Spyderco Forums

Posted: **Sun Mar 31, 2013 10:04 pm**

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?

Posted: **Mon Apr 01, 2013 4:46 am**

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...

Posted: **Mon Apr 01, 2013 5:14 am**

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.

Posted: **Mon Apr 01, 2013 3:33 pm**

Ahh, very cool. Thanks fellas!

Posted: **Mon Apr 01, 2013 7:14 pm**

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

Posted: **Tue Apr 02, 2013 11:42 am**

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

TedP

Posted: **Tue Apr 02, 2013 6:34 pm**

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

Posted: **Tue Apr 02, 2013 7:54 pm**

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

Spyderco Forums

TTZ Dive Probe??

TTZ Dive Probe??