To those who carry big knives, what are the reactions you normally get and yours?

[Progen]

Over in Malaysia, I get people staring whenever they notice that I have a diving knife strapped to my left lower leg and they pretend not to notice but I know that they steal glances every now and then. Sometimes I'm sure I'm not imagining that their voices go down a notch or they'd forgotten what it was that they were talking about before they noticed the knife.

Happened with both locals and tourists. Recently, a Caucasian lady was polite (or maybe daring enough ) to ask what I carried the knife for and I said it was 'Just in case'. I also added that since I worked fulltime in animal protection / welfare, I definitely wasn't carrying a knife to go underwater to kill anything and the smiles came back onto everyone's faces.

How about the rest of you?

 

[oldschoolto]

I don't hang around with diver that don't carry knives..... Don't do charter boats...... Let them " LEER " all they want from afar.....

Jim...

 

[Searcaigh]

Well I don't carry a BIG knife but on the rare occasion I am asked why I carry one I tell the (non-diver) that it is to protect me from sharks and when they inquire further I tell them that I stab another diver to make them bleed and distract the sharks from me

 

[Bob DBF]

To those who carry big knives, what are the reactions you normally get and yours?

Mostly, I don't get any reaction to my BFK. I don't have much of a reaction to how others set up their kit, unless something is particularly interesting, at which point I'll ask politely about what or how.


On the few occations I have been harrassed it's been by some indoctrinated newbie and I point out that said knife was diving before he was a gleam in his daddy's eye. At that point the conversation gets better or worse.



Bob
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Always use the right tool for the job. A hammer is the right tool for any job. Anything can be used as a hammer.

 

[drbill]

Back in the late 60s when I moved to Catalina from the Midwest and switched from diving fresh water to salt, I bought the biggest, baddest Jim Bowie of a dive knife I could find to fend off the great whites. It must have worked because I never even saw one back then. In the late 80s I switched to a small knife (obviously more secure in my man hood by then) and later to a BCD knife and shears. I've seen more great whites since that switch, but never needed the knife. I use the shears to cut fishing lines... and my teeth to cut kelp (if necessary).

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Over in Malaysia, I get people staring whenever they notice that I have a diving knife strapped to my left lower leg and they pretend not to notice but I know that they steal glances every now and then. Sometimes I'm sure I'm not imagining that their voices go down a notch or they'd forgotten what it was that they were talking about before they noticed the knife.

Happened with both locals and tourists. Recently, a Caucasian lady was polite (or maybe daring enough ) to ask what I carried the knife for and I said it was 'Just in case'. I also added that since I worked fulltime in animal protection / welfare, I definitely wasn't carrying a knife to go underwater to kill anything and the smiles came back onto everyone's faces.

How about the rest of you?

If they say anything, I simply make reference to the HUGE thing that I keep strapped to my other thigh. If they persist, I MAY offer to display it.

 

[miked]

I now carry a small BC knife and shears. However, as I was transitioning to that from the BFK on the calf, I had a small, funny "incident". There I was, with the calf mounted knife, while the boat crew had there small knives/shears/etc. They were all old friends/acquaintances, so there was a good bit of good-natured, friendly teasing (" whoa, Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, are you spearfishing with that thing" etc.)
However, as we left the first dive site, there was a strange sound/vibration from the propellers, and the boat captain shut the engine down. One of the DMs entered the water, came up saying "there is a length of old mooring line wrapped around the propeller shaft. We can unwrap it, but it would be much easier to cut through it..... does anybody have a big knife?......"
Of course, I volunteered my knife, with a comment ": oh do you mean a knife like my Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, spearfishing knife?"
What is it they say about payback????

 

[Hatul]

My first thought when I see a big knife strapped to an ankle is: immature newbie. Went through that phase years ago and still have the huge pink knife in my scuba storage.

Small blunt-end knife on inflator hose + shears is what I use now.

 

[DaleC]

Weird. That's what I think when I see divers with their snapped off steak knives.
$500 for BT's, $2000 for DS's, $1500 for canlights, $5000 for scooters... but $.50 for a steak knife is definitely NOT a decision based on soliciting a certain perception of belonging from others.

 

[Tigerman]

What I think about people carrying such knives is actually very dependent on location..
If you dive somewhere with no take and/or no touch rules - its just overkill (and often not allowed to carry anyways).
If you dive somewhere you CAN take fish or other critters, I can see the point. I might not be there primarilly to hunt, so not bothering with a spear/gun, but a 4lb flatfish still makes for a nice dinner if you happen to find one..