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Whether sporting or laboring in saltwater two features rate highly in choosing a fixed blade utility knife, reliable cutting performance and the knife's ability to remain rust free without maintenance. The knife industry toyed unsuccessfully with non-rusting steels for years until two years ago when Spyderco started manufacturing blades using an alloy called H-1. H1 is precipitation-hardened steel, utilizing .1% nitrogen instead of carbon. Carbon is the component in steel that makes the blade hard and allows it to hold an edge. Carbon also reacts to chloride, making rust. With nitrogen replacing the carbon; hardness and edge retention are realized but nitrogen doesn't react to chloride so it physically cannot rust.

Aqua Salt's H-1 blade is thick for hearty use with a weight reducing swedge grind on the spine. It is available fully PlainEdged or SpyderEdged and has a thin, hollow-ground cutting surface. For enhanced visibility the fiberglass reinforced nylon handle is available in cornea searing Marine Yellow or subdued black and comes aggressively textured keeping the knife in your hand even if wet, cold or slippery.