Need feedback on the Pacific Salt or Salt I

Pete1977

Pete1977

Joined
Apr 15, 2002
Messages
3,376
Hey there.

I'm looking for input or feedback on how the pacific salt and the salt 1 stand up to long term salt water exposure, and how well they hold their edge in both the SE and PE versions. I am a commercial fisherman in the northeast, and I currently carry the full sized dyad in ats-55 and micarta on board the boat. The PE blade is usually dull by the end of the day, but takes a sharp edge with a few passes on the sharpmaker. The SE blade lasts a few days longer, and still sharpens up hair-shaving with some strokes on the sharpmaker as well. My problem with the Dyad is that it tends to bind up after long term salt water exposure, and hard use, especially where the blades and the center liner meet. It is easily cleaned when I do find the time or the inclination. Are the salt knives easily sharpened, and how long do they retain their edge? is the blade the only metal part of the knife in H-1 or is the pivot pin and the lock H-1 as well?

any information will help, and especially from those who've used the knife in a marine environment for an extended duration.

thanks.

Peter
 
Hi Pete, We're in "new waters" with the salts. New material, first time for a folder. Lab tests haved been consistent. Corrosion resistance is excellent. Edge retention on plain edge is about AUS-6 (less than ATS-55 by 25%). Serrated edge edge retention is very good, up there with the exotics, (better than ATS-55).

Some "real life" tests in salt water have confirmed the lab tests. I have personally tested several in daily salt with no rinse and had no corrosion problems.

sal
 
I have a serrated Pacific Salt, and it's holding up great. Edge retention is very good. Not quite up there with my VG-10 serrated Rescue 93mm, but still much better than you'd think with so soft a steel. I touch it up less then I do my S30V Microtech, A2 Severtech, or D2 Benchmade, and that says a lot.

As for corrosion resistance, I've purposely neglected maintaining it like I would any normal knife. I only occassionally clean it (we're talking some greasy, gunky stuff, along with sweat), and only use tap water to wash it. Actually, that's not quite true, because I've accidentally sent it through the washing machine a few times (I clip it IWB, and forget it's there). Nary a hint of corrosion or oxidation.

Eagerly awaiting the Atlantic Salt....
 
I haven't been able to make the pacific salt rust. I leave it in the stowage on my Sea Kayak. It takes a good edge - and edge holding is more than adequate for me, although I don't put it to heavy all-day use.
 
Thanks for all the information

One more question for now, are all of the metal parts on the knife made of H-1? Or is just the blade of the new steel. I find that with my Dyad, the back of the blade seems to stick against the underside of the locking bar when opening the knife, making one handed opening increasingly difficult.

And another observation. I got my girlfriend a job on a charter/party deep sea fishing boat as a deckhand, and outfitted her with a Delica I've had since 1995. The blade is aus-8 I believe, and the handle is zytel. The knife has served her fine, save for the corrosion on the blade binding it up between the zytel scales, and making for a slow opening with one or both hands. (some Penn reel lube rectified this problem) I am curious to know whether the H-1 would prevent this problem on the Salt line of knives.

Well, that's it for now, I suppose, again, thanks Sal and everyone else for the information. I am somewhat hesitant to replace the Dyad for now, as I've found the dual blades extremely versatile in my profession. However, the Pacific Salt, Salt I and Atlantic Salt are tantalizing options.
 
Hi Pete.

The blade and the lock are made from H-1. The steel is produced for us in two different rockwells to meet the blade/lock required difference.

The pins, barrel bolt, and clip are built to resist corrosion. We too are always testing. We have one in a salt tank right now. We think we can improve on the clip material.

We believe that Spyderco's H-1 knives will make life easier for many that work in and around salt water and use a knife often. If fact, we appreciate all input from need to results.

FRN (Fiberglass Reinforced Nylon - "Zytel" is a brand name) does not corrode. We don't use bushings in the FRN handles, the FRN has sufficient lubricity to work without one. So any resistance between the blade and the FRN would more than likely be a corrosion build up on the tang of the blade.

The Dyad is a very functional piece and it packs a lot of cutting power (7") into a relatively small package. AUS-8 is better at corrosion resistance than ATS-55, but both will corrode in our 24 hr "Q-fog" testing. The locks in those models are made from 420J2, which will also corrode.

We have experienced no corrosion in H-1 to date. We believe that the "Salts" will set the standard for water workers, sailors, divers and fisherman world-wide.

sal
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top