My wife and I and our son are going to Bonaire for the first time in August. I have always carried a dive knife when diving just as I have always worn gloves when diving. Leaving either behind would be like forgetting my snorkel. I know I can't wear my gloves, but are knives allowed. It seems to make logical sense that if gloves are banned, knives would be also.

Gerry,

You can take your knife. But no worries if you leave it at home, I only had to use it twice on Bonaire, both times to free a fish from a (broken) fishing line.

Martin

(Message edited by martin_w on June 14, 2005)

Gerry consider a pair of shears instead of a knife. When you cut a line with a knife you have to pull the line, not something you want to do if you are tangled. With shears you do not have to pull the line, they can also cut through steal leaders which a knife can not do.

Like Martin I have only used them on Bonaire for freeing fish and coral from leftover fishing gear.

What kind of shears are recommended?

Surgical shears - also sold under the trade name "Sea Snips". I never dive without mine.

Here's a cheap place to get them:

http://www.galls.com/style.html?assort=general_catalog&style=IN700

The Sea Snips are quite a bit more, but come with a sheath you can attach to your BC. I find that they rust to the point where the rivet gives way after about a year of regular diving.

Jake

What Jake said. I have the Sea Snips and they are rusting but I run a wire brush over them once a year to clean up the rust. I have used them on monofilament many times, steal leaders a few times and a thick anchor rope once. They do work great and they are always clipped to my BCD on the left side for a quick grab with my right hand.

I also have the sea snips and they are still like the day I bought them. I coat them with a thin layer of silicone grease before my dive vacations put them in there sheath, and if I have a need to use them I rinse them in fresh water let them dry and re-coat.

We call those trauma shears Jake...they carry them at most surgical supply houses for about $3-$4. Very good at snipping almost anything and they come with a big variety of handle colors!

Babs,

do you have a web sight for them???

Tod - use the link I gave earlier in this thread. Galls's is a medical supply house.

Jake

Most medical supply houses should have trauma shears. There will be medical supply houses in most midsize and larger towns/cities and most sell to the general public. Try the yellow pages under Medical Supply and see what you can find.
Andy

don't buy the cheap ones from Dive Rite - they are flimsy & not sharp.

The ones that come from medical supply houses are good quality and also sharp. They are made to cut clothing, zippers, jeans and etc in Emergency Rooms and by Paramedics in the field. They have to be able cut anything that is in the way of treatment.
Andy