What to use to cut small ropes?

[BlueTrin]

Found an abandoned lobster pot with trapped creatures inside, I was wondering what’s a practical tool you could use to cut the rope on the sides of a pot.

We used a trilobite and although we managed to cut a panel, that was painful.

Would trauma shears (like the dive rite one) work well for a small 3-4cm diameter rope?

I would rather not carry a pointy knife if I don’t need it, I don’t like the idea of having something sharp in my drysuit

 

[Cthippo]

How about a blunt tipped dive knife? This is what i always thought of as a "dive knife", and I have something similar on my BCD and on my PFD.

OK, there is supposed to be an Amazon link there, but Zenforo keeps eating it.

dive knife - Google Shopping

 

[BlueTrin]

How about a blunt tipped dive knife? This is what i always thought of as a "dive knife", and I have something similar on my BCD and on my PFD.

I have this paranoia about it falling out of the sheath and cutting stuff in my kit :/

 

[Cthippo]

Both of the ones i have have retention mechanisims where you have to push a button to release it from the sheath. Not saying it can't happen accidentally, but it hasn't happened to me.

 

[Boarderguy]

I carry a blunt tip ti knife on my inside calf with my drysuit. I'm just a bit more careful on removing and replacing it than when diving wet. A good knife or trauma shears will take care of most ropes you encounter.

Would trauma shears (like the dive rite one) work well for a small 3-4cm diameter rope?

3-4 cm is not small rope by any stretch of the imagination and shears will likely not do the job.

 

[Boarderguy]

Both of the ones i have have retention mechanisims where you have to push a button to release it from the sheath. Not saying it can't happen accidentally, but it hasn't happened to me.

I lost mine when gearing up in waist deep water because I didn't fully click it in. Lesson learned and knife retrieved at the end of the dive after realizing it wasn't in the sheath mid dive.

 

[jseyfert3]

A knife would need to be sharp to cut rope…but a sharp knife cuts really well.

I really cannot say enough good things about my WorkSharp knife sharpener. I test my knives after sharpening them with it by shaving a bit of hair off my arm. It takes literally 2-3 minutes to take a super dull kitchen knife to shaving sharp with this.

I would rather not carry a pointy knife if I don’t need it, I don’t like the idea of having something sharp in my drysuit

I have this paranoia about it falling out of the sheath and cutting stuff in my kit :/

Although I haven’t dove with it yet (getting back into it), my new Fogcutter X has positive plastic latches that hold it in the sheath. Remember, the sheath is designed to strap on the outside of the kit, and has to hold the knife in place. So it shouldn’t fall out if you put it in a pocket either.

OTOH it’s the dullest knife out of the box I’ve ever purchased.

 

[tbone1004]

Found an abandoned lobster pot with trapped creatures inside, I was wondering what’s a practical tool you could use to cut the rope on the sides of a pot.

We used a trilobite and although we managed to cut a panel, that was painful.

Would trauma shears (like the dive rite one) work well for a small 3-4cm diameter rope?

I would rather not carry a pointy knife if I don’t need it, I don’t like the idea of having something sharp in my drysuit

z-knives are the most appropriate and there are certainly much more robust cutters than the trilobites but trauma shears would also be fine. No need to buy the Dive Rite ones though, they are available at any medical supply place and are quite cheap, $1-$2 each and treat them as disposable.
For cutting line, I certainly prefer something like my Benchmade 7 which is good up to ~6mm or 1/4" line.
3-4cm? That's beefy and you need a serrated blade or some dedicated shears to get through that. Blunt tip serrated something.

 

[grf88]

3-4 cm is fairly thick rope I am not sure that trauma shears would work on it.

 

[johndiver999]

The most important thing is to have a serated blade. Any 3 dollar steak knife should work well