Knive

[Wolfy]

Ok i succumbed :) i bought a bigger knive after the tiny one i usually wear pinned up to my bc hose wasnt up to the job...

BUT where do we all wear our knives ? on the leg low down, on the thigh, on the bc somewhere ?? in a drysuit leg pocket ??

dont were it on the leg if your legs get entangled you wont be able to free the knive,,,

dont where it around the thigh you will stop air migrating into or out of the leg

all sorts of advise,,,,,but how do you wear yours..and why :)

thanks all....

Wolfy

[Nigel Hewitt]

BUT where do we all wear our knives ? on the leg low down, on the thigh, on the bc somewhere ?? in a drysuit leg pocket ??

dont were it on the leg if your legs get entangled you wont be able to free the knive,,,
dont where it around the thigh you will stop air migrating into or out of the leg

But wearing it on my leg to stop air migrating into my boot is the only use for a dive knife I've ever discovered. They sure as heck don't cut things (try it on a bit of webbing - one handed). It didn't even work when I wanted something to bang on my tank to attract attention.

nigelH
(I do carry trauma shears.)

[Adrian Kelland]

Wolfy

I won't tell you where to put it ;-) My knife is in a sheath as part of my suit thigh, no straps. I have never used it in anger, and I suspect I never will.

But I would recommend 'Tough Cut' scissors, also known as trauma shears. They are brilliant, IMHO of course. These are the things that would be used if your suit ever had to be cut off you. They cut through half-inch line no problem. The problem with knives is that they need to bear against something. The shears bear against each other. Put them where you had the small knife. Use Velcro to hold in place, or in a pocket. Not so obvious if buddy needs to get at them though...

They are cheap, usually 2 or 3 quid, usually from outdoor sports shops. You can get them cheaper from online medical suppliers, but postage stops this from being worthwhile unless bulk buying. Some of us just brought 3 AV face masks and 5 pair of shears for ?47 inc postage from spservices.co.uk. I have no relationship with them.

I'll get off my soap box now.

Adrian

[Mark Emery]

You should be able to easily reach it with both hands and it should not be mounted in such a way that it creates an entanglement hazzard (like on the calf). So mount it on the waist belt of your BC/Harness.

I keep a small knife on my harness just to the left of the crotch strap and I also keep a pair of backup trauma shears in my drysuit pocket.

Ok i succumbed i bought a bigger knive after the tiny one i usually wear pinned up to my bc hose wasnt up to the job...

BUT where do we all wear our knives ? on the leg low down, on the thigh, on the bc somewhere ?? in a drysuit leg pocket ??

dont were it on the leg if your legs get entangled you wont be able to free the knive,,,

dont where it around the thigh you will stop air migrating into or out of the leg

all sorts of advise,,,,,but how do you wear yours..and why

thanks all....

Wolfy

[Steve Walker]

Ok i succumbed i bought a bigger knive after the tiny one i usually wear pinned up to my bc hose wasnt up to the job...

BUT where do we all wear our knives ?

Another vote for trauma shears here, (manf. "Sea Snips" IIRC) in a webbing pouch on waistbelt of wing, more versatile and won't puncture your suit or BC if your hand slips ;)
Regards

[Rich]

Best to have 2 knives, placed so that either hand always has acess to a knife.
The way it works for me is; first knife, outside of lower calf - this the one my right hand can reach easily, the second (smaller) knife is placed on the right side of lower bc, to be easily reached by the left hand. For back-up i agree the trauma shears are excellent, these I also carry on elastic tubing tethered to bc pocket.

The above seems to work for me although I admit I have never been in an emergency situation yet, hopefully if the brown stuff hits the spinny thing then I will have access to either or both knives.

ATB
Rich

[Keith L]

all sorts of advise,,,,,but how do you wear yours..and why

Sorry, another vote for the trauma shears.
My original ?cor look - I?m a diver!? big knife is now carefully stowed in the why-the-hell-did-I-buy-that diving junk box somewhere in the loft, it?s done just a good a job there as it did when I carried it on dives. I do still carry a small knife, there?s nothing better for sharpening the pencil for the dive slate although I have yet to find any other use for it. For diving safety purposes my trauma shears are carried on the right shoulder harness reachable by either hand, they REALLY work, they are far superior to any knife and have got me out of trouble a couple of times.

YMMV

Keith L

[Alison boler]

[Alison boler]

Gave up on the knife strapped to various places on my leg after realising that in 20 years I'd only ever used it to prod things. Before I saw the green light and realised the error of my ways of course, and only ever with the blunt end (probably both ends!). Now carry shears. Cos they're smaller. And I've never used them either.

Allie

[Matt Duke]

Gave up on the knife strapped to various places on my leg after realising that in 20 years I'd only ever used it to prod things. Before I saw the green light and realised the error of my ways of course, and only ever with the blunt end (probably both ends!). Now carry shears. Cos they're smaller. And I've never used them either.

Allie

I never used a knife for line cutting before either. (I have shears.)

However if you eat seafood and are into taking Halibut, Angler Fish, Wolf fish etc, then a good place for the knife is on the forearm.

Be sure to have a nice wide blade, for easy cutting of the spinal cord and a quick demise to your evening meal. For hunting, avoid knives with a blunt end. (Screwdriver end)

mattD
Bergen, Norway.

[danny edmunds]

like pretty much everyone else who's replied, i've got trauma shears on the waist band of my wing. that having been said i do still strap my knife to my leg, if only to give the police a reason to arrest me when i go off to the pastie shop at lunchtime.

i have used my knife but only ever for cutting up post-dive melons.

regards to all,

danny

[Steve Walker]

like pretty much everyone else who's replied, i've got trauma shears on the waist band of my wing. that having been said i do still strap my knife to my leg, if only to give the police a reason to arrest me when i go off to the pastie shop at lunchtime.

i have used my knife but only ever for cutting up post-dive melons.

regards to all,

danny
My BCD knife was only ever used for slicing cheese for al fesco ad hoc sarnies, think this is the only time it has an edge over the shears ;)
Chee-az
Steve

[Philip Smith]

I keep a small knife on my harness just to the left of the crotch strap

I've tried this. Don't you find it digs in to your lower abdomen when you bend over?

Phil.

[Mark Emery]

Not with a small knife (like the little Halcyon one). I will happily put up with a bit of out-of-the-water discomfort if it means my gear will be optimal under water.

:=I keep a small knife on my harness just to the left of the crotch strap

I've tried this. Don't you find it digs in to your lower abdomen when you bend over?

Phil.

[Philip Smith]

Not with a small knife (like the little Halcyon one).

That's the type of thing I tried. It was Ok with a stab (and before that an AP backpack) because the waist (stomach) band was higher, but my harness waist strap is too low. Maybe I'm not tall enough!

I will happily put up with a bit of out-of-the-water discomfort if it means my gear will be optimal under water.

I'm not, because I don't like to restrict my range of movement underwater any more than necessary. I shifted the small knife to my right hip. I also have a larger one held upside down on my left shoulder strap with the end of the sheath clipped to a D-ring and the handle held in a bit of inner tube (similar to the DIR method of attaching a backup torch).

Phil.

[John Williams]

i have used my knife but only ever for cutting up post-dive melons.


Post dive Melons!

Bloody Hell! You must dive in a healthy club...we only ever use our dive knives for cutting up Mars bars and Jamaica Ginger Cakes and then spreading lashings of thick creamy butter onto them (OK...so we spread it thinly on the Mars bars - because we ARE in the 21st century and we have heard a rumour of something called "Kollesterroll" in Yorkshire too!)

Just a tip about caring for your knife for you all too.

If you never wipe it clean all the butter and bacon fat stops it rusting! I'm sure that using it for cutting up fruit might remove this protective coat.

John

[Keith L]

If you never wipe it clean all the butter and bacon fat stops it rusting!

Sorry John, but once again I must argue that in certain circumstances the trauma shears are far superior to the traditional dive knife. When trimming the fried bacon to fit the post-dive bacon butties I find it easier to use the shears. I will however conceed that a knife is better for getting the foil cover off the new bottle of ketchup.

Regards

Keith L

[John Williams]

:=If you never wipe it clean all the butter and bacon fat stops it rusting!

Sorry John, but once again I must argue that in certain circumstances the trauma shears are far superior to the traditional dive knife. When trimming the fried bacon to fit the post-dive bacon butties I find it easier to use the shears. I will however conceed that a knife is better for getting the foil cover off the new bottle of ketchup.

Regards

Keith L

Now I KNOW you are a Soft Southern Nancy -- who trims the bacon off a butty???

Fold it in man, fold it in!

John
;-))))

However...a devious plot comes to mind!
To all Northern Blokes:
Whenever preparing Bacon Butties for Soft Southern Jessies - trim the bacon off and stuff it into yours!!!
(Don't try this with a Geordie or a Jock - you're just likely to get yer heed kicked in)

[Norm]

I have a small, inverted knife on each of my BC's bellows hose. Here it is up, out of harm's way and it doesn't snag. It stays securly attached via cable ties. I have realized that with some new types of fishing line, (or the possiblity of a dropped knife), a simple knife may not be enough. I now carry surgical shears as well. These will not only cut Spider Wire but stainless steel leader material as well! Just my preference.
Norm