FB23 Aqua Salt

The FB23 Aqua Salt was introduced in 2008.

Appearance in catalogs

The FB23YL and FB23BK Aqua Salt appeared in the following catalogs:

• 2008 Spyderco Product Guide
• 2009 Spyderco Product Guide

The FB23BBK Aqua Salt Black Blade appeared in the following catalogs;

• 2015 Spyderco Product Guide
• 2016 Spyderco Product Guide
• 2017 Spyderco Product Guide
• 2018 Spyderco Product Guide
• 2019 Spyderco Product Guide
• 2020 Spyderco Product Guide

History, mentionings etc. from the forums

• Aqua Salt?, posted by forum member 'gunnut35'
• Aqua Salt plain edge or spyderedge ?, posted by forum member 'elena86'
• Rock and Aqua Salts, posted by forum member 'clovisc'

Information from the Spyderco catalog on the web

FB23 Aqua Salt

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.

FB23 Aqua Salt Black Blade

Spyderco’s original Aqua Salt was an amazingly versatile, do-everything fixed-blade knife that was also incredibly corrosion resistant. Its legions of die-hard fans ranged from commercial fishermen all the way to military special operations personnel and they were all devastated when it was discontinued. Based on popular demand, the Aqua Salt is now back and better than ever thanks to the addition of a non-reflective titanium carbonitride (TiCN) blade coating. Like the original, it features a broad, hollow-ground blade crafted from H-1® steel—an extraordinary nitrogen-based alloy that is exceptionally tough and ultra corrosion resistant. The blade’s deep hollow grind, drop-point profile, and full-thickness spine provide a superior combination of low-friction cutting performance, point utility, and structural strength.

The handle of the Aqua Salt is made of durable fiberglass-reinforced-nylon (FRN) and is injection molded directly onto the substantial tang for strength. The handle’s Bi-Directional Texturing™ pattern provides a slip-free grip and ensures superior control, even with wet hands. To protect the knife when not in use and allow it to be conveniently carried, the Aqua Salt includes a matching injection-molded polymer sheath with a multi-position G-Clip™ attachment that supports belt or waistband carry. The sheath’s grommeted construction also allows it to be easily lashed or flex-tied to personal equipment. Available with a PlainEdge™ or fully serrated SpyderEdge™ cutting edge, the Aqua Salt is a truly exceptional cutting tool that is now optimized for tactical applications.

Variations

The FB23 is made in Japan and features:

• a variation of a Clip Point Blade
• a handle profile that is very similar to the earlier FB12 Vagabond
• a lanyard hole in the handle

SKU	Handle	Edge	Steel	From/To	MSRP	Note	Number made	Grind	Sheath	Clip	Collectors club
FB23YL	Yellow FRN	PE,SE	H-1	2008-2009	$119.95 (2009)		Regular production	Hollow	FRN	G-Clip	Main
FB23BK	Black FRN	PE,SE	H-1	2008-2009	$119.95 (2009)		Regular production	Hollow	FRN	G-Clip	Main
FB23BBK	Black FRN	PE,SE	Black TiCN coated H-1	2015-end 2022	$190.95 (2020), $213.50 (2022)		Regular production	Hollow	FRN	G-Clip	Main

Most collectible variation

The original FB23 Aqua Salt in any variation, complete with original box and papers in mint condition is likely to be the most collectible version.

Questions regarding collecting the FB23

Some interesting questions we are looking for an answer to:

Questions with an answer:

Technical information

Measurements (mm and grams) of the FB23 Aqua Salt:

Variation	Length overall	Length blade	Length edge	Blade thickness	Weight
FB23YL & FB23BK	235mm	119mm	112mm	3mm	119g
FB23BBK	236mm	119mm	112mm	3mm	130g

Measurements (inches and ounces) of the FB23 Aqua Salt:

Variation	Length overall	Length blade	Length edge	Blade thickness	Weight
FB23YL & FB23BK	9.25"	4.687"	4.25"	0.125"	4.2oz
FB23BBK	9.28"	4.70"	4.40"	0.118"	4.6oz

Pictures

The FB23 Aqua Salt, with a yellow handle

The FB23 Aqua Salt, with a black handle

The FB23 Aqua Salt, with a black blade and handle and its sheath

Related

• FB40 Fish Hunter