Imagine being underwater observing beautiful coral reefs with shoals of colorful fish swimming around you. It sounds like quite an experience, doesn’t it? Actually, scuba diving is one of the most exhilarating adventure sports there is. To enjoy this activity, you need proper equipment, and this includes the best scuba knife.
With the popularity of scuba diving on the rise, there are a wide variety of scuba knives available in the market today. They are generally made from different materials like titanium or stainless steel and most of them are lightweight and multi-functional. You also have the option to choose between a sharp tip and a blunt tip scuba knife, depending on your personal preference and intended use. Since there are a lot of options out there, finding one that’s right for you can be hard, but don’t worry- we’ve got you covered. We have done the research for you and have found the top choices available on the market today. Read on to select the one that best fits your needs and your wallet!
Comparison Chart
Best Scuba Knife Reviewed
1. Promate Scuba Dive Knife with Straps and Sheath
Based in El Monte, California, Promate provides customers from all over the world with high-quality diving gear and safety equipment, including watersport knives. Their products, which range from knives to masks, bags, boots, and gloves, are both affordable and reliable. The Promate Scuba Dive Knife is one of their most popular items.
Product Highlights
The Promate Scuba Dive Knife measures 9.45 inches with a 4.45-inch long titanium blade. It comes with a plastic sheath made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic and adjustable straps with a titanium hammer at the bottom. You can choose to buy it with a blunt tip or a drop point tip, depending on your preference and intended use.
The Good
Since the blade is titanium, it’s made to be strong and durable underwater. The plastic sheath comes with a double push-button, which, along with the adjustable leg straps, makes the knife extra secure when worn on your scuba gear.
Additionally, this knife is a multi-tool and highly versatile. If you get the blunt design, the knife can be used as a screwdriver, or as a tank banger. The titanium butt is specifically designed for hammering, so you can easily use it to signal somebody underwater.
The Bad
Disengaging the knife is a bit difficult due to the double lock. While the lock is important to secure the knife to your person to prevent injury, it takes you a little more time to unlock the knife when using. Also, the knife is not for everyday use, so if you need a dive knife frequently, this may not be the right choice for you.
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2. Cressi Borg Long Blade Knife
Cressi is one of the largest manufacturers of water sports gear in the world, and is well known for its quality products. It was founded in Genoa, Italy in 1946 and has been dedicated to trendy yet functional products for all sorts of water sports.
Among their most well-known products are designed for snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, and swimming. The Cressi Borg Long Blade Knife is one of their most versatile products.
Product Highlights
Made of Japanese 304 stainless steel, the Cressi Borg Long Blade Knife boasts a tempered blade that is both straight-edged and serrated at the same time. There is a technopolymer thumb tab at the bottom for a better grip.
Moreover, the knife is about 10 inches long while the blade is about five inches in length. The sheath comes with two standard adjustable straps and a locking mechanism for ease in use and convenience.
The Good
As it’s both straight-edged and serrated, the knife is very effective in cutting hard objects. Therefore, you can easily use it to cut lines, ropes, and even nets.
The featured thumb tab, along with the straps allow you to have a more secure grip as well as an easy discharge.
The Bad
While the blade is stainless steel, the guard on the knife may rust after some time. If the guard is out of commission, it makes using the knife difficult. However, there’s an easy fix: replace the guards (you can easily find suitable ones online).
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3. Aqua Lung Deepsee Scuba Dive Knife
Located in Paris, France, Aqua Lung is a global leader in scuba equipment, dive wear, and water sports accessories. This company has been manufacturing high-grade products since 1943. The Deepsee Scuba Dive Knife is part of their affordable accessories line, and makes it to our list for several great reasons.
Product Highlights
The Aqua Lung Deepsee Scuba Dive Knife is equipped with a 304 series stainless steel blade. This blade is about three inches long, whereas the overall knife is measured at 6.5 inches.
This scuba dive knife has a special patented locking system, which releases with a firm squeeze. Also, the blade has a blunt tip and weighs approximately 5.6 ounces making it convenient and lightweight.
The Good
Carrying around a heavier knife is a big concern for scuba divers, but the Aqua Lung knife solves this problem. It is very lightweight, easy to carry, and adjusts to fit your suit. Moreover, the squeezing mechanism makes it very user-friendly as it’s much easier to discharge the knife than others.
The Aqua Lung Deepsee knife is great for things like collecting trash, and of course, cutting rope or other small debris. Also, it’s perfectly compatible with other knives, so you can easily find a blade replacement when the time comes.
The Bad
It’s a smaller knife, so it’s not the best on the list for cutting larger rope or debris. Also, the straps can be hard to adjust to thinner legs. If you have small legs, it’ll take a few ties to completely secure it.
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4. Promate KF-510 Scuba Diving Knife
The second Promate item on this list, the Promate KF-510 Scuba Diving Knife, is one of the company’s highest-rated products by customers worldwide. The company aims to optimize your underwater experience with safe and high-quality tools, and this multi-use knife allows you to do that with ease.
Product Highlights
The blade is stainless steel, as is the hammer at the bottom of the device. The overall length of the knife is 10.5 inches while the blade is five inches.
There’s a quick-release mechanism on the sheath, requiring only the push of a button. Furthermore, the knife comes in seven different colors and designs, making it both stylish and practical.
The Good
Possibly the best thing about the Promate KF-510 Scuba Diving Knife is that it’s a two-sided knife, giving you the ultimate convenience while out in the water. Each side is razor-sharp and cuts through nearly everything. You don’t even need to sharpen it very often. Therefore, it’s more useful for more advanced divers or fishermen who regularly need to use a scuba knife.
The Bad
The strength of the blade fades over time. Therefore, it needs to be oiled and maintained regularly to avoid corrosion and rusting. The good news is that it’s very easy to disassemble, and the kit includes the necessary equipment, making maintenance more convenient for you.
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5. Scuba Choice Scuba Diving Knife
Scuba Choice is an American company located in Chino Hills, California. The company was established in 2011 and works to provide top-notch gear for both experienced and amateur scuba divers and other water sport enthusiasts. The Scuba Choice Scuba Diving Knife is easy to use for divers of all experience levels.
Product Highlights
The Scuba Choice Scuba Diving knife is very compact, being only about seven inches long. The blade, on the other hand, is about 2.3 inches long and is made of imported 420-grade stainless steel.
Moreover, the construction of the handle features a mix of high-quality nylon and rubber. This scuba diving knife weighs approximately 4.8 ounces.
The Good
The thumb lock works great on this knife, although it may take some getting used to for beginners. The blunt tip of this tool makes it very easy to reinsert the blade safely.
In spite of the blunt tip, the blade is very sharp and can get the job done both on and offshore.
The Bad
The catch is that the Scuba Choice knife needs to be cleaned and maintained after every use to maintain its durability and longevity. Otherwise, you may see spotting on the blade, which will diminish its quality after multiple uses.
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Buyer’s Guide
If you’ve read our reviews, you might be thinking about making a purchase. However, before you do, slow down for a second and think about what you’re spending your money on.
Instead of making an unsuitable purchase, you need to think about what sort of features you’re looking for in a scuba knife. After all, there are many different kinds out there.
To distinguish the poor quality ones from the good quality ones, you need to look for these following features:
1. Material
Many scuba knives on the market today are made using stainless steel materials. The quality of the steel is very important as steel is rust-resistant but not rust-proof. When looking at blades, choose 304-grade steel. It is more durable and, therefore, longer-lasting than its counterparts. Choosing quality materials will ensure durability and longevity in use, making your purchase last for years to come.
If you’d like to get a rust-proof blade, on the other hand, choose one made with titanium. Usually, rusting happens because carbon is oxidized with air and water. The reason titanium blades don’t rust is that they don’t contain carbon in their build.
Also, titanium is much more flexible than steel and, consequently, more difficult to break. Titanium blades are likely more expensive, but they offer the best value for your money. Choose titanium for a long-lasting, rust-proof blade.
2. Blade Edge & Tip
The best knife for most divers will generally have a sharp edge and a blunt tip for ease in use and convenience. You don’t need the blade to be pointed because the knife likely won’t be used to stab or pierce something.
To prevent injury to yourself or others, it’s much safer to get a blunt tip because everything is so unstable underwater. A blunt tip offers more protection from accidents.
Additionally, the blade edges come in two types: serrated and straight. Straight-edged knives are better for cutting softer materials like plastic or nylon, while serrated-edged knives will saw through rougher materials like a natural-fiber ropes, material or netting.
3. Size
The size of your scuba knife should always be compact for ease in use and portability. You need to get one that’s lightweight and easy to carry on your person while diving and exploring. A heavier knife will only weigh you down and make your scuba diving experience uncomfortable.
Generally, go for a small or medium-sized scuba knife for the best experience out on the water. Small-sized scuba knives are between two to three inches long, and medium-sized scuba knives are between five to six inches long. If you’re using the knife for recreational means, small-sized ones are ideal.
4. Type
There are three main types of scuba knives:
Fixed Scuba Knives
Fixed scuba knives are typically the most popular amongst divers as they’re easy to use and discharge from the strap. This style of knife is like regular knives except they’re designed for underwater use for watersports like scuba diving.
Folding Scuba Knives
Folding Scuba knives resemble swiss army knives in the sense that they’re lightweight and compact for convenience in use. You can easily put these knives inside your pocket without worrying about straps. Also, folding knives can act as backup knives, so you can take one of these in addition to your fixed scuba knife to stay prepared at all times.
Scuba Shears
As the name suggests, these types of scuba knives look like shears or scissors. Scuba shears, also known as dive shears are generally used for protection and safety. Scuba shears can cut through just about anything and are generally sharp-tipped, so you can use them for piercing when needed.
Final Thoughts
To sum it up, our pick for the top scuba knife is undoubtedly the Promate Scuba Dive Knife. Made with titanium, it’s a little on the expensive side, but the purchase makes perfect sense in terms of value offered. The material is durable, the tip and edges are perfectly balanced, and the size is nice and compact.
If you’re on a budget, you can try out the Scuba Choice Scuba Diving Knife. It’s also a good choice, particularly for beginners. In fact, any item on this list satisfies the buying guide criteria, so think about what you need and make a smart, informed purchase.
Scuba diving knives are great underwater tools, offering you a versatile solution for many potential underwater hazards. Available in a variety of materials, shapes, and sizes, there’s a tool on the market today for everyone and every need.
Have you used any of the knives on our list during your diving expeditions? Please tell us about it in the comment section below, we’d love to hear about your experience!
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For more of our top scuba diving gear recommendations, please visit the following articles.
Megan Jones leads the editorial staff of Seaside Planet. They are a multidisciplinary team of outdoor adventurers, water sports lovers, and passionate beach goers. You can learn more about Meg and the rest of the editorial team here.
