GUBoye368
Knifemaker David Boye knows the importance of having a good knife at the ready; his father lost his leg to a tangled towline on San Francisco Bay. So I have little doubt that, in a pinch, the Boye Pointed-Tip Folder I’ve been carrying around would have no trouble chewing through a line.
But there’s more to like about the Boye than its serrations. For one, the blade is made from Dendritic Cobalt, which means it holds an edge and won’t rust. In fact, every part of the knife is resistant to rust. I’ve been using mine in salt water all summer, and I’ve purposely neglected to give it a freshwater rinse. So far, so good. No rust.
Although the optional sheepsfoot blade is probably safer for use on the water, I prefer the pointed-tip blade. Sure, I’m more likely to inflict bodily harm upon myself—that’s an ever-present threat for me—but the pointed tip offers a little more versatilty than its blunted counterpart. Just yesterday, here at J/22 North Americans in Buffalo, I used the Boye’s pointed tip to nip off some zip ties on our trailer. Not sure the sheepsfoot would have been able to sneak into that tight space. I also appreciate the fact that the knife’s serrations don’t run the entire length of the blade. There’s an ample section of smooth blade to handle your more generic cutting needs.
The knife I’m testing came fitted with a marlinspike, which, deployed, rests perpendicular to the handle, an ergonomic setup that has made the tricky tasks I’ve tackled—wiggling through tightly bound knots, feeding whipping twine through a mooring line—a little less tricky.
The Boye Pointed-Tip Folder has a number of features you’ll find in other quality rigging knives (such as the Spyderco I tested a few years back): a pocket clip and lanyard shackle; a folding blade that opens with just one hand; and a bright yellow color that makes it easy to find in the recesses of your gear bag.
Simply put, the Boye Pointed-Tip Folder has everything I’d ever want in a sailing knife. Great product!
$118-$148, www.boyeknives.com
