Advice on dive knive selection

[BernieL59]

I need a dive knive for an upcoming trip to Cocos and I would like to stay with something small so I can mount it to my BC. Putting a knive on my leg is just something to get caught on etc. and I don't want to look like a an actor in a show from the 50's, Any thoughts or advice on a knive to fit my needs?

Thanks.

 

[jdf]

Wenoka makes a really nice small Squeeze Lock knife. It also comes with a sheath that can attach to your BC with screws or rubber mounts for around a hose. This way it is always on your BC and you don't have to take it on and off your leg. We have Seaquest BCs and the screw mount fits nicely in the grommets. Be sure to get a blunt tip so that you don't poke a hole in your BC (or any other important part including parts of your anatomy!) Also we wish we spent the extra money and got the titanium.

Happy knife hunting,
Janet

 

[bobmaggi]

I always say get the cheapest blunt tip knife you can find because everytime I have an expensive knife it gets lost! Now that I have an inexpensive knife I can't give it away.... and it works just as good as the more expensive varieties.

 

[diversteve]

I second Janet's recommendation. I have the Wenoka "Blackie Collins" Squeeze Lock knife. It has a 3" blade, good handle (I have big hands) and is sharp on both sides with a blunt tip. It also has a 1" corrugated line-cutter.

It's mounted upside down on the outside of a flap that connects the bladder to my jacket. It's easy to reach when needed, yet has never fallen out, the squeeze lock really works well.

btw. I did get the Titanium...I've had it over 5 years now and there's barely any discoloration on the blade.

 

[RonFrank]

It has nothing to do with functionalilty, but rather how cool does a 15" Kife look straped to your leg??

Seriously, if you are sincere about your need for a functional tool, skip the knife, and spend a couple bucks on EMT sheers. I think I paid $15 with shipping for 6 pair on Ebay, and they cut through coins...

I also have a dive Knife. Dispite my common sense, I ended up with a Titanium model. It's not a BCD knife, but straps nicely on my cumberbun on the Ranger BCD. The good news is that I did get a blunt tip model.

 

[WellBelowH2O]

Wenoka makes a really nice small Squeeze Lock knife. It also comes with a sheath that can attach to your BC with screws or rubber mounts for around a hose. This way it is always on your BC and you don't have to take it on and off your leg. We have Seaquest BCs and the screw mount fits nicely in the grommets. Be sure to get a blunt tip so that you don't poke a hole in your BC (or any other important part including parts of your anatomy!) Also we wish we spent the extra money and got the titanium.

Happy knife hunting,
Janet

I'd also recommend the Wenoka... it's a fantastic knife (with the tanto blade), and it was the #1 choice from ScubaDiving.com's 2005 knife reviews, which you can find here.

Leisure pro has it for $34.95 to $36.95 (not including shipping) depending on the color you choose. Here's a link

 

[Stirling]

I also have a Wenoka "Blackie Collins" squeeze lock knife in 304 stainless and a blunt tip. It's a very well designed little knife (the serrated edge is shaped on only one side of the blade, which makes it easier to sharpen); the line cutting notch could be better located a little farther from the hilt (but no big deal); it gives you several options for mounting it with screws on a BC (the holes are spaced to match the SeaQuest BCs at least, and the hardware is included), on a harness strap, with the little straps around the leg (or arm), etc. The locking/release mechanism seems to be very simple and reliable.

I also have a pair of Trident shears and a z-knife, but that may be overkill for most folks.

 

[WellBelowH2O]

the holes are spaced to match the SeaQuest BCs at least, and the hardware is included

Those are the outside holes. There is also a small screw between those holes on the sheath that would lock it onto a belt, for example, that you can remove and replace with the thumb screw. This allows it to have a shorter distance between the screws to fit other BCs. This one fits perfectly on my Oceanic Probe as well, so there is some versatility to BC mounting. When I first bought the knife and saw how far apart the holes were (and that they didn't match the grommets on my BC) I was disappointed until I realized you could use that center hole. Everybody that sees the knife has commented on how much they like it, and how well it positively locks into the sheath.