Editors Choice

Promate Barracuda

Best Value

Punada Tactical

Best Blunt Tip Knife

Aqualung Deep Sea

Top 6 Dive Knives Under Review

Dive Knife Review

PROMATE BARRACUDA DIVE KNIFE (Editors Choice)

Specifications

BrandPromate
TypePointed Tip
Blade MaterialTitanium
Blade Length5 inch
Blade DesignFlat & Serrated
Line Cutting NotchYES

Like its stainless-steel counterpart below, this dive knife has a rugged grip, plain and serrated blades along with a line cutter and a hammer style handle butt. This knife has a pointed tip and comes with a hard plastic sheath and straps.

The barracuda is light and anti-corrosive, which are the benefits of having a titanium blade. The butt is also made from titanium, making it really strong and effective. The finger grips on the handle make it very comfortable and positive to grip.

The knife comes apart completely, emphasizing its simple, low maintenance.

Things we like:

  • High quality, low maintenance
  • Comfortable, shaped grip
  • Hammer butt
  • Audible and perceptible ‘click’ when holstering

Things we don’t:

  • Titanium blades can be harder to sharpen

AQUALUNG DEEP SEA SCUBA KNIFE (Best Blunt Tip Knife)

Specifications

BrandAqualung
TypeBlunt Tip
Blade MaterialStainless Steel
Blade Length3 inch
Blade DesignFlat & Serrated
Line Cutting NotchYES

This blunt tip design dive knife has both flat and serrated blades with a built-in line cutting notch. It comes with a plastic sheath that has a squeeze locking clip to secure the knife in place.

The squeeze locking system is easy to operate with one hand for easy insertion and removal.

The overall length of the knife is just 6.5 inches, some divers may find this a little short and perhaps doesn’t offer enough levergae as a consequence. The flipside and positive aspect of this is that it’s less likely to snag on your BCD or anything else as it’s pretty compact.

Things we like:

  • Secure click-in design holds the knife in place but is easy to get out
  • Can be attached to Aqualung BCD pockets
  • Compact design means less chance of snagging

Things we don’t:

  • The 3-inch blade might be considered too small by some

PUNADA TACTICAL DIVE KNIFE (Best Value Dive Knife)

Specifications

BrandPunada
TypePointed Tip
Blade MaterialStainless Steel
Blade Length3.85 inch
Blade DesignFlat & Serrated
Line Cutting NotchYES

This knife is great value and perfect for those who don’t want to spend a huge amount on a knife. It’s sharp and durable, and comes with two sets of straps with two different sheaths. This makes it very adaptable.

The blade has both serrated and none serrated blades with a pointed tip.

The handle is made from paracord which may need re-tightening after multiple dives. The overall length is a touch under 9 inches which means it might not be the most comfortable for those with larger hands.

Things we like:

  • Incredible value
  • 100% money back guarantee
  • Choice of plastic or material sheath

Things we don’t:

  • Paracord may need re-tightening

PROMATE SCUBA DIVING KNIFE

Specifications

BrandPromate
TypePointed Tip
Blade MaterialStainless Steel
Blade Length5 inch
Blade DesignFlat & Serrated
Line Cutting NotchYES

This PROMATE dive knife has a rugged plastic grip with a hammer device built into the butt of the handle. It comes with a hard-plastic secure click in sheath and strap.

The pointed blade is 5 inches long and has both serrated and non serrated edges as well as a line cutter.

The blade and butt are stainless steel which is corrosion resistant, but to prolong the life of the knife (as with all scuba gear) rinsing with fresh water is recommended after each dive.

Things we like:

  • Click-in sheath
  • Handle hammer butt

Things we don’t:

  • The strap design might not be the most comfortable if you plan to leg mount

GEAR AID AKUA SCUBA DIVE KNIFE

Specifications

BrandGear Aid
TypeBlunt Tip
Blade MaterialTitanium Coated
Blade Length3 inch
Blade DesignFlat & Serrated
Line Cutting NotchYES

This blunt tip knife has a 3-inch blade and comes with a multipurpose sheath but no attachments.

The blade itself comprises of serrated and non-serrated edges and features a small line cutter. The sheath does offer lots of mounting possibilities and has a one-handed release/click-in design.

The handle itself is made using hard plastic and is not the most comfortable, but it does feature a bottle opener at the butt.

Things we like:

  • Small
  • Many mounting possibilities
  • Line cutter and bottle opener

Things we don’t:

  • No safety barbs to stop your hand slipping along the handle to the blade
  • Unsculpted hard plastic grip

RIFFE DELUXE STUBBY DIVE KNIFE

Specifications

BrandRiffe
TypePointed Tip
Blade MaterialTeflon Coated Stainless Steel
Blade Length3.5 inch
Blade DesignFlat & Serrated
Line Cutting NotchNO

The Riffe Stubby has a pointed tip and serrated and plain edged blades.

The blade is Teflon coated to guard against corrosion, and the total blade length is 3.5 inches. It comes with a plastic sheath which has a flip top style handle retainer.

Leg and Forearm straps are provided which are stretchy rubber. There is also a handy lanyard included.

Things we like:

  • Comes with both stretch and rubber straps

Things we don’t:

  • No line cutter

Things To Consider When Buying a Dive Knife

Outside of the kitchen, knives feel dangerous, and it’s something you might easily shy away from buying, but a dive knife is an essential part of your diving kit.

Monofilament fishing line is hard to see but very easy to get tangled in and without a knife to help free yourself you’re in a very dangerous situation.

Discarded nets drift in the ocean and wrecks particularly have a nasty habit of attracting ocean detritus on which to snag a scuba diver. It’s not just discarded rubbish that you have to be aware of either; your SMB reel can pose a threat too.

Carrying a knife would help you cope with any of these situations plus they come in very handy above the waves when dealing with cable ties, O-rings, beer bottle tops and much more. What do you need to think about when selecting a knife?

Budget

The most important thing to understand about your dive knife is that you are going to drop it and you should not pay more for it than you are willing to lose. No knife is worth the potential harm you could come to while trying to retrieve it so spend only as much as you can happily swim away from.

Size

Size is not everything. Remember this is just a tool, not a bragging right. Think along the lines of a 3-5 inch blade size, and you’re in the right zone.

Mounting

Knives come with many different options for how you can attach them to yourself or your gear, and you want to give some thought to what might work best for you. You can attach them to your calf but you might find this awkward and uncomfortable, and this is particularly true if you are shorter.

You might not like the way this looks, and you need to remember that this is an extra step when kitting up. It’s most likely that you will see scuba divers with their knives attached to their BCDs either on the pocket or low-pressure hose. Whatever you choose, remember you need to be able to access it easily.

Material

Knives designed for scuba diving are made either from corrosion resistant stainless steel or titanium. Titanium is more expensive, but it is lighter and more resistant to corrosion but not as easy to sharpen. Whichever you choose remember to rinse it in fresh water after use to remove the salt and minimise corrosion.

Sheaths come in a range of materials from plastic to rubber or webbing-like material. What you will choose will depend on where you are mounting it and how easy it is to get out. Remember to give some thought to how easy your knife will be to get hold of if you usually dive with gloves.

It’s unlikely that you will have prolonged use of your knife, but the handle should feel comfortable in your hand and easy to use. Typically handles are made from plastic or can be rubber coated, or rope bound.

Multi-purpose

Dive knives are more than just a blade; you’ll find options that have many functions built into them. A hook-like notch in the blade is a line cutter; some have bottle openers built in as well as a hammer on the handle.

Many have both serrated and flat blades, and some have a blunt tip for prying. Blunt tips are considered safer for you and your gear.

Conclusion

When making your final choice, it is important to remember that your knife is a tool and I would recommend that you opt for one that has both plain and serrated blades along with a line cutter. If you are looking for a blunt tip knife, my pick would be the Deep See by Aqua Lung, and for a pointed tip, either of the PROMATE’s would be a great choice.

All three of these have secure fittings and a great handle grip. Rinse, dry and oil your knife after use and sharpen when needed. Hopefully, all you will ever need it for is to pry o-rings and cut cable ties, but it’s better to have one, be prepared, and not need it than the alternative.

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