Materials for a diving knife?

cmd

cmd

Joined
Feb 7, 2004
Messages
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I got a request for a 6" fixed blade diving knife. The customer is former Navy and enjoys diving recreationally.

Please help me out with suggestions for materials to use.

The blade needs to be sturdy enough for prying shellfish yet still be able to fillet fish. I'm considering doing a 2 knife package - one prying tool and one knife that is serrated on one side and PE on the other. That may be a bit bulky though. I'll give him several options for designs.

He requested that the handle be a little rubbery, but he is open to suggestions as long as it is comfortable and grippy.

The sheath is probably going to be kydex.

As far as I know, H1 is not available in small quantities but if it were that would be my first choice for blade material.

Please give me some suggestions for materials.

Chris
 
cmd, I made several diving knives from 1/4 inch 440C and heat treated them to 55RC. One was for a friend so I get to see the knife once in a while. There is some rust on it around some holes drilled in the handle but not serious. I used micarta for the handle and 316 stainless steel pins. A diving knife would be a poor tool for filleting fish as you already know. two knives seems the best solution. I also made myself a gaff hook out of CPM S 30 and it is kept in a locker under the deck on my boat. This one has serious rust since it doesn't get good air flow around it to dry out. This is a test of sorts, I was surprised to see so much corrosion. I made an ab iron also out of 30V and rinse the salt off it after use. Just a few spots of rust here and there on that one. PHIL
 
i would also think a 2 knife set in 440c is most likely the way to go
so far as handle not sure how it might work but maybe try that truck liner stuff you can get in a can at the auto parts place should give lots of grip
one of these days im going to test it out
butch
 
if your worried about rust then stelite is the way to go , i made my dive knife out of stelite so it will pretty much never rust , i dont know how to link my dive knife pics to here but if you check out my profile then post by me ,,then you can check them out,,,they are not "lookers" but users
shaker
 
I work for an orthopaedic shoemaker.
We use several different kinds of rubber.
Some are soft enough to be confortable as a knifegrip, but hard enough to keep its form.
Some have nice small profile, for extra grip, but it also to make it look good.
I think that if you go around an orthopaedic shoemaker in your area and bring them something sweet for there lunchbrake, they'll let you have some nice bits of rubber for your knives. (I know I would :p)
They buy it in large quanteties, that way it isn't to expensive to them.
 
I would be more concerned about the corrosion restistance than edge holding ability since, in my diving experience, a knife really isn't used too frequently. It needs to be sharp in case you need it, but you don't usually do a whole lot of cutting under the water.

On that note; I once asked Dan Maragni what type of steel to use for a dive knife. He recommended 440A over 440C. He said that the higher carbon content of the 440C would tie up more of the chromium as carbides, making the 440C less corrosion resistant than the 440A.

H1 would probably be the best choice, but I don't know if it's available to consumers.
 
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