A Review of the Four Greatest Diving Knives

When you are diving, a good knife can make the difference between living or dying. They can get you out of all kinds of sticky situations if you choose the right one. Finding a perfect dive knife is a little bit different than hunting for other knives, because diving knives are going to be in conditions that your other knives do not have to tackle. First, you have to make sure that it is made out of the right materials. These knives are going to be submerged often and need to be able to stand up to salt water. Some good options of steel for your diving knife are titanium, stainless steel, or a specialty steel. Essentially you are trying to find the perfect balance between corrosion resistant properties, toughness of the blade, and how long it can keep an edge. You are also searching for the perfect size and style of knife. Many of the smaller blades can cut just as well as the larger blades, so you are not necessarily looking for blade size. However, you are going to want to have a secure grip on your knife at all times, so you should be looking for a chunkier handle. But, you also want a knife that doesn’t weigh you down and one that can be stored away. Today I have chosen four different fantastic diving knives.

 

The Cressi Skorpion Diving Knife:

For a diving knife, this a very versatile tool. The blade on this knife is 4.33 inches long. You can choose whether or not you want a sharp drop pint tip or a blunt tip. If you know that you are going to be fishing with this knife, you are going to want the drop point option. However, if you are primarily using this knife as a precautionary rescue knife, the blunt tip isn’t a bad option. With the blunt tip, you can get very close to whatever you are cutting without having to worry about stabbing it. But, if you do come across a situation where you need to stab something, you are going to be completely out of luck.

Not only do you have two tip options, this knife also comes with two different steel options. The first steel is Japanese 420 Stainless Steel. This is the steel that the blade will be made out of if you get the drop point. They chose this steel because it can get crazy sharp. On the other hand, if you chose the blunt tip blade, the blade will be made out of 304 Stainless Steel. This second option does have better corrosion resistance. Both of these steel options are easy to sharpen.

One side of the blade is straight edged, while the other side sports serrations and a notch cutter. Serrations are fantastic to have on a diving knife because they can cut through thicker materials easier. If you encounter any rope or thick weeds, these serrations could save your life. I really love how both sides are sharp, but one with straight edge and the other with serrations. That way, you have the full length of the blade to use while cutting, instead of trying to use a small portion of a combo blade. The notch cutter works great to cut through the thickest of lines.

The handle on this knife is made out of rubber, with a soft grip material. The handle also features anatomical grooves for your fingers. Both of these aspects give you amazing grip, so you don’t have to be worried about slipping. This handle also sports a lanyard hole.

The sheath for this knife is made out of hard plastic and has an easy-release mechanism. This mechanism makes it easy to release the knife with just one hand.

The overall length of this knife is 9.41 inches, so it is on the larger end of the spectrum. However, it is a very light knife for how long it is. The Skorpion weighs in at just under one pound.

 

The Promate Titanium Diving Knife:

This is the second knife that made my list of the four best diving knives. Promate has produced quite a few very quality diving knives. This one actually became popular because Bear Grylls used it on his show Man Vs Wild. This is also one of the best-selling knives on Amazon.

The blade on this knife is 4 3/8 inches long made out of titanium. One of the benefits of having a titanium blade is that it is extremely resistant to rust and corrosion. Of course, you are going to want to rinse this knife off after each use to prolong its life. Titanium is also more durable, stronger, and lighter than a stainless steel option. Half of this blade is serrated and just like the previous knife, this one does have a line cutter etched into the steel.  The other half is a straight edge blade. This is a very popular design for diving knives, and it makes sense. It really gives you the best of both worlds.

This blade also comes with the option of getting a pointed tip or a blunt tip. To make that decision, you just need to weigh the pros and cons and what you are going to be mainly using this knife for. If you are going to be spear fishing at all, definitely go with the pointed tip.

This knife is a full tang blade, so it does have the titanium steel going all the way through the knife. When your knife is a full tang knife, you know that it is going to be a sturdier knife, because it is harder to break than a partial tang. Another benefit of a full tang is that if the handle somehow breaks off, you still have the full knife shape to use.  At the butt end of this knife, there is a titanium hammer that peeks out of the grip material.  This hammer can come in handy in all sorts of situations.

The handle is made out of a rubber molded handle that helps provide you with excellent grip. This rubber will not slip around on the full tang, keeping everything very secure. The handle is big enough for almost anyone to use comfortably.

The sheath that is included in this knife comes with straps so that you can attach it to your arm or leg. However, if you prefer to keep it in you BC, these straps are removable.

This knife comes in a variety of different colors including blue, yellow, silver, green, and orange. These colors are very bright, so if you happen to drop your knife, you are going to be able to find it—even over a reef.

 

The U.S. Divers Titanium Knife:

This knife works just as well as a survival knife as it does a diving knife.

The blade on this knife is 5 inches long made out of titanium. Because it is titanium, it keeps the weight of this knife down. The pure titanium also stays shaper than a stainless steel options and is extremely resistant to corrosion. This is a full tang knife, so the blade is made out of one continuous piece of steel that extends all the way through the handle. On the butt of the knife is a stainless butt cap.

This blade is a plain edge on one side of the knife. This plain edge side is also the side that features the line cutting groove. Because the line cutter is on this side of the blade, you will have easier and quicker access to it. Plus, it will feel more natural than having to flip your blade over to get to it. A drawback to having the line cutter on this edge of the knife is that your blade could get caught more often.  The top side of the knife is a serrated edge. This is my favorite design for a knife, because you do want both of these edges, but if you were to have a combo edge, you wouldn’t have the full length to cut with. I think every good diving knife uses this design. The knife sports an aggressive drop point silhouette.

A unique aspect about this knife is that it can be disassembled for quick cleaning. This is a huge bonus, because salt water can really get into any crack or crevice and if you don’t rinse your steel off, no matter how corrosion resistant it is, it will eventually begin to rust.

The handle is a matte gray rubber with deep finger grooves to improve your grip. The handle also sports a lanyard hole. Unfortunately, this handle has been known to disintegrate over time.

The quick-release sheath of this knife holds it securely in place. It also comes with rubber leg straps.

The overall length of this knife is 9.5 inches long. This size does turn many people off. But, because the blade is made out of lightweight titanium, the entire knife only weighs in at 12 ounces.

 

The Atomic Aquatics Titanium Ti6 Scuba Diving Knife:

Atomic Aquatics is a very reliable company that designs and produces high quality dive knives. They have been in the dive knife business for a while now and you can tell that they have been around the block a few times when you are using the Ti6. It’s that good of a knife.

The blade on this knife gives you a four inch cutting edge. It is made out of titanium, which means that you won’t have a ton of maintenance. This knife is crazy sharp; it will really slice through any material that you throw at it. This is a very easy knife to sharpen, when needed.

The Ti6 is a full tang knife, so you know that it is going to be very durable. Plus, with a full tang knife you don’t have to worry about your blade being wobbly.

The blade on this knife is a straight edge blade that elegantly curves. This is the side that features a large line cutter. The other side of the blade is a serrated edge.

Just like the previously mentioned knives, you have a pointed tip or a blunt tip option.

The molded handle features atomic finger grooves to provide you with a more secure grip. Over time, this handle does have the tendency to break down and rust. This process will take a very long time if you do take proper care of it and make sure that you clean it off after every use. To make cleaning easier, the titanium end cap can be removed and then you are able to dissemble the knife.

The sheath is lightweight and releases easily with a push-button release. The knife locks perfectly into place, keeping your blade securely in place. The sheath also comes with quick-adjusting sheath straps.

This knife weighs 12 ounces.

 

Conclusion:

A good diving knife is a key element in your diving gear. Finding the perfect diving knife for you and your needs can feel a little overwhelming and tricky. For every positive feature of a knife, it seems like another knife is saying those are the drawbacks. First, you should figure out what you are really going to be doing with your knife. Are you going to be fishing, or is it just going to act as a backup or safety knife? I chose these four knives because they have what I consider to be all the right features.

Titanium is an excellent option for your blade because it is a lighter weight than stainless steel, plus, it is much more resistant to corrosion. Having a double edged knife adds another touch of perfection because you get the full length of the knife to cut and you have a plain edged side and a serrated side. The line cutter is the perfect touch, because it is easy to get caught up in line. Plus, a few of these have a hammering butt end. Any of these four knives would be a fantastic addition to your diving needs and gear. Happy diving.