Huh? My knives are made out of something? ... ](*,)
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I get 6 SS knives for $4.99 at Fred Meyer. I think I threw one out last year from rust, but my spares should last me through 2010 provided I don't lose them.
Titanium doesn't rust and holds a perfect edge until you're ready to use it... however, once you use it to cut something more than a little fishing line, I would resharpen it. It doesn't hold up as well as steel... but it doesn't lose it's edge from oxidation either which is why I like it.
Good thread!
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Titanium is also stronger, lighter (half the weight of the same steel version), doesn't rust ever, and doesn't screw with the polarity when using a compass near your knife.
Seth T. wrote:Titanium is also stronger, lighter (half the weight of the same steel version), doesn't rust ever, and doesn't screw with the polarity when using a compass near your knife.
Stronger is relative. It's more brittle than steel too, if you try using it to pry something, steel may bend a bit, but the titanium will fracture. I generally don't have mine anywhere near my compass, if my knife is in my hand I'm probably not navigating much.
Seems like the real advantage is in the corrosion resistance. I use the same method as CaptJack, but I'm even cheaper, I bought some ginsu knives from Goodwill for $0.49 each.
Oooh 0.49 is a deal! I can't imagine paying 100x that much for a fancy titanium knife. My steak knives cut great and they are very compact once the tips are broken off. The only part that even starts to wear out is the sheath. I have never needed to pry anything UW.
CaptnJack wrote:Stainless steel is non-magnetic. Not that you'd be cutting and following a compass heading anyway.
Actually, I happened across this my last dive at Camano Is State Park. We were navigating through a rather annoying kelp forest and I brought out my knife to clear the way after repeatedly getting my fins hooked. Compass in one hand, knife in the other.
I find it much faster to just remove kelp from the offending body part with my hand. The last itme I used a knife was to attempt to cut a crab free from a gill net. He decided I didn't have his best interests in mind and so I had to leave him. Can't remember how many years it been before that...
Nwbrewer wrote:It's better to break the kelp with your hands if you must anyway. Don't want to cut a hose or something......
Well, it was also partly that I reached back to remove a snag right as my knife popped out of the sheath! I'm not losing my $120 knife! (Again!) Thus I held it and had much less snags.
$120????? Now I know why I have a ss knife. I've heard that having them leg strapped like that can cause problems in the kelp. Do you strap it to the inside or outside of your leg?
I have a <$1 knife on my waist. I can reach it with both hands and its never snagged on anything. Its way to small (roughly 6" handle, 2" blade) to pry abalone, then again I don't harvest abalone anyway.
Nwbrewer wrote:$120????? Now I know why I have a ss knife. I've heard that having them leg strapped like that can cause problems in the kelp. Do you strap it to the inside or outside of your leg?
Yep, it is insane. It's UK's Blue Tang Titanium in case your wondering. I was strapping to to the outside, but seeing that I'm on my third knife, I think I'll start strapping it to the inside!
Nwbrewer wrote:Uhhh.... just so I understand you lost two $120 knives? Yikes!
Yeah, definately start strapping it to the inside.
Well, the first one was an Ocean Master titanium knife (piece of crap).
The second one was a standard UK Blue Tang sharpened to a razor. (My favorite knife. Had it 5 years.)
Now I'm on my new Blue Tang Titanium.
