Tool advice

[AfterDark]

I have a few open end/box wrenches that fit my hoses, channel lock pliers, a small pair of vise grips, a O ring pic. A couple of different size plastic locking tie wraps and a handful of Velcro strips used on electrical works, they're great for temporary fastening of gear or for hose management. There are other items but they are mostly things unique to me and my rig. For example the spring straps on my fins used to come off the post on the fin. I found rubber washers for a garden hose fits tightly over the post and keeps the spring strap secure to the fin; so I carry a couple of those washers in case I need to replace one per-dive.

After 44 years of diving scratching my gear is so unimportant that it never occurs to me. My gear is shall we say broke in.

 

[uncfnp]

Take all those useful crescent wrenches and use them to weigh down your garbage can. They're really useful for scratching the chrome on your reg and boogering up the nuts.

Get a set of allen wrenche and a set of thin open-ended wrenches. They're called "bicycle wrenches" I think, and are used to fit into skinny places - like where second stages connect to hoses. About $35 on amazon for both metric and SAE - cheap, cheaply made, and not particularly durable, but purpose made.

I went to my dentist-friend and scored a couple of dental picks instead of the brass o-ring picks, which are too soft and fragile. Danger Will Robinson, dental picks are hard.

That advice about zip ties etc. is good. I add to it a roll of black athletic tape.

And then curse those mfgrs who require the use of non-standard tools (looking at you Scubapro - $100 for that goofy tool to fit the nut on the hose!!!).

"Bicycle wrenches!" So that's what they are. I use to have a set of really thin wrenches but they disappeared many moons ago. Could not find a similar set when I started building my save-a-dive kit. Now I know where to look.

To the op. I think of tie wraps and O-rings and sometimes tools as part of a save-dive kit. Another useful bag of tricks you might want if you don't already have it. Do a SB search. Lot's of good threads there.



Speaking of o-ring picks, has anyone tried using a curved or fine tipped hemostat? I have a few times and I liked it better then the pick.

 

[lowviz]

"Bicycle wrenches!" So that's what they are. I use to have a set of really thin wrenches....

Or tappet wrenches, they are just the right width.

Speaking of o-ring picks, has anyone tried using a curved or fine tipped hemostat?

You can grab "problem" O-rings with a fine tipped hemostat then slip this (Case Cutlery 00302 Bird Hunter Knife with Stainless Steel Blades Bird Hook Yellow Synthetic - Utility Knives - Amazon.com) under the loop you pull.

-just don't scratch the edges of the O-Ring channel.

 

[Malpaso]

I got my "thin" open end wrench here - Stanley Proto J3430 Open End Wrench 9/16 X 5/8, Thin - - Amazon.com
Fits everything on my Titan LX Supreme ACD

 

[tursiops]

I like the stainless thin wrenches, for example Dive Open End Flat Dive Wrench 11/16" & 9/16" Ends.