Help picking out kayak/rescue knife

jux t

jux t

Gold Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2018
Messages
2,895
I could use some help from people who are familiar with the Cara Cara 2 rescue S/E, and the Atlantic Salt Rescue S/E.

My need is a lightweight but sturdy serrated folder that can be used in and around fresh water. Maybe occasional salt water.

Cost, ease of operation, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance are important. I'm wondering if the Byrd has steel that is too soft for my liking. I do not want to deal with easily bent serrations.

An important consideration is that the knife could very well be dropped or lost, so if the steel and construction are rugged enough, the Cara Cara might be a better choice. I do not like blade play, and have heard that the Cara Cara, having liners, may be more sturdy than the salt knives.

Thanks for any experience you can share.
 
The 8cr13 steel on Byrd knives is unlikely to resist rust well enough. I used to take a coated crkt on my pfd and it rusted up a storm. Go for the Atlantic salt. The yellow handles make it easy to find if you drop it ant h1 will never rust.
 
Atlantic Salt for sure. Don’t worry about the lack of liners. It’s super strong and all those liners are going to do is gather rust,
 
La Griffe Water Ops. Great knife to attatch to your life jacket. The ring design makes it less likely to he dropped. Nevertheless any knife on a boat should be dummy corded to yourself. Sheepsfoot blade is good for rescue type stuff too.

ba07319.jpg


If you really want to splurge get a David Boye boat knife made in dendritic cobalt. Will never rust, easy to sharpen. Probably the best water folder.

Boye%20knife-with-pointers.jpg
 
^ I have and use a Snap-It Salt and find it to be a very decent boat knife. Small enough
to clip to a vest or shorts without any bulk but a decent length of working serrated blade.

You won't be using a Snap-It the way Surfingringo uses his boat knives but for a "lightweight but sturdy serrated folder that can be used in and around fresh water. Maybe occasional salt water. " The Snap- It fits the bill. Mine is nearly exclusively a salt water knife - 2 seasons now and looks and works perfectly. I don't hesitate to recommend.

Ray
 
Thanks for all the recommendations, I'll likely get the Atlantic. I like the snap it, but I think I'd prefer the pocket clip and length of the Atlantic better. Or the saver salt.
 
A fixed blade would be great to put on a vest, but the knife is likely going to be clipped on the waitband of swimming trucks half the time. They so seem like nice knives though.
 
In the past, kept a modified/blunted gerber eze-out partially serrated clipped to my swim vest while whitewater canoeing, luckily never needed it.
These days, I'd probably opt for a Salt 2 FRN.
 
jpm2, I actually just made my decision and bought a spyderco saver salt, new for $44. And I also ordered a gerber ez-out DPSF, its a modified sheepsfoot 1/2 serrated in s30v. Both just arrived, and they seem like real winners. Solid lockup on both.

Thank you all for the suggestions. The byrd rescues seemed great for the price, but I don't want to worry about corrosion.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top