Safety knife for life vest

Here is my choice. I am a diver so I have a prefer to have the blunt tip. (also, I can be a bit clumsy ) This knife holds up great to the salt, and cuts and guts beautifully!
Kershaw Sea Hunter

+1

What are you guys doing to your Gerber Rivermates, or perhaps what aren't you doing to them?  I've had mine for, oh shoot, one of them for 18 years and barely any rust if at all.

Quick rinse and dry them outside your sheath after every use.  A quick touch up with a scrub brush 1-2 twice a year.  Spray with a light lubricant every now and then if you remember.  That's all I do.

-Allen

I have a gerber as well.  the only problem I've had is that the clip ha slipped off and the knife dropped off my vest.  Almost into the water

I need to remember to fix that so it doesn't happen again.

What are you guys doing to your Gerber Rivermates, or perhaps what aren't you doing to them?  I've had mine for, oh shoot, one of them for 18 years and barely any rust if at all.

Quick rinse and dry them outside your sheath after every use.  A quick touch up with a scrub brush 1-2 twice a year.  Spray with a light lubricant every now and then if you remember.  That's all I do.

-Allen

You've had yours for 18 years?  I'm going to guess the problem lies with Gerber then.  They likely changed materials in that time to save $$.  I've definitely noticed a decline in their product since the BMF days.

What are you guys doing to your Gerber Rivermates, or perhaps what aren't you doing to them?  I've had mine for, oh shoot, one of them for 18 years and barely any rust if at all.

Quick rinse and dry them outside your sheath after every use.  A quick touch up with a scrub brush 1-2 twice a year.  Spray with a light lubricant every now and then if you remember.  That's all I do.

-Allen

You've had yours for 18 years?  I'm going to guess the problem lies with Gerber then.  They likely changed materials in that time to save $$.  I've definitely noticed a decline in their product since the BMF days.

I've have others that are younger, but I don't think I've bought a new one in the past 6 years.

-Allen

I have a gerber as well.  the only problem I've had is that the clip ha slipped off and the knife dropped off my vest.  Almost into the water

I need to remember to fix that so it doesn't happen again.

Zipties my friend, zipties.

I have the same Kershaw knife, but with a sharp tip.  The sheath is ziptied to my PFD strap.  Note the strobe ziptied to the knife sheath.

I have a gerber as well.  the only problem I've had is that the clip ha slipped off and the knife dropped off my vest.  Almost into the water

I need to remember to fix that so it doesn't happen again.

Zipties my friend, zipties.

Yeah, I just need to Remember before I'm on the water

What are you guys doing to your Gerber Rivermates, or perhaps what aren't you doing to them?  I've had mine for, oh shoot, one of them for 18 years and barely any rust if at all.

Quick rinse and dry them outside your sheath after every use.  A quick touch up with a scrub brush 1-2 twice a year.  Spray with a light lubricant every now and then if you remember.  That's all I do.

-Allen

You've had yours for 18 years?  I'm going to guess the problem lies with Gerber then.  They likely changed materials in that time to save $$.  I've definitely noticed a decline in their product since the BMF days.

I've have others that are younger, but I don't think I've bought a new one in the past 6 years.

-Allen

I bought mine about 2 years ago. The only spots of rusty looking substance have occured in a couple spots where the knife contacts the sheath.  I routinely rinse mine in the salt water to get the blood off of it.  Then I forget to take it out of the sheath to rinse it when I get home so the only rinsing it gets is when I spray off the pfd while it is still in the sheath.  The rusty looking spots scrub off and the knife looks like new again.  I would gladly buy another.

No doubt it's a good knife, I just like the NRS a bit more.  The balance and feel is really important to me, and the release mechanics are badass.

I know I joked about cutting bait a few posts back.  But here's some food for thought ...

I make it a policy not to use my safety knife at all.  It's not there for utilitarian use.  It's there in case of an emergency to cut rope or fishing line, or to fight off sharks (pointy ones are better for this)     I carry another knife that I use for cutting bait, line while rigging, etc.

I have a routine with the safety knife.  I've already explained the cleaning routine.  When I pack, I put it in the sheath on the PFD.  I double check to make sure it is clipped in correctly.  When I gear up at the launch, I double check again that it is clipped in correctly.  I don't take it out of its sheath while on the water (ok, i've done so in a pinch, but try not too).  On the water I check every now and then to make sure it is clipped in correctly.

-Allen

Sorry ... I just realized I'm talking about Gerber River Shorties, not Gerber River Mates.

-Allen

I know I joked about cutting bait a few posts back.  But here's some food for thought ...

I make it a policy not to use my safety knife at all.  It's not there for utilitarian use.  It's there in case of an emergency to cut rope or fishing line, or to fight off sharks (pointy ones are better for this)     I carry another knife that I use for cutting bait, line while rigging, etc.

I have a routine with the safety knife.  I've already explained the cleaning routine.  When I pack, I put it in the sheath on the PFD.  I double check to make sure it is clipped in correctly.  When I gear up at the launch, I double check again that it is clipped in correctly.  I don't take it out of its sheath while on the water (ok, i've done so in a pinch, but try not too).  On the water I check every now and then to make sure it is clipped in correctly.

-Allen

Mine usually stays clipped in as well.  I bought a bait knife for the other purposes, but every once in awhile I forget it or I drop it in the hatch and it slides to a location I can't reach.  It's a bad excuse, I know.   

I carry two knives on the water as well. The safety knife is a Wenoka titanium version.

I have had it for three years and I just hose my PFD off after each trip and not a single spot of rust. It is a light knife and stays clipped in. In my boat I have some version of a 6 dollar bait knife. They rust and I scrub them off till they totally die then I buy a new one. I always get a serated bait knife so it stays sharp. The nice part about the clip is it has a screw to lock it in place on my PFD and has been beaten to crap over the years and is still going strong.

Rory, so just put the knife between your knees and grind the tip of with a power grinder?

No way dude you could slice your ballz that way! Use your teeth.