Best of the Best.

[Tag_McLaren]

I've been lurking around this forum for about 5 month's not. I came here one day when it just dawned on me that I wanted a really cool knife. "cool" may not be the best choice of word's; but that's the best way to descride the work of people like Jerry Busse and Mick Strider. To be fair, I'm sure there are a hord of other blades out there which deserve to be "cool", but I tend to trust what others have trusted if you know what I mean... Anyways, my serch has led me to either a Strider MT, the SH-E, or maby a CR Shadow IV. If anyone has any opions I would appreciate hearing them. I have been given a spot on a crab boat in Alaska and I'll be carrying this knife at my side for the next year or two. I want to make the right decision.

 

[Richard]

I have no idea how the conditions are on a crab boat are, so my opinion may not be what your looking for..but here gos anyway

Of the knives you mention, I have had a Chris Reeve (aviator model). I would think that one of his FBs definately is durable enough for anything you may need it for. The only thing I would do is, whatever knife you choose, dump the leather sheath and get a kydex sheath. I personally like leather better, but I assume (no personal experience) that the environment you will be in could be hell on a leather sheath. Good luck in your search.



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[Fallschrimjager]

Congrats on going to Alaska, was tring to get back as soon as I left. My note on this is go with the Strider, I have the WB for my own type use (Military) but the MT with the sheath made by Special Operations Equipment would be about perfect. Has a pouch on the outside of the sheath for a Leatherman which you will prob use more than the MT. Striders and their sheaths are in and out of the water all the time with no harm. Take care up there.

 

[Tom Anderson]

If you're going to be around salt water, get a Talonite blade. Tom Mayo's TNT would probably be one of the better choices.

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Tom Anderson
Hand Crafted Knives

 

[shootist16]

I would strongly recommend one of Neil Blackwoods stellite knives.

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Dennis Bible

 

[Tag_McLaren]

Thank's guy's,

I think I'll go w/ the Strider. Not only do they have a falwless reputation and a sweet product, thier knives just look... sexy.

 

[afee]

Hey there,

From all I know about crab boats, its a prett hellish enviroment. One in which a knife could easily disappear. At the same time, I know its also a tool that could keep you alive when the sh!t hits. I'd take a peak at the some production knives made out off high grade stainless, ad buy a few in case one goes missing. Seems like better mone spent then one high end knife that might go awol on day one. Not like in the mountains, where if ou drop it you can just bend over and pick it up.

 

[MNH]

Crab boat in Alaska! . . . Isn't that the one they keep showing on TV where everyone dies as the boat disappears in a churning mass of Ice an water?

I think I would be tempted to spend the money on the premium for a really killer (

) life insurance policy.

If you don't have anyone to put in as beneficiary give me a call, I might even help out with the premium.

You don't have to be crazy, but it helps!


Mike

 

[Pergatory]

Any of the TOPS knives are tops. Very, very strong, and they look super-cool. Extremely comfortable too. EXCELLENT knife for the money.

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"Never let your morals get in the way of doing what's right" -Hari Seldon, Foundation, -Aasimov

 

[Pergatory]

since someone did mention Saltwater, definately look at the mission titanium knives also. Rust free!!!

 

[tom mayo]

from what I know about the ocean and boats (which actually is quite a bit) I would buy a CHEAP knife. Chris Reeves knives are GREAT, but that steel will disintigrate in front of your eyes out there....and you would cry if you lost a $500 folder over the side.....get about three $20-50 folders and keep them sharp!! If you cant swallow that then buy a used sebenza for $250 and keep it well oiled!!!

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http://www.mayoknives.com
John 1:14
Love is Stronger than Death!

 

[SNiPER]

If you want a "BAD ASS" (better than cool) knife that will last for the rest of your life. I say get the STRiDER. You wont be sorry. And just use the Marine Tuff Cloth on it.


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Pain was made for the weak!

 

[k_estela]

I work as a river guide and kayaking instructor during the summers and can personally vouch for the Chris Reeve one-piece line. On longer trips I carry a 4" Mountaineer in a Kydex sheath from Pro Edge Knives. For day trips I carry a Benchmade CQCB with a Black T finish. Both knives have never failed me and niether show any signs of rust. Being on a crab boat I'm guessing you are going to constantly be wet. These two knives can take the beating.

 

[fishface5]

Dude - I used to work the big factory processing boats (300') up North. I stayed off deck, but as a knife guy I noted that all the deckhands used cheapy victornox fixed blades, like little paring knives, which they bought by the case. They used these for 2 reasons (1) hellish saltwater environment (and you'll be wearing a LOT of it, esp. on a smaller crab boat) kills knives quick; (2) knives get lost CONSTANTLY. The deck boss would always ooh & aah over whatever neato folder I was carrying, belowdecks, but he'd never spend the money on anything nice for use abovedeck. So I'd REALLY STRONGLY advise you not to step out on deck the first day with something expensive and "sexy;" maybe get a used Kabar and see if that actually serves your needs (and how many minutes it takes to rust) for a few days before risking something nice. !!!!!

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[previously incarnated as fishface, since 10/98]

the beatings will continue until morale improves

[This message has been edited by fishface5 (edited 02-26-2001).]

 

[Mr_Joshua]

I would also go with a cheap knife if your work may cause you to drop it. As far as corrosion, I dive my STRIDER WB all the time and it stays corrosion free. Do what divers do, and dummy cord your STRIDER. If you drop it, you will feel the weight and you can recover it easily. I personally would rather have the edge and durability of a STRIDER, so I could extricate myself if I had to. Of course, I would be hunting orcas with it also.

Stay safe out there.

S/F

out

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Tom :

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Chris Reeves knives are GREAT, but that steel will disintigrate in front of your eyes out there</font>

I have used a Project from Reeves and this has not been my experience and I live less than a mile from the ocean. While A2 will rust readily if left to soak in salt water. It takes a while to do so. Not to mention the fact that Reeves uses a very good coating and there is no reason that you can't clean and oil the blade at the end of the day.

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">and you would cry if you lost a $500 folder over the side</font>

If you want to carry a lesser tool because you could lose a more expensive one then you are free to do so. However think back on how many times you have dropped a well made knife. Reeves one piece line also has one of the most secure grips, wet or even oiled. Not to mention there is a laynard which makes the possibility of losing it zero.

Personally, I would carry the better knife. I have never lost a blade and have loaned out knives to people who were on open water (hand lining mostly). I had no fear they would lose the knife unless somehow they went overboard and knowing theier skill, in that case (something very serious went wrong) I would hardly be concerned about if they lost the knife or not regardless of the cost. Odds are nor would I if it was me, I would have greater concerns.

More money can get you a greatly improved cutting tool. This means the time that it takes to cut something as well as the force required can be significantly altered. I have seen changes on the order of easily over 100 lbs of force in cutting thick rope for example. At the end of a long day, this will be greatly appreciated. Not to mention things like greater comfort, security of use etc. .

-Cliff

 

[Walt Welch]

If you do indeed wish to take a high priced knife abovedecks, I feel any of these would do the job:

<A HREF="http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=306668&a=2279510&p=34156956&Sequence=0&res=high" TARGET=_blank>

</A>

From the top: Kit Carson U2 dive knife in Talonite (as are all of these knives); 5" drop point hunter by Tom Mayo; Model #18 Kit Carson folder with 4" blade and Ti scales; Kit Carson slim Model #18 folder with Stellite blade and c-fiber scales. A Darrel Ralph custom similar to the large Apogee with Talonite blade, and a Rob Simonich Cetan also in Talonite.

The c-fiber Carson may be a bit delicate for your task, and a fixed blade would probably be more functional, as working a folder with cold or gloved hands can be difficult. Hope this helps, Walt

[This message has been edited by Walt Welch (edited 02-26-2001).]

 

[fishface5]

Walt - you're killing me! Look at all those beauties!!!

Cliff - I gotta say that there's a big difference, saltwater-exposure-wise, between living less than a mile form the ocean, and wearing it. Because the Alaskan seas are rough, and those crab boats are lowering & retrieveing monster heavy wet crab pots to/from the ocean constantly, which means (1) you get dripped on (2) the boat leans over and takes on water real easy in heavy seas. this is why crabbing is the most dangerous occupation except I think for underwater welding (not to mention the fact that the pots fall on the deck guys a lot, generall breaking their backs). As to being less likely to lose a good knife, well, I've had people slip and fall overboard, get knocked unconscious by flying 80-lb hooks , slip and break their leg, get smacked to the deck by a wave, etc. etc. etc. None of them would have retained a knife that was in their hand at the time. And that was on a big boat! So, over the course of say 30 straight 18-hour days in those conditions without a break, the likelihood of losing even a very treasured knife is pretty high. And the presence of a lanyard won't help - you do not have the time to remove the knife, slip the lanyard on, make the cut, remove lanyard, then sheath knife. Anyone who has worked on deck or watched it happen (in Alaska, in heavy seas) knows what I'm saying. Speed is of the essence, not only because things are moving fast & dangerous, but because time is money and the deck boss will be screaming at you like Captain Ahab for every wasted millisecond.

Also, I've never seen our guys (admittedly trawlers not crabbers) use a big knife, as I said. What they favored were small thin razor-sharp stainless serrated victorinox knives, which apparently cut line very well and resist the saltwater (in fact I just noticed that these very knives are the subject of much praise in a post below, "Victorinox paring knives"). If they needed to pry or chop, they had crowbars and axes handy for those jobs.

Just my .02 - this whole topic has made me so nostalgic!!

[This message has been edited by fishface5 (edited 02-27-2001).]

 

[Cliff Stamp]

fishface5:

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">there's a big difference, saltwater-exposure-wise, between living less than a mile form the ocean, and wearing it.</font>

As noted in the above, the exposure my blades see is not limited to the salt water rich air, but are used on the open water by me and friends for extended periods of time. As well I have done many extended soaks (24+ hours) in salt water of many blades.

While I have found that yes, if you do leave an uncoated, unprotected blade for a significant amount of time (hours) in salt water, you will get significant rusting :

http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/images/machax_rusted.jpg

Any decent coating will prevent rust, as well as even a little care in regards to oiling will prevent all except cosmetic damage.

The above image is a Machax (not oiled) after a 24 hour soak in salt water. And is possibly the worse case senario. And even that looks not significantly effected once it is lightly buffed with a scotchbrite pad (steel wool or whatever). All that will remain are some spots of black oxide which itself will act as a pseudo coating protecting against rust.

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">As to being less likely to lose a good knife, well, I've had people slip and fall overboard, get knocked unconscious by flying 80-lb hooks , slip and break their leg, get smacked to the deck by a wave, etc. etc. etc. None of them would have retained a knife that was in their hand at the time.</font>

Well, that was sort of my point. The type of accident that would knock a knife out of your hand (around here) is something that would pose a significant threat of bodily harm. If you survived it, losing the knife would not be considered by me to me that great a loss. However, if the accidents are that frequent that they are going to happen on the job, then yes I would not buy a knife that I knew I was going to lose - but then again I wouldn't work there anyway.

-Cliff

 

[JohnW]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Cliff Stamp:
fishface5:

Well, that was sort of my point. The type of accident that would knock a knife out of your hand (around here) is something that would pose a significant threat of bodily harm. If you survived it, losing the knife would not be considered by me to me that great a loss. However, if the accidents are that frequent that they are going to happen on the job, then yes I would not buy a knife that I knew I was going to lose - but then again I wouldn't work there anyway.

-Cliff</font>

Umm.. boating people know this instinctively, but can anyone say "LANYARD"?