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Marlin Spike knives -- Folding Riggers and related Sailing Knives!

Above is my Rough Rider Marlin Spike knife in White Smooth Bone The Scrimshaw work was done by TX Force O'Brien. The scene is the Mermaid of Warsaw. (more on that knife later!)

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I think it is the idea of traveling around the globe is what brings a certain mystique to the sailing knife. When I come across an old sailing knife I try to imagine who might have used it, where they may have gone, what they may have been through. When getting a new one I wonder where it may go, what it might be called upon to do and how other like-minded souls will put it through its paces and test the steel of its blade and spike. The sailing knife just seems to naturally exude adventure and daring unlike that of any other knife.

What is a sailing knife? It is a knife designed for use onboard a boat or ship, especially a sailing vessel; with a primary purpose to cut line, untie knots or any other day to day job while at sea. Most people are familiar with the Marlin Spike knife or the folding riggers but there are several other knives that were made for use on board boats and ships or by people who spend their lives on or around a body of water. The sailing knife goes by several names, some you may have heard, while others may seem obscure.

Most of the modern folding sailing knives, often called a marlin spike knife, can trace their roots back to the British Pattern 6353/1905 clasp knife that was adopted for service use in 1905. This was a large frame (almost 5 inches/ 120 millimeter) knife with a large spear blade, small punch and very intimidating marlin spike. Surprisingly the knife was used by all branches of the British military on land, sea, and later air!

The 6353/1905 pattern knife is itself similar to early rigging knives used in the 19th century. A smaller frame pattern which has become a standard pattern used by many American companies is a variation of this 6353/1905 that was adopted for American Maritime service in 1942. It has changed very little since the adoption. Still other versions were adapted and modified for the civilian market. Over time new steels were introduced and ergonomics and the sailor’s needs further tweaked designs.

Despite the adaptions one thing remains universal with most of the folding marlin spike knives; the familiar Z pattern the knife make when the main blade and marlin spike are moved to the half open position. And while some companies continue to churn out the tried and true traditional patterns, other companies do nothing but try to perfect the perfect sailing knife!

Let’s see some sailing knives! It doesn’t matter if they are folding or fixed, with or without the Marlin Spike. If you have a knife that was made for use at sea, show it off!

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on April 18, 2015 at 21:41

Below is my W&SB pattern No. 317 Three Piece Clasp Knife. The 317 pattern was designed to replace the 6353/1905 pattern in British military service.

The New pattern knives developed in the the 1930s were shorter, typically measuring around 4 inches in length, depending on the manufacturer, with 3 3/4 inches being the norm. This knife is known as the Pattern 317 and was accepted by the British Admiralty perhaps as early as 1933 but more likely in 1939. It consists of a frame with a sheepfoot blade, split blade can opener and Marlin spike. It also features a flat head screwdriver integrated into the head of the knife.

The pattern was approved for service by the UK Ministry of Defense in time for WWII and was pressed into service with numerous UK cutlery companies making the knives. Different companies often applied their own pattern number to the knife and as the companies were all tooled differently the length and other minor details vary slightly from company to company. Those marked with a WD or an Arrow head were made to fulfill a Military contract, however thousands were made for use by the Military and bear no such mark.

Several were also made with no distinguishing marks at all and dropped into occupied Europe for use by underground forces. The pattern remained in active use with the British military until 1952 when stainless steel knives became standard issue.

My particular knife shows a long life of heavy use but very little abuse. The knife still walks and talks as good as one straight out of the factory. The tang marks appear on the split blade and have been rubbed down a bit but are still visible. All the blades open and close with a positive, strong snap.

That funky looking blade is a can opener, also called a tin cutter. Later models incorporate and cap lifter into the same blade.

Despite 70+ years of heavy use, possibly some it during war time, the quality and workmanship of this war time produced, government issued knife still shines through. So much for the myth of government issued knives being poor quality! Everything is solid as a rock with excellent fit and finish, a good snap on all blades, extremely tight springs and no blade wobble! It is hard to imagine a blade like this being made while England was being blitzed!

Blades are carbon steel but show absolutely no rust, just a good patina. The British switched to Stainless Steel clasp knives in 1952. (However the older knives were still in use well into the 1960s!)

Tang stamp with the date (1943) and Arrow (Ministry of Defense) Barely visible under W & S.B. is Sheffield At the top is the screwdriver head which is an integral part of the very thick center liner

Specification:

Pattern: Pattern 317, Three Piece Clasp Knife

Manufacturer: W &S B (William & Samuel Butcher)

Country: Great Britain (Sheffield, England)

Closed Length: 3 ¾ inches

Blades: 3

1) Sheepfoot: 2 ½ inches

2) Marlin Spike: 2 ¾ inches

3) Split Blade can opener: 2 ½ inches long (5/8 inch internal cut)

Blade: Carbon steel (MoD Standard)

Handle: Bakelite

Shield: none

Pins: Carbon steel

Lining: Carbon steel

Bail: Carbon Steel

Bolsters: None (molded) w/ bird's eye rivets.

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on April 19, 2015 at 11:14

How is the fit and finish on the one with the wood scales? I have the one with the delrin scales. It's a good strong functional knife but the finish could be better. The rivets are raised and bit rough as the come through the scales. And the blades could be polished better! But definitely a strong solid user!

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on April 20, 2015 at 13:50

Myerchin versus Fury

I also promised a comparison of the Myerchin P300 Sailor’s Tool and the Fury #32206 spike knife. Overall, I feel both are worth the price you will pay!

First let me point out that the Myerchin is the original. From what I’ve read, it was designed by John Myerchin. The unique “sheepshead” blade is short by design and was for easy opening a quick cutting. This is one of only a few Myerchin knives made in China, however the quality control is similar to that of their knives made in Japan. The steel used is 440C Stainless steel. The serrated blade was chosen so that short blade could make quick work of synthetic lines and other materials.

The liner locking spike acts as the lever for the pliers. The pliers were deemed more useful than a shackle key for loosening tight shackles. I find the pliers a little tricky to grip so they wouldn’t be my first choice but I have used them and they do work. I’m not sure I would want to rely on them on a rolling deck or in a high stress environment!

As I’ve mentioned early, I like the curve of the spike. Again, I think the shape of the spike has a lot to do with personal preference. It works for me but I can see how others might hate it.

Now for the overall comparison.

(Myerchin top and Fury Bottom)

Both knives are 5.5 inches long in the closed position so they would be a pocket full. Both knives employ liner locks to hold the blade and spike in the open position. These locks also provide the friction that keeps the blade and spike closed. If you shake the knives quite a bit the spike will come up out a bit. It will come out more on the Fury. My advice would be to wear it in a sheath. My Myerchin came with a sheath, the Fury did not. Also the belt clip on the Myerchin makes it so the spike tip is pointing downward when clipped on a belt or in a pocket which reduces the chances of the spike jiggling open. However, I don’t think I’d trust either knife to lanyard worn around the neck. The last thing you need is a spike in your gut when jiggles part way open! If I were Myerchin I’d add some type of slide lock for both the blade and the spike and come out with second generation Sailor’s Tool! I’d pay an extra five or ten dollars for a safety lock!

( The back side of both knives. The Myerchin has a handy pocket clip. )

The action on the Myerchin is much smoother, yet also tighter than it is on the Fury. However, if you want to play Joe Cool and be able to flick the blade more easily, the Fury will flick out quicker. Simply put, the tolerances on the Fury are looser and this is why you can flick the blade or spike more easily. At the same time, the more you flick that Fury, the looser things get! The Myerchin on the other hand, seems to maintain its smooth opening and doesn’t seem to loosen up like the Fury does. This is where the quality of the build shows through!

On thing that is very noticeable is the liner locks. The Myerchin centers itself on the blade where as the Fury shoots all the way across and snags the blade at the edge. I've found this a problem on some liner locks. Occasionally the liner gets in the groove and it becomes extremely hard to relase the blade. This has not happened with the Fury as of yet but I can see it becoming a one eventually.

( The liner locks: Note that the Myerchin <left> is cnetered while the Fury <right> drifts to the far side of the blade. )

Another noticeable difference in quality is the overall finish of the Myerchin. Regardless if you buy the Silver, or the anodized red or blue scales, they just look much better than the flat black scales of the Fury. Even the texturing of the aluminum looks and feels better and more polished. The polishing of the Steel on the Myerchin is also head and shoulders above that of the Fury. I agree that, with use, the Myerchin will lose some it of its shine, but it so far it has not lost much of it and it will keep it longer than the Fury.

In the end, you’ll pay two or three times more for the Myerchin, but it is going to last at least that much longer and will hold up better to hard use . Plus it has a belt clip and a sheath. However, if you have a tendency to lose knives or if you really want be able to flick that blade out really, really quickly, or if you just like “black” then spend less and go with the Fury.

I’m really happy with both knives. Both were bought for me as birthday presents and I’ve played around with both of them on a variety materials (cardboard, nylon rope, cotton rope, heavy canvas, etc.) Both cut well. I’ve also did some poking around with spike and found them both easier for me to use than straight spikes. However, as I said earlier, the pliers, while they work, do take getting used to and would not be my go to first choice!

Myerchin with Mildew Resistant Nylon Sheath

The Fury does not have a sheath!

Permalink Reply by Syd Carr on April 20, 2015 at 14:03

Thanks for the review Tobias, I was looking at the Fury, and wondered about the pliers. Thanks to you now I know what to expect. Good job, cheers!!

Permalink Reply by Bryan OShaughnessy on April 20, 2015 at 22:27

It is astonishing that the two knives look so identical. The first two photos,I thought I was looking at two color choices of the same knife. Is it possible that the same manufacturer makes both knives, but perhaps finishes the Meyerchin further? Being Chinese made, it's entirely possible that the manufacturer simply "over-runs" the order and sells them to a third party at a discount price. (The city of Schenzen, China, makes about 70% of the world's bicycle production; there are probably more than one of any different model.)

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on April 21, 2015 at 7:25

Bryan, Fury is owned by Joy Enterprises. Myerchin is owned by Myerchin. Fury company is notorious for making knock-off of popular knives.

As for the Factory in China, I would bet even money the knives are made in the exact some company. What makes the difference is the quality control that is exercised by the parent companies (Fury vs. Myerchin, in this case) I would bet a dime to a donut that both knives are made by Guangdong Victory Industrial Ltd located in Yangjiang, China. It is my understanding this is where the bulk of China's Global Knife production takes place.

The real question is does Joy Enterprises pay royalties to Myerchin as I think there might be some trademark/patent infringements otherwise. That said, Fury does make some decent knives, including some Made in USA production. Joy Enterprise also owns Muela, a knife company in Spain.

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on April 21, 2015 at 19:17

I am willing to bet that donut you are right and there is no royalties going on LOL
Tobias Gibson said:

Bryan, Fury is owned by Joy Enterprises. Myerchin is owned by Myerchin. Fury company is notorious for making knock-off of popular knives.

As for the Factory in China, I would bet even money the knives are made in the exact some company. What makes the difference is the quality control that is exercised by the parent companies (Fury vs. Myerchin, in this case) I would bet a dime to a donut that both knives are made by Guangdong Victory Industrial Ltd located in Yangjiang, China. It is my understanding this is where the bulk of China's Global Knife production takes place.

The real question is does Joy Enterprises pay royalties to Myerchin as I think there might be some trademark/patent infringements otherwise. That said, Fury does make some decent knives, including some Made in USA production. Joy Enterprise also owns Muela, a knife company in Spain.

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on April 22, 2015 at 20:57

This little knife below is another one of my World War II veterans. It is a Number 40 General Utility knife commonly called Navy Jack Knife. It was issued to member of the Navy and Coast Guard as well as sold in the ship's stores. The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard began issuing the knife soon after the turn of the 19th/20th century. The pattern was also known in the civilian market as an E-Z out Jack Knife. The Navy and Coast guard issed two versions versions. both had a spear master blade. However the secondary blades either a pen blade or small nail file/cuticle blade.

This particular No. 40 was made by Camillus. As you can see the small pen blade has been modified Somewhere along the way, the pen blade was turned into a coping blade. From what I can tell, from the file marks it seems to have been cut and not broken. Of course the tip may have broke and then been touched up with a file. The world will never know because I didn't bother to ask how the blade became that way when I bought it.

In any case the knife has nice bone handles with steel liners and pins. These features along with the 4 line Camillus tang stamp are good signs it was a war time production. Knife makers had to stop using brass in knife production during the war years as it was considered an essential to munitions production. The knives made between 1942 and 1944 feature steel liners, pins, bolsters and bales which played havoc on Navy Jacks due the South Pacific environment! The bone handles suggest the knife was made in the early war years as later knives were made with a jigged composite material.

To me, the little No. 40 Navy Jack is reminder that not all sailing knives have a sheepfoot blade and a marlinspike.

When i bought this knife it came with an attached lanyard. I had planned on removing until I realized it was tied to the bail but actually attached with a eye-splice. The original owner knew a thing or two about rope work! I decided not to remove the lanyard as it is really a part of the knife's history

The modified pen - now coping - blade. Beside the main cut, there are small file marks on the blade near the tip. The tip has also been rounded smooth with either a grinder or file. As I said, the current profile seems intentional. No way to kniw why, however. The owner may have just re profiled a blade that broke.

Specifications:

Pattern: no. 40
Manufacturer: Camillus
Country: USA
Closed Length: 3 1/8 in (80 mm)
.Blades:2
1) 2 1/4 in. spear point
2) pen blade (now coping*)
Blade Steel: 1095 Carbon Steel
Handle: Brown jigged bone
Shield: None,
Pins: Steel
Lining: Steel
Bail: Steel
Bolsters: Steel

Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on April 22, 2015 at 21:15

If only it could talk.

Permalink Reply by Bryan OShaughnessy on April 22, 2015 at 22:07

I have a question: The lanyard is spliced to secure it to the bail,, but the free end is...well, free. How would it be secured to the holder's wrist?

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on April 23, 2015 at 20:37

Bryan, I've been wondering about that ever since I got the knife. The end of the lanyard has a a metal cap. I mena it would be easy enough to tie a bowline in it but why didn't the original owner do an eye splice for his wrist? As JJ said, if only it could talk!

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on April 23, 2015 at 21:39

Below is my Myerchin 377 Second Generation Crew knife in Bubinga Wood The Second Gen Myerchins no longer use the bail lock the blades, opting instead for liner locks similar to those used on P300 Sailor Tool. The good news is the blade and spike can be opened and closed with one hand! This is major step forward to having to use two hands to open and close all the blades. The knife comes with a mildew resistant nylon sheath and also has a belt clip. Bubinga wood has been used on sailing knives for some time as it an dense oily wood that sheds water and is also mildew resistant. The steel used is Stainless German Marine steel that is said to be similar in strength, toughness and hardness to 440c but more rust resistant. My best guess is they are talking about ThyssenKrupp 4116 Stainless. A lot of people in Balde forums were doing their "I hate Chinese Steel talk"without really knowing anything about the steel. Cold Steel has used it to great effect.

The W377p compared to the W100 Fixed Blade. The two make an elegant pair, one being the primary and the other a back up or small chore knife.

As riggers go it is a small knife, just 3 5/8 inches closed (the length of a canoe). Despite this, it feels good in the hand. Opening the spike one hand takes some practice but the blade can be pinched open or with a little practice flicked open using the shackle key cut out. The pinch and flick is much easier on the small knife!

The Myerchin compared to a Camillus Rigger and the Davis 3 inch Yachtsman. The Myerchin is beefier than both yet shorter than the Camillus. Only the Myerchin can be opened one handed and only the Myerchin has a locking blade! (Not to mention a usable shackle Key!)

the serrated blade measure 2.5 inches. the spike comes in at 2.25 inches. According the experts, the srrated blade is suppose to be ideal for synthetic lines. Myerchin spikes are not incredibly sharp. The rounded point is tp prevent the spike from cutting fibers and weakening the line.another view, showing the whale etch on the blade. Note the screw used to hold it all together. I'm not sure if this is so you can tighten it up if it gets lose or not. So far it is as tight as the day I bough it.

One complaint was the size of the bail. Apparently someone said it was too small to attach an lanyard! He also said it was paperclip thin. Apparently the person is using the wrong size lanyard and must buy some of the strongest paper clips known to mankind. Unless you plan on twisting it out with a pair of pliers, the bail is going nowhere! and my Spongebob Squarepants lanyard fits just fine

and let's face it that is one big lanyard!