Nice knife for diving?

[smellzlikefish]

Regardless of what you're going to use it for and what your budget is, you want the most expensive dive knife on the market. Also, the bigger the knife, the more badass you look. After all, looking fashionable is the whole point of diving. I'd say something around the proportions of a sword would be appropriate.

J/K

In reality I go as small and cheap as possible. It doesn't take a big knife to get most jobs done, but something stout often helps for prying at oysters, rocks, and whatever else you may come across. Plus small knives are easier to carry. Why cheap? Because when you drop it over deep water you'll be less likely to go after it.

 

[Dirty-Dog]

Wenoka squeeze lock, tanto tip mounted on my left weight pocket.
EMT shears, mounted on my left shoulder D ring.
If I need anything more than that, I'll strap a katana to my tank.

 

[TimKy]

If I need anything more than that, I'll strap a katana to my tank.

Damn, you just stole my idea. I was planning on producing a whole series of diving samurai swords. Oh, well...on to the next idea!

 

[fnfalman]

I prefer my dive knives to be extremely sharp and well made. No point in carrying something that can't even cut butter.

I also prefer my dive knives to be made by true knife manufacturers instead of farmed out to who knows what.

Based on the aforementioned criteria, I recommend a good knife (fixed or folding, whatever floats your boat) made out of nitrogen-impregnated steel from either Benchmade or Spyderco. These two knife companies are highly respected for their quality blades.

I especially like the Benchmade rescue tool No. 7. It's like a Z-knife but of higher quality.

 

[HenrikBP]

I'll 2nd or 3rd the Benchmade #7 Rescue Hook and the Spyderco Salt series of folders.

The thumb hole in the Salt folders is big enough to work with gloves. A folder can be tucked in a pocket in areas that normally don't allow knives. And the steel in the Salt knives is *very* rust resistant. I've carried mine for all my salt water dives over the last 4 years - Probably 5 weeks of diving total - with just scant rinsing between dives. No rust, none. I do service the knife when I get home: long soak, let dry and coat with Boeshield T-9.

Not a big fan of the Titanium knives. While reasonably sharp, the edge really isn't impressive, and given the softness of the metal, the edge won't last long either.

Henrik

 

[elmer fudd]

I've had good knives and cheap knives and they both have their place. It's nice to have a knife that you can beat on and not worry about the cost. I've got a cheap S&W SWAT that I carry daily and it's been a great knife for what I use it for. I won't hesitate for a second to use the blade for a screwdriver. I'll cut metal with it, drywall, whatever. It's a general purpose beater knife and it's got more utility to me than a $100+ knife with a much better blade would have. For a dive knife I'm not even looking for that kind of quality. I want something disposable so that when it rusts or gets lost I can replace it for the price of a hamburger. If it's made of 440 stainless I can usually even get a cheap knife to take tolerable edge.

 

[FireInMyBones]

I use a Dive Rite Z-knife on my wrist computer strap and a pair of trauma shears on my waist band. I have a larger generic stainless knife that goes on my waist band when needed (which is rare).

 

[Stu S.]

Look at those "kitchen shears" at the cooking departmant at Wal Mart. They cost $4. They have a lot more leverage and are more robust than the emt shears. These are handy for wreck diving as you can cut monofilament with one hand.

http://www.boscovs.com/StoreFrontWe...pe=Product&assortmentDepartmentNumber=7058612

The best knife material is 420 stainless steel. It is the hardest thing that won't rust a lot. It may rust a little if you you don't keep it rinsed. Tusa makes a 420 knife.

Titanium is great material, but steel is harder.

 

[PullmanSCUBA]

Whew. I thought we were going to go a whole thread about dive knives and not even mention shears.

Personally I carry a Benchmade H2O fixed blade as well as a nice pair of EMT shears and a NRS Co-Pilot knife. I actually got my Benchmade from NRS at a really good price along with my Co-Pilot knife.

On another note you can get EMT shears on e-bay for $10.00 a dozen.

 

[fnfalman]

You can even get EMT shears from countycomm.com that have orange color handles.