PhilD
Guest
Tim, I've never heard that titanium will become weaker with depth. Although I'm no expert, I'd be tempted to ask the shop owner what he's been smoking?
Titanium is more flexible than steel and more stable at extreme temperatures. I find it hard to believe that a material used in aircraft and spacecraft construction becomes weak under a few ATA.
As a comparison, most stainless dive knives seem to be made of 420, which is very soft and doesn't hold an edge well, but as a low carbon content of <0.5%, so is relatively resistant to rust. Something like 440A may be better, or even ATS34 if you want better edge characteristics, although you would have to look after them more. I've used ATS34 knives quite a lot in and around salt water and never had any problems with them, as long as they are looked after and ATS34 is a great blade material, BG42 is my favorite, but I digress.
Titanium offers excellent corrosion resistance, low hardness (Ti-Beta is 47RC, Ti - 6Al-4V is 34RC), good wear resistance, but is more difficult to sharpen.
In my view, a good titanium knife, made of Ti-Beta not the more common and softer Ti-6AL-4V (which is 90% titanium, 6% aluminum and 4% vanadium), is a far better alternative to stainless dive knife. But I'm sure there are plenty of people that think stainless is better.
Another every day benefit of titanium is that it is non magnetic and great to pry at magnetic detonated mines
Titanium is more flexible than steel and more stable at extreme temperatures. I find it hard to believe that a material used in aircraft and spacecraft construction becomes weak under a few ATA.
As a comparison, most stainless dive knives seem to be made of 420, which is very soft and doesn't hold an edge well, but as a low carbon content of <0.5%, so is relatively resistant to rust. Something like 440A may be better, or even ATS34 if you want better edge characteristics, although you would have to look after them more. I've used ATS34 knives quite a lot in and around salt water and never had any problems with them, as long as they are looked after and ATS34 is a great blade material, BG42 is my favorite, but I digress.
Titanium offers excellent corrosion resistance, low hardness (Ti-Beta is 47RC, Ti - 6Al-4V is 34RC), good wear resistance, but is more difficult to sharpen.
In my view, a good titanium knife, made of Ti-Beta not the more common and softer Ti-6AL-4V (which is 90% titanium, 6% aluminum and 4% vanadium), is a far better alternative to stainless dive knife. But I'm sure there are plenty of people that think stainless is better.
Another every day benefit of titanium is that it is non magnetic and great to pry at magnetic detonated mines
