TTZ Dive Probe??

[agent clark]

I just heard about an extra rare Dive Probe called "TTZ" for the surface or hardening treatment, how can you tell a TTZ from a regular probe? Anyone got a pic or two?

[The Deacon]

The TTZ probe is a solid chunk of ceramic (transformation toughened zirconia) material. It's impossible to confuse with any other Spyderco product. Here's a photo of a picture of it in The Spyderco Story...

[IG-88]

The Spyderco Story states the following:

In the mid-1980s, Sal, a SCUBA diver himself, started designing improved
tools to be carried by a diver. The first version was the TTZ Probe, a threequarter-
pound slab of transformation-toughened zirconia\ 8 inches long and
half an inch thick, with a lanyard hole at one end and a beveled prying surface
on the other. Not in the least bit fragile, the TTZ could be thrown against a
brick wall, land on concrete, and yet suffer no damage. High cost prevented
this probe from enjoying greater demand, and only a few were ever made.

[agent clark]

Ahh, very cool. Thanks fellas!

[Clearytja]

Wow...I have never seen that. I thought the original probe was rare!
TC

[phillipsted]

Pretty cool stuff. I don't normally put "ceramic" and "pry bar" in the same sentence. Must be some tough stuff.

TedP

[Ferris Wheels]

That is a great little tidbit of Spyderco history, thank you for sharing!

[sal]

Hi Clearytja,

Welcome to our forum.

We did a lot of "wacky" things in our quest for better performance. Some more successful than others.

We also experiment with steels and "other" materials the same way.

sal