Best Sailing Knives
Posted on
When it comes to navigating the waters of purchasing a sailing knife there is a lot to consider. We at Life Nomading have done the work for you by looking into the best sailing knives on the market. We limited our search to include the sailing knives that are easily available for purchase online because specialty sailing shops are few and far between unless you live on the water. So buckle down your swashbuckler and hit the seas as we cut through the chop to find the best knives.
To start off let’s clarify what is so special about a sailing knife. The biggest difference between sailing knives and other pocket knives is that most of them are specially treated to be more water-resistant and they include other features such as a marlin spike.
A marlinspike is used to splice and braid rope as well as tie/untie knots. The art of splicing and braiding has been somewhat lost since the pre-braided rope is now sold, but the ability to use it to tie and untie knots is still very helpful.
All the knives we reviewed include a marlin spike because any sailor will tell you that this comes in handy every day when they are tying/untying knots at the dock or on the boat. If you happen to be interested in learning how to tie knots with a marlinspike someone actually wrote a book called “The Knot Tying Bible” which is full of useful and decorative sailing knots (have at it, boy/girl scout!).
It is important that your knife includes a locking position to prevent it from moving while you make a cut because movement or slipping could lead to a serious injury.
Best Sailing Knives Comparison
We are going to look into the detail of each of our recommended sailing knife products. Before you know it you will be rigging, splicing, dicing, and tearing it up on the open seas with your new sailing knife. It will be a useful tool, and could potentially be used to fend off pirates. You might even be using your marlin spike to tie impressive knots for the finest ladies (or finest men!) of the fishery.
Camillus Ti Marlin Spike Pocket Knife
The Camille’s Ti Marlon Spike sailing knife rightfully made our list of best sailing knives because it’s stylish and performs well. The knife comes from a reputable brand with a good warranty. It is one of the cheaper models coming from Camillus which also makes it a good value for the quality! The other thing to note about this knife (and the other Camillus knife below) is that it is not actually made of titanium, but the treated cutlery grade steel can resist corrosion underwater for a long period of time (some say up to a week without damage). This knife also features a locked position for both the knife and the marlinspike. This a good-looking high-quality knife for the price!
Camillus Carbonitride Titanium Knife
This is another great knife from Camillus that costs more money than the bamboo model, but what it lacks in style it makes up for in the durability department. The bamboo handle is great but it is not as durable as the G10 handle on this model. G10 is a fiberglass-like material that is used on grips for handguns. Knife owners will attest that G10 is one of the strongest most durable handles out there. This knife also features a locked position for both the knife and the marlin spike. As with the Camillus knife above it includes a lifetime limited warranty and is made from the carbonitride titanium steel (not actual titanium!). This knife is one of the most durable knives on the market.
Maxam Extra Large 5″ Sailors Knife
The Maxam extra-large sailors knife is the cheapest knife on the market. It is well below the cost of all the other sailing knives we looked at. Additionally, it comes with other bells and whistles such as a ruler, bottle opener, and a shackle opener. The big downside to this knife is that it’s essentially disposable with most users reporting it not lasting very long due to the poor quality stainless steel. While this knife is a good value it could potentially be dangerous as the blade and spike have stopping positions but no locking positions. It may be thrifty to buy a cheap sailing knife, but we recommend buying this as a disposable limited-use item at best. Heavy users and serious sailors should bypass this knife and buy something of higher quality.
Myerchin Knife Traditional Offshore Captain
The Myerchin Offshore Captain made our list because of its functionality and attractiveness. This is a beautiful knife! The company has been making knives for a while and although their website isn’t so 21st century their product is good. The knife is made of high-quality German cutlery grade steel and features multiple locking positions. The steel in this knife, like the Camillus, has an anti-oxidation corrosion treatment to prevent rusting.
Myerchin Generation 2 Rigging Knife
The Myerchin generation 2 rigging knife is very similar to the offshore captain featured above. The main difference between these two knives is their physical appearance and the blade type. This rigging knife has a serrated blade which makes it much easier to use for cutting rope. Another notable feature is the belt clip so you can keep it handy and accessible outside of your pocket. Overall this is a high-quality knife that we recommend for any sailor out there.
“That’s Not a Knife This is a Knife”
Okay… So you aren’t the Crocodile Dundee yet, but you are well on your way. We gave you a list of the best sailing knives and at the end of the day picking a sailing knife comes down to what features are important to you. We hope the knowledge we gave you helps you make an educated decision on which sailing knife you need.
Do you have any questions or comments? please comment below or dm us @lifenomading