Would you dive with no knife

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There is no law against diving with a knife here in Egypt. Over the years I’ve lived here(since 1999) I’ve heard dive guides and instructors telling their guest the most amazing stories around the subject. The same thing with gloves, there is no law against diving with gloves.

This being said, for me to allow a guest to use gloves while diving from the boat I’m working I need a good reason like medical conditions or such.Have a look at my website WELCOME TO AZIAB for more info and feel free to contact me if you have any further questions.

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Very true. Its sort of becoming common place here in SA as well. Even though like in Egypt, there is absolutely no regulation here that prohibits anyone diving with a knife or gloves.

What irritates me is these so called "rules" are applied as a sort of law unto themselves by private operators who can not enforce them but make a big issue about it in the pre dive briefing.

In the Red sea last year I saw a young DM berate a woman tourist for wanting to wear a single glove, she eventually dived without it, but for her the day was ruined, and for what.? To fuel his ego I think.

Personally, no young whipper snapper DM is going to tell me what I can and cannot do if it is not the law of the country.
I make my living in the working dive industry and I could probably say I was a working diver before most of the DMs today came out of three cornered pants. My bouyancy is good.!!

Sorry for the deviation from the point folks, but d**n, I just get a little hot under the collar with mostly pointless issues like these.

 

[Saudi-Diver]

I have seen mono filament line in Ras Mohammed National Park in Egypt so definitely take some shears or a line cutter. No real need for a knife though

 

[FireInMyBones]

Knife or shears. I always dive with at least one.

 

[Saudi-Diver]

Here are the Rules for Ras Mohammed National Park

SinaiNet Lifestyle & Travel Guide - Boat Diving rules

No mention of no Knives or Gloves.

 

[Dr Neil]

For those who say "just hide it in a pocket," check the consequences first. I just returned from St. Lucia and a guy diving off our boat insisted on wearing gloves.

Low & behold, when he surfaced, the park ranger was tied into the dive boat. The gloved guy was ticketed for the gloves and then the ranger spotted his knife and cited him for that as well.

A couple of us on the boat visibly had cutting shears fastened to our BCDs. None of us were bothered.

Remember, foreign countries often are less tolerant about "breaking the law."

 

[scarefaceDM]

Always one cutting tool. either shears or a small serrated blade.( steak knife with about +/- two inches of blade) perfect and cuts webbing like butter.

let me ask...why a big knife? and why a big knife strapped to your leg?. Are you on a hunt or soemthing? think you may get a surprise attack from Nemo?

I dropped the big knife long ago. As most have - shears or a small serrated steak knife does the trick. it is in the event of an entanglement. Chances are you will not ever need it. But it is part of your safety gear like your octo. you bring it...and hope you do not need it..I have always had my knife on the waist belt...or get one that attaches to a hose. smaller and a blunt tip.

 

[David_57]

I have a small blunt ended knife with one side serrated attached inconspicuously to my webbing belt as I dive BP/Wing. I dont think the OP mentioned a big knife attached to leg as this can be an entanglement hazard, but hey it looks cool :cool2:

To answer the OP's question would I lose a dive versus get rid of the knife if requested by the dive op, the knife is gone!!

 

[sschlesi]

Going egypt and they say no knife; so would you dive with out your knife and what is the next best thing; lucky i have never us my knife; but hate to be with out it
Have you ever needed your dive knife;and if yes what for !!

I was diving in Sharm El Sheikh a couple years ago. I brought my knife. IME pretty much all hotels for foreigners in Egypt have metal detectors at the entrance. Both times we stayed in Cairo, no one even opened the suitcase with the 6" blade in it. In Sharm they were hand inspecting every suit case, and insisted that I lock the knife in a safety deposit box, and fetch it in the morning before diving.

At the docks there are metal detectors. My knife was in my bag that was passed around the metal detector and no one ever looked in it.

On the boat my knife was on my shoulder strap in plain view, no one said anything.

After the fuss that hotel security made about the knife, the dive company delivered all my dive gear including my knife right to the middle of the resort on days I was not diving.

That said, EMT shears will probably work better and raise less concern. I had only a knife at the time.

 

[rongoodman]

The Rescue Hook from Benchmade is very sharp and takes up no room on your waist belt. You can't stab yourself with it either.

 

[Jeff Toorish]

Get a z-cutter from Dive Rite, stick it in your pocket. End of story.

I always have some cutting device, usually two. I always get a kick out of boats in the caribbean that say "no knives, you won't need one" and then later a dive master asks if anyone has a knive he can borrow.

Jeff