Navy clearance divers clear explosive devices (mines, missiles, bombs etc) in ships, in the ocean and ports and on land - this includes underwater welding, testing, salvage as well as ordnance disposal. They also function in amphibious ops in coastal environments. They are also trained in parachuting, small arms, escape and evasion. The qualification requirements are equivalent to the Special Forces. A recent example of their work is clearing Iraq's only deepwater port of ordnance (Sydney Morning Herald, 27 March).
One of my friends is likely to become a clearance diver and I'd like to give him a knife as a join-up congratulatory gift. I have read the threads on knives for saltwater use but it seems to me likely that the navy will issue its divers with everything they need for their normal work. What I'd like to give him is something that he can use on the widest spectrum of occasions, even if it isn't the best knife for saltwater. Something he can nearly always carry so that it will actually be useful.
I was thinking of a *small* fixed blade, spear pointed, not much larger than a closed Emerson Commander, in some kind of stainless material so it can stand some exposure to seawater, with a kydex/plastic sheath, and a handle of Zytel or something similar that won't rot with constant wet and salt. (The spear point is for edge-in ice-pick grip use - we train in arnis together.) Also this description fits something that would be replaceable without heartache or too much financial woe.
Does anyone have views on this? I'm not asking for specific model recommendations because getting them in Australia may not be easy. Better to have a configuration and type in mind and go looking to see what's available here that fits. (I've also read the threads where military people on the forums stated what knives they had or used to have or wanted to have but I don't recall that any of them was similar to a navy clearance diver. Also there's model specification issue.)
thanks in advance
kmclye
One of my friends is likely to become a clearance diver and I'd like to give him a knife as a join-up congratulatory gift. I have read the threads on knives for saltwater use but it seems to me likely that the navy will issue its divers with everything they need for their normal work. What I'd like to give him is something that he can use on the widest spectrum of occasions, even if it isn't the best knife for saltwater. Something he can nearly always carry so that it will actually be useful.
I was thinking of a *small* fixed blade, spear pointed, not much larger than a closed Emerson Commander, in some kind of stainless material so it can stand some exposure to seawater, with a kydex/plastic sheath, and a handle of Zytel or something similar that won't rot with constant wet and salt. (The spear point is for edge-in ice-pick grip use - we train in arnis together.) Also this description fits something that would be replaceable without heartache or too much financial woe.
Does anyone have views on this? I'm not asking for specific model recommendations because getting them in Australia may not be easy. Better to have a configuration and type in mind and go looking to see what's available here that fits. (I've also read the threads where military people on the forums stated what knives they had or used to have or wanted to have but I don't recall that any of them was similar to a navy clearance diver. Also there's model specification issue.)
thanks in advance
kmclye
