It's supposed to be a tool, RIGHT!!?!

[mossym]

horses for courses, you carry what you need. Lot of shore diving in Monterey, and lots of fishing line, shears go through fishing line quicker than a knife, which is good if you're being reeled in!!

 

[Ishie]

My question: Does one really need to ware a sword? Is a nice little folding knife or a knife with a 3" blade just fine? Should I stop worring about how I look and realize that big knife may come in handy some day?

Well, I'd stop worrying about how you look because what's comfortable and safe for you is what's comfortable and safe for you whether others think it looks dumb or not.

I carry a sword for a few reasons...
1. Sentiment. When my mother dived in the 70s (yes, she's still alive), this was her knife, so it's cool to have that link to the past, since it's not like I'm going to use her old regulator or something.
2. Scallops. Nothing like a sword to get those tasty suckers, though probably not an issue in Florida
3. Kelp. Yeah yeah, fold it over and it snaps just like that; not in my experience, nor am I keen to bite my way through it. Though small knives can do the job, the one time I got kelp monster dragged through, thanks to some bad surge, I was able to hack myself loose like Indiana Jones, and no, my hoses weren't even slightly at risk. I was able to get myself almost completely free by the time my buddy helped me, and he was being attentive.

I like my knife. It's chrome-plated stainless steel, which I can't find. It has a serrated edge for sawing and the 'hook' to easily go through fishing line. Eventually, I am going to ALSO carry either a small pair of shears or a small BC knife.

If you see a Great White, you can always use it to stab your buddy. But I leave the underwater knife fights to James Bond. Besides, once you see the Great White, you're pretty safe. It's the one you don't see...

 

[mossym]

kelp snaps just fine for me, and i'm guessing i'm diving the same monterey waters you are!!! you're right though, sometimes it is easier to just cut through it!!

i think we all agree, carry a knife, it's up to you on the size..

 

[Ishie]

kelp snaps just fine for me, and i'm guessing i'm diving the same monterey waters you are!!! you're right though, sometimes it is easier to just cut through it!!

i think we all agree, carry a knife, it's up to you on the size..

Maybe it just doesn't like me. When I bend kelp over, it just bends. When I twist, it gets all stringy like trying to cut weak rope by breaking it.

Bull kelp seems to go pretty easily, but I had no trouble with tangling in it, unlike the giant kelp. First introduction to it ab diving. Took my knife down on that one!! Either cut the kelp or cut off what's tangled in it before the breath goes!!

 

[ScubaNorth]

Well that article seems to be gone.

I always carry at least one cutting tool on any dive.
Most of the time I carry a small knife and shears.
I place them so that I can reach them with either hand.

I find that I use the shears far more often than the knife.

Then again sometimes you gotta use the Broco.

It was down last evening and earlier today but here it is in all it's glory.

http://njscuba.net/gear/eqpt_07_lights_knives.html#knife


Again I am just a diver who read this and it makes sense to ME. You have to decide what is best for you.

 

[pipedope]

It is a nice little rant but full of stuff that is either wrong or not really up to date.

First, knife on the calf? Yea, we did that 25 years ago when we carried LARGE knives that were used as prybars and hammers as well as cutting tools. It is very easy to be tangled in a position that prevents you from reaching your calf so this is not the best place for a knife.

Rust on the pin of SeaSnips. Yep, it gets surface rust, so what? It is not seriously weakened and will still cut just fine without breaking. It will cut rope, netting and fishing line far easier than the knife in most cases.

On sport dives I would carry both a knife and shears. If I could only take one I would take the shears.

 

[ScubaNorth]

It is a nice little rant but full of stuff that is either wrong or not really up to date.

First, knife on the calf? Yea, we did that 25 years ago when we carried LARGE knives that were used as prybars and hammers as well as cutting tools. It is very easy to be tangled in a position that prevents you from reaching your calf so this is not the best place for a knife.

Rust on the pin of SeaSnips. Yep, it gets surface rust, so what? It is not seriously weakened and will still cut just fine without breaking. It will cut rope, netting and fishing line far easier than the knife in most cases.

On sport dives I would carry both a knife and shears. If I could only take one I would take the shears.

I am always interested in taking the advice of those more experienced than myself. What is considered the best placement of a knife. I added a few grommets to my BC and screwed the knife on the left side at an angle that allows me to reach across my chest and remove the knife. Yeah I didn't really buy the inner leg bit either as that is not comfortable for me to reach.

 

[pipedope]

I usually wear a small to medium knife (not quite as small as most of the DIR guys wear but close) on my waist strap.
My shears are usually on my left shoulder strap.

If I am free diving I tuck the shears inside my suit in the middle of my chest.

This was both knife and shears are availlable to either hand with very little movement.

 

[Ishie]

It is a nice little rant but full of stuff that is either wrong or not really up to date.

First, knife on the calf? Yea, we did that 25 years ago when we carried LARGE knives that were used as prybars and hammers as well as cutting tools. It is very easy to be tangled in a position that prevents you from reaching your calf so this is not the best place for a knife.

Er, am I bad? I use my knife for that stuff.
I also must be short or something because the inside of the calf has never provided me with difficult access, though I know there are situations (like caves, which I never enter) where I could get stuck in a position to not access it, which is why I'm going to grab BC shears/small knife. When I have issues anyway, I like to work them out on the bottom, and am likely to go into a sitting position (which I've done in couple kelp wrap scenarios) and that puts my knife right there. Haven't had any entanglement issues with it either; stuff is too busy being magically attracted to my tank valve and fin straps.

 

[RoadWarrior]

Er, am I bad? I use my knife for that stuff.
I also must be short or something because the inside of the calf has never provided me with difficult access, though I know there are situations (like caves, which I never enter) where I could get stuck in a position to not access it, which is why I'm going to grab BC shears/small knife. When I have issues anyway, I like to work them out on the bottom, and am likely to go into a sitting position (which I've done in couple kelp wrap scenarios) and that puts my knife right there. Haven't had any entanglement issues with it either; stuff is too busy being magically attracted to my tank valve and fin straps.

All, I should have titled this Thread "Except for those who have to deal with heavy kelp or dive in heavily fished areas where there is a lot of line to get tangled in." I was not talking about the spear fisherman and their need for a very large, very pointed, very sharp knife. That, I understand.

It's the people who dive Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Aruba, Belize, Bonaire and etc. That is the group of people I was originally referring to. Is there really a need for that big knife applied to ones leg when diving in those situations? Is it showman ship? Do you laugh at them or envy their style.