Disfunctional Dive Knives that Endanger Divers - ScubaMax

[Michael SeaWolf]

First of all, let me recommend that anyone buying a dive knife AVOID ScubaMax knives at all costs - your life may depend on it!

Seriously.

I have had two separate incidents compounded by the flawed plastic release systems (both different models) of ScubaMAx problems - on the first one, I even contacted the company and offered to return the knife so that they could see that the knife itself was stuck due to a flawed release.

They ignored me.

The second incident occurred this last week, while diving in Maui, I got entangled on a dive float line - I reached for a ScubaMax BCD knife, and found that its plastic sheath lock mechanism had failed, and the knife was on the sea floor somewhere. I contacted the company again, and was ignored again.

I am interested in hearing if anyone else had had issues with ScubaMax knives - particularly their retaining systems. Depending on the response, I may consider submitting some formal complaint to a federal consumer protection, since there's definately a chance that, with such poor technology for such an important piece of equipment, a diver might someday die due to the loss or inaccessibility of a ScubaMax knife when they really need one.

Michael

 

[rongoodman]

Try one of these.

 

[Nemrod]

Instead of buying the cheap Chinese crap, here you go, one of the best dive knives ever thought of and it is made in the USA. I have been using mine since about 1980:

TEKNA OCEAN EDGE DIVE KNIFE, TEKNA Products, TEK-OE

You get what you pay for. Some things are real, some things are not. The Tekna is the real deal.

N

 

[ajduplessis]

Should have dumped the knife after the first incident. Some people dont get a second chance and you dodged both events. I would not push your luck any further

 

[Dr. Lecter]

From the Company Overview on ScubaMax's site:

With the start of just a simple idea planned and sketched on paper shipped to Asia for manufacturing, and intricately built and assembled with delicacy, our professional scuba gear provides not only high-quality, professional material…

I would say you should have known better before you got the first one. After that…fool me once, etc.

Trilobites are excellent tools, but might not be ideal for your situation--dive float lines out here tend to be ~1" thick poly-pro, and wouldn't fit into the cutter well if at all. Shears and a good knife are also prudent tools. I like a Folts Minimalist Tanto mounted on on my compass bungee…it's a tiny knife with a very sharp, concave main edge that just destroys thick line. But anything would be better than an $11 Chinese POS.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Nemrod and Dr Lecter, where do you wear your Tekna and how affixed.

While I'm at it, might as well ask where divers are wearing their Trilobites too. I have one and not overly happy with placement.

 

[buddhasummer]

Nemrod and Dr Lecter, where do you wear your Tekna and how affixed.

While I'm at it, might as well ask where divers are wearing their Trilobites too. I have one and not overly happy with placement.

I wear mine on harness waist band, left of buckle. I tried the shoulder mount but didn't like it. I'm small and don't really have enough real estate for it to be comfortably mounted. Waist works well for me. YMMV.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

Nemrod and Dr Lecter, where do you wear your Tekna and how affixed.

While I'm at it, might as well ask where divers are wearing their Trilobites too. I have one and not overly happy with placement.

No Tekna for me. I have a Trilobite on my harness belt, left side, securing all the webbing neatly together; another Trilobite on the straps of my backup Shearwater on my right arm. Shears in sleeve for that purpose on the right front of my Irikonji shorts. Folts Minimalist Tanto, minus the silly rattail braid, on the left arm on the SK7 DSS boot's bungee. BFKs, if needed, go on the inside of my left calf.

 

[buddhasummer]

Not sure where you'd mount one if wearing a BC.

---------- Post added July 13th, 2014 at 03:39 AM ----------

...Trilobite that is...

 

[Dr. Lecter]

Not sure where you'd mount one if wearing a BC.

---------- Post added July 13th, 2014 at 03:39 AM ----------

...Trilobite that is...

Wrist/forearm, either on the bungee of an existing instrument, or just on its own bungee?