Safely removing arrows from wood without a knife!

[sweetpea]

my partner and i use a divers knife, they appear to be made more robustly [just like me really]....he shoots compound/recurve as well but i haven't managed to get him onto aiuk yet. i'll keep trying honest.

[English Bowman]

A decent Marlin Spike works for me

[Cyril Darling]

I just thought I'd mention that this advice flys in the face of everything my father and both my grandfathers taught me (all of them were carpenters).

I know what my dad would say... "The scewdriver is the most dangerous tool in the workshop", "Only ever use a tool for what it was designed for", and "keep cutting tools as sharp as possible at all times".

I'd prefer stout bladed knife -- at least you know it's dangerous so you are likely to take more care with it, you can keep it sharp so that if you do have an accident you get a good clean cut that will heal quickly, and it comes with it's own sheath so it can be safely stored.

[wingate_52]

All the longbowmen at my club carry stout sheath knives for just this purpose. All have a ground down blade as the poit has snapped off.

We don't quite have the same silly restrictions on the carriage of knives here yet, but as always, our Governments are working on it.

In the interim I carry a Bowie knife tha I made myself out of really tough steel. It's 18 inches long, 2 inches wide and weighs 3.5 lbs. It's a real "That's not a knife - THIS is a knife" knife. Levers arrows out of timber in no time at all.

[Cyril Darling]

I really think you might have a job explaining that to the typical british bobby.

This knike has taken my fancy:-
http://www.nordicarts.com/large_pic_...ndo/ka3505.htm

Luckily, we don't have to explain anything to London bobbys. We haven't quite become a nanny state yet, although all the evidence points to the fact that we may go down your path.

My knife is definitely not concealable and was never designed to be. It looks threatening but that's purely an emotive reaction. It's strictly utilitarian. It is strong enough to lever wood apart without damage to the blade, it is sharp enough to shave with and therefore is genuinely useful for a range of tasks and if necessary, I can use it as a machete if I need to clear some of the shrub around our grounds when junior members have overshoots.

I like the knife you showed but it's a bit small for my tastes. Lovely workmanship though.

[Cyril Darling]

I don't think the law says anything about knifes being concealed. As a kid I was stopped and searched and had a knife confiscated, but but got it back when my dad told them it was for my weekend job.

I think they are probably stricter now days, and the law has changed -- I think that you aren't allowed a blade more than 3.5".

...If I wanted to stab somebody, then I would want a 7" blade. But I can't think of any reason why I would want to stab anybody, and can't really think why I would want a blade longer than 3.5", except for clearing vegitation... and I think I still have a billhook out in the shed which is perfect for the job.

The nanny state, in respect to knives isn't really a problem. You can have any kind of knife you want as long as you leave it at home, and if you leave home with a knife, the knifes you are allowed are suitable for most purposes.

...as for the billhook, I could drive around with it in my car forever and a day without getting stopped and searched by the police (at my age), and as I have a reasonable excuse for having it, I'm okay.

As I said, my knife serves a variety of purposes and therefore I only need one.

I keep it in my bow bag as I don't enjoy lugging the thing around just for show - too damned heavy. But I can do everything from digging out fine splinters with it, to choping down small tres and then use the pommel end for a hammer if needs be. It's very solid and I made it that way purposely.

I won't get into a discussion about the futility of trying to prevent things that can be used as a lethal weapon (I could kill you with a lead penicl if I chose but why would I want to?) from being carried. I really do wish the authorities would concentrate more on the reasons why people go off the rails rather than trying to control inanimate objects.

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by Cyril Darling

I think they are probably stricter now days, and the law has changed -- I think that you aren't allowed a blade more than 3.5".

I think that has been mentioned elsewhere, but I feel this needs clarifying; under existing UK law you are allowed to carry without reason a non-locking folding knife with a blade length of 3 inches or less (except under certain circumstances like educational grounds).

If you have a good and valid reason (i.e. more than 'just in case') you are allowed to carry what the hell you like as long as it has not been made specifically illegal (i.e. switch blades, flick knives, balisongs, etc.).

If anybody wants further information I heavily suggest they head on over to British - Blades; Blades, Britain & the Law..., and if you like knives or any other sharp stuff fel free to wander round the rest of the site.