Dive knives when out with a DM

[Umpman]

You should always have a cutting device on a dive. It's not for defense, it is to cut away entanglements. You never know when you may get caught in a fishing line, or even a dive flag line. I have seen it several times. What if you are on a vessel that is anchored and it starts taking on water because the line is pulling the boat down (don't laugh I know of an instance where this happened and the boat sank because no one on the boat had easy access to a knife). A cutting tool goes right a long with an SMB, whistle, and torch. You should never go on a dive without any of those, even in the middle of the day.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

A knife can serve multiple purposes. It's a cutting tool, and for more than just fishing lines. It's a screwdriver in a pinch. You can pry with it, if needed. And you can use it as an anchor in sand if the current is running.

Personally, in cold water my folding knife is in a dry suit thigh pocket. My travel (hence tropical) BCD has a BFDK zip-tied to one side. Both have come in handy, though thankfully never to cut myself or anybody else free from entanglements.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Don't forget this!

 

[agilis]

I sometimes carry a small Dacor knife that I found bright and shiny on a coral head in Negril back in the 70s after Dacor did a catalog photo shoot there. Purely nostalgia. I also carry two line cutting devices.

 

[Bert van den Berg]

I'm a certified solo/self reliant diver and required to carry two cutting tools. One is a big knife strapped to my leg.

Was diving with Dive Tutukaka, New Zealand one time and got put on a small boat with fewer than ten divers. One of the divers was the partner of then New Zealand's prime minister. Likely had a body guard or two and no-one gave me any trouble when I suited up with my big knife.

 

[rx7diver]

I'm a certified solo/self reliant diver and required to carry two cutting tools. ...

Required? NZ requirements? More detail, please.

rx7diver

 

[Bert van den Berg]

One cutting tool is required by PADI and a second cutting tool is recommended.

PADI Self Reliant Diver

Information about our PADI self reliant diver certification course

www.americandivers.net

 

[Boarderguy]

One cutting tool is required by PADI and a second cutting tool is recommended.

PADI Self Reliant Diver

Information about our PADI self reliant diver certification course

www.americandivers.net

But what happens if you don't? Will PADI revoke your cert and limit your fills to 2750 psi?

 

[Bert van den Berg]

If you dive off a dive boat they probably won't allow you to dive solo unless you havecat least one cutting tool. Off the shore or your own boat no-one will be the wiser.

I dove solo for years off my own boat without a knife or certification of any kind. The (then 65 year-old) wife got tired of following me in the dinghy and told me she wanted to take a dive class and made me take it with her.

 

[USdiver1]

I started diving in the dark ages, when gear was either black rubber or chrome plated brass. We were all issued BFKs due to the proliferation of Elasmosauruses, Ichthyosaurs, Megalodons, and Sarcosuchus Imperators. We have successfully rid the diving community of these prehistoric beasts [through judicious use of our BFKs] thus making modern diving exceedingly easy for you noobs, nevertheless some of us still prefer a BFK for mundane jobs such as cutting through monofilament and opening adult beverages post diving.

So the next time you see one of us mossback dino-divers sporting a BFK, be a gentleman [or lady as the case may be] and offer a cold beer to the grizzled survivor of Jurassic diving.