Knife Recommendation Needed

[gitmo]

Hello,

My father recently got certified. (I always knew he was certifiable) He loves knives, and can never have too many. So for Christmas Id like to get him a good dive knife. So, can someone recommend a good knife in the $40-$80 range that can be purchased over the internet (or easily found)? I really have no idea what to look for in a dive knife.

Thanks

 

[bubble-head]

Well, you didn't specify how large but I do like my Oceanic Spinner (Aeris Silver Jack) in blunt tip. The blunt tip is nice for prying, etc. There's a groove for cutting fishing line and it can be mounted to grommets on your BC or attached to your inflater hose. It's more of a tool than a knife. EMT sheers are nice as an alternative. Here's a link: http://scubatoys.com/store/Scuba_Knives.asp

 

[H2Andy]

something small with a serrated edge that will mount to his BC or hose. i would avoid a leg-strapped pig sticker (if anything else, they are an entanglement hazzard).

this one is about $35 (304 stainless steel):

http://scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?product_id=AerisSilverJack

this one has a titanium blade for about $55

http://www.leisurepro.com/Prod/Cate...ock/DescSort_0/Filter_2=148/UKTKRT.html?Hit=1

(it's not exactly a serrated edge, but close)

 

[patymeboy]

get him a navy mk 3
It is stainless but black. The navy seals used it and its a head turner on a dive boat.
It sais don't mess with me. Every man secretly wants one.

 

[CompuDude]

Get him a nice, small titanium knife, specific manufacturer isn't terribly important. Another neat option I have been eyeing is the OMS titanium line cutter... way cooler than a Z-knife (esp. for a knife lover), and it won't rust (key point for salt water divers).

Spyderco makes the Salt series of knives that are rust proof but hold an edge better than titanium, but they currently only have folders, which aren't commonly used in diving. Still, worth considering, esp. for a knife guy.

Dive knives get lost a lot, so try to bear that in mind. That's one reason why some folks go the DIR-style cheap-as-possible broken steak knife route, so if they lose them, who cares? OTOH, I've had my knife since 1987 (one of those big Blackie Collins/Wenoka leg-strapped pig stickers you were warned about), and still love it.

 

[beezwax]

If you make your choice on whatever is functional and reliable for scuba then any of these recommendations are great. If you're willing to spend more money because he's your dad and he's a "knife person" then consider something more special and historical like the Desco Navy Diver knife:

http://www.amronintl.com/tactical/products.cfm?id=4192

http://www.divedesco.com/

 

[gitmo]

Thanks for the replies yall.

Im going into "the city" tomorow to hit up an outdoors type store, maybe even a dive shop or army surplus store and see what I can find.

Is their a real benefit of titanium over SS?

I guess folders would not be to good for diving (hard to open)?


If I dont find anything tomorow I think Ill get one of thos Mk3s off Ebay.

OMS titanium line cutter

Are these commonly needed? (sorry, Im not a diver)

 

[Doc Intrepid]

FWIW, I always carry two knives. I have a little stainless steel ScubaPro K3 knife centered on my waist belt in a plain nylon sheath, where I can get at it with either hand. This one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ScubaPro-Stainl...0252719QQihZ006QQcategoryZ29577QQcmdZViewItem

Then I also carry one of the Spyderco folding knives clipped in my pocket. Yeah, its a folder, but I like it. Folders are fine for the diving I do. I use thin drygloves. It will slide under a watch strap or computer wrist strap, it weighs bupkis, and if you ever need to cut your way out of something and in a state of heightened anxiety you drop your knife, it might be handy to flip open a folder and complete the task. (that, and I'm a knife guy... )
Its this one:
http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=SP89PYL

This is another very small knife that attaches to either hoses or straps, and will work in a wide variety of situations. Made by Underwater Kinetics, the 'Trigger' offers a spring-loaded blade that compresses into a short sheath, but opens into a 2.75" blade when pulled out of the sheath. Serrated and sharp, it locks into the sheath with a polymer device that is pretty foolproof. I use this one on a different harness, centered at the waist:
http://www.joediveramerica.com/scubagear/prods/30401.html

If your Dad is a knife guy, he'd be happy with any of these three... They're all very small knives and, by themselves or in some combination, would be satisfactory under any conditions I could think of.

IMHO, of course!

Doc

 

[CompuDude]

Thanks for the replies yall.

Im going into "the city" tomorow to hit up an outdoors type store, maybe even a dive shop or army surplus store and see what I can find.

Is their a real benefit of titanium over SS?

I guess folders would not be to good for diving (hard to open)?


If I dont find anything tomorow I think Ill get one of thos Mk3s off Ebay.

Are these commonly needed? (sorry, Im not a diver)

The benefit is no rust concerns. No care needed whatsoever. Diving gear requires a LOT of post-dive cleaning and care, so IMO, every little piece of gear that is worry-free helps.

Dive shops will have more dive knives, and can better explain the purpose behind each piece of gear. Bear in mind that a survival shop might sell you a titanium blade with extra bits that would rust. Folders are hard to open with gloves, thus they are rarely seen in diving.

As for the line cutter, unless you are hunting, the most common needs for a cutting implement are met by a line cutter over a full-blown knife much of the time, and it's harder to accidentally cut something important with a line cutter than a knife, so they are pretty popular. Entanglements in line, nets, etc. frequently are easier to clear with a purpose-made line cutter. The OMS tool is also interesting looking, IMO, so in addition to being maintenance-free (unlike the popular and inexpensive Z knife), I though it might be interesting to consider for a fan of knives.
http://www.omsdive.com/cuttool.html

 

[james croft]

get him a navy mk 3
It is stainless but black. The navy seals used it and its a head turner on a dive boat.
It sais don't mess with me. Every man secretly wants one.

However, you will need to tape a Mark 13 day/night flare to the sheath to be really cool.