Changed my mind about using a standard dive knife for everything

I was working a salvage job in the Gulf, cutting through some old netting wrapped around a prop. My knife got stuck, and I had to yank it hard to free it. The dive supervisor topside said over the com, 'Carter, you're fighting that thing like it's a machete. That's a prying job for shears.' He was right, I was using the wrong tool. I bought a pair of trauma shears the next day and they slice through line and netting way faster. Anyone else have a go-to tool they switched to for a specific job?

2 comments

2 Comments

gonzalez.rowan15d ago

My uncle was a commercial diver up in Alaska. He swore by those big orange EMT shears for years, said they were the only thing that didn't bind up on synthetic line. I keep a pair in my truck's glove box now, not for diving, but they'll cut through a seatbelt or a zip tie in a heartbeat. It's funny how the right tool from one job just makes sense somewhere else.

christopher_wilson15d ago

Those shears are built for wet, tough conditions so they last forever in daily use. It's smart to have gear that can handle way more than you'll ever ask of it. Good tools just work, no matter what you're cutting.