Always a knife. Sure, a Silky will handle a rope, especially under tension, but it's not a precision tool and there are many scenarios where I've wanted that or could see where I might need that fine work capability.
You're right Cory, hawkbills are used for skinning the insulation off of wire. A sharp hawkbill cuts rope very easily. I don't know if it's because it wraps around the rope with more cutting surface or the fact that you can pull without it slipping off the rope. I just know it works.
I always have my mil tech pocket knife in my pocket and a fixed blade either on my belt, in the car or in a leg carry. Probably a bit over kill but I've broken a lot of pocket knives, and in some cases my fixed blade has solved the problem. And I know my new knives won't break. Pocket did a good job slicing my buck strap before I had a hand saw this summer when I had a 911 while climbing alone
Carried this Emerson every day for over ten years. I take it out of my pocket when I put my saddle on, and into one of the zippered compartments on my diddy bag.
My mother sister reports that my mother told her, when she was just starting dating, back some 45 years ago or so, that she should NEVER seriously consider a man who didn't carry a pocket knife .
I completely agree with that, and I think the same should be said of a climber...or any other man.
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