A good knife for salt water usage

D

D Deux

Joined
Aug 12, 2014
Messages
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G'Day! I'm looking for a good knife for salt water usage. My surf spot has become alarmingly overrun with kelp.I'm afraid of my leash (from my surfboard) getting caught in it and creating a bad situation. I am also taking into consideration it coming with a good sheath that can attach securely to a leg strap.I wear a bathing suit not board-shorts so I am limited to how I can carry this while surfing. I am partial to Benchmade knives,and I am aware that they have dive knives. But I'm willing to branch out of my Benchmade bubble if the right knife comes along.
 
Spyderco offers one of their enuff models in H1 and a sheepsfoot blade. For something bigger you could go with a spyderco jumpmaster or scour the internet/exchange for one of their discontinued h1 fixed blades. I assume you want a fixed blade?
 
Spydie H1 Atlantic Salt, I've been running the sheepsfoot blade for a year now. Six days a weak in the Ocean. Best "salt" blade I've ever had.
 
Spyderco Enuff Sheepfoot Salt with 2.75" fixed blade of H-1 steel (H-1 Will Not Rust!) that's fully serrated, skeletonized full-tang 0.157 thick blade, weighs under 4 ounces and includes an injection molded polymer sheath.

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Spyderco Salt series. It's really the only choice. Branch out, you won't regret it. Nothing Benchmade has to offer, or any other company for that matter, no matter how expensive the knife, WILL NOT outperform one from the Spyderco Salt series when it comes to corrosion resistance from salt water. I prefer the Pacific Salt but YMMV. The H1 steel basically is impossible to corrode, you would have to intentionally try really hard to get some corrosion on it. Also, I don't know what your preference is, but iirc the serrated edges on the Spyderco Salts get ridiculous hardness from the way they work harden it. Something like 67-68 HRC. The plain edge of the same steel is 57-58 I think. I usually don't prefer serrations except for these knives and the Spyderco Civilian.
 
Yes a fixed blade is what I had in mind. I figure no inner components to worry about rusting up.
 
I use my Pacific Salt in the Gulf, which has a higher salt content of either the Atlantic or Pacific, with no corrosion issues at all. I don't even bother to rinse it off anymore.
 
The only corrosion I've seen on an H1 blade was the one Tonydahose put in a container of wet chlorine tablets for some time, but that wasn't rust. It was CORROSION and he was intentionally trying to abuse it.
 
I'm reading all these options here and am surprised no one has mentioned the Spyderco Salt series. ;-) Seriously though D Deux, check them out, I don't think you'll be disappointed. I recently gave my dad a Pacific Salt since he lives in the Caribbean and is near the ocean a lot. My travel EDC always includes a Salt and Ladybug Salt. I want to get a fully serrated Dragonfly Salt and Pacific Salt down the road.
Oh, and welcome to the forums!
 
A Spyderco Salt is a great choice but since you like Benchmade, they have a much cheaper alternative that comes in orange, OD green, and pink. The Benchmade Lone Wolf Landslide and Mini Landslide (KW has them cheap) are half the price of a Salt and have N680 steel rated for salt water. I have two (l love my Spydercos but the price difference for a knife I might lose...).
 
I have a G.Sakai H1 Sabi knife (same company that make the Salt series, I think). It's pretty cheap. I clip it to my life vest when canoeing, but it might be in the way if attached to the ankle and the handle is wood.
 
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