Comments about Ocean Master Beta Titanium Knife, Tanto Tip:
This was the first titanium knife I have owned and I'm very excited. The first thing I noticed right out of the box was how incredibly light the blade is. This particular alloy almost looks like a ceramic or something. The blade came reasonably sharpened and cuts well. However, the blade is not fully flat ground, rather it is a combination of a flat grind and a sabre grind. The left side of the blade has a flat grind, and the right side has a sabre grind. This gives the impression of a chisel grind. I'm not too well versed with knives, so I don't know how this affects performance, but I personally would prefer a fully flat ground edge.The handle feels great in the hand and provides a sturdy grip. The knife can be completely taken apart, and I'm pleased to say that the handle holds the blade very rigidly. There is very minimal give if you try to move the blade and the handle separately. The handle and the hammer are held in place by a series of two pins and sockets. They are located under each of the colored plastic pieces. My concern with this is that both the pins and the sockets are plastic. It's tough plastic, but still plastic. I feel like I could probably break them with my hands. I don't know how these pins will hold up in the long run or in the face of corrosive sea water, but for now they hold the knife together very solidly and seem to be durable. Once the pins are locked in place, they support each other well enough that it feels like it would take quite a bit of force to damage the knife. Once taken apart it's a different story, so you should not take this knife apart impatiently or rigorously. It comes apart rather easily and it's construction is basic, so there is no guesswork involved.The sheath is strong plastic, and the rubber straps are durable and fit well. The double locking system is surprisingly crude. The red piece to the left of the sheath is slid over the hilt of the knife, holding it in place should the initial locking system fail. Despite being basic, it does hold the knife in place. It can be a little stiff to slide back and forth, but once locked is very secure. The knife rattles somewhat in the sheath, but it's not at all loose at the mouth, just near the bottom where the blade has more room. The whole knife, sheath and all, fits comfortably on the inside of my leg. It seems to be the right balance in size to feel like a good sized knife that isn't cumbersome. Overall I would say this is a great knife. The tanto design is beautiful looking, the handle is very ergonomic but not tacky, and the whole knife seems very functional. I can't attest to the durability since I haven't used it enough, but according to the specifications, this knife is supposed to be much more durable than typical titanium blades. Despite the minor concerns about the plastic pins holding it together, the knife is well worth the money. I would highly recommend it to anyone searching for a great blend of functionality, aesthetics, and cost.
[5 of 5 customers found this review helpful]
Comments about Ocean Master Beta Titanium Knife, Tanto Tip:
The knife in itself is excellent, however, it does have a little inconvenience, which is that the case is held together by 5 screws made of ordinary metal that rusts extremely quickly (within 2 dives), meaning that if you don't change them for a special type of rustproof metal screws, they will rot within the first couple of weeks. This I would say is a big oversight, seeing as it's a diving knife and there's no reason for holding the case together with materials that don't last.