Dive knife recommandations?

[blacknet]

Hello,

Yea just remember dive knive choices is like underwear choices, there's so many on the market you can go insane. Just keep in mind it all depends on what you want and will be doing.

Ed

 

[jobowker]

I have a big old sherwood that stays on my right inside calf. (I'm left handed). Smooth blade on one side, serrated on the other, witha line cutter near the handle. It will soon be augmented by a set of emt shears mounted up high. The idea of having a sharp knife near teh hose of my BC (or anywhere near my BC) doesn't appeal to me. That way I will not only have a backup, but shears are better at some things, and knives are better at others. I don't like small knives or cool looking knives with all metal handles - both are too easy for me to drop to the inky depths, most likely when I really need it. If I were to do it over again, the only thing I'd do different is pick a blunt tip knife instead of a pointy one.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by jobowker
the only thing I'd do different is pick a blunt tip knife instead of a pointy one.

For those without a grinder.... there is always ebay

 

[blacknet]

Hello,

When you do any alterations to knives with a grinder, a drill/dremmel or the like you alter the temperament of the blade and thus compromise its lifespan and usefulness. Now if you have the equipment to re-temper the blade by all means.

Ed

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by blacknet
Hello Ed,

When you do any alterations to knives with a grinder, a drill/dremmel or the like you alter the temperament of the blade and thus compromise its lifespan and usefulness. Now if you have the equipment to re-temper the blade by all means.

Ed

Nah....
Only if you do it wrong....
Sounds like you tried it once and did it wrong....

When you grind a knife don't let it get hot enough to change color....
(that blue color Ed.... that was the hardness going out of your knife)

A good way to keep from getting it too hot is to have a can of water nearby and dunk it every so often...

A good way to know when to dunk it is to hold it with bare fingers on the metal.... trust me you'll know...

The above is only if you care!!!
But if you're going to blunt a knife...
Why would you care if the temper goes out of the blunt end???

Now if you really want to get fancy... take a flat bar of SS and grind a knife out of it in the shape you want.... then heat it up with a torch until it gets red hot (don't hold it with your fingers this time) ... then plunge the red hot blade into water... then take and shine it up with sand paper... and then gently heat it again with the torch and watch it changle color... when it is the color of straw quench it again in the water... now sharpen it!!!

I have a stilleto dive knife that I made that way and it is still razor sharp after years of diving....

But it lives in the garage now.... I just used it today to cut some teflon tape....

My little ss paring knife is much more useful and practical....
Especially after I ground off the pointy end...

 

[blacknet]

Hello,

Again you loose structural integrity of the knife on ANY modifications to the design. Stress fractures, metal fatigue and the like are at an increased risk, not to mention all the special treatment the knife has undergone.

If you do the 1/2 hearted attempt at tempering you have many pitfalls like time, temperature, and material used for temperament. Remember not all temper methods will yield the same results. Plus the chemical treatment used by the manufacture needs to be re-applied. Do yourself and your dive buddy a major favor. Spend the extra $30 for another knife and not attempt this.

You may be viewed as 'cool' and the like but when you trust your life to an object that has been structurally weakened there is nothing 'cool' about it.

Ed

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by blacknet
Hello,
Again you loose structural integrity of the knife on ANY modifications to the design. Stress fractures, metal fatigue and the like are at an increased risk, not to mention all the special treatment the knife has undergone. Ed

You horsin with me here aren't you Ed....
Trolling poor Ole Uncle Pug....

When you heat tempered steel....
(It's called annealing....)
You make it soft not hard....
You make it mallable not brittle....

You may be right about special treatment....
But my little paring knife shows no signs of rust where I ground the pointy end off....
There is a hint of rust further up by the handle....
You don't suppose.....

 

[Bob]

When hunting I wear a stilletto strapped to my left forearm. I always have a smaller knife that is attached to my BC.:tree:Bob

 

[blacknet]

Hello,

No i'm not horsing or trolling here. Serious info for a serious topic. BTW I do not take knives lightly. They are instruments of various wonders

All joking aside it's like a loaf of bread, the outter coating is different than the inside. When you cut the loaf you violate the structural integrity unless you put it back and bake the end again. Even then there will be some changes to the loaf as a whole.

Treatment changes by the manufacture, design and batch (not much change by the batch but it does exist) Many companies keep the materials/temps/times (i.e. chemicals and the like) a company trade secret.

Ed

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by blacknet

All joking aside it's like a loaf of bread, the outter coating is different than the inside. When you cut the loaf you violate the structural integrity unless you put it back and bake the end again. Even then there will be some changes to the loaf as a whole.
Ed

Shoot Ed....
Do you mean to tell me that I ruined by $2.95 paring knife!!!!
I hope it stays razor sharp at least a couple more years...
Before drying out and crumbling like an old loaf of bread...
What have I done.... ;-0