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Tucks Climbing/Pocket Knife
Colonial Knife Company
$39.99
You're probably not ever going to be in the position of Joe Simpson in Touching The Void where he uses his knife to cut the rope of his partner or Aron Ralston cutting off his own arm, but having a good knife with you when you're out climbing or hiking is a really good idea. You never know when you'll need to cut a sling, whittle on some twigs, or who knows what. It's just a good idea.
I've had the Tucks knife for over a year and it's hung on my winter and summer climbing rack the whole time. It's gotten wet, frozen and been ground into the dirt. My son has used it to whittle on sticks and pry a splinter out of a toe. I've cut ratty slings and cordalette and even dug a weird looking bug out of a tree to show my mother-in-law. (She's a bug person.) Through all that the blade is just as sharp as it was when I got it. I honestly can't tell the difference.
This is not your do-everything Swiss Army style knife. It's just a pocket knife, albeit a very nice one. You can't open a bottle of wine, a can or a Bud Light with it and it doesn't have an awl, screwdriver and scissors. What it does have is a handle that just feels right, a very sharp nice sized blade that latches open, a hole for a piece of Perlon to hang it on your harness or rack and a removable belt-clip if you go for that kind of thing.
The blade is 440C stainless steel with a Rockwell hardness of 58-60 C. It has a razor honed cutting edge with mat finish blade and Tucks logo. Tucks is short for Tuckerman, obviously named after Tuckerman Ravine.
The only downside I've found with this knife is that there is no blade-lock to keep it closed. Thus if you hang it on something, like your rack. there is some chance it can come open. Certainly not a good thing! Of course if you keep it in your pack as I do, that is a non-issue.
It's not at all fancy, but it doesn't need to be. I like it, I keep it with me when I'm climbing or hiking so it's there when I need it. Highly recommended.
3 7/8-Inch length closed, Non slip G-10 handle
Blade locks open for safety, Removable pocket clip
Al Hospers
December 2010
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