Written by: David Alan Morrison
It’s a common diver’s nightmare: being caught in fishing line. If you’ve ever known the feeling of being restrained underwater by some sort of invisible threat, then you’ll understand my attachment to my Blue Tang Titanium dive knife by Underwater Kinetics. While I’ve owned several knives, I’ve always wound up sending them to the dump after the rust cakes them shut. (Yes, despite my desperate attempt to thoroughly wash!)
Not a problem with this guy.
Don’t let the sticker price of $113.99 veer you away from this priceless – and valuable – diving asset. The reviews across the board are a thumbs up for this baby. The blade comes in two varieties: the blunt end and a pointed blade – the choice is a personal one. I prefer the blunt end, as this decreases the possibility of an accidental stabbing while cleaning this easy-to-disassemble accessory.
Coming in at a lean 7 ounces, it is easily strapped to your leg by a simple rubber strap ($10.99). The blade of your choice has both serrated and straight blade, along with a hook (to get a good yank on any stubborn cord) and a blunt metal end on its handle – the perfect noise maker when banged against your tank. If this wasn’t enough, UK has constructed this knife so that there is relatively little metal-on-metal contact. It may seem petty now, but after hours in the water, you’ll thank them for the (almost) rust-free knife.
The biggest downfall I’ve encountered with the Blue Tang is ease of withdrawal. The website states that it is a ‘One hand insertion and removal from sheath’ (www.uwkinetics.com) I have not found this to be true. On the infrequent times I’ve drawn it from the holster, I’ve found the release nubs stubborn to deploy. As the photo below shows, the nubs are located on either side of the handle. This keeps the knife secure when diving, but creates a problem when trying to manipulate such small mechanisms when wearing 7 mm gloves. This minor obstacle is no problem when diving in warmer water, as your fingers are free to manipulate them with greater ease.
Specs of the Blue Tang Titanium Dive Knife:
*Dimensions: 10′ x 2.15′ x 1′
*Blade material: Titanium
*Blade tip: Drop point / blunt tip
*Weight: 5 ‘
*Easily strapped to leg with the accessory rubber leg-strap.
*Durable
*Can be difficult to withdraw when wearing dive gloves