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Steve
 
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Default Rigging knife question

What you discribe sounds similar to my favorite boat knife.. You can call
the pointed/tapered tool a fid.. I think if it were by it's self as a tool,
it would have head on it to allow you to push it into the lay or brade of
the line. Then I might be called a Marlin Spike. (maybe someone can give
clearer distinction between the two.)

The other tappered slotted tool sounds like it would be used to fit over
various size shackle pin heads and is used to loosen them.. Sometimes, if
the shackle pin has a hole in the pin, I use the fid.. However I think that
is an abuse of the fid, since mine is scared and bent slightly..

I purchased mine at WM about 10 years ago for about $10.. Since then I have
had several other multi tool knives (spell that expensive). These tools are
heavy and wear out your pockets and in a sheath they are always catching on
something or in the way when you want to sit or lay down and relax. And as
luck and fate would have it, it is always the most expensive tool that falls
overboard..

I recently came across a WM ad that had their SS knife with fid and shackle
pin tool on sail for something like $8. I intended to get a few more of
them to keep onboard for crew members who show up without a knife..

I'm a firm believer that every crew memeber should come onboard with his own
knife but that seldom happens.. (Good deck shoes, then a good knife)

Steve
s/v Good Intentions