Good question. Trouble is, there's no right answer.

Now, I think I'm with Doug -- I don't really like stainless blades --
my carving knife is not stainless and keeps a wonderful edge in a
kitchen drawer. It's easy to resharpen. But, IMHO stainless is
better for a sea knife.

As I said earlier, I carry a stainless Myerchin any time I'm aboard a
boat. I sharpen this at home with a red diamond stone from DMT and
finish it with a buffing wheel (as I do all my tools, which have to
able to shave my arm clean with one pass). Because it's stainless, it
holds an edge for a long time unless I cut Kevlar. Because I don't
actually use it much, ease of sharpening is not a big issue.

If I'm going on passage, I'll carry DMT red and green stones, which
will do the same thing, albeit taking longer -- but on passage, you
have time.

And, as I said, if I'm doing something that dulls the blade -- cutting
Kevlar or a lot of rope work -- I'll use replaceable blades -- at
$9.00/100 I don't care what your time is worth, it's easier and
cheaper to use replaceables and save the time for something better.


Jim Woodward
www.mvfintry.com




"Doug Kanter" wrote in message ...
"Jack Rye" wrote in message
news:20e_a.56630$Ne.21173@fed1read03...
I like to carry the Gerber E-Z out Rescue for serious cutting. The
removable belt clip and yellow handles makes for a great general purpose
rigging, cutting knife. Also the Gerber utility with sharpened tip. They
both sell for about $40.00.

Jack


Here's a question that only a curmudgeon would ask: Are the blades stainless
steel, or can they be sharpened quickly with a stone, WITHOUT electricity?