Dive Knives

Dive Knives and Cutters

A dive knife is not intended to be used as a weapon or to harm marine life. It is a safety device, carried in the event you need to cut through an entanglement. They are affordable and small and while you may never need one, it could save your life (or the life of a marine animal) one day. For more information, tips and advice see our Dive Knives Guide.

Knives – a dive knife will usually come in a plastic or hard material sheath (like nylon or Kydex) which has a safety locking device.  They mount on BCD hoses or pockets while some have a leg strap.  Dive knives have a straight edge which can be used for slicing through items like small ropes while a serrated edge is good for sawing through kelp or fabric. They may also have a small notch for cutting through fishing line and will be either sharp or blunt tipped. Dive knives are made from a corrosion-resistant material such as marine grade steel or titanium to prevent oxidisation. They can also have a EPD (electro-deposit primer) coating. We have a wide selection manufactured by Aqua Lung, Scubapro, Mares and Tusa.

Line cutters – these are ideal for cutting monofilament, heavy duty fishing line and webbing material. A cutting tool can be attached to your harness, computer strap or a BCD. They should be stowed safety but be easily retrieved in an emergency. They are small, sharp and made of high-quality marine-grade materials such as stainless steel, titanium or even ceramics.  They usually come in a pouch and can have more than one type of cutting edge.  At Mike’s we love these ones from Mares and Maniago.

Scissors/Shears: shears are low profile and as such are favoured by technical divers. They can be stowed on the wrist or on harness webbing. Similar to EMT shears in design, they have oversized handle grips which give more control when cutting. They are usually held in place with Velcro in a nylon safety pouch with a bungee attachment.  This makes them easy to deploy.  We have a good range of scissors and shears by Hollis and Aqua Lung