com if you would like me help out.

(Hey TIM! How are ya?)

Regards,

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~Greg~


[This message has been edited by Kodiak PA (edited 16 June 1999).]

[This message has been edited by Kodiak PA (edited 16 June 1999).]
 
Hi Greg,
I figured you'd be weighing in on this one pretty quick. kinda eerie that we both jumped at once.

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-Tim-

 
Good seeing ya around the forum Tim, you been underway? Haven't seen you for a while. When are you gonna get stationed up here so we can work out some Spydies together?
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I guess we saw the commercial fisherman plug and felt like a fish in water
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~Greg~


 
I have been a deckhand on many charter boats, and have commercial fishermen in the family. I also have a bunch as friends as well.

I saw the proto knife at the show. Looks feasable, but a point of interest, the bulk of the knives are used (vitrinox paring knives..."Vitries") are used
because they are cheap and sharp and they are no big loss if they go overboard. They also have a sheath that clips just about anywhere (I have one on the visor of my truck).

YeK
 
We have one knife to test first. Waiting on the kydedx sheath now. The guys we spoke to were working salmon in AK.

YeK - Where can I see a sample of the sheath you mentioned? Is this a standard sheath?

We plan a plastic handle like our kitchen knives, kydex sheath and MBS-26 blade. Should be an ideal combination and not too expensive.

We would like to work with someone that;

1) works often and soon.
2) Preferably knows his knives.
3) Will be able to provide details of likes and dislikes from him (her) and co-workers.
sal
 
Hi Sal,
I'm going to defer to Kodiak PA (Greg) on this one as the Kodiak fleet will give you one heckuva lot more input. They actually catch fish up there.
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-Tim-

 
I do not know where to get a pic of it right now, but I can try to give you a brief description as best I can.

It is a nylon sheath with a poly insert in it to keep the knife cutting through it. It hangs low on the belt, the end of the hndle is right on the top beltline. Instead of a normal belt loop there is a spring steel clip. I normally carried it on the front of my rain pants when deckhanding, clipped so the sheath was on the inside. Alot of the gus down there would just tape them onto the suspenders of their rain pants. when not in gear, I would just clip it in my right Front pocket, with the sheath in my pocket for discretion.

I do not know what kind of steel the knives are made of, but they get to be wicked sharp. I had to make some emergency cuts beore, and slashed through five or six half inch nylon ropes like they were butter.

YeK

PS...If you want, I will send mine to you when I get back to AK in Mid July, but I think you might be able to find one by then. I have another truck Visor knife coming..hehehe
 
Any updates on the fishing knife?

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"Those who trade essential liberty for a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
- Benjamin Franklin
 
Well, we tested one here in Kodiak for Spyderco this last summer and I was very impressed. I will let Sal go into the details but the fishermen who used it here liked it so much that they wanted to buy it. I think Spyderco should hit the fixed blade market a little more. They did an excellent job with this knife.

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~Greg Mete~
Kodiak Alaska

 
Hi Sal,
I don't suppose you'd want to test the prototype overseas, when you have fishermen over there as well... BUMMER!

We are actively working with our local Navy in the same kind of environment, so testing is quite easy here! I am an avid flyfisherman myself - but I prefer the Bill Moran for all MY fishing tasks. Has anyone else used the Moran for fishing yet? Try it - it's just WONDERFUL!!!!
wink.gif
 
Heyns,
I have used the Moran for filleting salmon and to tell the truth, I found the blade too inflexible to get superb cuts. To me a fillet knife has to be a bit flexible and that is why I prefer my Kershaw fillet knife even over the Catcherman. It also started to rust easily after a day fishing but was easily removed with some metal-glo.

The knife we tested for Spyderco here was actually more designed for a professional fisherman for H & Ging the fish (heading and cutting) and it worked wonderfully. The men were very impressed with it. It also performed well for cutting line and netting. The model was serrated and it was a full tang fixed blade. All in all we really liked the knife.

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~Greg Mete~
Kodiak Alaska

 
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