Do you pack a knife?

[Kevin]

I bought the Spyderco remote release knife from Sean at TCI for safety reasons.
I keep it clipped to my suspender strap for easy access.
Anyone else packing a knife while working in the trees?

 

[Jumper]

Ssssh, is that knife registered?

 

[Kevin]

It's registered as ceremonial.

 

[treeclimber165]

I'm not picking on you or anyone else who chooses to tote a knife in a tree, but I have never understood the reasoning. On the outset, it sounds like a good idea so someone can cut your rope free in an emergency. But.........
When was the last time you or anyone else cut a lifeline in a tree? Standard Operating Procedure for aerial rescue as I was taught by Davey Tree was to lower the injured person on THEIR OWN LIFELINE AND HITCH. I was screamed at because I untied the injured person's hitch AFTER securing his lifeline so I could lower him. I probably would have been fired if I had pulled a knife out!
Under no curcumstances would I want someone coming up into a tree to rescue me with a knife. If they do not understand my friction hitch or life support system enough to lower me safely, I certainly don't want them cutting my ropes! In all my years of climbing I have never come across a need for a knife in a tree. I have one in the truck but I am not going to tote it up a tree with me just to look 'safe'.

You can come up with a bunch of "What If's", but we can do that untill we determine it is unsafe to get out of bed in the morning.

 

[Kevin]

Brian, tell that to the guys that have been choked to death by their own ropes.

 

[treeclimber165]

Originally posted by Kevin
Brian, tell that to the guys that have been choked to death by their own ropes.

I'm trying to figure out how someone could choke on their own lifeline, but I'm at a loss. I've never seen or read (from a verifiable source) any instance of someone being choked by their own lifeline. But if that ever happened out of the blue, I would have better luck unclipping a biner than digging for an old rusty knife I've been toting around unused for 10 years.

Like I said, you can tote one if it makes you happy. But please do not EVER pull it out within reaching distance of my lifeline.

 

[Kevin]

One of the last incidents was the guy getting pulled into a crotch of a tree when a large branch got caught in his line ... by accident.
You'll have fun trying to remove a biner with a few hundred pounds hanging off it.

 

[Pgtree]

I agree with 165, I have never needed a knife in a tree. Ive been climbing for 22+ years, and have never needed or heard of anyone who has needed a knife in a tree. Except for one really big tree that I had to eat lunch in, that hard salami was a ????? to cut with my fanno!

Come on... hanging yourself with your own lifeline? ...Pleees!

Pgtree

 

[TREETX]

I carried a spyderco for a while until it eventually unclipped and was lost. I always thought about using is in an emergency as well. Can't really think of one where you would need it but it is a good tool to have.

I wondered if it would have helped the guy who got sucked into that crotch buy something heavy tangling in his line. It must have been a lot to crush him. Could he have reached the knife? In the same situation, I could see wanting the knife so I could shove it into my own jugular instead of being crushed.

Great tool. Not a necessary piece of PPE. .02

 

[NickfromWI]

Originally posted by treeclimber165
When was the last time you or anyone else cut a lifeline in a tree?

Wow. This is not the mentality a tree worker should have. When was the last time a saw has kicked back enough to make my hand engage the chainbrake...never. Do I still properly use the brake....heck yeah!

You bet I carry a knife. And it's not in my pocket. Like Dan said, it's a pain to get in a pocket when you're hanging in a saddle. I spliced a short loop of zing-it and now it hangs on my saddle. Ready for emergency, but handy for odd jobs around the work site.

Where there's a rope, there better be a knife.

My knife....while we're on the subject:

http://www.shoptimax.com/default.asp?stat=1&sx=1&referrer_id=CRKT&sku=CR5510

Climb safe guys....And brian, don't worry, I'll stay away from your climbing line with my knife.

love
nick

 

[TREETX]

Hey Lovey,

If a knife was as essential to climbing rope as a chainbrake is to a chainsaw, a knife would come attached to every rope.

Hmmmm......

Nice looking knife though. Similar to the one I used to pack.

Just got my shipment from sailnet.com

 

[kf_tree]

NickfromWI

has that knife ever opened up on you? i have the same knife. i'm not crazy about the detent ball on it to lock close. i carry it with me when ice climbing, but i always wrap a rubber band around it so there's no chance of it opening on me by accident. i would not buy that knife again. it would sure suck to get hurt by your safety gear.

 

[DDM]

Looks like that knife might make a pruning saw in a pinch LOL.

 

[NickfromWI]

No probs with it

I've had this knife for about a year now with no probs. I did cut myself with it the first day I had it, but that was my own fault!
Whenever I look at it, I wonder what keeps it from just opening...I've thought about putting one piece of scotch tape to hold it shut....something weak enough that I could still open it easy, but it's yet to be a problem.

Oh, I just got a new sewing machine (it's used actually...it's this same one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3118527180&category=28166) so maybe I CAN sew that thing back on!

Side note: A prerequisite of any knife that I carry is that I can open and close it with only one hand. Seems silly to NEED maybe both hands at a time when you NEED a knife.

love
nick

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I carried a leatherman untill it walked away from the truck. Th pliers got more use tightening saw blades and links then the knife. I used my Felco's to cut rope at the time anyways.

 

[Treeman14]

I carry a Swiss army knife in my pocket. I used to use the toothpick to clean out bar grooves till I lost it, now I use the tweezers. The bottle opener gets a fair amount of use also. I'm not sure what I use the knife for, but it always seems to be dull when I need to cut something. Had trouble cutting a grapefruit the other day.

 

[sonny]

Never leave home without a knife. I have cut a man from his tag line to get out from injury. Dont know what would of happened if the knife was not in my pocket.

 

[treeclimber165]

Originally posted by sonny
Never leave home without a knife. I have cut a man from his tag line to get out from injury. Dont know what would of happened if the knife was not in my pocket.

Ummm.... Unsnapped the line maybe?

 

[NickfromWI]

Brian-
This is a silly question, but have you ever tried to unclip a carabiner or snaphook in a tensioned rope? I might be missing something here.

love
nick

 

[treeclimber165]

Fine, Lovey. Be happy with your little knife. Bring this post back up in 10 years and tell us how many times you used it while in a tree (cutting open a grapefruit doesn't count).