Where to wear a dive knife?

[Kalatin]

In the grand gear buying orgy yesterday, I accumulated a bunch of new gear, including a dive knife. I feel very official now, since I will not be renting everything I wear into the water. That being said, where is the best place to wear said dive knife. I have heard numerous views and was hoping for some wisdom from this board. The most common wisdom I have received is that it should be worn on the inside calf of the non-dominant hand (for me, inside of my left leg). Thoughts?

[dwashbur]

I wear mine on the inside of my left calf, and I'm right handed. I started out with it on the outside of my right calf so it was just a straight reach down, but when I was doing my DM my instructor insisted that it goes on the inside of the calf, and that's where I got used to having it after a while. My wife wears hers on the outside of her right calf, and she's also right handed. For what it's worth.

Incidentally, even with all the kelp diving I'm doing down here in Monterey at the moment, to date I have not used my knife at all in two years of carrying one.

[Sounder]

Lots of different opinions on where to wear the knife... and frankly, how many knives to carry! Popular places include inside the calves, on the belt, on a shoulder strap, rivoted into one of the weight-pocket holders, and I've seen spearfishers have them on their forearm for quick access when dispatching fish.

I wear my knife just to the left of my belt buckle on my waist strap. I can reach it with both hands, without bending down, and it's out of the way where it won't get caught on anything. I also like having it there because most of the people I dive with keep their knife there too - this way, we all know where all the knives are. I also don't carry more than one knife either because if I were to lose one, I know my buddy has his/hers to share.

It's really a preference question and many people have their own reasons for putting their knife elsewhere, or for carrying more than one. Just be sure you can reach it easily with both hands and that your buddy knows where it is before you enter the water... all part of a good buddy-check.

[Pez7378]

I carry mine in my teeth!

[Sounder]

I carry mine in my teeth!

.......

[Nwbrewer]

Doesn't that get in the way of you reg?

Kalatin, Sounder's advice is good. Strap it to your leg, ang go for a dive. During the dive, retrieve the knife, then put it back. Now decide if you could do it while tangeld in something. What if your fins were cought up? Or your dominant hand? After I tried that once I moved mine to where Sounder has his.

Jake

[scottsax]

I carry mine high on the inside of the left calf-almost to my knee. I used to have it further down toward my ankle, until I tried to deploy it and ended up doing backward somersaults underwater.

When I switch to a backplate & wing setup, I'll move it to my belt.

[cardiver]

I carry shears on the left side of my waist and an almost worthless, "spinner" knife grometted to a weight pocket.

[Dusty2]

Just because no one else has mentioned it,,, Mine is mounted on my console hose. I use a smaller sized knife designed for this style and find it very accessible and always at hand without any guesswork or thinking required and easy to put back cause you can see what your doing. it doesn't require any change of position which could lead to more entanglement or instability and you can use both hands to free it or replace it. This is very important because in an emergency you will be in panic mode and won't be thinking clearly. Your first instinct in an emergency is to check your air and that will put the knife right in your hand where you want it !! No conscious thought required.

Mounted on your leg looks really cool, just like the movies, but is not a good place in an emergency. Have your buddy grab your right hand or your knife leg unexpectedly and then see what happens when you try to reach that knife. It ain't pretty!

[Joshua Smith]

I just started carrying a Z knife on my left counterlung: LINK. In addition to the small knife that I keep moving around because I can't seem to find a place on my rig that makes me happy- I'm thinking about trying to rig it to my bc inflator hose.

I carried a knife on the inside of my left shin for a long time, but I stopped doing that after realizing that it was actually pretty hard to reach, and if I really needed to get at it to cut something I was all tangled in, I might not be able to reach it fast enough, or at all. The z cutter kind of kicks ass, though- it's right where I can get at it nice and easy- I finally found an upside to the "over the shoulder" counterlungs! (besides nice work of breathing, that is).

[Tangfish]

ZKnife worn on your forearm is nice too, if you have room. Just keep in mind, if you're entangled in something, you want to be able to reach it. It's also not a bad idea to have two cutting devices either.

[nice-diver]

What size of knife did you buy??

i wear a 7" wenoka blunt tip on my inner right calf, i use it every dive to remove my dry glove rings.
I have a UK remora on my BC hose and another one on my left of buckel on my plate webbing.

my ulitmate plan is just the one on the waist, dir style

[loanwolf]

Z-knife attached to my shearwater computer on my left wrist with a lanyard. OMS cable shears in my right pocket. a small knife on my harnesses lower right side. and if i am hunting a knife on my left inner calf and a prying knife with a hammer handle on my right inner calf. most of the nets today have cable in them as well so a set of cable shears are very good to have.

[Fishstiq]

I carry mine in my teeth!

I call schenanigans.... does this look like a guy who dives with a knife in his teeth?

I know the "Knife on the Calf" look is all the rage in London these days, but what about moving it up to a thigh? Seems more accessable without the DIR "knife on the web belt" stigma (Who needs all that pressure?). My .02 psi.... I really don't have much room to talk though, since I bought an XS Fogcutter that started rusting after the 1st dive and has been sitting in my garage for the last 2 years. Hey, if i didn't admit to it Pez would have called me out...

[Pez7378]

Anyone who knows anything about Photobucket can clearly see that that picture is faked!

[spatman]

aww... isn't that sweet... is that when chris proposed to you, joe?

[Pez7378]

Dude, you better read my Avatar!

[spatman]

Dude, you better read my Avatar!

like shootin' fish in a barrel.

[Joshua Smith]

Dude, you better read my Avatar!

like shootin' fish in a barrel.

They're headed down to California this weekend to finally make it legal. Registered at Northwest Sport Divers. Big party planned for the reception!

[spatman]

They're headed down to California this weekend to finally make it legal. Registered at Northwest Sport Divers. Big party planned for the reception!

too bad i'm going to miss the party while i'm away on vacation. give the brides-to-be my best when you see them.
:occasion5:

[Penopolypants]

They're headed down to California this weekend to finally make it legal. Registered at Northwest Sport Divers. Big party planned for the reception!

I can't wait to welcome the happy couple back to Washington, and to finally see this:

[Joshua Smith]

Nice touch!

[spatman]

I can't wait to welcome the happy couple back to Washington, and to finally see this:

:smt038

you learn well, grasshopper...

[Penopolypants]

I can't wait to welcome the happy couple back to Washington, and to finally see this:

:smt038

you learn well, grasshopper...

Ah, spatman-san, I am but a caterpillar to your butterfly...

(bring back 80's speed metal!)

[Pez7378]

Dude, you better read my Avatar!

like shootin' fish in a barrel.

I hate you.