Do you carry a knife?

[Carlos Danger]

Better to have a knife and never need it than to need it and not have it.

Agree!

I used to have a straight blade type mounted on my harness, now I just carry a little Ti folder in one of my BC pockets. I've never needed to use it, but I always take it.

 

[tracydr]

Thanks, JamesK, and Herb Alaska!

 

[Scuba-dan]

I carry my knife with me all the time while diving. I prefer to have it, then needing it and I left it in the car. No second chance in the water.

 

[Ardy]

I just bought a new cutter to keep in my BC - eBay Australia: Buy new & used fashion, electronics & home d BTW this guy is very good for attachments etc., he manufactures them himself and I have my DSLR attached with one, it is much stronger than anything else I have seen.

I was going to buy EMT shears but got confused about what was real stainless for diving and good for a shower or two.

Any recommendations on shears would be appreciated.

 

[DaleC]

Just remember that those little sawed off steak knives were not intended for all types of diving. In a Florida cave you will generally only encounter narrow cave line and have thin, if any, gloves on. If you drop the knife you probably can just reach down and pick it up as well. Fumbling for a small knife on a wall in current with cold water protection like lobster gloves may not make that sort of tool quite as attractive.

Sometimes size isn't just an ego extension.

 

[drdaddy]

I carry a knife - actually I carry 3. 1-A big bowie knife my son gave me, in a wetsuit "pocket"/tethered. 2-BCD mounted/tethered blunt end "dive tool" (knife). 3-High pressure hose mounted/untethered. I also carry surgical shears in my pocket, but when I am in "fishing line infested waters" I leave it hanging from a ring.

Early in my diving I got a crab pot rope/cord wrapped around my regulator. I couldn't reach it to undo it in the mild current and it kept flipping me over/around. I pulled out my knife and cut the rope. When I got free, I tied the rope back together for the crabbers . One time a crabber threw his little "one-crab-catcher" right over me and it wrapped my buddy's reg knob - I untangled him.

That is the only time I was "caught", but there are so many lines floating around or being flung out by non-heeding fishermen where I dive. And a loose net is my nightmare.

 

[DeeperOut]

I always have two, preferably three cutting tools on me. A knife on my harness close to the buckle, cutting shears in my pocket, line cutter attached to harness under inflator hose (not connected to hose)
Of every five dives I do, I at least see some fishing line or other potential entanglements....Cutting tools are must have equipment for me.

 

[Steeltanker65421]

I carry an EMT shears on one shoulder strap upside down retrofitted with a steel bolt. I carry a big ass knife on my outside right thigh where I can get at it and reholster it easily. I also have a medium to large sized EZ Lock attached to my consol, where, again, I can get to it easily. Why two knives? In an emergency, which is when you would be using a knife, you will task loaded and may drop the knife, esp. with thick finger gloves up here in Northeast. Real good to have a backup knife.

My knives get washed and T-9'd after every dive and sharpened if necessary.