how important are dive knives and tools?

[RJP]

Fairly useful(esp when you need one ) & get the cheapest you can find, think of them as 'disposable'.......

I like the idea of "disposable" as well, because if you drop it somewhere you're less likely to get yourself in trouble trying to retrieve it if you drop a $19 P-o-S knife vs some expensive super-duper $100 titanium bauble.

 

[FishOutUvH2O]

I've personally never found a use for, or had a need for, a knife. EMT shears on the other hand, that bugger is indispensable. I don't think I'd even go diving without it (well, I probably would, but I'd feel naked and unprepared). I've used them more times than I can count. I've even used them to tighten a nut on a hose clamp that holds the turbo intercooler hose in place on my Ford truck. Great devices!!!

For a tank banger I just use a large double-eyed steel snap.

 

[D_B]

I think the thing is, you will never be sure your not going to need one ... ok, a pool dive doesn't count
... thoughts about it being expendable are correct, I'm on my third one, not going to get the same one again ... you would do well to check whatever your knife uses as a lock, actually does

 

[sciondiver518]

well i have decided to get a pair of emt shears and a small knife i will be diving sout florida and the keys mostly so i would rather be prepared that unprepared i like the saying "its better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it" but now comes up annother question about signaling devices i cant beatbox as of yet so i would like to have some type of signaling device what would be the best to have i like the idea of the whistle that goes inline with the lpi hose but is it overkill?

 

[Aqua-Andy]

During my open water class my instructor told us not to carry one but two cutting devices. The theory goes like this, you are tangled and can't move, the adrenaline starts pumping and possibly panic starts to set in. Now at this point you are having a very bad day, now what happens if you drop your cutting device? In your neck of the woods this may not be necessary but in the north east 20' of vis is a good day and if you get separated from your buddy for more than a minute or two the chances of finding each other are slim to none, at this point you are on your own.

 

[Aerosynth]

On my certification dives, I was having tons of fun exploring trash on the bottom of the lake. I'm easily amused, right? LOL! Anyway, long story short... by the end of all my dives I was wishing that I had purchased a dive knife for no other reason than just being able to dig around on the bottom.

And from a usefulness/safety standpoint, I would say if you only had to use it once out of every twenty dives to cut yourself free from fishing line, it would be totally worth it to carry. Better to be prepared than get caught in an entanglement situation without the right tool to free yourself.

I recently ordered the XS Scuba Fogcutter X (knife/scissor combo). I can't wait for it to come in.
Buy XS Scuba fogcutter recon KN200 with reviews at scuba.com

 

[Doc Harry]

well i was reading under the equipment section under dive knives and tools and i was wondering how important a knife and shears are, and what brands types are reccomended. i know the uses of the knives are, one for a signaling device, also to free your self from monofilament line or nets, but are there more effective signaling devices, or cutting tools?

Think of some moron fisherman, trolling despite the dive flag, and snagging you with a hook with a heavy line.

Besides a knife, I carry a pair of EMT shears for cutting heavy lines or wire. They are available in bulk on eBay for about $1 each. The center pin rusts out and they fall apart, so think of them as disposable at $1 each.

 

[D_B]

one more tip on knives

It may seem incredably sharp when you get it, but try it on something with a bit of resistance like a plastic wire tie just to make sure .. you may be surprised ... I sure was, even though it felt very sharp, it didnt cut it without a struggle ...not something I want to deal with underwater when I may really need it.

mine has a scalloped edge so I used a sharpening steel on it until it really was sharp and it does cut much better now

Just wanted to put this out there ... not something I think many would check

 

[vladimir]

And from a usefulness/safety standpoint, I would say if you only had to use it once out of every twenty dives to cut yourself free from fishing line, it would be totally worth it to carry. Better to be prepared than get caught in an entanglement situation without the right tool to free yourself.

I've never used mine in ~750 dives and still consider it "totally worth it to carry." On one side of the cost/benefit ledger is the practically non-existent inconvenience of carrying it; on the other side is the remote chance that it saves my life.

 

[Wayward Son]

I carry a knife, a Z knife and a pair of EMT shears. Yes, I've used them all. Our dive sites tend to be fishing sites. It's not a question of if you get entangled, it's when. At least one tool is reachable by each hand.

I cut myself free on my last dives, on june 12th.