Rigging Knives -- Straight vs Serrated?

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by mikereed100

I have been using Moras for years. Crazy sharp and you can get them for $10 at a fisheries supply. They will cut anything and won't break your heart when you drop it overboard.

Home

I've used these and similar for years, one strapped to the helm pedestal and another to the mast. They do great except when you go offshore. Pull them out of the sheath after a long passage and they are a rusty mess.

Anyone found a stainless sheathe knife that they can leave on station topside that stands up to saltwater?

Or, is there a spray coating, like a soft plastic, that you can put on that will come off when you start to cut? The knives are for emergency use so the issue is keeping them in serviceable shape until they are needed.

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by Cadence

If you pick up a line on your wheel. Painter, wharp, whatever go to the galley and get a serrated blade kitchen knife. You know the one for the roast.


That is not being a wise ass.

Cadence

You're right onthis. Cutting away lines fouled on props is where you should use a serrated knife, basically because this is really sawing, not cutting

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by Suijin

I've used these and similar for years, one strapped to the helm pedestal and another to the mast. They do great except when you go offshore. Pull them out of the sheath after a long passage and they are a rusty mess.

Anyone found a stainless sheathe knife that they can leave on station topside that stands up to saltwater?

Not yet. I buy the $10 ones and throw them away after a year or so and then buy new ones.

But you can get them to last longer if you spray them heavily with WD-40, or wrap the blade in a paper towel soaked in WD-40 - if you are careful you canstill get it in the sheath, the the balde will not rust.

[hellosailor]

SOG calls their knife a 6Cr12MoV alloy, West just calls it "Stainless", which that is. So one might wonder if they are the same blade or not.


I've also found ceramic easily chipped, and difficult to resharpen--and they will need resharpening. Which at least one cutlery company says now is "No problem, just use one of the electric sharpening wheels". Right, one more brick to carry.(G)

[Steadman Uhlich]

I earlier posted a comment saying I had gotten a Camillus rigging folding knife I did not like (mainly because it was heavy in my pocket). While that is true, I came across one today that looks different (construction) and more appealing to me (). I personally prefer to have a serrated edge.

But, in fairness to the Camillus brand, and because someone here might like to see this knife I am adding it to the discussion. I don't own one yet, but this might make a nice choice for someone.

Camillus Carbonitride Titanium Folding Knife with G10 Handle and Marlin Spike, 6.5-Inch

• Drop point blade. Locking blade and spike.
• Carbonitride Titanium Non-Stick Blade
• VG10 Japanese Steel
• G10 Handle
• Modified Drop Point Blade
• Rigging blade with Liner Lock

Both the blades (blade and spike) LOCK which is important to me (re: folding knives).

Quality?
This knife has 52 five star reviews on Amazon, with most saying it is excellent. That is pretty impressive, given that most reviews on knives are often critical.

Value?
The price seems like a good value too: Just $28 and free shipping if you are a Prime member. Low enough price to have one attached to PFDs and in the dinghy etc. So, while this might not be someone's first choice ($$$) primary carry knife, it could be a good choice for secondary or crew or a gift to a young sailor.

http://www.amazon.com/Camillus-Carbo...Q2AGSB8VZ96YFQ

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Suijin

I've used these and similar for years, one strapped to the helm pedestal and another to the mast. They do great except when you go offshore. Pull them out of the sheath after a long passage and they are a rusty mess.

Anyone found a stainless sheathe knife that they can leave on station topside that stands up to saltwater?

Or, is there a spray coating, like a soft plastic, that you can put on that will come off when you start to cut? The knives are for emergency use so the issue is keeping them in serviceable shape until they are needed.

I'll bet commercial fishermen can head you in the right direction.

[Leo Ticheli]

I just ordered this Spyderco fixed-blade, so I can't vouch for it, but if it's like the other Spyderco Salt knives, it should be bullet-proof.

http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-FB31S...spyderco+enuff

It's small, but should be fine for cutting line.

Fair winds,

Leo

[hellosailor]

Stainless is not rust-proof, it just stains "less". And then if anything was welded on or stamped in, contamination from other materials will lead to rust if it wasn't passivated.


It might be simpler to passivate the knife (usually by immersion in strong acid if you can't get a paste for this) or simply spray on one of the rust blockers like BoeShield, which is essentially very thin wax. Heck even Rustoleum makes a spray can to prevent shovel blades from rusting in the garden shed. Same type of stuff for $5? a big can.

[Stumble]

Steady hand,

Titanium makes crappy blades. I used to sell titanium, and while a lot of people would love it to be worth making knives out of, it doesn't hold an edge at all. Ti coatings are great, but not the blade itself.

My guess is that the blade is steel, with a Ti coating. Which is great, up until the blade rusts out from under the Ti coating.

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by Steady Hand

Camillus Carbonitride Titanium Folding Knife with G10 Handle and Marlin Spike, 6.5-Inch

I had one of those. Would still have it but it got legs during an offshore race last year.

Good knife with the exception of it's sharpness. Even after careful sharpening it labored a bit cutting through line that the Boye cut like butter.

It's light, very thin, very well made, and the blade and spike lock securely. Ergonomically it was probably the best folder I ever used. I liked the spike better than the one on the Boye due to it's shape. It's a bargain at it's price.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Stainless is not rust-proof, it just stains "less". And then if anything was welded on or stamped in, contamination from other materials will lead to rust if it wasn't passivated.


It might be simpler to passivate the knife (usually by immersion in strong acid if you can't get a paste for this) or simply spray on one of the rust blockers like BoeShield, which is essentially very thin wax. Heck even Rustoleum makes a spray can to prevent shovel blades from rusting in the garden shed. Same type of stuff for $5? a big can.

I believe you are not correct. 300 series stainless will rust, 400 may but it will not in either of our lifetimes. and there appears to be grades of that, eg. C. As I recall it is the carbon and chrome content along with a bunch of other elements that differentiate the grades.
440 seems to be what is used for blades today. I keep one to open envelopes out of 440. Paper is hell on an edge, it does well on keeping and edge.

If you want a knife simply to take an edge, just get an old high carbon steel knife and a stone.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Stumble

Steady hand,

Titanium makes crappy blades. I used to sell titanium, and while a lot of people would love it to be worth making knives out of, it doesn't hold an edge at all. Ti coatings are great, but not the blade itself.

My guess is that the blade is steel, with a Ti coating. Which is great, up until the blade rusts out from under the Ti coating.

Hi.

I understand your points, good ones too.

Titanium also makes for poor conductivity, so bad for cooking pots (stuff burns on hotspots in the pan or pot). But, backpackers still want that weight savings. So, each material has some tradeoffs and some buyers.

I agree about the knife material (steel with some titanium coating). Who knows how long it would last for typical users?

Of course the edge may be used often enough to keep that exposed edge rust free, while the titanium coating on the rest of the blade may keep that are rust free too. It is probably one of those things that has to be used frequently to keep rust off, but that may not be a real problem. Who knows?

However, the price point (low initial cost) may make it affordable to most people and replaceable if or when it does rust.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Leo Ticheli

I just ordered this Spyderco fixed-blade, so I can't vouch for it, but if it's like the other Spyderco Salt knives, it should be bullet-proof.

Amazon.com : Spyderco FB31SYL Enuff Salt Lightweight Yellow H1 Sheepsfoot FRN Handle Knife : Fixed Blade Camping Knives : Sports & Outdoors

It's small, but should be fine for cutting line.

Fair winds,

Leo

Leo,

Thanks for posting this. I did not know that Spyderco made a fixed blade knife like that. I like fixed blades too. Good to see. Curious to know the blade length. ??

Another knife for the wish list!

[Steadman Uhlich]

Hi Folks!

I came across another sailors knife today that caught my interest.

Consider these features:

Ceramic Blade
Titanium Body
Marlin Spike
Shackle Key
Blade just under 3" to meet regs about concealed knives.

Cost? It surprised me! $79

[jwing]

I'm not a knife guy, either. However, I do appreciate good tools and when it comes to knives, I like to use the right tool for the job and I insist that my knives are sharp and well-cared for.

For sharpening, I'm with Canibul in post #52. My sharpener looks something like this one:

Franklin Machine 280-1217 Knife Sharpener Replacement Blade For Knife Sharpener 885-039

Straight edge vs. serrated: I like straight-edge for all knives except the most critical knife - the safety knife. My safety knife is one piece, non-folding, and serrated. It clicks into a hard-shell sheath and clicks out quickly with one hand. The sheath is attached to my PFD and does not get moved. The knife stays in the sheath except to practice getting it out, which happens a couple of times per year. The blade is not used for anything but emergencies.

I don't know what that SAILING video proves; I never cut rope like that. In an emergency situation, I will most likely be sawing a line under lots of tension. I'd like to see a test of knives like that. In a non-emergency, I still would not bend a rope over and tear through it willy-nilly like the guy in the video.

By the way, my filet knife stays in a sheath and hidden among my personal belongings. Only after somebody has proven responsible with my other galley knives will I let him/her borrow my filet knife.