I have a Dakine harness and did my usual pre-session safety check on my gear and found that my line cutter knife had disappeared from the pocket on my harness. I couldn't immediately get a replacement so considered other options. I found this stainless steel knife at Anaconda and it seemed perfect for what I wanted, and even though I was was prepared to pay much more, this fitted the bill perfectly for what I wanted, for less than $4! It has a locking sheaf, a line cutter and the knife itself is extremely sharp and stainless steel. I removed the spreader padding strip and rotated 180 degrees so that the knife pocket was on top. The knife fits in securely with only the handle protruding, but I may fit a small velcro strip over it just to insure that it can't come out unintentionally. I have been on the water five times already and it hasn't moved. I may also attach a line to the handle as well.
www.anacondastores.com/fishing

I fitted one of these 7 Hook Benchmade Safety Cutters to my harness a few dwinders ago, just using the pouch it comes with. So far I have not needed a knife in my 7 years of kiting but you never know.... if I do, I gonna want something sharp.

No guarantee that I'll be able to find it in an emergency but at least its there if I can.

Not sure about this option "coastflyer".
I have been in situations more than once were either my lines, or others have been wrapped around many parts of my body and I wouldnt want to pull
a standard dive knife across my bodyand hope to ONLY cut the lines, so a line cutting knife which is more expensive maybe is the only one that can be used and dragged against your skin and cut lines only.
You can drag a line cutting knife across your skin were lines are tangled and it will only cut the lines.
forget the dive knife! who is going to try cut lines tangled around there throat while being dragged underwater.
The negatives for the dive knife option is really evident so this is why you never see it.

coastflyer said..

You need a proper knife scabbard that you can strap onto your thigh.

Really, your kidding right???

Hook knife, much safer.

Whilst the big knife seems a bit OTT great idea flipping the spreader bar pad so the hook knife is easily accessible and also is at the front of your mind as you always see it. Also less chance of loosing it from falling out. I've had a couple of potential kitemares with lines wrapped around me and in the heat didn't think to use the knife. Cheers coastflyer.

Hook knife or no knife imo.

Ur dealing with a high impact sport and u wanna carry a blade around?

I made a leash for my hook knife out of old kite lines and I coil it up in the sleeve of the hook knife. This way if you grab it and it slips out of your hand in the surf or whatever, you can still retrieve it and have another go. When things go bad it is rarely a straightforward process to make yourself safe. The idea of losing a knife just within reach would not be good. As someone else once mentioned on this forum, keep the knife covered in wax and it won't rust and stay sharp. That was really good advice.

I think I have it, the perfect solution....

Gorgo said..

Hook knife. Designed for the purpose. Provided by the manufacturer. Harness has a holder for it. Relatively cheap and reliable.

I have needed a hook knife once in 14 years of kiting when riding out a 65 knot squall (from a nearby weather station. Probably only 40-50 knots where I was.) A couple of lines got wrapped around my foot. I was not about to dick around with the lines or wait and see what happened. I pulled the knife out, cut the lines, the kite rolled over and settled in the shore break. End of problem. Spent the rest of the weekend riding the kite with a bar from another kite and bought some replacement lines after the weekend.

Gorgo, thanks for sharing. I'm going to order one of the Benchmade cutters as shown above. Keep it simple and safe!

this will solve the shark problem and any out of control kite

I'm think something like this would be ideal, and at $10.

terminalsports.com.au/product/z-knife-and-pouch/

suniboy21 said..

Why don't you just buy a $20 hook knife off ebay? Plastic cover safe to use, will prob fit in your harness pouch too

Why not just buy a $10 purpose built line (hook) knife from your local kite shop. ??
Less than $20 complete with the pouch to attach to your harness straps.

ajs18s said..

I'm think something like this would be ideal, and at $10.

terminalsports.com.au/product/z-knife-and-pouch/

You don't want to use that knife. It only has one straight blade. The lines can bunch at one end against the plastic and not be cut. Kite knives have two blades and rescue knives have a curved blade. The curve and the angle forces the lines to travel along the blade, which improves the cutting action. The two blades act like scissors cutting the line from both sides and and the bunching action forces the lines into the blade, not the frame.

While we're at it, the press stud would rust in about a day and a half.