Your favorite Spearo knife?

[Huw]

Hello everyone...

I think that it is about time that i bought a new knife, since mine is far from ideal.

I currently own a Tusa H1 dive knife, and although it is a wonderfull peice of kit, it is not at all what a spearo wants. I find the blade far too thick for braining fish, and the tip is aso a bit too wide for easy stabbing.

However the things that i love about it are:

1. How sharp it is, and great for cutting line.
2. Both a smooth blade and a serrated edge.
3. Rust resistance.
4. Chunky and comfortable grip, which is both easy to use whilst wearing gloves and not.
5. Great sheath, that allows a very secure locking method to prevent the knife falling out whilst in the water, but also is easliy accessible.

Which knives are people using for spearing? Are there any knifes which have the above qualities but have a thinner blade?

Just giving your favorite knife and the reasons why you like it would be great.

I have looked at the Omer daga, and the Riffe silencer and the Beuchat mundial, they all seem to look impressive ( the Riffe looks very tempting, but importing to the uk may be a slight issue).

Any response is greatfully recieved,

Huw.

 

[Spaniard]

I still use the Sporasub daga, not sure if it is still made. It is a stilleto blade with serrations and a good non-slip handle, not very expensive. Good pointy tip useful for applying coup de grace. There is a new Dessault knife which I've seen in a magazine but not seen it in any shops yet; looks the business.

 

[Groupermadness]

Cressi totem. cheap and cheerfull.

 

[miles]

Hiya

I like the flat type knives, such as the Omer Hunt, Picasso Tigre, RA knife, Pleaj knife, etc The main reason being, that they fit well in the sheath that i use. The sheath is made by RA and Pelaj, having material that stretches, which allows the knife to stay in the same position, regardless of how deep you dive. With normal shaeaths, the deeper you dive, the morew your wetsuit compresses, the greater the chance of the sheath sliding down or moving position.

These sheaths are also very streamlined, and therefor also don't tangle your floatline or kelp.

I very rarely use a knife to despatch fish with. I prefer a ikijimi spike, as there is less chance of it being lost as well as its safer on your hands!!

Regards
miles

 

[1 shot 1 kill]

I've got an Aquatec T-Rex. I like it because:

1) Its got a great locking sheath (although i do also use the optional landyard for extra security)

2) It comes with really good locking straps or all the bits required to mount it on a wetsuit (and some other stuff i think is for mounting on scuba equipment). You can do these straps up super tight and mine has never slipped on my calf (unlike the smaller knife i wear on my arm)

3) It is super sharp and has both straight and serrated blade edges (as well as a bit especially made for cutting lines which is well placed to use without haveing to look at it/behind your back)

4) A decent handle which is easy to grip with either gloves or hands.

My only issue with it is that i was too tight to buy the titanium version and my stainless one needs cleaning well to prevent rust spots forming on it (i was warned about this at the time of purchace but didn't believe it! Idiot).

They do make a smaller, double edged, stabbier knife called the Raptor but when i saw this it didn't seem to come with so many bits.

I've had mine for a couple of years yet and am not looking to replace it anytime soon which musy mean its my best bit of kit!

 

[Dobs]

Here is mi knife: http://www.seacsub.com/detail.php?ID=153
Small, sharp and locks very well in the sheath. That's about all I need from a dive knife.
I like the looks of Miles' knives... I have tought for a while to buy the Picasso Tigre, but the high price made me change my mind... I'll probably buy one in the future though.. they just look so cool

 

[Huw]

Dobs...

I really like the look of that knife. What is the name of the model? Where did you purchase yours? Do you know of a supplier to the UK, or a stockist that will ship to the UK?

Thanks,
Huw.

 

[Huw]

I very rarely use a knife to despatch fish with. I prefer a ikijimi spike, as there is less chance of it being lost as well as its safer on your hands!!

I am not familiar with this piece of equipment, although i have heard it mentioned several times... Is it that tool next to your knives in the picture?

How is it used?

Thanks,
Huw

 

[Dobs]

Hi Huw,

The brand is Seac Sub and the name of the model is Piccolo (small). I bought mine from a local distributor in Bulgaria. It was one of the cheapest available, around 15 euro.
Here is a UK website that sells it: http://www.divingshop.com/Shop/ShopProducts.asp?fdShopProductShopProduct2Id=2465

It is more expensive than the price I paid, but this was the only UK distributor I found in Google.

Hope this helps!

 

[Huw]

Thanks Dobs,

I think i shall order this over the next week or so since the price is outstanding! How is the knife for dispatching fish? Does the blade allow easy dispatch on smaller fish aswell as large pelagics (since the majority of my fish dont exceed 4kgs)?

Thanks,
Huw

 

[Marwan]

i used to use a knife to dispatch fish, now after some advice from other members here, i shifted to the spike (which i keep on my belt). I now use a knife as a safety tool, to cut line/mono in case of entanglement or as a back up to dispatch fish should i loose my spike. Therefore the knife i use for spearing should be short, sharp and have a serrated edge for cutting line, much like the ones in miles pictures.
i use a riffe knife, they are also very light and resistant to rust and i dont feel it on my legs.
when my dad saw i was separing he got me a knife as a present, he got me a mares Tris. in case you dont know it it looks like the knife of RAmbo which is cool but not very good for spearing.

 

[Mr. X]

Stingray econo spearo knife (flat stainless steel dagger with seratted rear blade), £7. Rob Allen limpet sheath, £4 (similar to Miles' sheaths, pictured above). Occasionally use, Rob Allen stringer as an Iki-spike but I prefer to use a knife - the stringer usually seems to end up stuck in me. [See image: http://forums.deeperblue.net/hunting-equipment/63659-new-spearo-knife-set-up.html#post647274]]

I used to like the look of the following, although the flat knives seem most practical to me now: the Sporasub Spider seems to be the perfect spearo dagger (zinc button on handle to stop corrosion). Imersion offer a couple of similar daggers (no zinc) at half the price, the DeeperBlue.net store & apnea.co.uk sometimes carry them - although not listed. Also like the look of the small omer Hunter Daga (Alison had quality problems with the bigger, fancier, newer model Daga a year ago though) - bit short. Most of the spearo companies now make flat knives, if you have $$$ the Rob Allen assegai looks good. Failing that, Tesco sell stainless steel steak knives (wood or steel handles) for around 1 pound each in packs of 4 & 6 (I think Spearo Dave recommended Kitchen Devils).

 

[miles]

Hiya

I am not familiar with this piece of equipment, although i have heard it mentioned several times... Is it that tool next to your knives in the picture?

How is it used?

The ikijimi is a tool used to despatch fish with. The advantages:

- cheaper than a knife.
A spearo's knife is probably THE item lost the most. Its very easy to lose your knife, from silly mistakes, like not securing it properly to your sheath, to a fish thrashing around and you dropping the knife in all the excitment. Every time you use your knife, the greater the chance of losing it. Enter the ikijimi spike. Made of either 7mm or 8mm steel (normally cut from a old bent spear!!) Very easy to make and very cheap. Should you lose it, no big deal as you'll probably have dozens more laying at home!!

- saves wear and tear on your knife, meaning your blade stays sharper
All spearing knives are a compromise. A blade that holds a good sharp edge, tends to rust, whilst those that are impervious to rust, tend to lose their sharp edge rather quickly. Continous use of a knife to kill fish will blunten the knife rather quickly. You'll need regular sharpening with a stone. Simply too much hassles for me!!!

- less danger to yourself
How many spearo's do YOU know that have cut themselves whilst trying to despatch a fish. I've managed to cut myself a few times, nothing major or serious, but enough to cause me discomfort. With a ikijimi spike, there is LESS CHANCE of cutting yourself, BUT there still IS A chance!!!

How to use it? Well, firstly i get the fish under control. This normally ends up with my left hand solidly holding on to the fish's gills. If the fish is large, my legs will be wrapped around the body of the fish. The ikijimi spike is then pulled from its holder and inserted a short distance behind its eyes, from the top. (same place you'd despatch it, with a knife) The rule is to draw a equilateral triangle between its eyes, with the apex of the triangle showing you where the brain should be. A solid push into the head, should despatch the fish as quickly and humanely as possible, with very lttle danger to yourself.

DIY- a good friend, who seems to have dis-appeared off the forums, did a EXELLENT thread on making a IKIJIMI spike. THANX PABLO!! http://forums.deeperblue.net/showthread.php?t=49757&highlight=ikijimi

Regards
miles

ps. the wicked looking two knives in my post belongs to my wife!! She simply loves collecting spearing knives........

 

[davidbugeja]

Hi,

My favorite knife is the BEUCHAT Mundial spearfishing knife.

1. It is very sharp and perfect for cutting line/mono and fish.

2. Tt also has a Double cutting edge (1 mini-saw edge).

3. It uses Anodized aluminum to avoid rusting but as a precaution i cover the knife using silicon grease (Vaseline[FONT=&quot][/FONT] is good too) before usage to avoid rusting.

4. Grip is perfect for both hands and gloves.

5. Soft shockproof sheath which uses India rubber ring safety lock for handle to ensure an easy release of the knife yet a secure hold to avoid loosing it.

 

[Huw]

All of this response is great guys!

Just read the thread on the iki spike. I am tempted to make the one designed by Pablo, however a new knife is also needed and i feel that i can kill two birds with one stone by purchasing a knife that can effectivly brain fish.

I love the look of the seac sub Piccolo and i think that i shall order a couple over the week.

Thanks again guys... yet another dilemma solved with the DB gang!

Cheers,

Huw

 

[Mr. X]

Hi,

My favorite knife is the BEUCHAT Mundial spearfishing knife.
...

Very nice. Sounds like a good sheath too (important). Wonder if anyone carries them in the UK or on line?

 

[Huw]

Both yours and my prayers have been anwered MR X!

The legendary DB store carries these knives and also ships them to the UK...

http://www.scubastore.com/product.a...d=7&marca=BEUCHAT&desde=0&fromhbx=subfamilia#

Huw.

 

[Mr. X]

Both yours and my prayers have been anwered MR X!

So Pastor just told me! For that kind of money, I like the look of the Sporasub Snake too (although Mundial looks nicer & is cheaper):

But I wouldn't spend that kind of money on a dive knife. For half that price, I like the look of the Imersion mini-daga:

For even less, the Spetton Pointed Knife looks an awful lot like the Riffe spearo knife - this would be my pick (tried & tested design, decent size, with a proper loop sheath loop retainer):

I had a Spetton Samoa-style knife last year, only £7, extremely nice knife ... however, sheath was flash but ineffective. Fell from sheath first dive . Consequently, I now consider dive knives disposable, won't spend much on them & look carefully at the sheaths.

For now, I am happy with the economy spearo knife £7. Similar to this but w/o the dip plastic coating -- it's all shiney steel & the blade symmetrical...more like a dagger with a serrated back edge. Simple, compact, unobtrusive with a decent size blade. Cheap & cheerful. Teamed with the excellent RA Limpet sheath, about £4 (flat, with no buckles to come undone/snag):

Also see: http://www.spearfishing.com.au/fram...rfishing.com.au/shop_detail.php?product_id=21

 

[Groupermadness]

Here we use the shiny blade knives , we throw them and the glinting as they fall attracts the AJs (Tied to line of course). hence the cressi totem as a good choice.(cheap if i forget to tie a line:head )

 

[spaghetti]

Mine is the Cressi Killer: small, effective and with an explicit name. This model has won 3 (three) spearfishing World Campionships in a row with the tuscan outclass Renzo Mazzarri in the 90's. (just because he had the right knife, of course).
http://s87910425.oneandoneshop.co.u...ives/images/cressi_killer-knife_l_315x315.gif
http://www.scubastore.com/product.a...&id=7&marca=CRESSI&desde=0&fromhbx=subfamilia