knife steel for salt water environment

R

Rookie7

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Feb 17, 2006
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I am a newbie, making my own knives for sea kayaking. Not dive knives. I have been unsatisfied with the knives on the commercial market because they are not suitable for the rigors of camping/cooking/survival on the beaches of British Columbia or Alaska. So what kind of steel should I be grinding? And what thickness?

I am not too upset by a little staining, but I do need to keep an edge. Typically, I have to wash utinsels in salt water and soap, then rinse in fresh water. Advice appreciated.
 
I still use an old favorite, 440-C when I do stainless blades.I use it on all my fillet knives.Dave:)
 
Well Spyderco has one called ATLANTIC SALT and I think they have a PACIFIC too, it's made of H1 and they say it will not rust...has nitrogen instead of carbon...my advice would be to check out H1 Steel, don't know how well it keeps an edge or how the steel machines tho.....
 
Even stainless will react if left exposed to salt water.S30V,44O-C, CPM154 would be good things to try.If you can put up with less edge retention you could go with dendritic cobalt or titanium.
 
Talonite or Stellite... Even 300 series "stainless" will rust in a marine environment.

Craig
 
Rookie, I make a lot of fillet knives that get used in salt water. I am a fisherman so also use them myself. I have good luck with 440C, 154CM/ATS34. D2 will rust in a saltwater enviornment while you are looking at it. My bait cutting knives are 420HC and they hold up fine also. I do exactly what you say you will do with knives on my boat. wash with saltwater, wipe off and rinse with fresh. I also spray them down with Pam before putting them in the sheath. A little extra insurance . The biggest problem with all the steels above is pitting. If you leave on knife against another on the counter or in a stainless steel sink while they are wet you will get serious pitting pretty quick. Hope this helps some... PHIL
 
My vote goes for 440C. Its tough, very stain-resistant, and commonly-available. :thumbup: :thumbup:
 
Rookie, Opps, I forgot to list S60V, S90V, S30V. They are fine in the salt also. All of them I mentioned need good heat treating to get the chrome in solution for max available corrosion resistance. I would also be interested in your kyaking experience and fishing up on Vancover Island. Looks like we will have a limited Salmon season this year and looking for some options. Pls personal e mail me. Thanks, PHIL
 
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