Do you dive with a knife? How about a big knife?

[rongoodman]

Trilobite and a folding Spyderco in my right side pocket(or the man purse when I'm diving sidemount).

 

[CT-Rich]

I have had to to cut monofilament line more than once, and on some dives I like to collect lead weights the fishermen have snagged on the rocks. On another occassion a gull had flown into a monofilament line that was being actively used. I was on a surface interval and hopped in the water caught the bird and cut him free and then returned the fishing rig to the guy who snagged the bird. A very Mike Nelson/ Steve Irwin moment. When I come across a fish carcas that a fisherman discarded, I will use the knife to expose fresh flesh to feed the other fishes. The are more than just a surrogate for masculinity, they are a tool.I would be very uncomfortable to be going in the water without a knife and I wouldn't recommend diving without one, even if it is only a little one.

 

[Diver Dave 69]

I freed a very large rock crab on Saturday from fishing line. I would never dive without a knife and EMS shears. Most divers I see in the Northeast dive with a few different cutting tools. Better to have and not use than to need and not have.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

At least a sawed off victornox steak knife or a trilobite, or 2 trilobites plus shears for wreck penetration or deco dives. Last single tank reef dive, though, I really wished I had my shears when I saw a turtle with a hook in his flipper up near the shell trailing a few feet of heavy leader.

If I wanted to show off, there's a Puma Frogman that almost never sees water...but it's not particularly useful as long as I have the other cutters.

 

[Oldbear]

Knife...smife.

If you are going to go big knife...go BIG!

 

[rhwestfall]

for me.... the biggest one I can carry.... the damn sunfish in the quarry are just terrifying.....


NOT!!!!


- see post 51 above - thats about it.... sometimes shears too.....

 

[Hockeynut]

It's important to be well prepared. What if a rogue humpback decided you were his lunch. Crazy talk? I'm not taking any chances.

 

[James R]

I had a big knife in the early 90s when I started diving. I still have it, but it's more nostalgia than something I use now. Another word for it is clutter, probably.

I currently dive with a titanium OMS line cutter in its little pocket and EMT shears wedged under it with a piece of bungee looped around the line cutter's pouch to secure them.

 

[Diver6106]

I carried a Camillus (Kabar style) in the Teams, but it bent and rusted like hell if not cleaned off afterwards. I've used many stainless steel over the years; the Dacor big bowie, the Scuba Pro stiletto, others. Now I bought two titanium off Ebay and use them now, one fixed Blue-Tang and one folding 'Seal.' I don't like the feel as too light, but the material can't be beat for rostfrei. And if you watch closely, you can get them for $20-30 or less. I also have a folding Spyderco I have carried sailing the BVI. I think the idea of carrying a shears is interesting, I've been in situations where they would have come in handy. And with all the pockets and lead weight, you can always carry more and skip some weights. I also have an old ab iron style pry bar knife in SS, and it is handy for heavy prying.

 

[cloudflint]

I carry a 7 inch hammerhead knife hanging down from my shoulder so can swim through line and such without it catching. There's a few dive sites where i'm guaranteed to have to chop my way through line but mostly it gets used as a shovel, hammer, anchor, probe, reef-hook e.t.c. Must admit if i was diving in warm water i doubt i would bother carrying it but for swimming along in the cold and dark its quite comforting feeling it resting against my shoulder