Canasia Sports

more experienced divers out there:  is a dive knife essential? How else are you going to open up the beer cans and bottles?

What do you do if you get tangled up in some line or wire? stop think breath and if that dont work have buddy come over and see if he can get a better view of it. then break out the shears not a knife. Chris

more experienced divers out there:  is a dive knife essential? To a large extent, this depends on where you dive or snorkel, but generally, the answer is that some kind of cutting device is part of your safety gear, something that should go along with you on all dives/snorkels because it's a good habit to develop and because, like with most safety devices, you don't know when you'll need it . . . until you need it a lot. The choice between knife and scissors is a personal one that should be _base_d on what you think you might have to cut and, since you're a snorkeler, how quickly each device will allow you to cut it.  Some of the new fishing lines and pretty much all wire and braided _meta_l leaders are resistant to cutting with a knife.  Some are hard to cut with shears as well, mostly because to cut them, the shears need to get a good bite on the _meta_l.  Wire cutters will go through most any wire or small line, but aren't much good for rope or other things too large to fit conveniently in the jaws. Personally, I carry a knife.  Actually, I carry two small ones when diving, one with a sharp tip and one blunt.  Both are kept sharp.  They're tools as well as safety devices for me.  Since I favor having backup when it's not inconvenient, I choose to maximize versatility by carying knives of each design.  The blunt one is good for most things, but there are just some things you need a point to do.  When I'm snorkeling, I carry a somewhat larger knife strapped to the inside of my calf.  It's not larger because I'm snorkeling, but because the knife I happen to have that will attache to my leg is larger.  It's inside my leg because I can reach it easily with either hand and because it's less likely to get tangled in something itself. Lee

Jon C < This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it entertained us with: :What do you do if you get tangled up in some line or wire? I don't dive in places where that is likely to happen and I carry Sea Snips. Dan Bracuk Never use a big word when a diminutive one will do. The Best of Rec.Scuba http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/RecScuba/

 It's not larger because I'm snorkeling, but because the knife I happen to have that will attache to my leg is larger.     In dive knives, as in so many things in life, bigger may not be better, but a big one does cause envy and lust.

Robert Doc Adelman < This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it entertained us with: :  On real manly men divers this helps to offset what is strapped to the :other leg. I don't have this problem . Spare Air? Dan Bracuk Never use a big word when a diminutive one will do. The Best of Rec.Scuba http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/RecScuba/