Folding pocket knives

[ian]

Clearly the Navy enlists a higher calibre of recruit ; you are GIVEN a pocket knife on Day One as part of your basic kit outfit at Recruit School. Then when you go to sea you are required to carry it around with you as part of your everyday kit

I seem to remember being issued with one in the army, too, can't be sure now.

it is (or was) described as a Sapper's knife and was issued to all Sappers

[Bushmiller]

Chief Tiff

For a long time I had my father's knife, which was similar to that and army issue. I don't know what happened to it. I never worked out what that spike was for either, although my best guess would be splicing rope.

I always have around three knives of a sort with me, but not on me. I have to hand a back pack, which carries just about everything I need. In that back pack is a small pouch which has sets of screwdrivers, jeweler's screwdrivers and many other bits an pieces including multitools. That is where the knives are located. There are two Gerber tools (standard size and a mini size) and an el cheapo multi tool, which I must throw out.

For a long time before that I used to have an Old Timer knife, but that got lost in the paddock.

Regards
Paul

[Twisted Tenon]

I used to work in the Court system when Bob Carr's new anti knife legislation hit. It didn't take long before people were fronting the court with "Possess Prohibited Weapon" charges. 95% of which were those little key chain knives. These were back up charges to drunk and disorderly, resist police, DIU type charges. Invariably the offender pleaded guilty to ALL the charges and now would have a serious offence on their records.

I've seen a concreter charged with a weapons offence for having a spade he'd sharpened up to clean up his form work timbers. I saw another builder charged for having a machete in his kit he used for all sorts of odd jobs. He was charged with this along with his drink driving offence. It wasn't worth it to them to challenge the offences in Court. Easier to pay the fines and get back to work.

I carry a small pen knife with me that I keep in the coin section of my wallet. It often passed through the Court metal detectors and was never picked up. It looked like a USB drive on the screen.

A pen knife is a most useful tool that has now been criminalised.

TT

[A Duke]

Hi,
A pen knife is just that, it is for sharpening your quill.
Regards

[A Duke]

Hi,
Well if the pen is mightier than the sword I suppose a knife for sharpening pens is a weapon.

Regards

[cava]

I was under the impression that the 'spike' on a pocket knife was for agricultural pursuits such as for horse's/sheep feet etc. Maybe I am wrong?

[rustynail]

I was under the impression that the 'spike' on a pocket knife was for agricultural pursuits such as for horse's/sheep feet etc. Maybe I am wrong?

Prior to the ring-pull can , the only method to access the contents was with a can opener. In the case of a liquid content this was rendered unnecessary by the use of the spike.

[Chief Tiff]

I was under the impression that the 'spike' on a pocket knife was for agricultural pursuits such as for horse's/sheep feet etc. Maybe I am wrong?

Back when livestock was commonly used for pulling carts etc some knives had a spike to dig out stones etc from horses hooves, but on the sailors clasp knife the spike is used when splicing ropes. Fibre ropes were spliced using a "fid" which is a wooden spike, wire ropes were spliced with a steel "marlin spike"; the spike on the knife is adequate for splicing modern synthetic fibre rope up to about 3/4".

However; as has been said although it may have been designed for a specific purpose the spike found itself being used more of a puncturing tool. Anywhere the Royal Navy has sailed since 1970 can be found by following the trail of beer cans on the seabed with holes stabbed in their sides to sink them.

[Chief Tiff]

Prior to the ring-pull can , the only method to access the contents was with a can opener. In the case of a liquid content this was rendered unnecessary by the use of the spike.

Don't forget the Church Key!

[rustynail]

Don't forget the Church Key!

Yes, one of the many forms of can opener.

[fenderbelly]

Had a visit from the family yesterday. Grandson left with the knife.

Took them fishing, we caught nought

[rustynail]

That's what I like to hear.