cutting line off of entagled animals

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Dave Kay

Contributor
Messages
148
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Location
Indiana
# of dives
1000 - 2499
I'd like a recommendation for a good cutting tool to helps fish, turtles. mantas, etc that are caught up in ropes and fishing lines. I feel that my dive knife would cut the skin if I tried to insert it. What are experienced divers using for this? Thanks
 
I'd like a recommendation for a good cutting tool to helps fish, turtles. mantas, etc that are caught up in ropes and fishing lines. I feel that my dive knife would cut the skin if I tried to insert it. What are experienced divers using for this? Thanks

Shears and line cutters are my go to tools. No having any experience with rope or net entanglement I will wisely defer others.
 
Benchmade 8 is nice, good quality trauma shears as well.

 
...caught up in ropes and fishing lines.

That can cover a lot different diameter and materials, and what cuts one may not do to well on another. I carry a Trilobite line cutter, shears, and knife because they can cut any entanglement that I, my buddy, or a sea creature is likely to run into where I dive. I have been known to add other implements of destruction as necessary for specific dive plans where issues outside the usual might be encountered.

I would use the most benign cutting tool, line cutter, first and work from there. If it's use a knife or nothing, I try to be careful.



Bob
 
I mostly use ER shears, which cost about $5 a pair. A trilobite is a great safety solution as well, probably great for animals.

Picture: Removing a hook with lead sinker on a reef shark in Cuba.

Cuba Gardens of the Queen - Jan 2019 (2 of 29).jpg
 
... that are caught up in ropes and fishing lines....

We use flat jaw, thick electrician pliers to get the big hooks out of the sharks that are trailing fishing line. Bring them in slowly near the chum crate and clamp down on the hook with a twist and it will usually come right out.
 
I Cut a sea turtle out of a net with a Dive agear Express Trilobite. Went through it like it wasn't there. Another guy was using a knife and making no progress. I also cut another diver out of a wad of fishing line he tried to roll up and it ended up all around him. For less than $20, you can't go wrong. I also carry a razor sharp small knife (mostly for cutting fruit on the surface interval) and a pair of titanium coats trauma shears that will allow one hand cutting if needed. If I could only carry one...it would be the trilobite.

DGX Sharp Cut w/Sheath (Select Color) | Dive Gear Express®

DGX Titanium EMT Shears | Dive Gear Express®

They make great gifts too!!

Merry Christmas!
Jay
 
A few years ago, heck, maybe getting closer to a decade ago. Drifting of WPB I and the "guide" encountered a turtle swimming in circles. I swear it made it's best attempt to get over to us. Upon inspection we saw that it had monofilament and steel leader line wrapped around the carapace and the left front flipper was completely engtangled and immobilized.

I maneuvered to grab the turtle and the other fellow started cutting with shears once I got ahold of him (or her, beats me, how do you know?). I took several swipes with a line cutter which I dropped and then switched to my Tekna. In all fairness, I might have cut one line, the other fellow got the rest if not all of them. The flipper was cut and I am sure painful but nothing I have not seen worse of so I am sure it healed. He was a way and quite happy to be free.

I hate monofilament, plastic bags and all of that s---t. Just saying. I think we can do better, if we spent our money on people and the environment and not aircraft carriers and foreign adventures.

N
 
I maneuvered to grab the turtle and the other fellow started cutting with shears once I got ahold of him (or her, beats me, how do you know?).
N
Male turtles will have longer thicker tails if they are at sexual maturity. Males will also have longer curved claws on front flippers for holding on to female shell. If they are juvenile it is almost impossible to tell from appearance.
 

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