Shuttle astronaut knives? (Present day)

U

Ultraman

Joined
Oct 28, 2005
Messages
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I was wondering if someone might know what the shuttle crew is carrying nowadays.

I learned before that astronauts (not just shuttle crew) carried Victorinox master craftsmen models (iirc equivalent to the ranger model). Later, I saw some video of a modified Benchmade folder (it had a cutting slot, I think near the point) being used to open food packets.

In the early days of the US space program, I know they carried a jungle (machete) knife, and a brand of Camillus (which I'm too lazy to look up again). It might have been a chute knife.

So, would anyone know the make and model of the standard knife issue for the shuttle crew? Any special knife tools stowed away somewhere, too?

Thanks in advance
 
No actual knowledge what-so-ever on this subject---but my gut fealing is that they don't want too many sharp pointy objects floating around in the cabin.
 
I just went and did a search. Pretty quick on the draw, but what should I expect from a Yester. Thanks Bro. Steve
 
emersons are good knives. ive modified all my knives, except my emerson :) it was good from the start
 
I thought a couple of years ago Emerson was comissioned to make knives for N.A.S.A. Like I said, it was a couple of years ago.
 
Thanks guys, your responses are appreciated.

Those emersons are cool-looking knives.

I just remembered reading a long time ago about a Randall knife being designed for (I think) the Mercury spacecraft. The idea behind the design was a knife strong enough to cut its way through an escape hatch!

For personal carry, a cybertool sounds like a logical choice when puttering around the compartments in the zero gravity environment
I found this interesting: do a search for "swiss army" in the Space Shuttle operator's manual, see this link

http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0345341813/ref=sib_dp_pt/102-7008403-7554526#
(It should be on page 54)
Not sure what model of SAK is shown here, or if this is recent issue or not
 
The mercury astronauts had a Randall knife in the capsule. I believe it was approiately called the astro model When they recovered Gus Grissom's capsule a few years back the knife was still in it. It cleaned up pretty good.
 
stevekt said:
Gravity knife.;)
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Nice one.

I would be curious to see them flick a knife open or flipping a balisong. I thing even an AO or a auto would be fun to see.

If I ever go to space I'll try it;)
 
cybrok said:
Nice one.

I would be curious to see them flick a knife open or flipping a balisong. I thing even an AO or a auto would be fun to see.

If I ever go to space I'll try it;)
Click to expand...

Now we know what happened on Apollo 13!
 
Ilovetoolsteel said:
The mercury astronauts had a Randall knife in the capsule. I believe it was approiately called the astro model When they recovered Gus Grissom's capsule a few years back the knife was still in it. It cleaned up pretty good.
Click to expand...

For anyone interested, you can see a Randall from the early space flights in the Air & Space Museum of the Smithsonian, in D.C.

- Mark
 
omaha-beenglockin said:
No actual knowledge what-so-ever on this subject---but my gut fealing is that they don't want too many sharp pointy objects floating around in the cabin.
Click to expand...
On ships, there is a process called "securing for sea" in which anything that could get loose and cause damage in rough seas has to be tied down or immobilized in some manner. I imagine the NASA scientists may have thought of a similar concept to prevent knives from floating around in the cabin! :D
 
Ultraman said:
For personal carry, a cybertool sounds like a logical choice when puttering around the compartments in the zero gravity environment
Click to expand...
Maybe, as long you don't manage to misplace those little 4.5mm bits. I imagine they could cause havoc if they floated into the wrong places... :eek:
 
they probably got their knives confiscated before boarding. :D
 
Yester5 said:
It was an Emerson Specwar, with a food packet opening serration on the tip. The video is on the EKI website.http://www.emersonknives.com/videos/nasa.mpg
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What a way to ruin that blade! That huge notch in an otherwise good primary cutting edge.

For cryin' out loud, the guy is cutting a summer sausage up in the air without placing it on a surface -- if he's doing that, they couldn't just use a plain un-screwed-up edge (i.e. no notch) to open their food packets?! :thumbdn: Grrrr!

That mod seems quite senseless to me.

How useful is the blade after that?!


-Jeffrey
 
TorzJohnson said:
On ships, there is a process called "securing for sea" in which anything that could get loose and cause damage in rough seas has to be tied down or immobilized in some manner. I imagine the NASA scientists may have thought of a similar concept to prevent knives from floating around in the cabin! :D
Click to expand...


They might use one of those space-age retention devices... what do they call 'em again?

Oh, I remember --

LANYARDS!!
:D

-Jeffrey
 
Mark J said:
For anyone interested, you can see a Randall from the early space flights in the Air & Space Museum of the Smithsonian, in D.C.

- Mark
Click to expand...


Don't they put you through a metal detector prior to allowing entry to the museums in D.C. now?

Hell if I'm going to be stripped of my own knife just so that I can go see some astronaut's. :mad:


-Jeffrey
 
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