Post-rescue depression???

[Jim Lapenta]

A Trilobite will go thru webbing faster than any pair of shears. It's faster to deploy in most cases, safer as you don't risk stabbing the victim with it, and with the 3 different sheath options you can mount it wherever is best for you. I have one on my computer strap and one on my harnesses. I also sell them to EMT's, Paramedics, police, and fire personnel. Shears are great for stuff like wire leaders and they will work on webbing. But it can take two to three snips. A trilobite is just hook and pull and the webbing parts like hot butter. I often carry a couple chunks of it when showing the Trilobites to someone just to show them how fast it cuts. Seatbelts are nothing to one of these. Harness webbing? Not much more.

When I became a dealer a few months ago I started selling them as part of a safety package with a HOG SMB and spool.

---------- Post added September 7th, 2013 at 11:56 AM ----------

I just orderd an EEZYCUT Trilobite after playing around with my buddy's. As a medic, I have an endless array of shears and strap cutters, extraction tools, and other assorted cool guy toys at my fingertips. Benchmade makes a strap cutter that I've considered adding to my gear, but sided with the Trilobite due to size and clutter concerns.

Unfortunately, I ordered mine directly from the EEZYCUT webpage. I only just now realized that Jim Lapenta sells them from his store for the same price. Would have like to send a little business his way.

They are actually a few dollars more on their site. And if you have an APO/FPO and are military/fire/police/emt, etc. shipping is only $1.00 from me.

 

[boulderjohn]

Really though... I guess the hose routing was weird. I don't think anybody who was forward looking would have tied them up that way. I'm just a rookie as I've said but careful divers would have never done that.

Where were they from? Within the last few years, one of the major diving organizations in the UK has gone on a crusade against hog loop/primary donate.

That is, of course, BSAC, which believes the system most of us use in the U.S. is unsafe and demands the setup you saw.

 

[dive_turkey]

They are actually a few dollars more on their site. And if you have an APO/FPO and are military/fire/police/emt, etc. shipping is only $1.00 from me.

...and now we know
(APO 09067)

 

[rongoodman]

Webbing is cheap, which is why I have at least one Trilobite on every harness I own.

 

[Crass3000]

That is, of course, BSAC, which believes the system most of us use in the U.S. is unsafe and demands the setup you saw.

I would find it hard to believe that anybody would have had it set up like this. She actually told me they couldn't get to it in their emergency. I'm sure BSAC may have a different style but this was just not right. I could be wrong and am more than I would like to admit but even she said it didn't function when they needed it. I'm not doubting you though. Just looked like a huge mess though.

As far as the shears... I'm sure I'll get in touch soon Jim. I just want to see what I am buying before I get it so I know what to expect. From the sounds of it they must work WAY better than my expensive and supposedly nice knife that took me a few minutes to cut through what is basically the same material as I have seen on most BP/W. I was disappointed in my knife. I guess price doesn't mean quality all the time.

After all this I started making sure my pocket mask was in the cooler so I know at all times where it is. I had intentions of keeping it easily available but had slacked off. I was carrying it all the time but it's sort of bulky.

 

[dive_turkey]

I always thought the knife was for stabbing people in case of sharks??? I don't have to swim faster than a shark, I just have to swim faster than you!

My knife is rated for 400 stabs!

Seriously, strap cutter really is the way to go. Be it trilobite, benchmade, Home Depot brand, whatever...

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Nope. Sometimes the less expensive route works better. Knives are fine for some things. Rescues are not high on that list.

 

[boulderjohn]

As far as the shears... I'm sure I'll get in touch soon Jim. I just want to see what I am buying before I get it so I know what to expect. From the sounds of it they must work WAY better than my expensive and supposedly nice knife that took me a few minutes to cut through what is basically the same material as I have seen on most BP/W. I was disappointed in my knife. I guess price doesn't mean quality all the time.

A friend and I were at the end of our planned bottom time on a decompression dive, and we wanted to untie a line (simple nylon cave line) before we ascended. When he encountered trouble doing that, my buddy pulled out a knife and started sawing at the line, After a while, I took out my line cutter (similar to the trilobite I now use instead) and cut it in one easy swipe. Problem solved.

 

[flots am]

Crass, good for you for calling out the Monday morning quarterbacks. You made the call and you saved a life. You were there! I truly hope you feel better soon, you don't deserve to feel bad. You deserve back pats and handshakes all around.

It's not Monday Morning Quarterbacking, or some fine point about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin or whether splits are better than rigid fins.

Establishing positive buoyancy on the surface is the #1 rescue skill, bar none. Unless you can keep the victim on the surface, they're going to die.

While it's certainly impressive to drag a diver wearing doubles back to shore while not wearing fins, ditching any negatively buoyant equipment first would have allowed a much easier and more effective tow and eliminated the possibility of the victim descending again, which is the cause of a huge proportion of fatalities in divers that make it to the surface.

If someone is in trouble, making them float will often turn a life-and-death situation into an annoyance and something to talk about at dinner.

flots

---------- Post added September 7th, 2013 at 12:59 PM ----------

A friend and I were at the end of our planned bottom time on a decompression dive, and we wanted to untie a line (simple nylon cave line) before we ascended. When he encountered trouble doing that, my buddy pulled out a knife and started sawing at the line, After a while, I took out my line cutter (similar to the trilobite I now use instead) and cut it in one easy swipe. Problem solved.

They're awesome. I have one on a retractor on my shoulder (no complaints from the DIR folks please ). I like it because it requires little coordination or accuracy or dexterity, which is vey helpful when wearing thick underwear, a drysuit and drygloves. If you can wave the cutter over the general area of the line, it will catch and cut. While the EMT shears are nice (have a pair of those too), they require that you can get your finger and thumb though the holes, not drop them and then guide the line into the jaws.

When the the brown stuff hits the fan, it's really nice to be able to make a line go away even if you can't really grab it or see it.

flots.

 

[ianr33]

A friend and I were at the end of our planned bottom time on a decompression dive, and we wanted to untie a line (simple nylon cave line) before we ascended. When he encountered trouble doing that, my buddy pulled out a knife and started sawing at the line, After a while, I took out my line cutter (similar to the trilobite I now use instead) and cut it in one easy swipe. Problem solved.

I really like the fact that a trilobite/shears can be used one handed. Cutting (loose) line with a knife is a 2 handed job. If you happen to be wrapped up in the line you might not have 2 hands available..................