Etiquette on carrying a knife during dives
- Thread starter Vuk Milicevic
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CuzzA
Wetwork for Hire
A knife and/or line cutter should be part of your standard gear for various reasons as mentioned.
IMO, any time you're in an environment with big predators there should be some consideration, but specifically bringing a knife to fend off a shark is the equivalent to the old saying of bringing a knife to a gun fight.
Here's my advice... You need to identify what any predator's behavior is... If you see a shark, don't panic, watch it. Keep your eyes on it. If it knows you see it, it knows the gig is up for any ambush tactics, which is how they hunt. Probably 99% of the time they are just passing by and will continue on.
If the shark hangs around, starts swimming a little erratic, darting back and forth, dropping its pectoral fins, arching its back, it's time to get out of the water. That is a display of aggression. Some sharks, like bulls are full of piss and testosterone and (personal anecdote) can be territorial. If there are more than one shark, this could trigger a sense there's a feeding opportunity. Some species do hunt in packs. I've seen this behavior in late summer with bull sharks, again personal anecdote. If I see two or more sharks of the same species, I'm thinking in the back of my head about making my ascent. If they start circling me and are showing no signs of moving on, I'm calmly going up. Being with a buddy will be helpful to watch each others back in the case of multiple sharks. The bottom line is you need to be able to identify when it's time to get out of the water.
Someone earlier mentioned a selfie stick. In terms of actual defense, in the absence of bringing a gun to a gun fight, that's your best option. Even if I had my speargun with me, my first reaction would not be to shoot a shark checking me out, it would be for me to spread out a little, make myself big and intimidating, slowly swim toward it to show dominance and use the selfie stick, speargun or whatever long item as a tool to establish distance from the shark. Sharks are not stupid animals, they don't have a "fight to the death" mentality like some animals do. They will practice self preservation.
In the extremely unlikely event I was attacked by a shark and all I had was my 3" knife, you can bet I would be trying to slam it into its eyes or gills. The nose is too close to the business end and it's how many shark attack survivors end up asking their wives to open their ketchup bottle the rest of their life.
The bottom line, if you see a shark, you watch it. If you don't feel comfortable with the situation, get out of the water. If you hunt, you will encounter sharks looking for a feeding opportunity. If you're just diving, keep your camera ready.
Here's an incident where a diver used his knife to fend off two sharks. Keep in mind he was spearfishing and then started panicking, both will trigger a feeding response.
IMO, any time you're in an environment with big predators there should be some consideration, but specifically bringing a knife to fend off a shark is the equivalent to the old saying of bringing a knife to a gun fight.
Here's my advice... You need to identify what any predator's behavior is... If you see a shark, don't panic, watch it. Keep your eyes on it. If it knows you see it, it knows the gig is up for any ambush tactics, which is how they hunt. Probably 99% of the time they are just passing by and will continue on.
If the shark hangs around, starts swimming a little erratic, darting back and forth, dropping its pectoral fins, arching its back, it's time to get out of the water. That is a display of aggression. Some sharks, like bulls are full of piss and testosterone and (personal anecdote) can be territorial. If there are more than one shark, this could trigger a sense there's a feeding opportunity. Some species do hunt in packs. I've seen this behavior in late summer with bull sharks, again personal anecdote. If I see two or more sharks of the same species, I'm thinking in the back of my head about making my ascent. If they start circling me and are showing no signs of moving on, I'm calmly going up. Being with a buddy will be helpful to watch each others back in the case of multiple sharks. The bottom line is you need to be able to identify when it's time to get out of the water.
Someone earlier mentioned a selfie stick. In terms of actual defense, in the absence of bringing a gun to a gun fight, that's your best option. Even if I had my speargun with me, my first reaction would not be to shoot a shark checking me out, it would be for me to spread out a little, make myself big and intimidating, slowly swim toward it to show dominance and use the selfie stick, speargun or whatever long item as a tool to establish distance from the shark. Sharks are not stupid animals, they don't have a "fight to the death" mentality like some animals do. They will practice self preservation.
In the extremely unlikely event I was attacked by a shark and all I had was my 3" knife, you can bet I would be trying to slam it into its eyes or gills. The nose is too close to the business end and it's how many shark attack survivors end up asking their wives to open their ketchup bottle the rest of their life.
The bottom line, if you see a shark, you watch it. If you don't feel comfortable with the situation, get out of the water. If you hunt, you will encounter sharks looking for a feeding opportunity. If you're just diving, keep your camera ready.
Here's an incident where a diver used his knife to fend off two sharks. Keep in mind he was spearfishing and then started panicking, both will trigger a feeding response.
I think carrying a selfie stick can provoke a shark attack. I know I feel like attacking people when I see them using them, so maybe sharks feel the same way.
Youngandfree
Registered
Creating a blood pool in the water because you stabbed a shark to keep from getting bit sure seems like a darwin award in the making.
maj2
Contributor
My 5-6" BFK was probably the dumbest gear purchase that I ever made. It hasn't been out of my gear box in years now. When I did carry it, the only time I ever used it was to cut open the occasional kaiser bun to fill with sliced deli meat and tomatoes during a surface interval. I have also used it back in the hotel room to cut limes to go with a beer.
I keep a small knife on my BCD now, but still rarely use it for anything other than making lunch on a dive charter.
Just do not be the guy in Cozumel who sits through a dive briefing that clearly explains that knives are not allowed in the park, and then proceed to wear your BFK strapped to your leg down the dock and onto the dive boat. There seems to be one on every trip who does just that... It is not just Coz... "No knives" rules seem to be fairly common in Mexico.
I keep a small knife on my BCD now, but still rarely use it for anything other than making lunch on a dive charter.
Just do not be the guy in Cozumel who sits through a dive briefing that clearly explains that knives are not allowed in the park, and then proceed to wear your BFK strapped to your leg down the dock and onto the dive boat. There seems to be one on every trip who does just that... It is not just Coz... "No knives" rules seem to be fairly common in Mexico.
Youngandfree
Registered
I'll just carry my Glock. 
My wife asked her brother about sharks when preparing for our class. He's been diving for 20+ years. He asked how many times someone has actually been eaten by a shark. None. Sharks bite at stuff when they think it's food at the surface and can't tell what it is. Surfer's and swimmers are typically the ones that get bitten, but when the shark realizes that surfboard they bit through doesn't taste like seal, they go on. It's very rare for a shark to keep attacking a human. I joked and said it's one bite and done. It just happens that if it's a good bite, a person can bleed out and it's fatal. But that's not the same as a person being attacked and eaten.
My first week of diving ever, 3 weeks ago in Ft Lauderdale. Guess what I was worried about. Not sharks. I was too busy keeping my head on straight, watching my guages, trying to keep up, don't kick the reef, don't float up too high. The first or 2nd dive, we did see a shark, maybe 3 or 4 ft long, but guess what he did. Swam away. The other two we saw were nurse sharks in holes.
My wife asked her brother about sharks when preparing for our class. He's been diving for 20+ years. He asked how many times someone has actually been eaten by a shark. None. Sharks bite at stuff when they think it's food at the surface and can't tell what it is. Surfer's and swimmers are typically the ones that get bitten, but when the shark realizes that surfboard they bit through doesn't taste like seal, they go on. It's very rare for a shark to keep attacking a human. I joked and said it's one bite and done. It just happens that if it's a good bite, a person can bleed out and it's fatal. But that's not the same as a person being attacked and eaten.
My first week of diving ever, 3 weeks ago in Ft Lauderdale. Guess what I was worried about. Not sharks. I was too busy keeping my head on straight, watching my guages, trying to keep up, don't kick the reef, don't float up too high. The first or 2nd dive, we did see a shark, maybe 3 or 4 ft long, but guess what he did. Swam away. The other two we saw were nurse sharks in holes.
Understanding what you are saying i would suggest a shark shield. There are many places that will not allow you to bring a knive and depending on how you travel will be an issue. My last cruise i had packed on really cheap spare knife to have 4" and it was not allowed to go with me. For those you say that a nurse shark just sits there and dont do anything have never had to fight one off of a hogfish on the end of a spear.
Shark Shield - For Professional Adventurers - Official Site
Shark Shield - For Professional Adventurers - Official Site
This isn't quite true.
It is rare to be attacked by a shark.
It is even more rare to be attacked as a diver (not spearfishing).
It is even more rare to be eaten, however there are famous confirmed cases of humans being consumed by sharks, the previous link I posted in this thread for one (diver) and of course the USS Indianapolis ("swimmers").
JamesBon92007
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I have not yet taken a knife on a trip but recently bought a white letter opener with a stainless blade for $1. It should get through airport security and cut fishing line, plus it can double as a small slate. Now I just have to figure out how to mount it.
I still wear my big old dive knife for local dives. I've used it to clean fish and get rock scallops. I have never used it to fight off a shark. I think you have to be Mike Nelson to do that I did use it once when I swam into some fishing line. Mainly I wear it because it looks cool. I've been wearing it for 50 years and can't see any reason not to continue wearing it, at least locally. I consider it part of my basic gear.
I still wear my big old dive knife for local dives. I've used it to clean fish and get rock scallops. I have never used it to fight off a shark. I think you have to be Mike Nelson to do that
I did use it once when I swam into some fishing line. Mainly I wear it because it looks cool. I've been wearing it for 50 years and can't see any reason not to continue wearing it, at least locally. I consider it part of my basic gear.
Youngandfree
Registered
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