How do I choose the right dive knife?

[zvaught]

I am just getting into diving and am wondering which dive knife to choose. I was thinking about the Cold Steel SRK. It has a 6in AUS 8A stainless steel--black powdercoated teflon--blade ending in a clip point with a thickness of 3/16in at the top of the blade. The handle is made of deeply checkered kraton non-slip grip. It comes with a Securex sheath that can be mounted pretty much anywhere on your person.
Would this knife be a good option, and what would you recommend?

Thanks for the help,
Zack

 

[QatarDiver]

Any idea what you would use a knife for? If you define what you want it for you can see if the specification fits. The reverse of that is to see what the specification can be used for, sounds like the 'Cold Steel SRK' would be ideal for posing and bragging in the bar.....

 

[Cave Diver]

Any idea what you would use a knife for? If you define what you want it for you can see if the specification fits. The reverse of that is to see what the specification can be used for, sounds like the 'Cold Steel SRK' would be ideal for posing and bragging in the bar.....

I agree with this. Details on where you dive will have an effect on what knife may be best suited for you.

Example, diving in kelp forest or on wrecks where entanglement from netting is an issue, you don't want some big knife strapped to your leg. Smaller knife that attaches to BC would be more streamlined. If there is potential for entanglement with steel cable, maybe a good pair of EMT shears. Maybe even more than one type of cutting device would be useful.

 

[klauricella]

Thats a good knife if you do alot of diving off charter boats. When people start getting annoying you just pull that out and start talking to it, shuts people up real quick.

 

[kjvander]

I usually surf ebay and stuff like that for dive knives....someone told me some good advice awhile ago. buy cheaper knives and carry them. That way if you are diving and happen to drop or lose the knife...you aren't tempted to go try to get it. But then again...that is just my outlook on things and why i have a stack of $5 knives that i got on ebay at home....haven't lost one yet..but you never know.

 

[jl5619718]

In my opinion the reasons Seals carry this knife are not the same reasons a recreational diver would carry a knife.

The dive knife is a tool not a weapon. So a blunt tip for prying or emergency screwdriver is important. A line cutter is essential but the blade doesn't have to be huge to be effective when cutting kelp.

All the above describes my current dive knife. However, I do bring my old huge dive knife on every dive trip I take. Primarily to cut food, coconuts, or hack my way through the jungle.

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

I'm also looking for my first dive knife. I however know what I will use it for. I will use it primarily to cut fishing line or any other entanglement I might come across with a possibility for future use during spear fishing. I hope to dive wrecks off the gulf coast and would like to find a knife suitable to my needs.

Any pointers?

 

[ItsBruce]

I am astounded by how astute the responses to the OP have been.

I really like the idea of shears. They cut kelp, line and netting well.
I really like cheap. There is no sense in dying trying to retrieve a dropped knife. However, with an expensive one, you will be more tempted to try to retrieve it.

Right now, I carry a shears and a cut-off serrated steak knife. The blade is cut to 1-1/2 inches, square across the blade and the corners are rounded. I bought a stack of them at the corner hardware store for $5. If it rusts, I just toss it. It cuts remarkably well. In a test, a single pull of 1-1/2 inches cut most of the way through a high pressure hose.

As far as big sharp knives, I was recently on a dive boat where a family was doing its final OW dive for its certification. Make that most of the family. The father had to sit it out because the prior evening, he sliced his hand while demonstrating how to remove his knife from the sheath mounted on his BCD.

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

Maybe it's just me buy why would you not just tie a lanyard to your knife so you didn't drop it?

 

[james croft]

You might consider buying more than one knife depending on the type of diving you will be doing. I have a blunt tip thick bladed knife when diving in rocky areas where I do a lot of prying and a stilletto point knife for spearfishing and dispatching wounded fish. Over the years I guess I have accumulated over a dozen dive knives and I grab what is best for the diving I will be doing at the moment. One knife will not fit all occasions. I also agree that it is not worth getting hurt going after a dive knife. Second hand knives are a good bargain and you should not attach a good knife on your weight belt so you would be reluctant to ditch the belt if you needed to.