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

[beester]

you ever penetrate a wreck ? You don't go in without a big ass knife...

jim...

Yep I penetrate wrecks... north sea wrecks (bad vis, cold water). And no I don't carry a "big ass knife". I carry shears, 1 small knife on my belt and a mini knife on my goodman handle. That takes much better care of monafillament entanglement than a big as knife (and yes... I know). If I want to pry something open I take a bar. I loved my big knife when I started diving (14) and it was the lenght of my calf. Still got that NEMO knife... but such a big knife doesn't hold an edge very well, gets blunt very easy and is not very usuable when you really need it. So let me know why you would need a big knife on a wreck... take a reel.

 

[oldschoolto]

Yep I penetrate wrecks... north sea wrecks (bad vis, cold water). And no I don't carry a "big ass knife". I carry shears, 1 small knife on my belt and a mini knife on my goodman handle. That takes much better care of monafillament entanglement than a big as knife (and yes... I know). If I want to pry something open I take a bar. I loved my big knife when I started diving (14) and it was the lenght of my calf. Still got that NEMO knife... but such a big knife doesn't hold an edge very well, gets blunt very easy and is not very usuable when you really need it. So let me know why you would need a big knife on a wreck... take a reel.

I stand by my post... You don't want a BFK.. That's your deal.. But, Most diver that I think have their $hit together think it a very good idea .... Different tools for different jobs... I like my custom hook knife that I built on my bridgeport for cutting line up to 1/4 inch or so... And pair of linemen pliers works wonders.... And my BFK does almost everything else......

Jim...

 

[SubMariner]

Since we do a lot of u/w photography where I am actually finding the critters for Pearce to photograph, I signal him by banging the hilt of my knife against my tank.

The knife is probably about 6" long & is strapped to the inside of my left leg no matter what thermal protection I'm wearing. Along with the "usual edge" there is also a serrated one that is sharp enough to take care of most entanglements.

As has been said before, it's basically a tool, not a weapon.

 

[beester]

Well Jim... you seem very experienced and that's why you don't carry ONLY a BFK on a wreck because you know as well as I do that pliers, shears or a very sharp small knife have their advantages too.

 

[Token]

How big is big? My Spyderco Jumpmaster has a 4.5" blade...not small, but not a Rambo knife either. I like it because its serrated edge cuts like crazy and its H1 steel blade won't rust at all in salt water. Also, its sheath works very well...quite secure for the blade and on the leg [inside left calf].

I recall as a kid [a very young teen...late '60's] doing lots of snorkeling in cold Ontario lakes, I had a BFK-type dive knife...I quickly figured out it was wildly impractical, even though it was the only style of dive knife anybody knew about at the time. It went away...

 

[RichmondKYdiver]

A little one as I've had little need for one:cool2: Carry shears on my waist strap and razor line cutter on my chest strap. Like many, when I first started diving I carried a BFK but chucked it for practicality.

 

[Bigd2722]

its H1 steel blade won't rust at all in salt water....

That hasn't been my experience with H1 steel. However, I do know a little bit more about knife care now than when I used steel (now use titanium). How do you care for your knife? Clean with fresh water, wipe with silicone?

thanx

 

[Dirty-Dog]

but such a big knife doesn't hold an edge very well, gets blunt very easy and is not very usuable when you really need it.

Small disagreement. The size of the blade has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with it's edge holding ability. Taking and holding an edge is a function of steel type, the specifics of the tempering and annealing done, and the blade geometry.

 

[drdaddy]

Quero - we still have not made it to Thailand to dive with you - possibly this next year (been to Japan though).

I do carry a medium sized knife, but it was a large one that I used for the loose crab pot rope that entangled my tank valve. As I said before, the EMT shears (which I carry) are fine for some things, but not the ropes we encounter in the "crab holes" of the US Pacific NW waters.

---------- Post added April 6th, 2013 at 06:58 PM ----------

EMT shears would take care of this. I always carry them, so they are available when knives are prohibited (which was the case in some places in Israel and Japan).

---------- Post added April 6th, 2013 at 07:05 PM ----------

Monofilament is seen on almost every jetty dive (which we do at least twice a month), and a few times it gets us - and sometimes the unseen hook grabs us as well. Grabbing a small (or big) knife takes care of this quite quickly.


By the way, one of my knives is attached to me with a cord which is fed from my BCD pocket via a grommet. I had "nightmares" about entanglements in which my knife was dropped. Don't worry, the cord can be easily severed in case of getting entangled with it (I've practice this maneuver).

 

[Quero]

Quero - we still have not made it to Thailand to dive with you - possibly this next year (been to Japan though).

Sweet! I'll look forward to it!