Dive Knife

[eriadoc]

Anyone have any recommendations for a dive knife? I'm eying the Benchmade one that's made from their X15 steel, but I'm not sure I'm willing to drop $100 on a dive knife. Spyderco makes an H1 stainless dive knife, but I really don't care for their knives. I don't know too much about the titanium ones, but if they get up to $100 or more, I'd rather have the Benchmade. Just looking for any insight or experience y'all might have. Thanks.

 

[texasislandboy]

well good thing about a dive knife is they dont have to be sharp and the titanium ones are the way to go

 

[robin303]

I have one that I never used. It is a U.S. Divers. Been sitting around about 20 years.
View attachment 6469

I'll let it go and I'm a knife nut.

 

[Rum Runner]

For me, you first need to decide where and how you will carry it and if you will carry more than one. That will determine the size/style/etc. As crazy as it may sound, my favorite place has been strapped to the back of my gauge/computer cluster. You instinctively always know where it is because you use it all the time. Second most important is how the knife is retained. Important to make sure you don't lose it and you can easily get it out when needed. Can't tell you how many dives I have seen someone come back and their knife is gone. This will further reduce your selection. After that, just make sure its a quality stainless steel or titanium. Other features that are nice are a line cutting slot and metal on the hilt to use to bang your tank to get attention under water. (I use a "tank banger" but the knife is a good backup).

Brand/etc. is much less important IMO.

 

[Buckles]

ive got a Benchmade 100SH2O and i love it. its a partially serrated blade made of X15.TN steel and has a kydex sheath. They dont make them anymore but you might be able to find one somewhere

 

[eriadoc]

ive got a Benchmade 100SH2O and i love it. its a partially serrated blade made of X15.TN steel and has a kydex sheath. They dont make them anymore but you might be able to find one somewhere

I think that is the Benchmade I was looking at. I found it for $100. I can't remember if it was blunt tip, which is what I'd like.

For me, you first need to decide where and how you will carry it and if you will carry more than one. That will determine the size/style/etc. As crazy as it may sound, my favorite place has been strapped to the back of my gauge/computer cluster. You instinctively always know where it is because you use it all the time. Second most important is how the knife is retained. Important to make sure you don't lose it and you can easily get it out when needed. Can't tell you how many dives I have seen someone come back and their knife is gone. This will further reduce your selection. After that, just make sure its a quality stainless steel or titanium. Other features that are nice are a line cutting slot and metal on the hilt to use to bang your tank to get attention under water. (I use a "tank banger" but the knife is a good backup).

Brand/etc. is much less important IMO.

I want one to attach to my PDF while kayaking, and I'd like it to be a blunt tip. That and the corrosion resistance (since I'm always on saltwater) led me to looking at dive knives.

 

[Rum Runner]

I see. Well you can disregard my comments about utility functions like a line cutter and tank banger! LOL.

 

[Buckles]

I think that is the Benchmade I was looking at. I found it for $100. I can't remember if it was blunt tip, which is what I'd like.



I want one to attach to my PDF while kayaking, and I'd like it to be a blunt tip. That and the corrosion resistance (since I'm always on saltwater) led me to looking at dive knives.

its not blunt, but it is a sheepsfoot blade. The point kinda tapers down. not something you could really stab with. The kydex sheath also has a PDF attachment on it.

 

[Mikewood]

I would buy a dive knife from a dive knife making company and leave the land knives to the land folks.
U.S. Divers makes great dive knives of just grab one from your local dive shop. You might also look at a ceramic knife from a kitchen supply store.

 

[Buckles]

I would buy a dive knife from a dive knife making company and leave the land knives to the land folks.
U.S. Divers makes great dive knives of just grab one from your local dive shop. You might also look at a ceramic knife from a kitchen supply store.

If a company makes a dive knife, wouldnt that make it a dive knife making company?

There is nothing wrong with benchmades dive knives. They are top notch.

 

[Skyjunky]

What kind of diving do you do? Just take a SS steak knife. Cut the blade in half and put it in a sheath on your web belt.

 

[codygjohnson]

I'm using a Gerber River Shorty:

It's 6" overall with a 3" blade. Half serrated and comes with a sharp or blunt tip. It was designed to attach to the lash tab on your PFD or a belt, and it stays where it's put! Mines pretty beat up, but I still carry it on most of my outdoor adventures. It's been up a couple of mountains and for weeks in the desert during the rainy season. It's light, tough and cheap. I've really got nothing bad to say about it. It's stainless so it won't hold an edge like high end knives will, but that's what you are going to get with a stainless blade.

 

[ROGER4314]

The biggest threat to a diver is nylon rope and monofilament line that could trap or entangle. When I first began to SCUBA, a recovery diver in Tulsa went out to get the body of a para-sailor who drowned in the lake west of the city. He became entangled in the shroud lines and drowned with the victim. It was just a short dive so he left his knife aboard the boat. I never forgot that and always used very sharp knives with serrated blades and sewed the sheath onto my BC waist band. That way, if the BC went swimming, the knife went with me. The knife should have a lanyard so you can attach it to your wrist before drawing it from the sheath. If you drop the knife, you're done.

Later, when I got into canoes and Jet Skis, I always had a knife sewn to my PFD. Our waters are loaded with line and rope and you need a way to cut yourself free.

Flash

 

[eriadoc]

The biggest threat to a diver is nylon rope and monofilament line that could trap or entangle. When I first began to SCUBA, a recovery diver in Tulsa went out to get the body of a para-sailor who drowned in the lake west of the city. He became entangled in the shroud lines and drowned with the victim. It was just a short dive so he left his knife aboard the boat. I never forgot that and always used very sharp knives with serrated blades and sewed the sheath onto my BC waist band. That way, if the BC went swimming, the knife went with me. The knife should have a lanyard so you can attach it to your wrist before drawing it from the sheath. If you drop the knife, you're done.

Later, when I got into canoes and Jet Skis, I always had a knife sewn to my PFD. Our waters are loaded with line and rope and you need a way to cut yourself free.

Flash

This is my line of thought. When I turtle my kayak, I don't want to find myself entangled in some line in the water.

I was just looking at the River Shorty yesterday. I think I'll probably go that route for now. It's pretty inexpensive, so I won't be heartbroken if I lose it, plus it'll give me a better idea of just how important the corrosion resistance is for my usage.

 

[Flashcb]

You might also think about carrying a pair of 'Trauma' or 'Paramedic shears' img/http://www.amazon.com/Trauma-Shears-RESCUE-TRAUMA-SHEARS/dp/B000FOOVM4/img
carry a pair with my BC and my PFD's. great for line cutting, and can cut a penny to show off.

 

[Huntindoc]

I have used a Gerber shorty, blunt tip, for years while diving. Attached it with it's belt clip to my bc air line keeper. For me, the blunt tip is better. Can use for prying and won't punch a hole in anything. I keep the blade super sharp though. I also put a couple of coats of Turtle Wax on it before I first used it and every year or so when servicing my equipt. Have never had a spot of rust.

 

[ROGER4314]

Please don't forget about that wrist lanyard. It really doesn't need to be fancy. I used 1/4" nylon parachute cord and just tied about an 8" diameter loop through the handle. I never drew the knife without sticking my hand through the loop of the lanyard first. Little tricks like that could save your life and you just never know!

I was diving off Andros Island in the Bahamas in what they call a "Blue Hole." We were at 105 feet and I had a buddy I really didn't know. We were single divers and we just paired up for that dive. I was always very careful with my air underwater but that guy huffed his tank bone dry! Every breath you take at 100 feet is 4 times the volume of what you breathe at sea level. You can suck a tank empty in a hurry and he did!

He came up to me with eyes as big as saucers in full blown panic and made the signs "I'm out of air and want to buddy breathe!" SH-T! At 105 feet that's a death sentence for a guy who lost his cool! I had an octopus (spare regulator) but the way he was huffing air, I didn't have enough air to get both of us to the surface properly, either.

I looked at his equipment and saw that he had an old "J" valve on his steel tank. Maybe that was a good design once but when you get to the bottom of the main air supply, it just goes dead.....no air. A properly trained diver reached back, pulled the valve handle and made an assent on the reserve air. My buddy wasn't into that program!

I learned how to dive in the 60's with a "J" (reserve) valve but most folks didn't even know what they were 30 years later. There was no handle on the "J" valve so I spun him around and worked the valve manually, that got him a small reserve of air, calmed him down and I tapped for the DiveMaster who wore twin tanks. The knife I wore sewn to my BC waist was what I tapped the DiveMaster with. The Divemaster took him to the surface. That little bit of old, obsolete information helped save that guy's life. The knife helped, too. You just never know...........

Flash

 

[greenbeetle]

Mission makes the best dive knives around. Titanium. Expensive. I think SOG is making some titanium knives now too.

It is probably cheaper to get a $30 neck knife from Cold Steel and replace it as often as needed as opposed to spending $300-$500 on a titanium knife. Depends how often you're going to use it. Titanium doesn't hold an edge very well either...