The now famous skeletonized dive knife was designed by Ichiro Hattori and sold by TEKNA of Redwood City, CA, starting in the 1980s as the Tekna Ocean Edge T-2200. It had a length of 7 1/2″ and a blade length of 3 1/2″ making it an ideal “boot knife” on land. The skeletonized handle resulted in a total weight of 3.6 oz. The blade material was described as “Chromium Stainless Steel”, most likely 420j2, a very low carbon stainless that featured strong resistance to corrosion. The sheath was made of “Black Cycolac ABS”.
1980s T-2200
Hattori has long ceased producing this knife for Tekna, who until 2012 had been offering a serial numbered U.S. made version using 420. The same knife sometimes with minor variations was marketed in the U.S. under various labels.
Valor marketed this knife as their Model 477 in satin or coated.
Ad in Soldier of Fortune Magazine 1980.
Dingo brand
Valor model 494
Hattori versions in 420j2. Black version is fluorine resin coated.
Another Dive Knife that has become famous in the 1980s is the Kershaw 1006 Amphibian.
In the mid-late 1990s Kai switched to China manufacture with the designation Model 1006K.
Hattori model 496 “Shirokuma”. 4 1/2″ hollow ground blade in Aus6.
Hattori 568 4 1/2″ 420j2 blade with Stainless steel bolsters. Black version is fluorine resin coated. The H568 is unique in having a V-grind on the right side and a fully flat grind on the left side.
This model was at one time OEM produced for T.S. Corp., a Scuba/Diving Outfitter in Kakamigahara, Gifu Prefecture, Japan, in both the black and satin finishes.
Some of the T.S. Corp knives were sold as the “Viking” model.
Hattori AK61 and AK61b in 420j2. Stainless steel guard and full tang.
AK61G andAK61P.
The AK61P appears to have been made for DACOR in the 1980s as Model 7214-00.
A variant is the HA-BDI/BDA “Boy’s Dream” which had a plain edge fighter style with swedge. Attesting to its popularity as a standard boot knife an optional leather sheath was also offered.
Special thanks to Lutz Krempf, Germany.
Hi,
You missed some dive knives, Hattori’s current line of dive knives started out in the 1980’s as Dacor diving knives. I guess when Dacor went under they became Hattori. The models and sheaths are unchanged just the name.
Best
Dave
Hi Dave,
Thank you for the info. Would you have any photos of such Dacor knives, or at least model numbers that could be traced?
Photos can be sent to kurobune1852ATgmailDOTcom.
Many thanks.
Ken
Surprised the Hattori dive knife used 420J2 steel, rather than say 440C. My cheap Union Taiwan Spearfishing dagger supposedly uses 420J2 and it is way too soft, it is hard to get any kind of edge sharpness and it doesn’t last at all. Very poor, the worst non-brittle knife steel I have come across.
420j2 was considered the top corrosion resistant stainless at the time, soon to be followed by Aus6/440A and now H1. It’s corrosion resistance and low cost makes it ideal for Sanmai cladding. But it’s certainly a far cry from an ideal monosteel blade material.
I pucheased a Hattori dive knife,originally made for Malaysian special forces (or Singapore), in the 1980s I believe. full tang,coated,old factory stock..cannot find it anywhere online now, any info would help. I live in Japan and collect Japanese knives, but hard to find info. Thanks everyone.
Contact The Kencrest Corp. in Seki.
Tel 81-575-38-3019
Fax 81-575-25-2699
Email: info@kencrest.us
They had some old stock available a year or two ago. It’s possible there may be more.
Back when it was a current model they could be found from Knifer dealers in SEA.
The Tekna version was actually 425ss (has much better edge retention) Tekna still offers Individually serial numbered Ocean Edge knives although the design has changed slightly over the years. The current ones are made in Italy out of 420hc.
I have ones of the 469 “boys dream” model knives with the swedge that has a colored bronze/gold blade. Ever seen that variant?
Does anyone know where I can find the single edge version with the swedge?