Any experiences with this knife?

[fjpatrum]

I'm looking to get my gear in order and I found this knife:

Google

If the link doesn't work it's a Boker 02BO300 "Cop Tool".

I've noticed many of the dive knives have 304 Stainless Steel and this is 440. I'm not sure of the difference but I'm wondering if that might be a reason not to get this knife.

Anyone have experience with this thing, or any reasons I should or shouldn't buy it?

JoeyP

 

[fnfalman]

Don't know about that particular tool but Boker is a respectable mass produced knife company.

As far as 304 versus 440 stainless goes, if you wash your knife along with the rest of the gears after every dive and give it a squirt of WD-40, you will never know the difference.

I've seen 304 rusted, 316 rusted, 440 rusted out of neglect. If you don't take care of your knife, it will deteriorate just like everything else.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I like the looks of that. A little expensive for a dive knife for me ( Dalton Safety knife or dollar store steak knives and emt shears for me). One site I saw it on mentioned a thermoplastic sheath the other looked like a leather one. My only concern would be the sheath. Secure under water? would not want to lose a $60 knife. Other than that with decent care should be fine. Sharpening stainless can be a pain depending on the grade but I think 440 is not too bad.

Check this link for price comparisons. Everywhere from 28 bucks to 50. for the same item

http://www.thefind.com/sports/browse-boker-plus-cop-tool

 

[fjpatrum]

Thanks for the input, and for the price comparison link.

JoeyP

 

[fnfalman]

I beg to differ with Jim's opinions on a dive cutting instrument's cost.

How much money is already on your body by the time you submerge? A $60 cutting instrument is nothing if it's a quality piece. I want my knives to cut through lines like butter and that's why I have a Spyderco with me and not some Scubapro/UK/Aqualung/Fogcutter/Aeris/cut-down steak knife junk. And yes, I also have an EMT shear.

 

[fjpatrum]

Thanks again for the input. I have some EMT shears I'll be putting in/on my BC soon, but I'm a firm believer in redundancy. I like the cost aspect of an old steak knife that is blunted, but I've seen too many of them rust with just dish water so I wanted something well made and with a little versatility. I still haven't decided on a fixed blade, a folder, or a z-blade style "line cutter" but having different opinions from experienced divers is good.

JoeyP

 

[fnfalman]

Thanks again for the input. I have some EMT shears I'll be putting in/on my BC soon, but I'm a firm believer in redundancy. I like the cost aspect of an old steak knife that is blunted, but I've seen too many of them rust with just dish water so I wanted something well made and with a little versatility. I still haven't decided on a fixed blade, a folder, or a z-blade style "line cutter" but having different opinions from experienced divers is good.

JoeyP

In this case, it's not really redundancy. Shears work great on fishling lines, but bigger lines will leave them worthless and that's where a good blade (fixed or folding) comes in. Z-knives are also nice to have, and the penetration divers love them because they can use this cutter sight unseen and not worrying about stabbing themselves or cutting something important.

If you want a Z-type knife then check this one out from Benchmade. A typical Z-knife is also of low quality, but Benchmade is a respected blade manufacturer like Spyderco or Boker. Look at the one with the orange handle. It's made out of a nitrogen-impregnated stainless steel that is rustfree like titanium alloy except that it isn't as brittle as a titanium alloy blade.

7 Details | Benchmade

The knife industry (the serious knife industry and not the junks that most dive companies contracted out to China or Pakistan) recognizes the need for good watersports/rescue blades and that's why they started making knives out of nitrogen-impregnated stainless steel. Titanium knives are good; were good because they offer supreme corrosion resistance. But when it comes to performance, they are sorely lacking behind good steel blade. The primary advantages of titanium over steel are that they are more corrosion resistant and a lot lighter for the same size. Titanium alloy has approximately 80-85% of steel's physical properties at 50% of the weight.

But we're talking about dive cutting instruments and not Bowie knives or Machete. The half-an-ounce weight saving on a knife is nothing. Corrosion resistance can be matched by going with the nitrogen-impregnated steel. What you gain is a knife that isn't as brittle and isn't as hard to resharpen after use.