NASA Makes Knives

ekaphoto said:
When NASA sent the first person into space we learned an ink pen would not work in zero gravity. The US spent something like $20,000 developing a pen that would work in outer space. The Russians used a pencil.
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inside the craft a standard biro works fine, as capliary action will continue to push ink down the tube. infact it may work better than it would on the ground, as when "upside down" it doesn't have gravity to contend with.

meanwhile pencils release tiny bits of graphite, which can get into the electronics and play merry hell with them, apparently.
 
cp2u said:
I've seen a video with an astronaut slicing some piece of fruit with an Emerson while floating around in the shuttle or some part of the Spacelab.
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That was a sausage, a Russian cosmonaut, and an Emerson tanto (think it was a Super 7...?).
 
No but the Russian cosmonauts carry handguns for the space zombies.
"Rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it."
 
beluga said:
Randall model 17. Taken from the Randall website :

"This RANDALL MADEtm model was especially designed for the seven Mercury astronauts, who carried them on America's first manned space flights. Astronaut Gordon Cooper did the final design, and two of these historically valuable knives are on display in the Smithsonian Institution."
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Great knife. :)
 
beluga said:
Randall model 17. Taken from the Randall website :

"This RANDALL MADEtm model was especially designed for the seven Mercury astronauts, who carried them on America's first manned space flights. Astronaut Gordon Cooper did the final design, and two of these historically valuable knives are on display in the Smithsonian Institution."
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+1 why speculate, this is what they really took. :D

I think if i went into space, I would carry some manner of saftey cutter. with little chance of getting gear, digits, limbs, or precious suit material in the cutting zone. maybe get outfitted with some kind of non-bladed cutter, like a water jet or air jet (heck they are from NASA right?)
 
lordoftherings said:
And plus how are you supposed to open space ice cream with space gloves on?
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uuumm and how do you think they will be eating if there suited up

they are not going to be eating out side and they dont have the suits on inside less there is a problem and then food will not be on there minds
 
A while back I bought the SAK Soldier set with the book on SAK history. I think it was in that book - but I could be wrong - that Victorinox said that NASA equips all their crews with a SAK. With a SAK and that Emerson, you'd be set.

thx - cpr
 
orca8589 said:
A while back I bought the SAK Soldier set with the book on SAK history. I think it was in that book - but I could be wrong - that Victorinox said that NASA equips all their crews with a SAK. With a SAK and that Emerson, you'd be set.

thx - cpr
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Thats true, a SAK is standard issue for astronauts.

This is taken from Victorinox site:

"Top-class advertising for the Swiss Army Knife has also been given through one of the world’s foremost and best-known technology enterprises: NASA. In 1978 the American space organisation ordered 50 Victorinox Master Craftsman Swiss Army Officer’s Knives (model 5044). NASA stipulates that their order may not be commercially linked with the name of NASA without permission. The organisation is however happy to allow reference to be made in Victorinox publicity material that the knife from Ibach is part of their astronauts’ standard equipment."


Also found this in their True Stories section:

"...as the spokesman for the mission, James Hartsfield, explained, the Victorinox Army Officer’s Knife is standard equipment for all astronauts. ?We give each astronaut a Swiss Army Officer’s Knife and they carry it with them on board. It’s been with every mission right from the outset. The knives made for the astronauts at Victorinox are no different to the standard pocket-knives anyone can buy."
 
The Russians used a pencil.
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Just what you need - a pencil breaking in a high-stress situation and having to chase the lead down before it gets into the control panel... If they DID use a pencil it's a good symptom of why they lost.
 
I have one of these NASA Emerson Specwar Timberline knifes and you can see it on my blog at http://rayspacestuff.blogspot.com/

Back in the late 90's NASA was looking for a simple off the shelf utility knife that was durable and could safely open food containers. Emerson combined 2 knives, added a gut hook and produced 30 of them for NASA. These were not issued to individual astronauts to keep, like the Swiss Army knives were, they were to be reused after every mission.

The 30 production knives were all engraved with the NASA logo on the blade and NASA serial numbered each one. I was told by the people at Emerson, the NASA knife I have is 1 of 4 prototype knives that Emerson built, then sent to NASA for acceptance testing. When this knife easily passed NASA's tests, the knife that I have, was given away to a gentleman who worked on the space program since the Mercury days. It was sort of a retirement gift and I purchased it from his daughter a year after he passed away.

I have no idea what happened to the other 3 Emerson NASA knives, but they're out there somewhere.
 
I heard somewhere that Victorinox CyberTool 34 is part of official equipements of Nasa shuttle crews. I don't know about that but that thing disassembles and then assemble any computer you can encounter.
 
beluga said:
Randall model 17. Taken from the Randall website :

"This RANDALL MADEtm model was especially designed for the seven Mercury astronauts, who carried them on America's first manned space flights. Astronaut Gordon Cooper did the final design, and two of these historically valuable knives are on display in the Smithsonian Institution."
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Some time ago i visited the Randall shop and took this pic;

 
I think he was cutting Salami with the emerson in space, each time he cut a slice off, it would float around.. Good stuff.
 
Back when I was collecting Case knives, I had one of the Astronaut knives. Mine, though, was mounted on a flat slate-like plauqe with the moon landing engraved on it unlike the wooden box as shown above.
 
Mr. Bad Example said:
Back when I was collecting Case knives, I had one of the Astronaut knives. Mine, though, was mounted on a flat slate-like plauqe with the moon landing engraved on it unlike the wooden box as shown above.
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The boxed one was the first issue and the one on the plaque was the second. I bought one (on the plaque) for my dad for Christmas that year. Wish I'd gotten the boxed one, too.
 
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