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Diving Safety, Accidents and Incidents Post here to discuss accidents, incidents, ideas, gear, or anything else to improve spearfishing safety. Memorials and condolences threads should be placed in that separate forum.

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Old 06-19-2010, 01:04 PM   #1
Adam Sachs
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Knife pocket and safety

After posting this in the CA forum, I realized it might be better located in the safety forum so I'm re-posting it here.
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Recently I was thinking of getting a pocket sewn onto the thigh of my suit, but now I'm having second thoughts. It occurred to me that if I were actually entangled while underwater, it might be more of a hindrance to have to remove the knife from the pocket and then also from knife sheath before cutting whatever had ensnared me, as opposed to simply taking the knife from it's sheath on my weightbelt where I currently wear it.

I like the idea of the thigh pocket because wouldn't have to worry about keeping the knife on my weightbelt/calf where it can make noise or get snagged, and it would double as a holder for carrying something like an ab iron or lobster gauge. Should I be concerned that in an entanglement scenario it could actually be a safety hazard?
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Old 06-19-2010, 01:06 PM   #2
Bill McIntyre
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Re: Knife pocket and safety

I answered in the CA forum, but I'll repeat here so people can shoot me down conveniently.
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My knife is in its sheath in a thigh pocket. I can pull the knife out and the sheath is still held in the pocket.

But that's the knife that I consider to be my backup. My primary knife is on my forearm where I can see it and get to it instantly.
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Old 06-19-2010, 02:34 PM   #3
greg
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Re: Knife pocket and safety

i keep mine on my weight belt in front so i can access it with either hand and its easy to dump if it gets snagged
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Old 06-19-2010, 03:05 PM   #4
LunkerBuster
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Re: Knife pocket and safety

i would do it as Bill said, as a back up....it is a good idea, but for emergencies I would not want anything getting in my way or slowing me down...I also dont keep anything on my belt but weight so I dont have to even consider it if dropping my belt is the right move for safety.


I believe that Pelaj had a concept like this with their suits and acc., maybe look for anyone who has tried their version
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Old 06-19-2010, 03:29 PM   #5
Alexrom1207
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Re: Knife pocket and safety

Don't sew the pocket in. Take some old neoprene and use a wet suit repair kit to add a pocket on. Bill's right though, I wouldn't make that my only knife. As for keeping your knife on your belt, I don't like that idea. If your belt gets tangled on something or you have to dump it for some reason, then you're going to lose your knife as well. I know the odds of having to dump a belt and getting tangled may be slim, but if we knew the kind of accidents we may get involved in then.....well then we wouldn't get into them in the first place. I would worry that I'd get tangled up and drop my belt (thinking that was all that was tangled) and then realize that my leg or fin or whatever was also tangled, and then have no knife to cut myself out with.

I also have to say that (having been tangled underwater before) it's scary as all hell. I consider myself a calm and experienced diver and I rarely take stupid chances. But I had a line wrap around my leg and hold me down. I keep my knife on my calf. If I was calm I probably could have untangled myself without worry, but I freaked out and acted like a total rookie. I tried to untangle myself and when I couldn't do that in the first few seconds, I panicked and tried to swim for the surface. That only managed to tighten the line even more. Then I cut the line and made it topside. The point of the story is that you're not always going to think logically when stuff like this happens. So there is always the risk that you'll drop your belt (or knock your belt off in your panic if you have one of those buckles that takes barely a nudge to unlock) and then realize that you should have waited because now your knife is gone.

Best not to carry your knife on your belt. Better yet to carry more than one knife.
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Old 07-14-2010, 10:13 AM   #6
ArtemisGunn
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Re: Knife pocket and safety

on the arm
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