Knives for beginners

[DevonDiver]

+1 for Eezycut. I carry one (on my forearm, attached to computer), along with a Ti Knife on my waist strap (easily accessible by either hand at torso center-line).

Eezycut...


Ti Knife...

 

[gcarter]

I have one of these on my waist Underwater Kinetics Remora Hydralloy Dive Knife 30131 with reviews at scuba.com

and one of these on my chest Strap Cutter - Black

 

[flots am]

Grateful for peoples views on knives - are they considered essential?

I don't want to buy one if not really necessary (and maybe feel a little selfconscious carrying one as a new diver).

But if so, could anyone recommend a good quality, but basic/cheap one?

You need a few different things. As mentioned below, I'm fond of the broken-off steak knife because it's sharp as hell and when you drop it (you will eventually lose it), Sam's Club sells them 12 for $8 in the restaurant supply aisle. This is good for things like anchor line and other thick stuff.

I also carry a line cutter, Scubamax Dive Line Cutter LC-01 with reviews at scuba.com because I'm in cold water with drygloves a lot and anything that requires a lot of dexterity is a problem. I have the line cutter on a retractor, so if I can get my big fat hand somewhere in the area, it's easy to use and then stow. This is great for small line as well as monofilament and cave line, since you don't actually have to see the mono, just wave your arm through the area and it piles up in the hook and gets sliced.

Also shears (mentioned in this thread), although I've never needed them underwater. Mostly I've used them for trimming weight belts.

I know it sounds really stupid and alarmist, but if you ever really need it, a cutting tool can save your life. On an Open Water dive, I'd rank a good cutting tool as more important than air, since if you're out of air you can always surface. If you're trapped without a cutting tool, you have a real problem.

If you have more time than money, you can get the knives at Sam's Club (you'll need to cut off the end and file it down), you can make a sheath out of webbing if you're handy. The EMT Shears are easy to find a farm supply stores for less than $10, and the line cutter is pretty cheap online. All three should run less than $50 total, and you'll have 11 spare knives.

flots.

 

[gcarter]

I have one of these on my waist Underwater Kinetics Remora Hydralloy Dive Knife 30131 with reviews at scuba.com

and one of these on my chest Strap Cutter - Black

Actually I lied. I USED to have a Remora but gave that to my son and now use this Wenoka Squeeze Lock Knife, Blunt

Easy to forget when it doesn't get much use, but having dived where there was line in the water I would not go down without some sort of cutting implement.

 

[KeithG]

Of course I do mostly fresh water. Ocean diving you kinda need a big pig sticker if a shark shows up. So you can stab your buddy and while the shark is busy with them you get away safe.

Pig sticker? PIG STICKER? You calling my dive buddy a PIG? Oh wait... She has a knife too. Maybe I am the pig?

Note to self: Next time I see a shark, make sure that I do not let my dive buddy get behind me...


Action / Shark. Dive buddy. You pick which one you want to dive with. Scuba Diving. Turks and Caicos.

 

[theduckguru]

You might try these guys:

Knifes, Line Cutters & Z Knifes

 

[covediver]

I am a bit of a contrarian to the views expressed here.

I think a knife is essential, particularly one with a line cutter.

I have several knives ranging from from the "just like Mike Nelson's Kbar USN Mark hanging from the web weightbelt, to several Blackie Collins Wenokas that strap to the inside on the leg, to two very functional Benchmade H20 (one sheathed that fits to my weight harness) and a folder.

I have never been a big fan of shears or scissors, but do have them along in topside first aid kit.

For me, part of the definition of a diver is one who carries a functional yet stylish knife, which means most of mine have line cutters and are blunt tip, and they are big. I like the feel of a dive knife. It makes me look like a diver.

Diving is a mechanism for self expression, so define your own style and don't give a hoot about what others think of your gear. If you do, you will always be disappointed with your equipment. Most of the time when people make derisive remarks about someone's dive knife, its out of envy or the diver they are looking at does not fit their own self image as a diver

 

[Insta-Gator]

I may have missed it being said, but if you go to the Caribbean most areas are marine preserves and do not allow knives or gloves to be worn. The ezcut has not been a problem.

If you are offended by anything in this post, then my efforts have been rewarded. Tapatalk+Autocorrect

 

[Autumnlight]

Many thanks to everyone for the helpful replies, most appreciated. Although my girlfriend wasn't too keen on the 'stab your buddy/shark decoy' advice... :/

Paul

 

[covediver]

I may have missed it being said, but if you go to the Caribbean most areas are marine preserves and do not allow knives or gloves to be worn. The ezcut has not been a problem.

I have not run into a problem with knives, but I have with gloves in the Florida Keys. When a dm got confrontational when he saw gloves in my gear bag (rubberized cotton) after getting on a boat in Looe Key, I explained that they were just in there as a matter of course, not for use. When he continued to get confrontational (why do resort divemasters treat you like you are some kind of idiot) I asked if gloves were not permitted, why did they sell such expensive neoprene ones in the dive shop with which the resort and boat were associated. He did not have a good response.