My Dive Knife Is Bigger Than Your Dive Knife!

[Eric Sedletzky]

That little thing pictured isn't a knife,

this is a noif!
SOG Tigershark Elite Fixed Blade Knife TE-01

 

[Splitlip]

OK, that's a lie. My dive knife is SMALLER than most.

I admit it, here and now and in public. I use a short, stumpy dive knife.

It's a DIR sawed off stainless steel kitchen knife, with a sheath made out of 2 inch webbing. They are available here (if you don't want to make your own):

Deep Sea Supply Dalton Safety Knife

The reason this came to mind was a recent cavern dive. We were diving in a cavern and a cave diver came out of the darkness reeling in his line. We both waved politely, and he swam past and is was absolutely amazed by the knife he was wearing on his leg (which is a Sheck Exley no-no to start with... knives on legs bad, according to Sheck). The knife was one of those "I am going to kill a great white shark with my machete" kind of knives. It reached from the bone knob in his ankle to his knee, probably 18 inches from hilt to SHARP tip. It had a huge round ball on the top, inch and a half across at least...

I did feel much safer knowing that he had this thing strapped on and would be able to protect us from any cave sharks (as long as he didn't die from the entanglement risks from that sword).

OK, spill the beans. What are you diving with?

Me, if I want a second cutting tool (and I do) it is EMT Shears.

Sheck was a cave diver.

Some of us dive where leverage, a pry tip and surface contact of the blade can be a consideration.

 

[Splitlip]

you have to remember, much of the internet "poopoo-ing" comes from the fact that in a cave, while you might run into "cave" line, you won't run into cast nets, rat's nests of mono, nylon line, 5/8 inch braided anchor line, etc.

The worst the cutting the tool might encounter is a nylon harness strap.

Then there is the rest of the world. (as well as rule # 9.)

 

[sabbath999]

you have to remember, much of the internet "poopoo-ing" comes from the fact that in a cave, while you might run into "cave" line, you won't run into cast nets, rat's nests of mono, nylon line, 5/8 inch braided anchor line, etc.

The worst the cutting the tool might encounter is a nylon harness strap.

Then there is the rest of the world. (as well as rule # 9.)

Honestly, I would love to have that little cut off steak knife for cutting through cast nets, mono and nylon line and 5/8 braided anchor line as well.

I have some inch braided rope (nylon), inch braided rope (plastic), and monofil line here, I just tried it out out of curiosity (a midnight experiment), with the ropes wet, cut through em like hot butter, much better than the smooth "dive knife" i used to use. I don't happen to have a ball of monofil line though... just what's in the fishing gear.

Totally useless for prying things tho with its short flexy little braid.

BTW I have found a bunch of mono line in a cavern, it was about 65 feet down at Morrison where somebody had got snagged and broke it off. I removed the line, sinker and hook (no cutting required, it was broken off)

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Then there is the rest of the world. (as well as rule # 9.)

What's rule number 9?

 

[sabbath999]

That little thing pictured isn't a knife,

this is a noif!
SOG Tigershark Elite Fixed Blade Knife TE-01

Dude, if you are going to go big, GO BIG!

SOG SOGfari Machete Fixed Blade 18" Knife

 

[sabbath999]

What's rule number 9?

Always carry the equipment necessary for handling emergencies, and know how to use it.

That's Sheck's rule 9.

I add the following "Within Reason"

For example, an AED (defibrilator) is a great and life saving tool, but I don't carry one of those with me on every dive even though I do know how to use them. I don't have a bottle of 100 percent oxy available either, etc.

I always take Sheck's rules with a grain of salt, knowing he personally died violating at least two of them.

 

[Rainer]

The steak knives are surprisingly sharp. Sharper than any "dive knives" I've come across in any shop. I've used them many times (with dry gloves and wet) to cut mono, nets, and harnesses. They've all cut like butter. They worked fine when I needed them in the Eastern Pacific and the North Atlantic.

They're terrible, though, for prying, dispatching fish, or cutting wire leader. For those, I've used different cutting instruments (specific to each task).

I agree that you should carry what makes sense for your diving style/conditions. But don't dismiss having a blunt tip steak knife on your rig. It's been remarkably effective when I've needed it and I wouldn't hesitate to reach for mine again in similar circumstances.

 

[sjmueller61990]

go with a partially serrated ka-bar, if its worked for the military for so long it will sure as heck work for me also if your worried about it rusting check out the sog tech bowie with the titanium nitride coating (Tini) there pretty awesome

 

[fnfalman]

You can't take out a sentry with that cut-down steak knife.