I need a knife. Any advice?

[Cyclopath]

We had to leave some nylon webbing behind to rap from. Once we cleaned the anchor, there were just two bolt hangers, and down-climbing wasn't going to cut it. My partner did this, since he's more experienced than I am, and also because he had a knife (to not use the whole piece).

 

Well, I'm slowly fixing the experience part, and I feel I should fix the not having a knife part, too. I know that I can buy one for $10 at a gas station, or a lot more than that at an outdoor gear shop; can anyone clue me in on the differences and whether they're important?

 

Also, the next crag we climbed had a quick link hanging off one of the bolts. What are the rules and etiquette as far as leaving quick links goes? If one of us had had one, would it have been wrong to leave it behind? My worry is that it'll rust shut and become a permanent part of the setup.

[matt_warfield]

Every trad and alpine climber should have a knife for fixed tat and other situations and should have fresh nylon for replacing. Knives last forever if high quality. Go for clean blade (not serrated) and short for climbing.

 

For hardware, many on this site know a lot but my opinion is it needs to be climbing grade and not construction grade. You will get other inputs I am sure.

 

 

[Wallstein]

check out the spyderco ladybug with a serrated blade (http://goo.gl/2eEM8). cuts ropes and webbing well and will do a ok job of butchering the salami and cheese. Easy to drop in the pocket or zipper pouch on a big chalk bag. I usually tie a piece of 4mm cord on mine so i can clip it in when needed (like in the alpine with gloves on)

 

I can't really see a problem with leaving a quicklink at an anchor but leaving them on lead bolts can be pretty annoying especially if the climbing is hard. A quicklink can make it harder to get a biner into the hanger and then it also prevents the biner from sitting well. If you need to lower or rappel off a single bolt just leave a biner instead, especially if all you have is cheap small hardware store grade quicklinks. If you find yourself leaving to many biners all over the place you are probably climbing things that are out of your current ability.

 

I wish everyone would just leave biners at every anchor that is going to be used for lowering or rappelling. Thats what I've started doing on routes I establish. Be fewer accidents due to lowering/rappelling communication if this is how things were done.

 

 

 

 

 

[pcg]

I wish everyone would just leave biners at every anchor that is going to be used for lowering or rappelling. Thats what I've started doing on routes I establish.

Better yet if you are establishing a route and bolting anchors, use hangers with rap rings in them. That leaves plenty of room to clip a biner in.

[matt_warfield]

 

It is a real problem to have fixed gear of any kind that won't get stolen or abused or be good to begin with. Keep gathering info.

Edited April 8, 2013 by matt_warfield

[Wallstein]

yes, obviously you wouldn't want to just slap two biners directly to the hangers and call it good. Either the Fixe setup with rings then a biner or bigger climbing rated quicklinks then biners.

[Wallstein]

I climb at Smith/Index/Yosemite all the time and do lots of the trade routes. The problem with leaving biners is definitely the engrained cheapness (and lack of understanding) of so many climbers. They see a leaver biner and start drooling... If the general climbing public could just get use to fixed biners at anchors, their advantages and how to correctly use them, the problem would be solved. This is what has happened on many of the climbs harder than 5.11 at smith.

[matt_warfield]

What pisses me off is fixed anchors that won't last, bolts that won't last, old nylon that definitely won't last, chains with links that don't accept biners, and etc. As mikey says, these things are important to developers and folks interested in keeping things up.

 

No comment on knives as mikey knows best but we all need to be more responsible taking care of our rock.

Edited April 8, 2013 by matt_warfield

[ivan]

i have a knife built into my nut tool - a trifle heavier of course because of it, but the muthafucka's sharper than the devil's wit

[matt_warfield]

Straight or serrated? Serrated seems good for fruit at home but straight seems good for climbing ware.

 

And the site ad just below is for cremation planning so I am getting a bit squeamish about knives right now.

Edited April 8, 2013 by matt_warfield

[denalidave]

Well, I'm slowly fixing the experience part, and I feel I should fix the not having a knife part, too. I know that I can buy one for $10 at a gas station, or a lot more than that at an outdoor gear shop; can anyone clue me in on the differences and whether they're important?

You get what you pay for, just like other gear. A $10 knife will be ok for occasional use but won't hold an edge well and likely fall apart if you use it much. I prefer Kershaw but Benchmade are really nice too. I have sent many Kershaw knives back when a tip broke or some other problem and they have always sent me a brand new one. In fact, they just sent me two of these Kershaw "Blackout Serrated" folding knife. I like a blade that is half serrated and half regular/duel edge. Serrated will cut through slings/rope like butter. Also, the spring action blade is nice. The one I have for sale may be a bit bulky for climbing purposes but still a very nice knife. $50 and it's yours. I don't like Buck and Gerber much as they seem to use cheaper steel on most models. Or, get a small multi-tool that will have a knife and other field feature goodies.

[denalidave]

Straight or serrated? Serrated seems good for fruit at home but straight seems good for climbing ware.

Get one with both... half & half.

[christophbenells]

the blades are made out of different types of steel...

 

10$ knife with chinese steel will dull quicker than you can sharpen it

 

70$ knife made with american steel will stay sharp for a long, long time, and hold a nice smooth edge (pretty important as you'll be banging it up against rock grains and burring it up)

 

CRKT, Kerwshaw and gerber are all pacific NW companies in oregon.

 

they all offer free sharpening at their headquarters in the tualitin area

[OlympicMtnBoy]

Second on the Spyderco Ladybug, tiny and light, really nice blade. One lives on a biner on my harness with some prussik/rap cord, never take it off, never notice it till I need it.

[Buckaroo]

My vote is for a standard Swiss army knife. Not just a knife.

 

scissors, saw, tweezers, toothpick, phillips, straight, can opener, bottle opener, cork puller, sewing awl, knot loosener.

 

Swiss steel holds an edge.

[denalidave]

Also, even if you don't use it much and will probably lose it before it wears out, buy quality, because there is nothing worse than packing cheap gear into the wilds, only to have it fail when you really need it. I've learned that one a few times, not necessarily with knives, but...

[montypiton]

for general alpinism, I like to carry a multi-tool (Leatherman or Sog - I avoid Gerber because I've broken every blade on two of them) -- just because I sometimes need more than just a knifeblade. specific for climbing, & just cutting webbing or cord, I sharpen one edge of my nut-tool, and slide a section of air-compressor hose over it for a sheath - one less tool to buy & keep track of...

[B Deleted_Beck]

I carried a multi tool for a while, but they're fappin heavy and I never used anything but the blade.. so I switched to a regular cadet size swiss army, and discoverd they're very easily dropped and lost, and are also heavy.. so I just stuck to my Benchmade 9050 AFO.... but you know what? It's also heavy, but worse, really expensive.

 

So I started looking for a really cheap, simple, lightweight knife, and settled on a $20 BiMart special - Paklite Caper

 

Super light, easy to hang on to, fixed in a nice light sheath I stick on my pack hip belt. If I drop it, I'm only out $20. I also like that I can get it out and cut with one hand.

[jgr]

I carry a Swiss Army "Tinker"it's light, inexpensive[not cheap] you can sharpen it your self when needed.Why would you buy a knife you need to send out to sharpen. Leathermen are heavy bulky. Sharpening your nut tool is the dumbest idea I've heard in a long time,if the sheath comes off you cut your hand,rope or your harness before you know it has happened.

[BootsandPants]

I keep a Trango Piranah clipped to my harness pretty much every time I climb outside. Small, light, cheap, sharp. While on a biner, the knife can't open; handy for not accidentally stabbing yourself. I've used it for the past few years and it hasn't dulled too much. Does most climbing jobs (cutting webbing, bandages, and rope) very well. Handy little thing to have in a pinch, plus it has a bottle opener as a bonus.

 

If I'm on a longer trip, I'll carry a dedicated knife (Benchmade) for camp tasks, otherwise the little trango works great for climbing.

 

http://www.trango.com/paraphernalia/Piranha_Climbing_Knife

[mike1]

My vote is for a standard Swiss army knife. Not just a knife.

 

scissors, saw, tweezers, toothpick, phillips, straight, can opener, bottle opener, cork puller, sewing awl, knot loosener.

 

Swiss steel holds an edge.

Swiss Army Rescue Tool. The "saw for shatterproof glass" cuts wood just fine (used it to clean up a rap-tree in the Pickets). The seat-belt knife cuts soft gear like butter and the main blade can be opened with one hand and locks. Edited April 13, 2013 by mike1

[Buckaroo]

so I switched to a regular cadet size swiss army, and discoverd they're very easily dropped and lost,

 

Swiss Army has a hole for a ring to attach with a 3mm cord which is girth hitched to belt or harness, pretty hard to lose.

[Bergretter]

Petzl Spatha (small size). Compact so you cut only the strand you should be cutting, lightweight, orange in color to assist with not losing, combo serrated and straight edge, carabiner hole, one handed opening.