A clean cut

Every sailor should carry a knife. You never know when you’ll need it. This one has a locking blade as well as a variety of other useful additions, but it’s the blade that counts. So long as it locks, it’ll never fold up and slice your fingers instead of the offending rope, so you can hack away with confidence in an emergency. The only problem is, unless you can prove on the balance of probabilities that you have good reason for possession, any locking blade is illegal on the street, even if it’s part of a ‘multi-tool’. If it’s in your pocket rather than locked in the boot of the car, and you’re challenged by the Boys in Blue on your way to the boat, you’ll have to explain yourself.