A young trainee asked me why I still use a rope knife from 1998

Was running a job out of Port Canaveral last week and this kid, maybe 22, watched me cut a snagged line with my old wooden-handled knife. He asked why I hadn't upgraded to one of those fancy ceramic blades. Told him I've replaced the handle twice and the steel still takes an edge, and that got me thinking about how much gear I've kept out of habit versus actual need. Anyone else holding onto kit that's older than their dive partners?

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roses692mo ago

My dive computer is from 2004 and the strap is held together with electrical tape, but it's never lied to me about depth, so we have an understanding. Replaced the battery once and the guy at the shop asked if I wanted a new one for "safety reasons" and I told him the same thing I tell the kids: if it ain't broke, it's just seasoned. Honestly, the real upgrade would be my knees, but I can't exactly swap those out at the dive shop either.

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