Hooked at 100 feet - Lulu wreck, Alabama

[stuartv]

I like these: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00JX06FX4/

They don't rust much, you can apply many times more force than with EMS shears. These are way, way better built and the screw holding blades does not fail like with EMS shears.

If you still like EMS style, consider: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B076QM3D6P

Those look nice, but I can't see where it says what the screw that holds them together is made of.

FWIW, I still have (and carry) my first pair of these titanium nitride coated trauma shears. I have dived them in salt water lots and lots of times. They do have some corrosion showing, but they work and are not (yet) in danger of emminent failure (as far as I can tell). I've had them for almost 5 years.

DGX Titanium EMT Shears | Dive Gear Express®

They're only $8. They're very low profile. And, LOTS of places have accessory pouches that are sized to hold them. I prefer the Mil Spec Monkey one that has a velcro retention strap. Also $8.

MSM Shear Pouch - MIL-SPEC MONKEY STORE

My first pouch was a DIR one (i.e. no strap). Several people here on SB said "you don't need a strap. The pouch will hold it just fine with friction.". 4 days of diving in Hawaii later and my shears were lost... I haven't lost any shears since changing to a MSM pouch. I also like that the MSM pouch is held on by a MOLLE clip, so I can take it off my waist belt without unthreading anything from my belt first.

 

[dmaziuk]

I also like that the MSM pouch is held on by a MOLLE clip, so I can take it off my waist belt without unthreading anything from my belt first.

Normally I just use 2 1" pieces of inner tube to attach these #3 pouches, but I recently saw this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JVQ22M8 and bought one to try. With a couple of pieces of 1" webbing stitched across the back, it fits on 2" webbing very nicely.

 

[InTheDrink]

Good we’re really dealing with minutiae here but I like my shears to be serrated. If you gotta cut some webbing etc I find they work better but I might grab a pair of some of the ones mentioned above and see how they work.

Knives, by the way, generally do have one reasonable use - make shift screw driver or occasional tin opener.

 

[InTheDrink]

Normally I just use 2 1" pieces of inner tube to attach these #3 pouches, but I recently saw this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JVQ22M8 and bought one to try. With a couple of pieces of 1" webbing stitched across the back, it fits on 2" webbing very nicely.

A Velcro holder is your friend. Wont lose it. Easy to release instantly. Sit snuggly on my harness and haven’t stabbed or removed my man bits yet. Yet.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

I have been using my Wenoka dive knife for a decade or two on a leg sheath with a button latch. It has cut many a fishing line, and once a year or so ago it sliced cleanly through a nylon line, a throw line used by white water rescue people and which looked to use 550 lb test parachute cord, when it formed a half hitch over some of my fingers in a fairly high river current. I have a photo of that knife here somewhere, and will attach it here. It has a sharp line-cutting notch, and a sharp serrated edge. It's a beautiffly-designed dive knife.

SeaRat

 

[John the Pom]

...Knives, by the way, generally do have one reasonable use - make shift screw driver or occasional tin opener.

And for spreading cream cheese on post-dive crackers (which is why serrated edges are superior).