Dive knives when out with a DM

[John C. Ratliff]

Just because you’ve been doing something for a long time, doesn’t make it the best practice.
Are you still using a J valve too?…

Above the waist, below the shoulders is the logical place, picture an imaginary triangle if you will. unlikely for your torso to get tangled, more likely for an extremity.

You must be one of those guys who's mostly vertical in the water, as this triangle you talk about is not as accessible as you think when your chest is on the bottom of a river in greater than 2 knot currents. Can you look and see the knife in this location with our mask on and regulator in your mouth? I can get my knife on my leg by feel, and I can also easily look down and see it.

Now, if you'll look at my avitar, you'll see me in a double hose regulator, but it's a modern one (Mossback Mk3, built off a U.S. Divers Company Aquamaster, but with a new first stage, LP and HP ports). Yes, I still use a J-valve too. They are a solid mechanical device which give warning of impending loss of air.
IMG_1456 by John Ratliff, on Flickr
If you look at the J-valve, you'll see that this one is turned around so that the lever is facing me, making it almost impossible to accidentally trip.

So far is diving knives go, here's my collection:
IMG_8687 by John Ratliff, on Flickr
The one on the right, the Wenoka, which has a one-handed, push-button release, is the one I now use all the time. The Sportsways knives I like because they are high quality stainless that holds an edge.

IMG_8688 by John Ratliff, on Flickr
Note the line cutter and serrated edge on the Wenoka knife.

IMG_8689 by John Ratliff, on Flickr
Here's a closer look at these knives. I cut through a four-inch line wrapped around a propeller in the 1960s with that middle Sportsways knife. It took a while, but we (my dive buddy and I) got it done.

Now, have you got any more demeaning things to say? I probably have been diving longer than you have been alive.

SeaRat

 

[FF / EMT]

I probably have been diving longer than you have been alive.

SeaRat

In that case, I bow to your wisdom!!!

I sure hope you deal with entanglements quicker than it took you to reply to me.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

In that case, I bow to your wisdom!!!

I sure hope you deal with entanglements quicker than it took you to reply to me.

I look into this forum once or twice a week. I’ve been on Facebook, and my wife has been making comments about me spending too much time on social media. So when I look in, if appropriate, I will make comments. Entanglements underwater are an immediate emergency, and are dealt with as they occur. This forum is not either immediate, nor an emergency.

SeaRat

PS, I’ve been diving since 1959, and am 76 years old now.

PS2, I admire anyone who is or was an EMT. I was USAF Pararescue for over 9 years, and an EMT Paramedic for Eugene Springfield Ambulance for a short time in the 1970s. EMTs are the tip of the medical care spear, and as such now are being placed into difficult to almost impossible positions. Here in the Portland, Oregon area, we’ve been having EMT/Paramedics assaulted on the job. We also have lifeguard teams at strategic places, like my primary dive site at High Rocks on the Clackamas River, which is what allows me to dive solo at my age (wife-imposed restriction). So I am especially grateful to any and all EMTs. I was also a smokejumper in 1972 from North Cascades Smokejumper base, and know a bit about what firefighters go through. I’m about to write a blog on “Protective Clothing and Equipment for Wildfire Fighters” for the American Industrial Hygiene Association, of which I’m a long-time member. If you have any insights on this topic, I’d love to hear from you.

 

[tomh1972]

Shears here, Although, I also sometimes dive wearing a pair of Columbia fishing/swim trunks that have a built-in bottle opener/line cutter. That's pretty handy for post-dive beers.

 

[skippy311]

Bring a knife; if you see a ghost fishing pod, cut it so that the fish can get out.

 

[Silverback9]

No titanium for me! Everyone knows that sharks have bad eyesight and poor coverage for tetanus shots. So, a machete so that they can see it - but it needs to be rusty so they stay away.

I have had 0 shark attacks so far.

I love it... Even if you don't stick enough to kill em, you will give them tetanus... At least you have a plan in case a shark does attack...

 

[gert7to3]

Dropping onto the mooring line over Great Lakes shipwrecks it is not uncommon to find monofilament tangled on it. I always carry a line cutter on my belt.

 

[Akimbo]

Worth considering:

A Fisherman Nearly Kills Two Divers with One Hook!!

I was diving the Spiegel ship wreck in the Keys with my wife and son. For those who don't know about that dive. It is about 130 feet with a thick ascent/decent line going from the surface to the ship. The dive ops want divers to go up and down the rope when diving. The dive area is buoyed off...

scubaboard.com

 

[TravelGas]

I look into this forum once or twice a week. I’ve been on Facebook, and my wife has been making comments about me spending too much time on social media. So when I look in, if appropriate, I will make comments. Entanglements underwater are an immediate emergency, and are dealt with as they occur. This forum is not either immediate, nor an emergency.

SeaRat

PS, I’ve been diving since 1959, and am 76 years old now.

PS2, I admire anyone who is or was an EMT. I was USAF Pararescue for over 9 years, and an EMT Paramedic for Eugene Springfield Ambulance for a short time in the 1970s. EMTs are the tip of the medical care spear, and as such now are being placed into difficult to almost impossible positions. Here in the Portland, Oregon area, we’ve been having EMT/Paramedics assaulted on the job. We also have lifeguard teams at strategic places, like my primary dive site at High Rocks on the Clackamas River, which is what allows me to dive solo at my age (wife-imposed restriction). So I am especially grateful to any and all EMTs. I was also a smokejumper in 1972 from North Cascades Smokejumper base, and know a bit about what firefighters go through. I’m about to write a blog on “Protective Clothing and Equipment for Wildfire Fighters” for the American Industrial Hygiene Association, of which I’m a long-time member. If you have any insights on this topic, I’d love to hear from you.

I too am a Brother Wildland FF, AEMF/FFT2. I would be interested in reading your article about PPE for WF and hope you will post a link here. I am getting ready to deploy next month for WF Medical support.

As for large knives. I am also a big fan of Wenoka knives and carry two while diving one large and one small and a line cutter. If there are better large diving knives that are made today please LMK what they are.

 

[Silverback9]

As for large knives. I am also a big fan of Wenoka knives and carry two while diving one large and one small and a line cutter. If there are better large diving knives that are made today please LMK what they are.

I had a Wenoka Pro, "back in the day". Loved that thing... One of the things I lost in the divorce of Wife#1.