Rope cutter

Coldwood

Coldwood

Joined
Jun 5, 2006
Messages
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I'm looking for a knife that can be used to cut rope or clothing, on a boat, with wet hands. Specifically, a folder, with pocket clip, one-hand assisted opening. My hang up is the choice between straight edge or serrated edge.

I have done some experimenting with knives I have. Straight edge seems to cut well on nylon and polypropilene rope. The serrated edges I have seem to hang up...but I think there are other serrated edges that have more rounded teeth that may cut more smoothly.

Any suggestions?

For instance, I have been looking at the SOG Flash II, but not convinced yet.

Thanks
 
Any of the Spyderco Salt knives would work great. They are made with H1 steel which contains no carbon and will not rust. AUS8 is only 'resistant' to corrosion, but can still rust.
 
Thanks guys. I forgot about the Spyderco, I don't own one yet :eek: believe it or not. My environment is fresh water. My concern is cutting a rope in a hurry, as in a tow line or rigging, and ease of cutting. Serrated edges seem to hang up on me, maybe I'm using the wrong technique.

Edit: I think what I'm looking for is a rolling serrated edge, rather than a sharp-toothed one, if that makes any sense.
 
Coldwood said:
Thanks guys. I forgot about the Spyderco, I don't own one yet :eek: believe it or not. My environment is fresh water. My concern is cutting a rope in a hurry, as in a tow line or rigging, and ease of cutting. Serrated edges seem to hang up on me, maybe I'm using the wrong technique.
Click to expand...

try a really toothy edge instead of serrations.
about a 200 grit edge will eat rope like butter
 
Sheepsfoot or wharncliffe blade is what I like best, kind of like a Cold Steel Land & Sea rescue knife. A boat knife for straps and cord is one blade I would actually prefer serrations.
 
I don't get very good results with Spyderco serrations on rope and cloth-type materials. They get caught up more than anything and just make the cutting jobs more difficult for me. Smaller serrations like those found on Cold Steel blades or the rounded-type as found on Kershaws seem to work better for me. I like the idea of the Veff serration though I have no first hand experience with them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFsMULerZa4

So my vote goes toward:

Spyderco Salt Series plain edge
Cold Steel Voyager or Recon series, either plain or serrated
CRKT knives with veff serrations like the Summa-T
Kershaw would probably be the way to go if you must have an AO
 
Try one of the serrated Byrds. I think it might be just what you're looking for. Nice shallow serrations that don't hang up.
 
Here is what I have carried so far in my carrier:
SOG Flash II: I loved that knife. It worked well in cold and wet conditions and the lock style was easy to use in harsh enviroments. Mine was a straight edge, though. Corrosion was never a problem but I did break the pocket clip off after a while.
Spyderco Pacific Salt: It was the SE version. It got used everything, cutting line, hoses, etc. Of course, it never rusted. Bright yellow, easy to see even at night. I didn't like the lockback though. Kinda hard to close when your rocking and rolling with driving rain and a three inch tow hauser in your hand.
Myerchin B300P offshore folder: decent knife but no pocket clip. Comes with belt sheath, though. I never really liked the lock but the spike was damn handy. I also felt like I could never get it as sharp as the others.
Emerson CQC7B: It took a beating and kept going. I found it the easiest to keep sharp. Partially serrated edge. Super strong blade for punching as well. Best of the bunch, IMHO.
 
Forgot to mention what I carry now: a Gerber Hinderer CLS. It has half serrations, oversized thumb studs for gloves and wet hands, side lever style lock (though it is a liner lock), window punch and seperate line cutter. Worth a look.
 
I think any version (serrated or plain) of a Spyderco hawkbill will do the trick. Afterall, hawkbills are right at home when it comes to cutting rope.
 
All great suggestions, thanks guys :thumbup: I think a SOG or Spyderco Salt with straight edge will be my choice; although that Gerber looks nice. Want to keep it under $100. Must meditate. :)
 
Check out the David Boye folding knives in dendritic Cobalt. He has a website If you click the order now button, you can see the choices of handles, blades, and accessories. You don't have to order. His knives have a microcrystalline grain structure that lends itself to cutting rope. He has has had many favorable reviews in boating magazines.
 
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