Where on my gear to add the new knife?

[Hemlon]

Hi...I just bought a new dive knife. I previously just used trauma shears because I felt comfortable that I would know how to use those more efficiently than a knife. (RN and I use the shears daily!)

My new knife comes with several ways of attaching it to my gear or body. Of course it has straps for leg or arm attachment. I know that I won't like that configuration as I find it too restrictive.

Another option is an attachment to add it to one of my hoses of the reg. My question is: Does anyone have any experience with this configuration? If so, which hose is best for the attachment?

Is there a downside to having it attached to my reg hose?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Tamas]

You can add it the infaltor/bc hose, that way it's "right there" when you need it and not in the way when you don't.

sorta like these:

 

[pt40fathoms]

I don't care for the arm of leg means of attaching my knife. I have it much like the photos provided by Tamas, with the exception that I attached it to the larger corrugated hose of the BCD. Just make sure you don't over tighten the tye straps, they don't need to be synched tight, just snug enough to prevent it from flopping around.

The other method is to melt holes into your BCD pocket at the same spacing as the grommet holes in the knife sheath, if is has grommet holes, and fasten with Stainless Steel nuts and bolts. Short ones, just long enough to make it work. The handle of the knife would be facing forward, with the tip to the rear. You would only need to grasp the knife and pull forward if needed.

 

[redrover]

I’m debating the same question. One female instructor I spoke with has her’s on her inflator (the Remora I think), says wouldn’t have it any where else.

 

[Hemlon]

Tamas and PT40,

Those are great ideas. Thank you for taking the time to post the pictures. It really gave me the idea of how it would look in my own gear set-up.

(Thanks to everyone else too!)

 

[markfm]

As a natural klutz, I somehow just don't like the idea of my knife on a hose Think I'll just stick with my little computer's knife and a pair of shears on a BC pocket. Instead of the grommet on the pocket, I was thinking about using velcro -- glue a piece of the soft side of the velcro onto the pocket, the hook side onto the back of the sheath I use for the shears.

 

[shark.byte.usa]

The other method is to melt holes into your BCD pocket at the same spacing as the grommet holes in the knife sheath, if is has grommet holes, and fasten with Stainless Steel nuts and bolts. Short ones, just long enough to make it work. The handle of the knife would be facing forward, with the tip to the rear. You would only need to grasp the knife and pull forward if needed.

I just got a knife and I comtemplated the same thing, I did something similar to the above, although I didn't have to melt any holes. I put mine, just on the right side of my cumberbund, handle facing towards my belly, point facing towards my side. It''s a natural motion for me to grab it out of the sheath (I'm left handed), although if my left hand was tied up, I could easily do it with the right. I didn't want it on the left side, because it would have been close to my weight release, DOH that would be bad, go to grab for the knife and release my weights by mistake. I also didn't want it near anything critical, hoses, bladder, etc. I took a couple pics, will post once I'm on the correct computer to get the pics. I also have the option of mounting some shears above or below.

 

[pt40fathoms]

Cutting a hose, HP or LP would require some effort. Try and cut one that has been removed from service and is heading for the garbage can. I did this with a few advanced students and they were amazed at how much effort it took. The corrugated hose to the BCD is very soft though, and care must be taken. But then again, any time you have a sharp object in your hands care is taken in its handleing, unless you are just looking to hurt yourself. The real critical part is in putting the knife back in. I like the hose mount, because I can see the knife and the sheath easily, and have no problem putting it back in. Just don't go stabbing it blindly and hope to hit the mark when putting it back in its place, and I think you'll be just fine. A little common sense is all it takes. If we didn't have any, we would have ended up in a DAN report by now.

 

[Paco]

Mine is on the inflator hose on my left shoulder.

 

[ScubaNorth]

The other method is to melt holes into your BCD pocket at the same spacing as the grommet holes in the knife sheath, if is has grommet holes, and fasten with Stainless Steel nuts and bolts. Short ones, just long enough to make it work. The handle of the knife would be facing forward, with the tip to the rear. You would only need to grasp the knife and pull forward if needed.

This is how I mounted my knife only on the pocket of the BC angled down handle facing in toward right side. One suggestion do not melt your BC spend $4 and buy a grommet kit at your local hardware store it comes with a hole punch. Just a suggestion for the clumsy like me, I would end up setting my gear on fire.