I used to hate working with old rope in cold water until I switched my cutting method

For years, I'd just hack away at waterlogged polypropylene with a standard dive knife, especially on winter jobs in Puget Sound. Last month, a guy on the barge showed me his titanium serrated blade and let me try it on a 2-inch line. The difference was huge, it cut through in one clean pull instead of ten messy saws. What other small gear changes have made a big difference for you on cold water jobs?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_skyler2mo ago

Honestly thought those titanium blades were just overpriced junk for a long time. Tried a buddy's on some thick nylon that was frozen stiff, and it went through like butter. My cheap knife would have just bounced off. Totally changed my mind about spending a bit more on the right tool.

tessa1772mo ago

Frozen nylon? That's a wild test.

noah_barnes27d ago

My buddy spent $200 on a titanium blade and chipped it on the second cut into some frozen garden hose. Meanwhile my $15 hardware store knife took the same abuse and just needs a quick sharpen. People act like titanium is magic but it's brittle compared to good steel, especially in cold weather. I've seen titanium handles snap clean off when you put sideways pressure on them. For the price of one fancy blade you could buy ten decent ones and replace them for years.