I have tried several knives for kayaking but all rust. Has anyone seriously looked into ceramic knives? I just need something I can use to cut away a paddle leash that tries to strangle me, or at worst a skirt that won't let go of someone else. Spreading peanut butter is optional but probably the most likely use. The knife needs to be strong enough to not chip and sharp enough to cut. Anyone know of a reasonably priced, ceramic sport knife that would do the job? Brian Blankinship *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
How about titanium? I recall seeing one or two on the market. You wouldn't have much worry about it breaking. Wayne Wayne Smith wsmith16_at_charter.net Check out my website! http://webpages.charter.net/wsmith16/home.html *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> From: <Blankibr_at_aol.com> > I have tried several knives for kayaking but all rust. Has anyone seriously > looked into ceramic knives? > I have a couple of ceramic chef knives that I use at home in the kitchen and they're fantastic! Not only for retaining their sharpness but also because they don't introduce off-flavors into the food (e.g. Fe ions...). I may take a small one in a camping kitchen kit or as a pocket knife (Boker makes one) but I would not seriously consider it for a rescue situation. It is a more fragile blade than metal. Their accompanying instructions warn against using these knives for frozen foods or for bones, for example. I don't do that much around saltwater, but I have been carrying a stainless steel Gerber River knife for over 15 years with no rusting -- and I don't expend a great deal of care on it. Mostly it gets used for peanut butter, whose oil might help prevent rust, and for cutting monofilament off branches before critters get entangled... I also carry a seatbelt cutter I found in a rescue equipment store. It has a large slit with a pointed portion and a blade near its end; somewhat like an envelope slitter only bigger. It has a big fingerhole for pulling and it will cut a 1/2 inch rope. The point will dig into a sprayskirt so it can be slit open. Something like this might be a good alternative... Joe P. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> I don't do that much around saltwater, but I have been carrying a >stainless steel Gerber River knife for over 15 years with no rusting -- and >I don't expend a great deal of care on it. > I have a SS Gerber river knife that I ignore and it has held up well in a salty environment for the last five years. I found it on ebay for $14 new vs about $60 in a store. I just rinse it off after a paddle and return it to its sheath wet. Jim et al *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Check out divers supplys for stainless steel knives. Our diving crews typically carry a sheath knife for work/emergency. Most work is in salt water, and these guys trash materials, but the knives hold up. Kurt Olson Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Ceramic Knives > > I don't do that much around saltwater, but I have been carrying a > >stainless steel Gerber River knife for over 15 years with no rusting -- and > >I don't expend a great deal of care on it. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 12/16/2004 7:35:32 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, k.n.olson_at_worldnet.att.net writes: Check out divers supplys for stainless steel knives. Our diving crews typically carry a sheath knife for work/emergency. Most work is in salt water, and these guys trash materials, but the knives hold up. The only knife I've had for several years is a small SS diving knife. It's wise to buy a knife at a dive store as the dive industry knows what source of SS to use. Apparently Gerber does not as of 2 theirs I own have rotted the minute it left the store. Rob G *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
It would seem that any decent quality diver's knife would work. Some have a blunt tip - which is safer than a pointed tip. Some have a serrated back edge for cutting line/webbing. Most have a sheath that attaches to the knife with a positive locking mechanism - grasp handle and squeeze to release. If you mount this on your PFD, make sure you pay attention to direction for unsheathing the knife....if sheath is on the upper part of your chest, a downward pulling motion is much less likely to result in you slitting your own throat while trying to get the knife out! A nasty thought... It would seem that dive knives designed for repeated submersion in salt water should be built to resist corrosion. There are some titanium knives at this site - also check the Fusiler knife - last one on page 1 - cheaper than titanium. http://www.scubatoys.com/store/Scuba_Knives.asp You might click on the "What's the difference between all these knives?" answer link in the upper right of the page for more info. As usual no relationship with site referenced - merely has decent selection. K At 08:41 AM 12/16/2004 -0500, you wrote: >I have tried several knives for kayaking but all rust. Has anyone seriously >looked into ceramic knives? > >I just need something I can use to cut away a paddle leash that tries to >strangle me, or at worst a skirt that won't let go of someone >else. Spreading >peanut butter is optional but probably the most likely use. > >The knife needs to be strong enough to not chip and sharp enough to cut. >Anyone know of a reasonably priced, ceramic sport knife that would do the >job? *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 12/19/2004 5:57:37 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, keith.wrage_at_charter.net writes: If you mount this on your PFD, make sure you pay attention to direction for unsheathing the knife....if sheath is on the upper part of your chest, a downward pulling motion is much less likely to result in you slitting your own throat while trying to get the knife out! A nasty thought... A couple of friends of mine took a BCU course on Orcas Island, WA. They were practicing scoop rescues when My friend *T*, who was in the water grabbed *B*'s PFD. He actually got a hold of the knife handle, which dislodged the knife from the scabbard. B saw the flash of the blade and leaned back, letting go of T. The knife flashed twice in front of him, once cutting him about an inch under his eye. As B no longer had a hold on T, T went over and wet exited. He returned the knife to B and they started over again, this time without the swashbuckling. It is now a Lesson Learned part of the course, be it rescues or equipment discussions. Be careful with that thing, you could put some body's eye out! Rob G *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
on 20/12/04 11:14, Rcgibbert_at_aol.com at Rcgibbert_at_aol.com wrote: > B saw the flash of the blade and leaned back, letting go of > T. The knife flashed twice in front of him, once cutting him about an inch > under his eye. > On an instructional trip one paddler carried a diver's knife in a scabbard on the front deck, tethered with a lanyard. We blasted out through surf and on reaching the far side he found the knife stabbed through the deck of his plastic kayak, buried to the hilt, with the point between his thighs! After the nervous laughter had subsided, we tried to imagine how we would have explained to the police if the outcome had been worse. Sea kayakers often question whether a knife is needed to hand. Having been tangled in a rope that was being drawn into a spinning propeller, my answer is short. JKA -- John Kirk-Anderson Banks Peninsula NEW ZEALAND *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I have carried a knife on my PFD for 30 years. I have been fortunate, through many white water and surfing adventures, never to have been attacked by my own knife, although I lost one once on a lake trip. I replaced that one with a more secure sheath catch! I've been worried about the point for a number of years, altough it was necessary when I first started, since the use it was originally intended for was for cutting people out of wrapped boats on rivers, and I needed the point for that. Since going almost exclusively to Sea-kayaking, I always get the type of diver's knife that has a flat tip. I don;t know if you can get a ceramic diver's knife with a flat tip, but it might be worth a search. Here's a serrated blade cooks knife that could be a good start: http://www.eceramic.com/cutlery/kt165s.htm David Eden
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