Dive Knife for a Navy Rescue Swimmer - Recommendations.

Thank you all for your responses. There is much to think about.

Stacy, that is very generous of you. Thanks.

Chuck, I appreciate all the info, if I do not take Stacy up on his offer, I'll make sure I order from AKS. ;)

OldSarSwmr, Thank you so much for posting, I know how easy it is to read and pass over threads like this.
A few questions if I may:
1. Mid length? About how long?
2. What type of gloves/hand covering would you use? (Handle sizing)
3. Blunt tip, would you have wanted a pry style tip?
4. How about a tank banging butt, would it get any use?
5. Last but not least, serrations on the back? I have not done any yet but have the capabilities to do them.
 
5-6" is plenty
3/4" to 7/8" round handle
Round tip, or pyramidal ending in a 1/4" wide chisel tip
Hexagonal or round but cap is standard
Serrations are fine, but not everyone likes them
 
Carl_First_Timer said:
Thank you all for your responses. There is much to think about.

Stacy, that is very generous of you. Thanks.

Chuck, I appreciate all the info, if I do not take Stacy up on his offer, I'll make sure I order from AKS. ;)

OldSarSwmr, Thank you so much for posting, I know how easy it is to read and pass over threads like this.
A few questions if I may:
1. Mid length? About how long?
2. What type of gloves/hand covering would you use? (Handle sizing)
3. Blunt tip, would you have wanted a pry style tip?
4. How about a tank banging butt, would it get any use?
5. Last but not least, serrations on the back? I have not done any yet but have the capabilities to do them.
Click to expand...

Carl, I'll try to answer your questions and give my opinions but please remember they are just opinions. I'm not a maker so my knowledge on the actual build is limited at best.
1. Mid length? About how long? We were issued a large U.S. Divers Masters dive knife and it was way to big, 7"+ blade, over 12" total. I switched to a Wenoka with a smaller blade. I really think 4" to 5" is all thats needed. Also, I mentioned a J-Hook (think gut hook) for cutting parachute line if absolutely necessary.
2. What type of gloves/hand covering would you use? (Handle sizing) I used a variety of gloves. Depending on the waters he is deployed in will alter what he wears. Most of us never wore more than a 5mm neoprene in cold water because the 8mm were too hard to manipulate. We didn't get dry gloves issued my first couple of years. He will most likely be issued neoprene gloves ranging in thickness. Function always won over comfort.
3. Blunt tip, would you have wanted a pry style tip? I never really needed the tip of my knife for what I had to do. I did however use it to pry more than poke. For example, I once had to open some windows on a large pleasure boat that was on fire and used the edge of my knife to pry them open. A blunt or chisel tip I believe would have given me better leverage.
4. How about a tank banging butt, would it get any use? Definitely, It just provides another option. Nobody carries a hammer on the helo:rolleyes:
5. Last but not least, serrations on the back? I have not done any yet but have the capabilities to do them Again yes. Think Spyderco style and not saw/survival style.

I don't know if you have the option to do a rubber type scale but I think that would work. My first duty station was Kodiak, AK and all the commercial fishermen used rubber gripped knives, those guys were always cold and wet and i'm thinking that if they didn't perform then they wouldn't have used them. My dive knives had plastic scales for what its worth. They all had large handguards, wet is one thing but add cold to the mix and your grip weakens quickly. You don't want the rescuer to be the one that needs rescuing.
A full tang would be nice too but I dont know how would integrate a hammer style pommel to it.
I know EK used a neoprene scale on their EK SOG II which was a regrind of their Model 6 bowie.

I hope some of this was helpful, feel free to PM me if you want. Regardless of what you use, I know he will love it!

Regards,
Dan
 
Chuck Bybee said:
We've been trying to buy Cronidur 30 for about two years. It was developed as a nitrogen stainless bearing grade steel to replace 52100. One of the papers I read said many of the bearing on the space shuttle had been replaced with this steel.

The problem is availability. We have not found anyone who will ship whole sheets. I remember the billet price for .120" x 12" x 1.5" was about $150.
Click to expand...

i have the same problem. the technique requires to make this steel is Pressure Electro slag resmelting. it demands equiptment that is not so commonly used over here. and usually the manufacturer have a minum order of 3 ton something.

hrmm that price is almost $450 per kg. i am not sure about that. i mean thats way over the price should be for PESR. even higher than powder metallurgy steel should be.
 
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I've found that 440C and CPM 154 will rust and stain in fresh water if you put a rough finish on the blade. (sand blasted finish) Also I would suggest a lanyard because divers are fumble fingered people.
Dave Wardman
 
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