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If I wanted a big knife for dual duty, I'd get a Ka-Bar. That SOG knife costs more than my BP/W!
A Ka-bar is crap for sea duty. BTDT.
Even though they're popular, I always seemed to break them in the field. Most popular place was where the blade narrowed at the hilt to fit in the handle. Even bent a few blades. Not to mention just how rust happy they are. Even though I take care of my gear, those times came up when it got dove hard and put up wet. A Ka-Bar wouldn't have liked that at all.
Took to carrying an Applegate-Fairbairn fighting knife. For nice camping I picked up a SOG Bowie 2.0 which is a great field knife in my opinion.
I almost picked up the SEAL Pup Elite for diving, but the Mission MPK came to me free, and since it's titanium and won't corrode...it's fine for me now!
When I was younger and did a good bit more of survival camping, I used to carry the USN Mark 3 standard issue knife. I bought it for the cool factor and later found out it was worthless. Tip of the handle broke and I was using the blunt end (which had a solid metal cap) to hammer a stake into the ground.
That is really neither here nor there, just throwing that out there for anyone who may consider this knife as an option. The mention of the Ka-Bar made me remember it.
I agree with you on the shears. Generally I think they are much more versatile than a knife and I carry one on my left shoulder D-rink. Most of my diving is solo so I like having the redundancy of a fixed blade as well.
Thanks for the comments. I think I will go with the SOG Seal Pup as it seems to be fairly strong plus comes with a lifetime warranty against damage.
Sog ain't what it used to be, they are all made in China now and the quality has plumeted in the last ten years or so. By the way they are definitly NOT warranted against damage. They are warranted against manufacturers defect and that is about it nad I can tell you from experience that their customer service blows. Here is a link to their warranty:
These are knives that tout there connection to Navy SEALs and such but it is non-existant. Back in the early 1990's they submitted one of their models for use by the SEALs but it was never issued. Back at that time some of their models were decent for production knives but what they sell now is a shadow of the old models.
SOG makes great knives, I carry one daily! If I could afford one, I'd definitely take a Strider over anything else. I know quite a few guys in Iraq/Afghanistan, both working contracts and miliatry, and they use their Striders daily. You can literally pry a car door open with them. The downfall,l $400 a piece.
Striders are nice and tough. I like their folding knives but not so much their fixed blades. I prefer this Sibert Argonaut to Striders fixed blades. I use this Strider SMF folder when I camp, hunt or go into the wilderness.
I used to own some of the better SOGs but I won't buy their stuff any more.
Given that most people aren't concerned with underwater warfare, I fail to see the point of any of these knives. A couple of well designed folding knives carefully located on your body is all that I could even imagine needing, and in fact I have never ever needed a knife underwater, and only once have I used shears. If you want something to be able to use as a lever (why?) carry a titanium crowbar.
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No longer running a dive centre in San Pedro, but still teaching ad-hoc.
Given that most people aren't concerned with underwater warfare, I fail to see the point of any of these knives. A couple of well designed folding knives carefully located on your body is all that I could even imagine needing, and in fact I have never ever needed a knife underwater, and only once have I used shears. If you want something to be able to use as a lever (why?) carry a titanium crowbar.
Um, How's that song go?
"...Cause the chicks dig it!"
Besides...if you don't see the point of any of these, then don't buy or carry one.
Not everyone is the same you know...To each their own!
Actually, I've only ever once seen anyone tangled up underwater, and that was when mono-filament caught round the handle of the enormous knife he had strapped to his leg. Because of the line, he couldn't reach down to pull the knife out and had to have someone else help him! He ditched the knife after that dive. I owned one myself but I gave it away when I realised I'd never wear it again.
I've twice been caught in mono-filament. Once on a deep trimix dive it tangled round a buckle on my Mares fins. I didn't cut it, but simply took off my fin, unwrapped the line, and floated away before I put the fin back on. My buddy was nowhere to be seen! The second time it caught round a first stage when I was entering a wreck, and I had to take the rig off and use the shears to get the line off. Luckily both times I could see.
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No longer running a dive centre in San Pedro, but still teaching ad-hoc.
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