Pocket Preps: Corrosion Resistant Knife Buyer’s Guide

To borrow a phrase from the firearms aspect of the home, knives have two enemies: rust and politicians. The latter is extra difficult to take care of, however you may typically defeat the previous by selecting a distinct blade materials or remedy. A knife’s edge consists of thousands and thousands of microscopic serrations product of chemical compounds often called carbides. In blade steel, the carbide consists of iron and carbon. The dimensions and quantity of those carbides have an effect on how sharp a blade edge may be made in addition to its put on resistance. Nevertheless, due to the iron, they’re vulnerable to rust and corrosion. For a lot of knife customers, excessive corrosion resistance is a necessity. You may must do work in a particularly humid surroundings, or perhaps you end up on the deck of a ship showered with salt water for lengthy durations of time. Both manner, you don’t need to discover that your newest and best carry knife has rusted and pitted.

One other vein not directly associated to corrosion resistance is whether or not the blade has a metallic signature. A number of the items we’ll take a look at have none; these could be excellent for army and first responder varieties who might should work round harmful ordnance the place a spark and even the magnetic presence of iron may set off an explosion. (Consult with our nonmetallic knife guide for extra particulars on the efficiency of assorted supplies.) We check out some blades made out of true “tremendous steels” on this regard, in addition to just a few made out of alternate supplies. Whereas researching this information, a number of knives had been provided to us with corrosion-resistant coatings corresponding to Cerakote. The issue with these coatings is that the very nature of a knife blade renders these ineffective for safeguarding the sting from rust. The carbides will all the time be uncovered when utilizing the knife for chopping and even sharpening it. For that reason, we dismissed many blades that purely relied on a coating like nickel or laborious chrome as nicely.

Mick Strider Flamed Titanium Nail

Blade size:
3.5 inches

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OAL:
6 inches

Weight:
2.1 ounces

Deal with Materials:
Twine Wrap

Blade Materials:
Titanium

Worth:
$125

URL:
mickstridercustomknives.com

Notes: Strider Knives has a historical past of utilizing each final piece of fabric from their knife-making endeavors in nearly each challenge. Their WP fashions had been smaller knives made out of small items of leftover metal used of their bigger fight knives, and the Nail represents the by-products of utilizing titanium. This can be a quick, discreet piece that has a strong look and is a really succesful stabbing software for self-defense. Titanium accommodates no carbon and won’t rust, so one thing like this may be left on a ship, in a automobile, or outdoors just about ceaselessly with out oxidizing. It is available in a minimalist Kydex sheath.

Execs:

• A cord-wrapped deal with supplies for a superb grip in any surroundings.
• The purpose on this is sort of a needle, and you should not have any issues poking holes in something with it.
• Titanium’s gentle weight and superior corrosion resistance make this an ideal backup self-defense piece.

Cons:

• That is just about a spike or a shiv meant for stabbing. It couldn’t be used to slice bread or baton wooden, for instance.
• Not a usually catalogued merchandise. You’re greater than probably solely going to search out one at a present the place Strider is attending, or on one in all their social media or web site drops if you wish to keep away from the secondary market.

Spyderco Native 5 Salt

Blade size:
2.95 inches

OAL:
6.95 inches

Weight:
2.4 ounces

Deal with Materials:
FRN

Blade Materials:
LC200N

Worth:
$205

URL:
spyderco.com

Notes: Spyderco has a confirmed line in what’s often called their Salt sequence. These knives are made out of extraordinarily corrosion-resistant, nitrogen-based steels. They usually have high-visibility yellow handles, that are beneficial when utilizing them within the water, must you drop the knife or want it to face out from the background (except you paint the within of your boat vibrant yellow, after all). The Native 5 Salt marries this remedy to one in all Spyderco’s greatest U.S.-made designs. The spearpoint blade has a pleasant choil so you may choke up on it for extra delicate duties. The lockback mechanism is a time-proven design. The blade shrugs off any try at corrosion whether or not absolutely immersed in contemporary or salt water.

Execs:

• The deal with form is a trademark of Spyderco’s designs and intensely ergonomic.
• This was my first outing with LC200N metal, and I walked away impressed. Its chief property is substituting nitrogen for carbon in its composition. This can be a very robust and seemingly corrosion-resistant knife.
• Spyderco’s spherical gap makes for a quick handbook opener.

Cons:

• I get the usage of FRN as a deal with materials to maintain prices down, however milled aluminum handles or scales product of G10, carbon fiber, or Micarta may’ve made for a higher-quality really feel.
• Piggybacking on that, there are not any liners. I’m positive it is a cost-saving measure and a technique to reduce the specter of corrosion, however liners may make an ideal knife corresponding to this a little bit bit higher.

Sandrin Monza

Blade size:
3.38 inches

OAL:
7.67 inches

Weight:
4.3 ounces

Deal with Materials:
Titanium

Blade Materials:
Tungsten Carbide

Worth:
$399

URL:
cabotguns.com

Notes: The Sandrin Monza is the newest folding knife provided by this Italian firm. This knife, and all Sandrin knives, are distributed within the U.S. by Cabot Weapons, makers of a few of the highest-end 1911s on this planet. This blade is exclusive because it’s made out of tungsten carbide. It’ll by no means rust and its edge will outlast nearly anything made by man. I reviewed one in all their earlier choices just a few years in the past in RECOIL journal, and this one is a large enchancment when it comes to being a day by day person.

Execs:

• The blade is made out of polyhedral tungsten carbide with a Rockwell Hardness of 71 HRC — meaning it’ll maintain its edge seemingly ceaselessly.
• Extraordinarily light-weight and a real pocketknife for EDC use. Its locking system is exclusive and one of many extra spectacular I’ve seen shortly.
• The knife is well-suited for many chopping chores, rather more than a few of Sandrin’s first choices.

Cons:

• It requires two arms to soundly shut the blade. The lock is powerful and dependable however retracting the lock bar one-handed may trigger an harm.
• There’s no lanyard gap on the deal with.
• Tungsten carbide requires a specialised sharpener, and if you happen to don’t have the tools or know easy methods to use it, the knife must return to Italy for a tune-up.

Böker Anti MC

Blade size:
3.23 inches

OAL:
7.68 inches

Weight:
2.5 ounces

Deal with Materials:
Titanium

Blade Materials:
Ceramic

Worth:
$144

URL:
bokerusa.com

Notes: Böker was one of many first corporations to supply a working folding knife with a ceramic blade. Ceramic blades have been utilized in kitchens for meals prep for many years. They require much less sharpening, are lighter in weight, and gained’t rust. The Anti MC is the newest incarnation of a ceramic folder produced by Böker. It’s a far cry from their preliminary providing almost 30 years in the past that had a 1-inch blade with a value level nearer to customized knife territory. This one is identical dimension as a typical EDC pocketknife with a titanium body lock deal with.

Execs:

• This is among the lightest EDC knives on the market, and the ceramic blade and titanium deal with make it really rust-free.
• A ceramic blade is razor sharp and can retain its edge 10 occasions longer than a carbon metal blade.
• This can be a very dressy-looking knife and can seem non-threatening ought to you’ll want to use it in a social setting corresponding to a restaurant.

Cons:

• You’ll must train a little bit extra care with this one; ceramic is brittle, and the blade can actually shatter when dropped or used to chop an object that’s too laborious (corresponding to bone).
• Whereas ceramic appears to have the ability to minimize ceaselessly, resharpening this knife would require a fine-grit diamond sharpening stone or belt.

Tom Krein G10 Bulldog

Blade size:
3 inches

OAL:
8 inches

Weight:
2 ounces

Deal with Materials:
G10

Blade Materials:
G10

Worth:
$250

URL:
kreinknives.net

Notes: Tom Krein is a customized knifemaker who additionally has his personal manufacturing firm to mass produce a lot of his personal designs. He’s identified for producing extraordinarily sharp blades, and for a few years was identified for producing unimaginable regrinds on different maker’s blades. I’m usually not a fan of G10 or plastic blades, as they often can’t hack it as a chopping software for very lengthy with out carbides bonded to the sting in some method. Nevertheless, Krein’s talent as a sharpener actually exhibits itself right here, and his grind towards a skinny edge makes for a surprisingly good cutter if you already know the bounds of the fabric. My first incident with this blade was considering it was a coach till I used to be proven the way it minimize by means of a plastic water bottle.

Execs:

• This can be a 1:1 nonmetallic copy of Krein’s standard Bulldog mannequin, a brief clip-bladed non-folding knife.
• As a result of it’s G10, rust or corrosion gained’t have an effect on it, and the knife is extraordinarily light-weight. It doesn’t weigh rather more than its Kydex sheath.
• Surprisingly sharp and stabby as a result of Krein’s angles of sharpening and skill to make a skinny edge

Cons:

• Because it has a G10 blade, its capacity to stay sharp gained’t final so long as different supplies. Chores like batoning wooden or skinning a deer are a bit a lot. That is extra of a defensive software in opposition to tender targets.
• Kind of a customized piece and topic to availability

CRKT Hirin

Blade size:
3.39 inches

OAL:
8.69 inches

Weight:
5.9 ounces

Deal with Materials:
Titanium

Blade Materials:
Bohler M390

Worth:
$250

URL:
crkt.com

Notes: Trying like a cross between a high-end gentleman’s knife and one thing out of Star Trek, the Hirin from CRKT is a knife design by Dew Hara and produced in Maniago, Italy. This preliminary providing of 500 knives is proving to be standard with collectors and customers who desire a just about rust-free knife. The blade rides on ball bearings to make for a clean and stylish opener. The skeletonized deal with and blade make this a working piece of artwork and craftsmanship that’s extremely corrosion-resistant on each degree.

Execs:

• This blade has the proper symmetry of a dagger blade with out the double-edge issue. Skeletonized to cut back weight.
• Motion is clean; the blade flips open on ball bearing pivots.
• Bohler M390 metal proves to be nice at edge retention, corrosion resistance, and easily as a working metal.

Cons:

• The look of this knife could be too artsy or busy for some. Due to its good symmetry, it’s attainable to attempt to open it from the flawed aspect in the dead of night.
• This was a limited-edition run from CRKT. It might be offered out except they produce one other run; subsequently, secondary market costs might apply.

VZ Grips Diamante G10 Dagger

Blade size:
4.75 inches

OAL:
9.9 inches

Weight:
2.4 ounces

Deal with Materials:
G10

Blade Materials:
G10

Worth:
$99

URL:
vzgrips.com

Notes: VZ Grips is understood for making wonderful G10 grips for handguns and AR-15 rifles. They’ve additionally been making a wide range of special-use daggers, pens, and different gadgets out of G10, such because the Diamante Dagger. The distinction between this dagger and different G10 knives is the incorporation of some scary sharp serrations milled into the profile of the blade on all sides. These are key to utilizing this blade as a chopping software versus only for stabbing. You’ll be able to select both a leather-based or a Kydex sheath for this mannequin.

Execs:

• The serrations are paying homage to shark enamel. They mimic in macro dimension the sample of carbides present in a metal blade and make for a really environment friendly cutter.
• The G10 handles are provided in a wide range of colours, and you may match them as much as the VZ grips in your favourite firearm.
• You possibly can depart it on the underside of the ocean or in a saltwater fish tank for years, and it’ll come out precisely as you set it in.

Cons:

• Some states regulate the possession and/or carry of double-edged daggers, so you should definitely test your native legal guidelines.
• Whereas succesful for many duties, it nonetheless has some limitations. Good for EDC, not a lot for bushcraft.

Written by Mike Searson