Sailing knife?

DrOpPoInT1110

DrOpPoInT1110

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Jan 28, 2009
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well, regattas are gonna be starting up pretty soon so i'm after a new sailing blade. it has to have corrosion proof steel or very very resistant steel. also, the screws/ hardware should be too. i 've ssen the spyderco salt knives but i hate that they have pinned pivots...i don't know why spyderco would do that. the mariner looks suitable but its a stainless steel handled knife without an adjustable pivot. the warrior is just out of my price range and too big, the rock salt is affordable but also too large. anyone have any experience w/ the aquasalt? i also don't know much about benchmades's "H20" series. so what knife would you guys recommend? serrations are preffered in this case as it'll mainly be for cutting line. i would also like something that could be lashed to my pfd without getting in the way. i know i'm being very specific and nitpicky but it'll help me find just what i need. thanks for all your help!
 
Your choices are limited brother. Don't really know what to tell you. I think that the Spyderco Salt series is the way to go, but if the pinned construction is a deal breaker then you're pretty much left with the Benchmade H2O Griptillian. I'd say bite the bullet and get yourself a Spyderco Tasman Salt or Spyderhawk with serrations.
 
Look into "Meyerchin" knives, but I am not sure what your price point is. They have a good range though. Most of their knives are marine /rigging oriented.
 
I have a rock salt, honestly it's not as sharp as I expect from spyderco. I wonder if that is the price paid for a nitrogen alloy that is supposed to be rust proof.
 
My vote is for the Spyderco Harpy.
41BWKG2ZVPL._SS500_.jpg
 
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thanks for the input guys. it looks like i'm gonna have to get over the pinned construction peeve as Tony8179 said. i trust that they'll be alright coming from spyderco. i'll check out meyerchin as well. keep the ideas coming!
 
The Boye fixed blade looks pretty good. You may want to look into that one for your main blade and pick up a Spyderco Salt as a backup folder. That would probably be your best bet.
 
Tony8179 said:
The Boye fixed blade looks pretty good. You may want to look into that one for your main blade and pick up a Spyderco Salt as a backup folder. That would probably be your best bet.
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that's what i was thinking...the only thing i don't like so much about the boye is the sheath but i can probably get a kydex one made for it. the one it comes with doesn't look too great to lash to a pfd.
 
Right now I have a Spyderco Aqua Salt and a Spyderco Salt 1 both in plain edge attached to my river gear. If I were going sailing I would take the aqua salt along with whatever folder floats your boat. :D

Plus the Aqua Salt comes with an excelent kydex type sheath that has GREAT retention. Its worth the money to get the pair IMHO. Plus they look quite nice together.

Mike
 
veubent said:
Right now I have a Spyderco Aqua Salt and a Spyderco Salt 1 both in plain edge attached to my river gear. If I were going sailing I would take the aqua salt along with whatever folder floats your boat. :D

Plus the Aqua Salt comes with an excelent kydex type sheath that has GREAT retention. Its worth the money to get the pair IMHO. Plus they look quite nice together.

Mike
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that's what i like about the aquasalt. its the prefect size and the retention/sheath look better. but i haven't seen many reviews or input on it. i think i'll just have to give it a go. and on second thought, the boye plus another folder and a kydex sheath for it would be quite pricey for a knife i could potentially lose in a heartbeat.
 
Does it have to be a folder?

How about the now discontinued but still available fixed-blade Benchmade H2O:

BenchmadeH20X15_82.jpg


I like the looks of Benchmades H2O folders, but heard that their omega springs are made of regular steel. Not that smart if you ask me.
 
Bumppo said:
Look into "Meyerchin" knives, but I am not sure what your price point is. They have a good range though. Most of their knives are marine /rigging oriented.
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I'll second Myerchin. I have one of their rigging knives and marlin spikes and I will recommend it.:thumbup:
 
About a lifetime ago - mid 80s - I sailed my 36 foot Vancouver to Europe and back. Took a year and I learned a lot about a lot. One lesson was knives. I'd always had a nice, expensive, British knife that included a folding sheepsfoot blade, shackle key and spike. It took less than a few weeks offshore to realize just how useless that thing was. As soon as I got a chance, I replaced it with a fixed blade, the tip ground into a screw driver, a shackle key cut into the spine, and a sticky-wrapped handle with a lanyard hole. The downside, the steel was so hard it was nearly impossible to keep an edge on it.


Forget the spike; you're doing that when things are calm, keep a couple in the locker. I'm sure you've heard and experienced the old saw "one hand for the boat, one for yourself"? Think force 3 plus. A folder does not compute. Make and use a lanyard; repeat that twice a day. And, no one was allowed aloft without one. Just my two cents. I envy you your summer.
 
Boye would be my suggestion.
I used to have a basic 3 - great knife, mine was an older style with simple kydex sheath.
The dendritic cobalt is supposed to be very corrosion resistant, I don't live near any saltwater, so didn't test that.
Takes and holds a good working edge.
I also like the looks of the drop point folder with marlinspike - and his seconds aren't badly priced while still carrying the warranty. (they also use screws at the pivot)
 
what about the silver sword by camillus?? it is a folder. it has a main blade and the marlin spike. you said you are going to be sailing right?? then you are going to be dealing with a lot of knots on rope and that is where the spike it worth its weight in gold because that is what it is made for.the blade is made out of high-carbon steeland has what they are calling swordsteel that makes it harder to rust on you. pm me if you would like some pictures of it.
 
DrOpPoInT1110 said:
this looks great! http://boyeknives.com/basic3.cfm
any thoughts on this? it is a little pricey but i figure i'll get years of use out of it. any thoughts on the "dentritic cobalt steel"? anyone ever use a boye knife?
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I've owned one for about 6 years and while I'm not a sailor I do have it with me whenever I swim in the ocean. I live in Florida so that's about 20 or 30 times a year. There is no corrosion whatsoever. I heartily recommend this knife. (I have the folding model with a marlin spike)
 
The Myerchin rigging knife I had was heavier than a Buck 110, had no clip and was difficult to open with one hand.

Avoid stainless handles. they get slippery.

I would recommend any of the spyderco salt knives (If you can get over the pinned construction) or anything of theirs in VG-10. I have been carrying a harpy and a byrd cara cara rescue commercial fishing. The cara cara rescue shows some rust spotting but it is by no means dangerous corrosion. The harpy shows light spots where the salt water contacted the blade and was never wiped off. These knives aren't cleaned every day. Anything with H-1 or VG-10 and an opening hole should serve you well.
 
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