Divers of all preferences know that below water, you can be faced with plenty of obstacles that could meddle with the diving experience, like nets, fishing lines, ropes, and more.
You never know what you might come across down in the depths of water, and that’s why you should always be ready with a multi-purpose dive knife. In this article, I’ll recommend some of the best dive knives that you can grab on your next diving adventure.
Comparison Table
| Knife | Tip | Weight | Blade Length |
| Spyderco Salt 2 | Sharp | 2 ounces | 3 inches |
| Spyderco Atlantic Salt | Sharp | 0.08 grams | 3.68 inch |
| EEZYCUT Trilobite Knife | Blunt | 4 ounces | 2.5 inches overall |
| Cressi Lima | Sharp | 1.6 ounces | 2.44 inches |
The 4 Best Dive Knives
1. Spyderco Salt 2 – Best Overall
Spyderco is a popular name when it comes to diving knives, and you can see why when you consider the features on the Salt 2.
Firstly, this knife comes with a molded fiberglass reinforced nylon (FRN) handle that gives you a comfortable and firm grip, as well as a nitrogen-based H-1 steel blade that provides you with unprecedented resistance against rust. As for the other metal components, they’re all made of rust-resistant alloys.
It weighs only 2 ounces, despite coming with a 3-inch blade that gives you the cutting capability you need without getting in the way.
Moreover, there’s a hollow grind with bevels that can extend all the way to the width of the blade or only a section of that, depending on what you prefer. Not to mention, the bevels come with a concave radius and are ground.
It’s worth mentioning that the Spyderco Salt 2 is a smooth blade, meaning that it comes with no teeth or serrations. That’s the main reason why this plain-edge blade is only capable of cutting thinner materials and doesn’t suit thick ropes.
Closed and packed, it measures 4.25 inches, while it measures 7.25 inches when opened with a 3-inch blade.
Pros:
- High-quality construction
- Very durable and rust-proof
- Ideal blade length
Cons:
- Only cuts through thinner materials
2. Spyderco Atlantic Salt – Value for the Price
The Spyderco Atlantic Salt is another Salt Series knife by Spyderco, which hits a balance between the serration of edges for effective rope-cutting and a foldable blade with a highly secure locking mechanism. For guaranteed security to your equipment, it also comes with a titanium pocket clip, which makes it easier to store in pockets of your BCD.
For the blade, Spyderco uses nitrogen-based H-1 steel blades, just like the Salt 2, which is why it’s also effective in resisting rust. It also comes with a hollow grind and extendable bevels, but this one utilizes Spyderco’s Spyderedge blade with multiple serration patterns, alternating between two small serrations and a large one to maximize the cutting edge’s surface area. This design gives it a 24% boost.
Moreover, the best part about its ergonomic handle is that it can be gripped tightly, even with gloves on, thanks to the FRN handle.
When closed, the Spyderco Atlantic Salt is 4.59 inches and 8.27 inches when extended, with the blade comprising 3.68 inches of those.
Pros:
- Super high-end design
- Easy to grip one-handedly
- Foldable design
- Incredibly lightweight
Cons:
- Unreliable tightening mechanism
3. EEZYCUT Trilobite Knife – Best Blunt Tip
If you’re looking for a blunt-tipped diving knife, you’ll find none better than the EEZYCUT. Despite the blunt tip, it has one of the sharpest cuts out there, with an ability to go through 8mm to 12mm-thick ropes.
This knife comes with a harness pouch that securely keeps it in place, which you can attach to any 2-2.50-inch wide webbing. What’s more, there’s a wrist pouch that you can attach to your 1.5-inch wide-gauge strap. Finally, you get a Flexi pouch that’s both accessible and flexible enough to be wrapped around webbing or backpack straps.
Though admittedly, the blade on this one isn’t the most durable and might be more prone to rust than others.
Pros:
- Reasonable price
- Safety of a blunt tip
- Plenty of available colors
Cons:
- Blade is prone to rust
4. Cressi Lima – Budget Option
Cressi is a well-known name in the world of diving and snorkeling, and the Cressi Lima is an excellent illustration why. This budget-friendly dive knife is very compact and easy to attach to diving gear.
With Japanese stainless steel 304 for the blade, you can rest assured that it’ll face the salt of seawater without deterioration in its cutting capability. While its blade is a little short at 2.44 inches, it’s still compelling enough.
Moreover, the sheath it comes with has a one-handed mechanism that makes its attachment to BCD straps or weight belts very easy. You can even attach its sheath to BCD hoses using hose holders for further facilitating extraction.
Pros:
- Highly affordable
- Anti-slip grip
- Very compact
- Can be attached to air hoses or BCDs
Cons:
- Doesn’t sit well in the sheath
How to Choose a Dive Knife
When shopping for a dive knife, there are several aspects that you should pay close attention to, which are:
Material
Diving knives must be made of corrosion-resistant metal, typically titanium or stainless steel. If you’re looking for something that doesn’t break the bank, you should go with stainless steel, while if you’re looking for something that’s super durable and effective, opt for titanium. Bear in mind, however, that titanium is harder to sharpen since it’s a lot more corrosion-resistant.
By all means, you should always rinse your knife after each dive to extend its lifespan and durability.
As for the handle, make sure that it feels comfortable and firm in your grip. While rubber-coated ones are better for grip, they may not be as comfortable as plastic to hold. Finally, rope-bound ones are the most superior in terms of grip.
Sheath
To maintain a secure blade, your knife must come with a folding sheath. Ensure that it’s compact, easy to travel with, and provides a good grip with gloves if you dive in cold waters.
Serration and Line Cutter
The serrated side of your dive knife allows you to hack and saw in the water, so it should be rugged enough to make its way through ropes of thick materials.
On the other hand, you’ll find a backward-facing blade that goes by the name of “Line Cutter,” and whose purpose is to cut thinner materials like thin ropes, nets, and fishing lines. Most of the time, cutting those materials won’t require the utilization of the full blade’s length, so you can make do with a smaller section.
Multi-functionality
It’s always better to opt for a tool that provides you with a wider range of functionalities. This includes doubling as a bottle opener, pair of scissors, screwdriver, or hammer. Also, some knives come with blunt tips that help you in prying while keeping you and your gear safe.
Not to mention, multi-purpose dive knives are super handy for rebreather, side-mount, and technical divers. This is because these ones require fine-tuning their equipment while they’re in the deep, which is something a multi-purpose knife can make a lot easier.
Interchangeable Blades
Replaceable razor blades can be screwed on or off the knife, and this facilitates changing your blades to suit different purposes or upgrading to a sharper blade between dives.
Safety
Safety is one of the most important factors to consider when you’re browsing through dive knives. A sheath with a safety lock that you can trigger by squeezing is an incredible tool to firmly keep your knife in place until you need to use it.
Moreover, you can opt for a spring-loaded safety lock, which works in a similar way to a pocket as it conceals the tool until you flip the pocket open. To close it, you need to apply pressure to the back of the blade. However, this may not be as comfortable as other mechanisms.
Finally, you can opt for folding metal, a latching safety feature that’s typically used with shears, scissors, and multi-purpose tools.
Final Thoughts
Now that you’ve taken a look at the best diving knives on the market, hopefully, you’re closer to finding the one that suits you best.
The Spyderco Salt 2 would be a great choice overall, but it’s not the easiest on the pocket. If you’re looking for a budget option, opt for the reliable Cressi Lima. Finally, if you’re looking for more safety, opt for the blunt-tipped EEZYCUT knife.