Good budget knife for kelp and spearfishing?

[fuzzybabybunny]

I'm a Monterey kelp diver so I'd like a knife for the conditions in NorCal. I also want to get into spearfishing, lobster diving, and abalone diving (freediving). I'm not sure what the knife requirements would be for these activities, so I'm looking for advice.

Ideally, I'd like one that I can unsheath with one hand, so no switchblade style knives I guess.

Something under $100 and small enough to not get hassled at the airport would be great!

 

[pjhansman]

Think Spyderco....lots of choices and non-rusting
.

 

[RJP]

Something under $100 and small enough to not get hassled at the airport would be great!

Knives go in your checked luggage, so you can carry a machete and not get hassled at the airport.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

MAKO Spearguns - Malokai Dive Knife

 

[waterpirate]

I buy all my knives on e-bay. You can get a good one in the 10-15 dollar range usually. Easy come easy go. One thing I can tell you from experiance is that if you use your knife regularly underwater, pithing fish ect. you will regularly lose them.
Eric

 

[drbill]

I haven't had to buy a dive knife since the Jim Bowie one I purchased in 1969. Find far too many of them in the dive park after the weekends. Only problem is that almost all of them come without sheathes. And why would you want to go stabbing poor innocent kelp (just teasing)?

 

[fnfalman]

I'm a Monterey kelp diver so I'd like a knife for the conditions in NorCal. I also want to get into spearfishing,

Riffe has some Italian knives that are great for spearfishing. They're shaped like daggers so that you can kill the fish quickly. Unlike a typical dive knife that is marketed by a dive gear company, these Riffe knives are actually of good quality: heat treated stainless steel, take a mean edge and stay sharp.

Knives

lobster diving,

You don't need a knife unless you expect to get tangled up in fishing lines. You don't cut kelps - you break them. However, if you really want a good dive knife then get a good dive knife instead of some made-in-China/Vietnam/Pakistan titanium junk that couldn't cut hot butter much less anything else. I am of the philosophy that if you're going to carry a piece of gear, then make sure that the piece of gear is capable of performing its task. Many divers buy these el cheapo knives that are duller than butter knives, won't take an edge because they're made cheaply without the benefit of proper heat treatment, etc. Why? Just so that they can have a "dive knife". What's the point of carrying a worthless piece of gear?

and abalone diving (freediving). I'm not sure what the knife requirements would be for these activities, so I'm looking for advice.

Once again, if you anticipate getting caught in fishing lines, then carry a knife. You don't need a knife to pry abalones from the rocks - you need an abalone prybar. You'd need a knife later on to carve it up though. Usually a kitchen knife would do fine for that purpose.

One of those Riffe knives will perform the needed function of the dive knife. You do have to take care when resheathing because of the pointy tip.

I don't hunt any more, so I carry a trauma shear and a Spyderco folding knife when I dive.

 

[Akimbo]

... and abalone diving (freediving) ...

Very few Abalone divers I know also carry a cutting edge. For those outside Northern California reading this, regulations mandate that Abalone irons have smooth rounded edges. Rather than suggest a particular Abalone iron, the best thing going is to add a float tube to the iron.

Abalone Iron Float Line

They allow you to leave the iron on the bottom to mark a spot. That might be where you had to surface for air or a honey-hole with that 10 incher inside. Great for low visibility and surge. You can do the same thing with a weighted line to a float or board, but the tubing is more convenient, especially in kelp. It is similar to a speargun float line except shorter, does not have a spectra core or the tensile that results, is bright orange, and less expensive.