Infi Dive Knife

[yoda4561]

Spyderco Caspian's in H1 would be great. X15 and H1 are not the same. H1 is a good deal more rust resistant (read impossible to rust) than x15. If he's set on taking infi maybe try a scotch dispenser with the finger ring, seems like it would be good for retention while using it underwater.

 

[Guyon]

Spyderco's H1 is the absolute best stuff I've seen in salt water. Bar none.

 

[Rat-30]

I use the Benchmade H20 as my main dive knife. Its a great knife and has all the features a dive knife needs: sharp blade, serrations, not pointy, bright handle, corrosion resistant and a lanyard hole. I think a busse would work if it had a G10 handle and you cleaned it afterwards.

On a side note, I have a paracord leash on my knife that I keep tied in a chain sinnet so it stays out of the way when not in use. This could help any if your afraid of dropping it.

Nice Zeagle! I had a Ranger for a while... Loved it.


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[Boar-gen]

I am using a scary sharp CG BATAC. No problem with saltwater and it works great as a diving knife.

Boar-gen

 

[Progunner]

I bet you could mod a Sus scrofa to resemble that blade shape very easily. Maybe even leave it as is.

 

[reconseed]

i am like some of the other Hogs on board here.

INFI = no go for salt water. however. if you must carry a piece of INFI in the ocean, i would get the scotch dispenser. its small and would be a decent dive knife i guess. but the rust factor is going to play a part over time.

 

[Boar-gen]

INFI = no go for salt water.

I do not agree. I have no problems at all with INFI and saltwater. Actually less problems that many so called "stainless steels".

Now I don't have the search function, but I remember earlier postings by a Hog using Busse INFI for diving- without any problems. Same here- no problems. Go for it- INFI wherever you go- All the time!

Boar-gen

 

[carrot]

H1 is supposed to be very tough. Maybe not INFI-tough but it's probably Spyderco's closest steel. Oh, and it's also 100% rust-proof. I think a Spyderco Caspian Salt in H1 would do very nicely.

 

[reconseed]

H1 steel isnt a "tough" steel from my research. It is the best against rusting though. I have a Salt 1 and the blade finish scratched easier than any other blade I have ever owned. The edge retention wasnt great, and the blade surely was NOT on par with anything Busse makes (INFI). to even mention them in the same posting insults INFI.

 

[roughedges]

H1 steel isnt a "tough" steel from my research. It is the best against rusting though. I have a Salt 1 and the blade finish scratched easier than any other blade I have ever owned. The edge retention wasnt great, and the blade surely was NOT on par with anything Busse makes (INFI). to even mention them in the same posting insults INFI.

No it doesn't. H1 is a great steel for the purpose that the OP presented. As a general use steel, of course, it does not match INFI but to say that it is an insult to INFI is.... not safe for public forums.


In the summer time here, H1 steel is the only one that I have used that does not develop surface rust at least. That includes 5 or 6 types of stainless and INFI as well and, obviously, carbon. INFI did actually exhibit better corrosion resistance than the stainless (except for H1) but, since all my ss knives are folders and reside in my sweat filled pocket, I can't speak for whether or not this would hold up in salt water.

For a dive knife, especially a salt water dive knife, you couldn't go wrong with H1. And, like has been said before, it doesn't hurt the wallet when it inevitably gets dropped.

It is a soft steel so it does dull quickly. But there is a corollary to that; it is also stupidly easy to sharpen. Also, I have noticed that it does seem to exhibit work hardening qualities over time.

The right tool for the job. Good stuff. :thumbup:

 

[Guyon]

H1 steel isnt a "tough" steel from my research. It is the best against rusting though. I have a Salt 1 and the blade finish scratched easier than any other blade I have ever owned. The edge retention wasnt great, and the blade surely was NOT on par with anything Busse makes (INFI). to even mention them in the same posting insults INFI.

If you'll read a lot of threads about H1, you'll find that it actually holds a better edge after you've used it and sharpened it a few times. I haven't seen a logical explanation behind it, but folks do report this phenomenon quite a bit.

As for blade finish, of course it's going to scratch easily. It's a satin finish. Same is true of satin INFI blades. Satin scratches.

 

[Ban]

H1 is very unique in that it is not heat treated. I spoke briefly with Ed Schemp and Sal at the Eugene show about H1 and they both told me that H1 is quite tough. And as previously noted H1 is worked hardened and tends to get harder over time with use. Ed had mentioned to me that the friction from the grinding of the bevels is what hardens the blade.

I have only used a tasman salt from time to time and find that its edge retention good enough for my needs. I am interested in seeing how hard the edge would get if I stropped the heck out of the edge of a H1 knife using a leather belt on the grinder.

 

[Ban]

If you'll read a lot of threads about H1, you'll find that it actually holds a better edge after you've used it and sharpened it a few times. I haven't seen a logical explanation behind it, but folks do report this phenomenon quite a bit.

As for blade finish, of course it's going to scratch easily. It's a satin finish. Same is true of satin INFI blades. Satin scratches.

Ed tried to explain it to me at the show but I was too dumb to really understand. He got into alot of detail, half of which just flew right past me.

I just remember something about it being austensitic and that the nitrogen atoms in the matrix are free to move around to form stronger bonds with other elements with the presence of friction.

 

[Guyon]

H1 is very unique in that it is not heat treated. I spoke briefly with Ed Schemp and Sal at the Eugene show about H1 and they both told me that H1 is quite tough. And as previously noted H1 is worked hardened and tends to get harder over time with use. Ed had mentioned to me that the friction from the grinding of the bevels is what hardens the blade.

I have only used a tasman salt from time to time and find that its edge retention good enough for my needs. I am interesting in seeing how hard the edge would get if I stropped the heck out of the edge of a H1 knife using a leather belt on the grinder.

Thanks, Ban. Good info. I love my Spyderco Pacific Salt for chores near saltwater. I'm looking now for a Spyderco Saver Salt on the cheap to clip to my kayak PFD. Nothing against Busse knives in these capacities, but I have been extremely impressed by the corrosion resistance of H1. At Blade, I'm hoping to pick up one of the H1 utility fixed blades--the Aqua Salts I believe they are called.

 

[Ban]

Thanks, Ban. Good info. I love my Spyderco Pacific Salt for chores near saltwater. I'm looking now for a Spyderco Saver Salt on the cheap to clip to my kayak PFD. Nothing against Busse knives in these capacities, but I have been extremely impressed by the corrosion resistance of H1. At Blade, I'm hoping to pick up one of the H1 utility fixed blades--the Aqua Salts I believe they are called.

Yeah you are right. It is quite hard to beat H1 for a salt water environment knife. Especially when price is taken into consideration. Like talonite and stellite, H1 does not contain any carbon so it would be nearly impossible to rust.

I am looking forward to the soon to be release Ed Schemp/Spyderco fixed blade in H1. It is roughly about the size of a SHe but alot thinner.

 

[BubbaThud]

I spoke with my friend today and got a little more info.

He cannot bring any fixed blade knives of any length. So no Infi for him, 1 year! He can do a folder with a blade length of less than 3.5 inches.

On a side-note...I find the "weapon" laws in Britain to be a little unbelievable...like I see it on the screen but I can't believe they're real laws from a real country. lol.

--BubbaThud

 

[yoda4561]

Well, that makes this alot easier. Spyderco Salt1. I'd get it with the yellow handles, serrated.

Edit: Make sure he can at least carry a locking blade folder. I missed the bit about the british colony earlier, iirc they don't allow locking or fixed blades in GB. This may extend to their territories as well.

 

[D25]

He got into alot of detail, half of which just flew right past me.

I just remember something about it being austensitic and that the nitrogen atoms in the matrix are free to move around to form stronger bonds with other elements with the presence of friction.

I'm glad it wasn't just me! But he was so enthusiastic in his explanation I just couldn't cut him off- "Sir- at this point you are making me feel quite retarded."

My current dive knives and water rescue knives are x15, and I am quite pleased with their performance, but Mr. Schemp's H1 blade looks and feels really nice.

 

[OldPhysics]

Ed tried to explain it to me at the show but I was too dumb to really understand. He got into alot of detail, half of which just flew right past me.

I just remember something about it being austensitic and that the nitrogen atoms in the matrix are free to move around to form stronger bonds with other elements with the presence of friction.

Ban, my friend, that is a form of work-hardening by migration (in an austenite matrix). It seems logical, given nitrogen's relative mobility in any iron/steel matrix.

If I get the time, I'll do a little serious research in a major tech library and see if I find anything on this phenomenon.

It's also good to remember that an edge is a bit like a surface -- it behaves very differently than the bulk material. As Pauli famously said, "the surface was invented by the devil."

I also think we should pay attention to Boar-gen. If he has seen good service from his Busse in the under-ocean environment, we shouldn't ignore his experience.

 

[Ban]

Ban, my friend, that is a form of work-hardening by migration (in an austenite matrix). It seems logical, given nitrogen's relative mobility in any iron/steel matrix.

If I get the time, I'll do a little serious research in a major tech library and see if I find anything on this phenomenon.

It's also good to remember that an edge is a bit like a surface -- it behaves very differently than the bulk material. As Pauli famously said, "the surface was invented by the devil."

I also think we should pay attention to Boar-gen. If he has seen good service from his Busse in the under-ocean environment, we shouldn't ignore his experience.

Agreed!:thumbup: I did mention in my previous post that INFI is perfectly fine in a saltwater environment with minimal care.