XS FogCutter X for Cutting LionFish Spines

[UaVaj]

given everything is eventually going to be closed in the impending future.

need to start focusing on lionfish. they are abundant, nobody seriously shoot at them, they are an easy shot and they are great eating. just pain in the azz to harvest. (rather take a man of war tentacle wrap around over an actual lion fish injected sting any day - and twice on the weekends)

given that said. was considering xs fogcutter x (preferably the recon version) for the job. although quite expensive ($90). it would serve to combine both knife and shear. one less tool to carry.



the real question. 1) how does the fogcutter hold up to continuous lionfish spines cuttings. yes on the bigger 16" plus ones. any smaller and it is not worth the hassle. not interested in a bulky lionfish tube and shooting a bunch of 6" ones. 2) heard the rusting is pretty bad on these fogcutter due to cheaper stainless. that would question the durability of cutting bone/spines.



btw. a 420 stainless shear is $10.

 

[tbone1004]

everyone that I know uses the cheap trauma shears or kitchen shears and replaces them as necessary. You can get a pretty big box of trauma shears for cheap from the EMS supply places *$3 ish each, or $7 ish each if you get the really nice ones*, and kitchen shears for ~$10 If you lose it, doesn't matter, if it gets bent up, doesn't matter, etc. Only thing there is to make sure you get the ones with a lightly serrated bottom blade so they grip the fins better

 

[kelemvor]

What @tbone1004 said. Everyone I know that lionfishes uses cheap shears.

 

[oldschoolto]

Shooting only the big ones is not helping the problem.. I shoot everyone I see... If it's on the smaller side, I'll kill it and leave it on the reef for fish food... Some fish are getting a taste for loinfish... A friend was shooting a lionfish in a hole and a
"BIG A$$" green moray eel stole it from him after a fight for it... And cheap shears if you're afraid of getting stuck...

Jim...

 

[UaVaj]

anyway, found one pertaining review on leisurepro. that reviewer bought it exclusively for lionfish and said it sucked. not sure what size lionfish that reviewer was cutting, but noted that the blade edge nicked.

would suck to replace a $90 knife on a regular basis.

 

[snowdog61]

If there's a good chance there will be an abundance that may become sandwiches, then I'll drag a zookeeper or similar; the inconvenience of toting one is more than worth it as you can clean up very quickly. Cutting fins always puts you at risk for a poke unless you've got a sharps/needle-proof glove and it does take time. That said - I'll typically bring only shears since where i typically dive there's likely to only be a few that'll be kept (I'll kill all I see no matter the size).

 

[kelemvor]

Have you guys ever looked at puncture resistant gloves like hexarmor for lionfish harvesting? They're supposed to be able to withstand needle pricks from drug needles. I think if I was getting lionfish on the reg, I'd be looking into these unless they just don't work or something.

 

[tbone1004]

they do, but a zookeeper is going to be safer. Stuff them in there, pull the spear out, and keep going. Use the gloves when you get back up to the surface

 

[Mouth Breather]

everyone that I know uses the cheap trauma shears or kitchen shears and replaces them as necessary.

This is what I do, but here in south Florida there are so many divers doing a good job on the shallower reefs that it's getting rare to see one there. They are deeper, though, deep enough that you don't want to spend your time trimming them during the dive. For that reason I broke down and got a zookeeper. The collapsible one was $130 at divers direct.

Have you guys ever looked at puncture resistant gloves like hexarmor for lionfish harvesting? They're supposed to be able to withstand needle pricks from drug needles. I think if I was getting lionfish on the reg, I'd be looking into these unless they just don't work or something.

I use the coated gloves from home depot and have not gotten stuck yet (knock knock). BUT I am very careful when cutting the spines off, especially with the bigger lionfish. The truly needle-proof gloves are very thick and cumbersome.