Knife location with dry suit

[SOUTH DEVON]

I realise knife location has been discussed but people don't mention type of exposure suit !
If I have my six inch blade strapped to my inside calf whilst wearing a membrane dry suit, I'm presuming that I will have more air in one leg than the other particularly if I am using my dry suit for buoyancy control(as I'm currently being taught). Anybody experienced problems with this!
The knife is too big to go anywhere else, it's probably about 12 inches including the handle,(yes I had to buy the biggest knife in the shop :) ) don't really want to have to buy another one as this one is only a couple of months old .

[MechDiver]

As you don't appear willing to change anything, or shuck that machete and buy a reasonably useful knife, what exactly is the purpose of your question?

Obviously the thing isn't going to fit anyplace else, so I guess you're just stuck swimming around in a circle because one leg is higher.

[SOUTH DEVON]

MechDiver once bubbled...
As you don't appear willing to change anything, or shuck that machete and buy a reasonably useful knife, what exactly is the purpose of your question?

Obviously the thing isn't going to fit anyplace else, so I guess you're just stuck swimming around in a circle because one leg is higher.

Well the purpose of the question is to find out whether membrane dry suit users avoid strapping a knife to the calf for this reason, and is it problematic!
Also to find out if anybody has any alternate suggestions of knife placement that I haven't thought of !
When I originally purchased the knife I was diving in a hired semi dry and it was the first piece of kit I purchased , I presumed incorrectly the bigger the better !

[MechDiver]

i personally wouldn't strap anything that big to my leg as its not the most useful place to put anything except pockets and fins.

I would not think you would get the straps tight enough to impede air flow without cutting off blood circulation to your leg. That being said, you can buy a decent folding SS knife for a good price and not have the problem in the first place.

Your unwillingness to help yourself improve the situation was the point of my first post. And no, I would have no idea where else you could carry that thing that wouldn't be worse than it is now.

But, that just MO.

[chippy]

I was thinking the same thing when first getting kitted up in my neo drysuit last weekend (trapped air in the foot caused by the straps), and as it happens I lost my knife later on in the dive (I'd caught a nice fat plaice for dinner, but hadn't put the rubber knife keeper back over the knife handle to keep it in place).

I've had to buy a new knife, but I think I'm going to drill a hole through the scabbard bit and clip it to the D-ring inside my drysuit pocket......might have a problem doing that with a big chopper though!


I suppose an alternative would have been to clip it onto a BCD (I use my BCD for bouyancy and the suit to keep me dry and warm), or maybe attach it to your weightbelt, although you might have to sacrifice it if you need to dump your weightbelt.

[adshepard]

I strap a smaller knife to my left calf which indeed does reduce air in that leg of my dry suit. To remedy the difference I have a neoprene knee brace that I put on my right leg over the suit. This reduces air on that side. Since I need the brace for knee stability putting it outside the suit rather than under served a dual purpose.

DSDO

Alan

[j-valve]

Mabey you could sling it like a stage...

J

[MechDiver]

j-valve once bubbled...
Mabey you could sling it like a stage...

J

:) :)

[bridgediver]

MechDiver once bubbled...
As you don't appear willing to change anything, or shuck that machete and buy a reasonably useful knife, what exactly is the purpose of your question?

Obviously the thing isn't going to fit anyplace else, so I guess you're just stuck swimming around in a circle because one leg is higher.

LOL!!!:D

That would really suck if you were doing a drift dive!

South Devon - I understand where you're coming from. I got a biggy too and to make it worse it was a gift from my wife... But, it now has no place in my current diving configuration so I don't know what to do with it.
I suppose I could use it to pose for pictures!:)

[Marvintpa]

SD, you will likely find few people on here who think bigger is better when it comes to knives. And, although using a drysuit for buoyancy was the norm a few years ago it is increasingly uncommon now.

A smaller knife or shears in a BC pocket or on a strap on your upper body may be a cheap way to resolve your dilemma. It'll solve your problem AND be easier to use and access when you need it, be less prone to snags, you won't kick it, and it won't accect your weighting.

You need to decide what's more important to you: a few dollars, or having good gear that will perform when you need it.

[SOUTH DEVON]

I went diving on Saturday and I was surprised to find all the other divers on the boat were carrying 6 inch Blades, and when we went down I discovered why , a forest of kelp waited below us!
If you got tangled in this it would take some time to cut yourself free with a three inch knife, so it seems that the size of the diving knife depends on location.
Talking of location the other divers had their knives strapped to their legs and were all wearing dry suits.
I had my attached to my bcd in the end using a plastic tie, but I shall probably try strapping it to my leg next time.
Thanks for everyone's input and ideas.:)

[Dryglove]

SOUTH DEVON once bubbled...
I went diving on Saturday and I was surprised to find all the other divers on the boat were carrying 6 inch Blades, and when we went down I discovered why , a forest of kelp waited below us!
If you got tangled in this it would take some time to cut yourself free with a three inch knife, so it seems that the size of the diving knife depends on location.
Talking of location the other divers had their knives strapped to their legs and were all wearing dry suits.
I had my attached to my bcd in the end using a plastic tie, but I shall probably try strapping it to my leg next time.
Thanks for everyone's input and ideas.:)


I carry a very small knife on my waist and a pair of EMT shears in my pocket. I dive kelp very frequently and have yet to cut myself out of it. Kelp if bent is very easily broken. The big thing with diving kelp underwater is to streamline your gear and eliminate as many snag points as possible. If you ever have to cross kelp on the surface learn how to do the kelp crawl and make sure you have a buddy to help out if you get snagged.

[Delta_P]

all the other divers on the boat were carrying 6 inch Blades, and when we went down I discovered why , a forest of kelp waited below us!

This sounds more like a matter of local tradition then, not expert knowledge.

1) Rig your gear properly on the surface. Eliminate all the potential snag points you can.
- use vinyl tape to secure any dangling strap ends - mask, gauges, fins, and knife scabard, if you insist on wearing it on your leg.
- get rid of the snorkel, or carry it in a pocket if you will die without one.
- no dangling spgs or long tag ends on harness or weightbelt straps.

2) Treat kelp like a sem-overhead environment. Manage your gas supply accordingly and avoid nasty surprises.

3) A good buddy in invaluable for sorting out entanglements on your cylinder. Don't leave home without one.

4) Learn to move properly through kelp forests. Avoid quick, twisting movements. Be aware of any small tugs, stop and sort out the hangup while it's still one or two fronds, before you start hauling the entire plant with you. Trust your buddy to help you sort things out.

5) Kelp is patchy. Choose your route, rather than bushwhacking straight through the dense areas.

6) If you do need to "cut your way out", single strands of kelp snap by hand very easily. Multiple strands can be bitten through and are quite tasty, but I don't recommend this for your average tourist. 3" blades work fine if you cut intelligently (bundle up the offending stipes in one hand and cut the bundle with the other). If you need to hack and slash indiscriminately you should have been

If you do need to draw your knife, the leg is just about the worst place for it. To access it you have to twist yourself up in a figure "4", and the chances are very good that you will end up with more kelp twisted around your leg after you're retrieved the knife. A knife worn on the upper body can be retrieved without any entangling contortions.

In my experience, most knives are lost after they've been removed and used once then replaced in the scabard. Hard to see if the retaining mechanism has locked properly, I guess. The point, however, is that once you've drawn the knife you've significantly increased the risk it won't be there if you find yourself really needing it again. Better to avoid drawing it in the first place, or if you have to use it regularly carry it in a place where you can monitor its presence more easily than on the leg.

The only time I've seen a need for a large pig stabber was on a dive where the two of us were trying to stay on station on a gravel bar in a two knot current. My buddy was able to anchor in the gravel with his pig stabber with one hand and help stabilize me with the other while I wrote. If I wasn't being paid to write I would have been going with the flow.

[No Fish]

Affix it to your BC strap on the side opposite your inflator. Flat on the front of it, point up - handle down. You will have to experiment to get it right. Use tie wraps or something to get it as flush as you can. You will have to work around the D-rings. You may have a velcro tab for dual inflators. Strap that tab over the knife sheath too.

It may fall out the bottom if your sheath if the keeper is not real good. You can reach it easy there - reach over and pull down. You can see the sheath easily too.

Don't stick yourself putting it back.

With that said, I carry real good shears.

[theskull]

A knife strap will not prevent air getting past it, so this will not be a problem if your suit fits correctly. You must use your suit for buoyancy WHILE YOU ARE TAKING THE DRYSUIT CLASS. Once you've passed, only add air to the suit when you must to take off the squeeze (make sure the vent is all the way open) and use your bc/wings for buoyancy. Drysuit is taught this way so that you only have to be concerned with one inflater/deflater while learning the skill. After, it is just a neat trick in case you ever have a bc/wing failure.

I occasionally wear a large knife on the leg of my drysuit:
1. When I feel like Mike Nelson in Sea Hunt, and might need to cut the air hose of an evil diver.
2. When I dive in trout-line infested waters.
3. When I want to feel impressive.

But mostly I wear a small knife on the bc inflator hose or a shears on the waist strap, and keep a folder in my suit hip pocket for back-up.

theskull