Big Knife on BC?
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Hagan34
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NJ Wreckster
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I haven't dove for a couple of years and most of my equipment is dated. however, up here in the northeast, where we wear thick gloves, it is best to have a large-handled knife. And a couple of backup knives. You can get used ones cheap. Have a shears for monofiliment.
First, if you see netting over a wreck, stay the heck away from it. It will come over and around you as if it is alive. Why a large, razor sharp knife? Well, just try cutting netting with a small knife.
Why more than one knife? If you are tangled up in netting, you have a problem. Fighting off the panic, you are more likely than not to drop the knife and will be happy to have a backup or two. Also, knives placed in different locations, i.e., wrist console, outer right thigh, BC strap, gives you better access if in a tight spot.
Why anyone would buy an expensive titanium knife is beyond me. Steel knives are heavier, which is good, and much cheaper. You're gonna loose it sooner or later. I keep mine well oiled and razor sharp. I sharpen and hone them before every dive, whether they need it or not--it's a personal thing.
First, if you see netting over a wreck, stay the heck away from it. It will come over and around you as if it is alive. Why a large, razor sharp knife? Well, just try cutting netting with a small knife.
Why more than one knife? If you are tangled up in netting, you have a problem. Fighting off the panic, you are more likely than not to drop the knife and will be happy to have a backup or two. Also, knives placed in different locations, i.e., wrist console, outer right thigh, BC strap, gives you better access if in a tight spot.
Why anyone would buy an expensive titanium knife is beyond me. Steel knives are heavier, which is good, and much cheaper. You're gonna loose it sooner or later. I keep mine well oiled and razor sharp. I sharpen and hone them before every dive, whether they need it or not--it's a personal thing.
mig_diver
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I strap my samurai sword between my bc and tank. Easy to get to that way and it doesn't get in the way of my throwing stars attached to my bc straps. I have heard ninjas love scuba diving so it is something I would rather have and not need rather than need and not have 
Haha but in all seriousness, I do have quite a large knife that I strap to my leg. I got it when I just started diving and was having a "mines bigger than yours" competition with my brother and dad. I slightly regret buying such a big knife now and wish I got one of those small titanium ones that I can attach to my bc. I think I'll grab a small one when I can afford it.
Haha but in all seriousness, I do have quite a large knife that I strap to my leg. I got it when I just started diving and was having a "mines bigger than yours" competition with my brother and dad. I slightly regret buying such a big knife now and wish I got one of those small titanium ones that I can attach to my bc. I think I'll grab a small one when I can afford it.
NJ Wreckster
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I would like to try to put to rest this notion that a big knife is only for divers with inferiority complexes abut their manhood. Somewhere along the way thiis myth about large knives came into being. Probably from the DIR divers, who dive caves and adhere to a different overall philosophy, which meets their particular needs.
I mentioned in an earlier entry that I am a northeast wreck diver. I don't dive warm water or caves and know little or nothing about that particular type of diving. I suspect that since most divers are vacation divers diving in warm water, they do not feel the need for a big knife since they are not wearing gloves. Same for cave divers. And that's fine.
However, if you must wear gloves to protect against the cold and rusty projections, etc. as cold water wreck divers do, a large knife and at least one backup plus a shears is a necessity. We generally carry a pry bar, a 2-3 lb. hammer and a chisel. But, if you need to cut yourself loose from netting that somehow found its way around your ankle while you were busy, you need a serious, very sharp knife with a decent size handle. Not only would a little baby knife be frustrating, you're already dead.
Now then, if you are on a dive in the islands and you want to impress someone, pull out that brand new expensive titanium, light weight, unsharpenable, ugly-ass dive knife. The captain will, of course, recognize that you are a vacation twice a year diver with too much money to burn. Pull out a decent size, used-looking, steel knife (and maybe a sharpening stone for effect) and the captain will say, "Ah, now there is a guy who obviously dives cold water, knows what the f he's doing. I don't have to keep an eye on him."
What if something stupid happens and you get the guide line caught and you are near the end of your downtime. Are you gonna have time to open that penknife assuming you can even get to it?
Years ago, I got my ankle caught in heavy twine we were using as an upline. I was a new diver. I lucked out as I was able to get loose with the help of my buddy who just happened to look over. I will never forget the feeling of panic I had to overcome. I could never have cut that rope with a small knife, which I probably would have dropped. More recently, I was on a dive with a fellow diver who related the story of how only a week earlier he saw a paniced, distressed diver slashing away at eighth inch line that had wrapped around his ankles. The other diver started cutting the stuck diver out and found himself becoming entangled. They finally got free. The point being that maybe a small knife will cut eighth inch line as well as a large knife but what about say a dozen or more eighth inch cords wrapped around your ankle. Me thinks I'll take the big knife over a small one any day thank you very much.
I mentioned in an earlier entry that I am a northeast wreck diver. I don't dive warm water or caves and know little or nothing about that particular type of diving. I suspect that since most divers are vacation divers diving in warm water, they do not feel the need for a big knife since they are not wearing gloves. Same for cave divers. And that's fine.
However, if you must wear gloves to protect against the cold and rusty projections, etc. as cold water wreck divers do, a large knife and at least one backup plus a shears is a necessity. We generally carry a pry bar, a 2-3 lb. hammer and a chisel. But, if you need to cut yourself loose from netting that somehow found its way around your ankle while you were busy, you need a serious, very sharp knife with a decent size handle. Not only would a little baby knife be frustrating, you're already dead.
Now then, if you are on a dive in the islands and you want to impress someone, pull out that brand new expensive titanium, light weight, unsharpenable, ugly-ass dive knife. The captain will, of course, recognize that you are a vacation twice a year diver with too much money to burn. Pull out a decent size, used-looking, steel knife (and maybe a sharpening stone for effect) and the captain will say, "Ah, now there is a guy who obviously dives cold water, knows what the f he's doing. I don't have to keep an eye on him."
What if something stupid happens and you get the guide line caught and you are near the end of your downtime. Are you gonna have time to open that penknife assuming you can even get to it?
Years ago, I got my ankle caught in heavy twine we were using as an upline. I was a new diver. I lucked out as I was able to get loose with the help of my buddy who just happened to look over. I will never forget the feeling of panic I had to overcome. I could never have cut that rope with a small knife, which I probably would have dropped. More recently, I was on a dive with a fellow diver who related the story of how only a week earlier he saw a paniced, distressed diver slashing away at eighth inch line that had wrapped around his ankles. The other diver started cutting the stuck diver out and found himself becoming entangled. They finally got free. The point being that maybe a small knife will cut eighth inch line as well as a large knife but what about say a dozen or more eighth inch cords wrapped around your ankle. Me thinks I'll take the big knife over a small one any day thank you very much.
Actually I would stand on the opinion that for cutting non metallic line, the size of the blade would not be as important as how sharp it is and its ability to hold that edge. of course I dive Southeast Florida weekly where water temp is always 80 degrees, vis is unlimited, and the boat picks you up when you surface. so there is not a big problem with entanglement
SandyRobinson
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A humorous story for you. When I took my OW class in 1980, our instructor mentioned three pieces of safety equipment - a snorkel, a BC, and a knife. About 7 years ago, our group was gearing up for a night dive in Pennekamp State Park. A woman with another group asked me why I had a knife and I told her for safety. When asked from what, I told her from fishing line or nets. She then questioned why/disputed that there would be fishing line in a "no-fishing" park. Before I could respond, our captain started yelling at a nearby boat that was fishing in the park. Even after that, she still didn't get it.
To answer the original question, you can zip tie it upside down on your right shoulder strap. You could put it on your left strap if it does not interfer with your inflator hose. Or your can attach it to your BC belt - DIR style.
To answer the original question, you can zip tie it upside down on your right shoulder strap. You could put it on your left strap if it does not interfer with your inflator hose. Or your can attach it to your BC belt - DIR style.
NJ Wreckster
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Where to attach the knife?
I attach my largest knife, a 10" Wenoka, to the outside of my right thigh with two loops of surgical tubing. I can't see it but it is right there when I want it and has never caught on anything. Sometimes, I have a hammer attached to my left thigh with surgical tubing but hanging from my harness waist belt via brass eyehook and ring. I do not incorporate drysuit hip/thigh pockets, which would interfere with a knife or other gear.
I have a medium sized UK Remora attached to my right shoulder harness strap with zip ties in an upside down position. I have my surgical shears attached to my left shoulder harness strap with zip ties, also faced down. Both the UK Remora or shears can be accessed by pulling downward.
I have another medium sized EZ-Lock knife attached to my console, which is itself attached to my right forearm with two loops of surgical tubing. The same knife was attached to a different console I used to use, which contained the depth guage/compass/bottom timer attached to pressure guage instead of on forearm. The knife being near the compass can effect the compass readings but since I am usually on a wreck, compass readings are haywire anyway. If I need the compass, which is really rare, I can just remove the knife and stick it on the other side of my forearm inside the surgical tubing or in my goody bag.
If you think this is overkill, I have seen experienced wreck divers with large knives on the outside of both thighs or with large knives on both the right and left shoulder harness straps. Cheap, used, quality retro steel knives abound on Ebay because a misinformed public demands small titatium knives.
Incidentally, I have modified the shears by drilling out the center rivet and replacing it with a stainless steel screw and nut. The original rivet will rust and can snap, rendering the shears worthless when, inevitably, you need it most.
The worst place to put a knife, in my humble opinion, is on the inside of the calf. Although you undoubtedly will impress the babes with the Seahunt look, you will eventually kick the knife free having it flop around your ankle--major entanglement hazard. Also, this inaccessible location can cause muscle pull or cramp due to unusual contorsionist maneauvers trying to reach the knife underwater.
None of my knives come to a point as I do not engage in hunting although some divers here do carry pointed knives for hunting.
I attach my largest knife, a 10" Wenoka, to the outside of my right thigh with two loops of surgical tubing. I can't see it but it is right there when I want it and has never caught on anything. Sometimes, I have a hammer attached to my left thigh with surgical tubing but hanging from my harness waist belt via brass eyehook and ring. I do not incorporate drysuit hip/thigh pockets, which would interfere with a knife or other gear.
I have a medium sized UK Remora attached to my right shoulder harness strap with zip ties in an upside down position. I have my surgical shears attached to my left shoulder harness strap with zip ties, also faced down. Both the UK Remora or shears can be accessed by pulling downward.
I have another medium sized EZ-Lock knife attached to my console, which is itself attached to my right forearm with two loops of surgical tubing. The same knife was attached to a different console I used to use, which contained the depth guage/compass/bottom timer attached to pressure guage instead of on forearm. The knife being near the compass can effect the compass readings but since I am usually on a wreck, compass readings are haywire anyway. If I need the compass, which is really rare, I can just remove the knife and stick it on the other side of my forearm inside the surgical tubing or in my goody bag.
If you think this is overkill, I have seen experienced wreck divers with large knives on the outside of both thighs or with large knives on both the right and left shoulder harness straps. Cheap, used, quality retro steel knives abound on Ebay because a misinformed public demands small titatium knives.
Incidentally, I have modified the shears by drilling out the center rivet and replacing it with a stainless steel screw and nut. The original rivet will rust and can snap, rendering the shears worthless when, inevitably, you need it most.
The worst place to put a knife, in my humble opinion, is on the inside of the calf. Although you undoubtedly will impress the babes with the Seahunt look, you will eventually kick the knife free having it flop around your ankle--major entanglement hazard. Also, this inaccessible location can cause muscle pull or cramp due to unusual contorsionist maneauvers trying to reach the knife underwater.
None of my knives come to a point as I do not engage in hunting although some divers here do carry pointed knives for hunting.
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