Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!samsung!dali.cs.montana.edu!masscomp!groff From: groff@masscomp.ccur.com (Paul Groff) Newsgroups: rec.skydiving Subject: knives Message-ID: Date: 10 Dec 90 18:20:53 GMT Distribution: usa Organization: CONCURRENT COMPUTER CORP. WESTFORD MA. Lines: 26 A recent article made me want to get a knife. I guess it isn't too probable that I will need to use it, but if I ever do I would like to know that I've got what I need. I bought a knife this weekend which I have one serious reservation about. It is a Spyderco Mariner, has a serrated edged with VERY good cutting ability. But, it is a folding knife which locks open. One nice feature is that it has a "thumb hole" which facilitates easy, one-handed opening. Closed it is just under 5" long, and it has about a 3 1/2" cutting blade. (Since it is serrated the effective cutting surface is longer tho.) I was told that police and EMTs use this knife because of its cutting power. I'd hate to burn in admiring its cutting power, but having gotten it in to use a few seconds too late. I tried to think about the situations where I might need to use one, and I guess I'm too inexperienced to know whether I made a good move buying it or not. I figured that I would usually want a knife at a higher altitude than below minimum open. If I need one below that I would be afraid to try and use this knife. What advice can some of you seasoned jumpers offer? Do most of you carry a knife? Where do you put it? Do you do any practices for getting it out? Can a folding knife be a good option? - Paul Groff groff@westford.ccur.com {uunet,harvard}!masscomp!groff