The size of the knives

[Uncle Pug]

Almost every dive I've seen lately has a big old knife strapped onto their leg.

I know we have talked about this before here on Scuba Board.

But since we have a whole raft of new folk I thought I would bring the issue up again.

I personally think that the tool should fit the job and for almost all the diving I do a small sharp knife located on the waist strap is the ticket.

The size of the handle is more important to me that the length of the blade since I wear dry gloves but seldom need to cut through large diameter rope underwater... more likely fishing line or netting.

The sharpness of the blade is more important to me than the strength of the blade because I do not do a lot of prying and wouldn't use a knife to do that anyway...a crow bar works better.

The tip of the knife is better blunt and dull so as not to poke a hole in something I don't want a hole in...I seldom stab things.

The location front and center on the waist belt means I can get to the knife with either hand and with the minimum of contortion...it is also not likely to snag anything there.

Both of my knifes (one for each rig) were made to order... one a kitchen paring knife with the tip ground off... the other a genuine cheap scuba knife with the blade scored and then snapped off at precisely the right length. Both knives sharpen up enought to shave hair without much difficulty... that also means that the SS is not rust proof and they need to be rinsed after a salt water dive.

Uncle Pug's knives

 

[GreenDiverDown]

 

[zodiacred]

Most of us grew up watching Mike Nelson or Jacques Cousteau.Seeing them weilding those oversized knives was ingrained in all our minds. My first knife could've been used to joust. Since realizing that a knife that big becomes a hinderance more than a rescue tool I have abandoned my machetee and now dive with a seaquest squeeze knife attatched to my BC

 

[Ari]

3" blunt edge, one side sharp, one side jaged, with a line cutter.

Its mounted on my inflator hose and works just fine. Next addition will be a pair of sheares. Both should prove as a strong cutting combo.

Ari

 

[GP]

I have a Wenoka Squeeze Lock knife (blunt tip) mounted on my corrugated oral inflator hose on my BC. I also intend to pick up a set of shears.

 

[vicky]

This type of scissors http://www.scubadiving.com/gear/knives/knivechart.shtml
is by far superior and safer than any knife you can think of.
They can cut through small coins, cables, any type of ropes, BC straps, Neoprene suits, etc. No risk of cutting yourself or your buddy or someone who is being rescued.
They are commonly used by medical staff to cut clothes and bandages on wounded people without harming them.

Wherever you can put a knife you can put the scissors too.

Highly recommended. At hardware stores they cost ~6$ (without a pouch).

 

[Rick Murchison]

Usually I carry a small (2.5") blunt-tip on the waist or on the right harness strap (depends on which BC I'm using), and scissors on the waist. There's lots of steel (piano wire) leader used by fishermen in the northern Gulf and that stuff's nearly impossible to cut with a knife; stainless heavy duty notched Fiskars are the ticket, or EMT shears.
If I think I'll need to do a little light prying, I have a blunt tip 6" blade, and sometimes, when I feel like it, (like when I haven't brought a spear gun and there are nice big flounder about) I'll carry my old 7" drop point pig sticker. If I carry one of these larger knives it's on the inside of the left calf.
As Uncle Pug says, if you anticipate doing any serious prying take a pry (crow) bar - and a hammer.
Rick

 

[chuckrt]

I do not have kelp to cut or ropes so I have the shears mounted on inflator hose. Easy to use even with gloves and darn near cuts anything.

chuckrt

 

[JamesK]

Currently I carry a 4inch blunt tip on my inner right calf. I like it because of the size of the handle. I do not like the smaller handles on some knives as I like to wear gloves. I am trying to find a good spot to mount some EMT shears. They will probably go on the BC waist strap.

On a side note, I was on a dive bost this weekend, and one of the divers was spear fishing. He had three knives attached to him. Two HUGE ones on his legs, they made my larger knife look tiny, and another that I saw him with but did not see him mount it. I think it went in a BC pocket.

 

[MNScuba]

How did you manage to mount it on your inflator hose? Probably obvious, but I've tried various ways to mount the thing with no success.

Originally posted by chuckrt
I do not have kelp to cut or ropes so I have the shears mounted on inflator hose. Easy to use even with gloves and darn near cuts anything.

chuckrt