I have one, I check it often.

In the back of my mind I question it's effectiveness in an emergency.

Suppose it's better to have one. For 15 dollars it's very cheap insurance.

Dave Whettingsteel said...
I do, and I check grabbing it before going out every time.

Any thoughts on how you check it is still sharp etc, without actually cutting your kite away! ?

Maybe need to setup some sort of jig with spare lines to try it on

On somebody else's kite maybe?

got into trouble last week when my kite went down in 7ft surf, got my lines wrapped round my waist- and the kite was pulling me under. If I didn't have anything to kite my lines I probably would have drowned. then it also took me half an hour to swim in. Lesson learnt, hook knives save lives, and never kite alone when the conditions are unforgiving

Dave Whettingsteel said...
I do, and I check grabbing it before going out every time.

Any thoughts on how you check it is still sharp etc, without actually cutting your kite away! ?

Maybe need to setup some sort of jig with spare lines to try it on

You could try stabbing members of Cambridge and Stirling councils [}:)]

would have to be in serious trouble to consider cutting lines.

i have a knife, in my harness, and so far havent needed it.

JBFletch said...
would have to be in serious trouble to consider cutting lines.

I'm prepared to do what I need to do.. If it happens and it's through stupidity of Tommy Teuro then self preservation rules.

If you have ever seen 2 angry tangled kites in 25-30knots dragging riders backwards underwater you will understand my sentiments.

AquaPlow said...
- not sure where I would attach one now (Where do U stash a knife these days? Do you stitch a new pouch on?)- must re-visit this as reckon it is a good idea.

Cheers
AP

I bought a line knife with a wrist strap that came in a pouch. I made a velcro strap for my forearm, and kite with the knife ready to pull out of the pouch already on my wrist (not all sessions, but when I think there is a risk). If its in your harness I reckon you wont be able to get to it in a hurry (if you even still have the harness on), if its flapping around it might cause tangles/inadvertantly cut things.

AquaPlow said...

bumstein said...
I'm not a well seasoned kiter.. So excuse me if this seems silly, but don't all harnesses have a line cutter built in? I thought it must have been standard kit.

(Where do U stash a knife these days? Do you stitch a new pouch on?)- must re-visit this as reckon it is a good idea.

Cheers
AP

I've got an Ion Harness and there is a pocket on the spreader bar, just underneath the hook. The line cutter is neatly tucked in and held by velcro, ready to tug a tab and start cutting..

I also thought most harnesses these days came with line cutters?

I also have the ION harness as above, as well as the ION B2's and both have the line cutter as shown.

My old Mystic harness also had a line cutter tucked into the side of the harness as per the ION.

7tim said...
Out of all the stupid situations I've gotten myself into, I've never thought to myself "hmm, a line cutter would be handy right about now..."

When its wrapped around your neck like the poor bloke kiting at south coranations, I think that it would

I have one and used it once. When a line wrapped around my foot in a 50+ knot squall then I chose to not wait around to see how it ends.

One quick ping with the hook knife and the kite is gone. Once free it depowered and sat safely on the water so I could run up and grab it.

In retrospect I should have just completely released in the first place. The beach was huge and deserted and in the country so there was no risk to people or property downwind.

Nice timing for this topic, I was kiting on Sunday in 30-40knot winds and was getting some pretty decent air, after being out for 15 minutes I thought it was time to get cocky and start throwing down some loops. First attempt I got super high and threw down the loop, I somehow got put out of shape and found myself swinging downwind of the kite, I thought no worries I will chuck in another loop or 2 to fix things up, how wrong I could have been. I then got even more out of shape, came down through my lines and the kite landed after me, it then fully powered up and started death looping, the bar was completely between my legs and the lines were wrapped all around my legs and tightening rapidly whilst getting dragged backwards underwater. I released my IDS line which is similar to a fifth, but nothing released, as the lines were so twisted up around me the kite was still looping and dragging me backwards underwater, fortunately for me the wind eased for a second or two and I managed to ease the bar from between my legs and completely release the kite from my chicken loop and get free of the lines. If the wind had not eased I would have grabbed my knife for sure, haven't had a kitemare like that for years, it was a serious wake up call....

Yep. sure is, I was hungover and forgot for a few seconds where each safety was, it's all well worth practicing, as those few seconds could have turned to sh1t real quick......