Abstract: A folding implement such as a knife having a handle and a blade or tool rotatably connected to the handle by a fixed bearing surface. The handle includes a first scale or side and a second scale or side, wherein a first fixed bearing surface is connected to the first scale and a second fixed bearing surface is connected to the second scale, with the blade or tool positioned between the first scale and second scale and in contact with the bearing surfaces. The bearing surfaces contact an adjacent side surface of the tang of the blade or tool and sweep there across when being moved from a closed position to an open position or vice-versa. The bearing surfaces are fixed in the scales and do not rotate thereby providing a consistently reliable mechanism for reducing operating friction.

Abstract: A knotless connector is formed at the end of a tool to enable a rope or line to be connected thereto without the use of a knot. The knotless connector has an arcuate portion (i.e., a first member), a shank portion (i.e., a second member), and a side retaining portion (i.e., a third member). An eyelet is partially defined by the arcuate portion and a slot is defined between the shank portion and the side retaining portion. The eyelet and the slot both open in the same transverse direction. The tail end of the line may be wrapped around the shank portion and then the main line portion of the line may be passed through the eyelet. Thereafter, the tail end may also be passed through the eyelet to hold the main line portion of the line in place.

Abstract: A knotless connector includes a body that is generally planar, having a top surface and bottom surface oriented generally parallel to one another, and generally planar side surfaces intersecting the top and bottom surfaces at corners. The body may include a slot having an open end and a closed end, and an eyelet positioned adjacent to the slot including a bore and a radial opening providing access to the bore. The tail end of a line may be wrapped around the body to form a wrapped portion of the tail end, and the primary portion of the line may be wrapped over the wrapped portion, through the slot, and through the bore in the eyelet. The corners created by the intersecting surfaces of the body create friction points to help maintain the line on the connector with the use of knots.