My Dive Knife Is Bigger Than Your Dive Knife!

[Bob DBF]

Question: For those with expensive cutting implements..... do you ever use them? Or do you fear dropping it or losing it so it always stays sheathed?

I view my cutting implements as disposable gear. A $5.50 R. H. Forschner utility knife and disposable EMT shears are perfect. When one is lost or not returned, I'm only out 10 bucks or less.

I do wear my Healthways 7" blade underwater pig-sticker on the inside of my right calf. If I ever forgot to wear it I would probably swim in a large circle to the left. I have used it but mostly as a pry-bar and hammer. Rarely someone will make a comment and I tell them I got it from Mike Nelson; they either laugh and we talk or they walk away wondering why the crazy old coot is still diving.

I also carry a small knife on the pressure gage, line cutter and shears on my rig. I remove and re-sheath the large knife after strapping it to my leg. I also remove and handle all of them underwater within 3 dives. I does no good to have them if you can't pull them, move them from one hand to the other and re-sheath with your eyes closed without dropping. I always figured that an emergency is no time to learn how to handle your safety gear. The plus is that if you drop anything you have the rest of the dive to find it. Haven't lost anything permanently yet.

I sincerely believe that anything but my sorry ass is expendable gear regardless of the price.

Bob
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I may be old but I’m not dead yet.

 

[Ana]

I does no good to have them if you can't pull them, move them from one hand to the other and re-sheath with your eyes closed without dropping. I always figured that an emergency is no time to learn how to handle your safety gear.

Very much agree with this philosophy, thanks for posting this

 

[Splitlip]

In the late 70's, I stopped carrying my gladius on a my calf. I am foot heavy. So, I started wearing it on my thigh (needed special straps). In 82 or so I had a custom wetsuit made with a thigh pocket for the knife. I have installed enough pockets on wetsuits, that I will probably make one for the knife on all my suits.

I've seen pics of Richie Kohler who apparently has done the same. But then he dives OMS bondage wings, and may not be well received.

edit: in reply to Bob DBF.

 

[fnfalman]

I order this as a Christmas present for my husband 2 years ago, it won't be delivered until 2012. So if it ever arrives it will be a gorgeous (and hopefully useful) knife.

Saltwater Randall Knife

That's soooooo HAWT!!! I'm not the marrying kind but if a girl were to offer me a Randall Made knife...oooh lala, wedding bells!!!

I've always wanted a No. 1 but kind of set it aside since I left the Army some decades back. I might have to order me one of these No. 16 Diver.

 

[Dirty-Dog]

Question: For those with expensive cutting implements..... do you ever use them? Or do you fear dropping it or losing it so it always stays sheathed?

I view my cutting implements as disposable gear. A $5.50 R. H. Forschner utility knife and disposable EMT shears are perfect. When one is lost or not returned, I'm only out 10 bucks or less.

The R. H. Forschner utility knife is an extremely sharp disposable knife. Depending on what you are cutting, it can potentially be a single use knife.

I've got thousands invested in SCUBA gear. And my life is worth more than the whole pile of it. If I hestitate to use a $60 cutting tool to get lose because of a fear that I might drop it, then I probably deserve to drown.
I dive with EMT sheers and a titanium Wenoka squeeze lock with the tanto tip. I do have a big titanium pig sticker, but it's never been wet.
Maybe I'll strap a katana to my BC from now on...

 

[fnfalman]

Maybe I'll strap a katana to my BC from now on...

I'm having a dive sheath made for my Cold Steel Magnum Tanto right now.

 

[randy88k5]

I dive with a hand-me-down knife from my father. It's pretty old. It's got a 5 1/2" blade with serrations and a hook. It goes on my right outside calf every dive. I could care less what people think when they see it, or remarks people might make.

I will probably carry a back-up knife when I find one I like and the price is right.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I've got thousands invested in SCUBA gear. And my life is worth more than the whole pile of it. If I hestitate to use a $60 cutting tool to get lose because of a fear that I might drop it, then I probably deserve to drown.
I dive with EMT sheers and a titanium Wenoka squeeze lock with the tanto tip. I do have a big titanium pig sticker, but it's never been wet.
Maybe I'll strap a katana to my BC from now on...

You mean like this one that I have decided is my new freshwater blade. Damn aggressive bluegills anyway!

 

[SeaHorse81]

Do a lot of swordfights tend to break out where you dive?

 

[sabbath999]

Do a lot of swordfights tend to break out where you dive?

Not previously, but Jim is starting "the next big thing" in diving... "Ninja SCUBA".