Test your cutting devices especially EMT shears

[Skulmoski]

I have titanium EMT shears that have a great sheath and they have held their edge. (I also dive with a small Spyderco H1 fixed blade and a Hollis cutter for redundancy.) Thanks for sharing!

 

[-JD-]

What material is used in your blades. I've encountered Aluminum (Aluminium), Stainless Steel, and Titanium. I have some of each. The Aluminum doesn't hold a edge as well, but doesn't corrode. It will still cut a copper penny (U.S.) - once. Demonstrate with a throwaway pair. The titanium needs to be rinsed and dried with blades open after diving and will hold a decent edge for a while. Stainless steel is probably my favorite pair. It will corrode if not thoroughly rinsed properly.

My line cutter has ceramic blades. Cuts small line well.

Cheers,
M²

I have titanium EMT shears that have a great sheath and they have held their edge. (I also dive with a small Spyderco H1 fixed blade and a Hollis cutter for redundancy.) Thanks for sharing!

Are the shears solid titanium alloy or they the titanium-nitride (gold) coated?

 

[divad]

. It will still cut a copper penny (U.S.) - once. Demonstrate with a throwaway pair. Stainless steel is probably my favorite pair. It will corrode if not thoroughly rinsed properly.
M²

The pair I'm replacing is stainless steel. It will cut a penny multiple times.....but it will NOT cut line. Just makes it a little fuzzy.....and warm.

 

[Vicko]

Most of the blades we take underwater are not exactly built to last, saltwater destroys most blades and unless you are very diligent about keeping your tools sharp they become next to useless after a few months of use. Most dive knifes I have seen are to dull to stick your buddy in case of a shark attack, let alone cut nylon lines. Thats why I like ez cuts, after a few months you just change the blades and good as new.

 

[formernuke]

I saw a company once that made nitrogen steel, it absolutely would not rust or degrade in salt water. I wondered why they didn't make dive knifes and there pocket knives were very expensive. Not sure if they are still around or not.

 

[divad]

Most of the blades we take underwater are not exactly built to last, .

Yes, that's why I'm going to buy a box of 100 for less than 80 bucks. I also carry a Trilobite (have stack of blades).

 

[martincohn]

I give all my cutters a squirt of wd40 every few dives. Its just part of the rinse dry cycle. Makes them all last longer.

 

[dmaziuk]

The pair I'm replacing is stainless steel. It will cut a penny multiple times.....but it will NOT cut line. Just makes it a little fuzzy.....and warm.

Hmm. It's supposed to catch on the teeth, you can't cut it with non-serrated blades. Looking closer at my last pair, it has serrated bottom blade and plain top one. I wonder if they're all like that, and if different brands come with different size teeth and so on.

Too many distractions @home....

 

[vjb.knife]

I am skeptical that some shears are made of aluminum and if so would cut a penny without being destroyed. Also unless they are anodized or otherwise coated most AL alloys will corrode in seawater fairly easily.

 

[Bert van den Berg]

I agree that testing that you can extract and use your cutting tools is very important.

One model of dive knife couldn't be extracted from the sheath after a beach entry because sand got under the release catch. It was impossible to press the catch down. Had to modify the sheath with a bit of rubber silicon to prevent this happening.

I try to remember to test the release before every dive. It only takes a second.