Dive knife, is it really necessary?

[Standingbear56]

Old saying "Rather have it and never need it than to need it just once and not have it" That being said, I recommend a blunt tip knife and a pair of shears.
I suggest you mount your knife in an upright position on your waist belt where it can be reached with either hand. This way you can accomplish 2 things - you can make sure it's there and it is easy to lock it in place.
Safe Diving,
George

 

[Darnold9999]

I also live and dive in Vancouver.

Wouldn't get in the water without one. Have only used it once to cut someone else free of some old fishing line.

Carry a small knife on my belt, shears in my DS pocket.

Best place to buy shears in town is Carleton Rescue Equipment on Kingsway - they have multiple sizes and you can even get them in pink. I know this because they only had them in pink the day I was there. Great spot for wetnotes as well.

 

[CBulla]

I keep losing my diving knife and I'm getting tired of replacing it. I haven't really used it all in my dives. I'm just wondering if we really need it at all. I live and dive around Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Just a thought, do you have a picture of you in your rig or a pic of your rig?

 

[Avic7]

I also live and dive in Vancouver.

Wouldn't get in the water without one. Have only used it once to cut someone else free of some old fishing line.

Carry a small knife on my belt, shears in my DS pocket.

Best place to buy shears in town is Carleton Rescue Equipment on Kingsway - they have multiple sizes and you can even get them in pink. I know this because they only had them in pink the day I was there. Great spot for wetnotes as well.

Thanks for that useful link! I'm definitely going to check it out. After hearing so much, I think I'll carry my knife and get a pair of shears to keep in my side pocket.

 

[Avic7]

Just a thought, do you have a picture of you in your rig or a pic of your rig?

Why CBulla, what are you trying to say? We haven't even been properly introduced and your asking for my picture already?

No, don't have a picture of myself in my full gear. My friends says that I'm too anti-egomaniac. I still haven't taken a picture with my motorcycle yet either.

 

[tomboyy]

"Seat belts - are they really necessary when driving?"



Losing your knife should not prompt you to ask whether it's necessary, but rather ask for tips on how to attach it. Obviously, you haven't found a way to attach it yet that works for you.

Great value-added post

 

[tomboyy]

I dive with one of two or both cutting instruments. The first is always on my gear. It's small. It's easily attached and moved to the side out of the way. It has a serated side, straight knife part, and little line hook.

The other is a basic set of EMT Shears. If you buy them at a dive shop you pay WAY more than I'll ever pay for them. They're designed to be disposable, used for "the moment" in an emergency. Sure they'll work afterwards to. Outside of a dive shop I've purchased them for as cheap as $2.25 a pair (as low as .99 online) and the funny thing, they looked just like the ones at the shop for $15! The difference was I bought them at Walgreens 1 block away. They even had the same "China" stamp on the plastic, etc... looked the same in a side by side comparison.

Hey, here's one with a USA stamp - $6

I work in a large doctors office with a lab. One of the benefits is that the drug reps bring us free lunch everyday and occasionly they bring other stuff like pens and sticky note pads ... On occasion they bring those shears like you showed in you pic. I always grab a few when they show up

 

[CBulla]

Why CBulla, what are you trying to say? We haven't even been properly introduced and your asking for my picture already?

No, don't have a picture of myself in my full gear. My friends says that I'm too anti-egomaniac. I still haven't taken a picture with my motorcycle yet either.

Oh sweetie, stop it. People might get the wrong idea.. like my wife!

I'm more curious about placement and a picture of you in gear or the gear can give us a better idea of what may be the cause of wayward knifing.

Honestly, even my fishsticker I take when I spear is on the waist strap of my rig. Nothing on the inflater hoses, strapped to arms, legs, etc.. of course, I dive in basically a speedo.. tops a dive skin, and I'm a little partial to rubber straps ripping leg or arm hair out (hey, I'm an orangutan in human clothing, ok?)

I work in a large doctors office with a lab. One of the benefits is that the drug reps bring us free lunch everyday and occasionly they bring other stuff like pens and sticky note pads ... On occasion they bring those shears like you showed in you pic. I always grab a few when they show up

Definitely a bonus! Free shears are always a bonus.

Oh, hey, for anyone wondering how well shears work, I've used them on clean ups. I've used $15 pairs and $2 pairs and both cut everything thrown at them which ranged from basic mono fishing line to coax cable and steel leaders and 1 1/2" rope. I've not found a suitable and portable chain cutter to carry. The shears completely saved my butt at a currently undisclosed depth greater than 60' when a considerable ball of line rolled free of a section being cleaned and basically wrapped me up in grand tangled fashion. I had to partially remove my gear to cut it all, but it was cut free and stuffed in the 'clean up' bag and removed from the water. I chose to hum Whistle While You Work while I cut out vs. freak out over my mistake in being where I was when I tangled.

 

[Avic7]

The first time that I lost my knife was when I had it strapped to my calf and I believe it was dislodged from its sheath when I descended to quickly against the wall face.

The second time as I had mentioned before was when I left it on the park bench.

The third time I thought I lost it but realized that I had placed it in the cargo pocket of my dry suit. This time around, I'm strapping the knife to my forearm or to the shoulder strap of my bcd as someone had suggested in one of the earlier posts.

I just need to figure out where to put my shears when I get around to buying one that is.

 

[jsado]

diving with my buddy on the a.e. vickery in the thousand islands....he got tangled up in some fishing line and had no knife.... I had mine and cut him free. It's not like the line was any serious danger, but it's annoying!