SEAWEED FORAGING GEAR
If you are going to harvest seaweed you need a few tools. I have to admit trying out new hand tools is one of the best parts of this hobby. After years of doing this both commercially and recreationally, I have a few solid recommendations and am always posting about new stuff.
The best tool for harvesting seaweed via foraging (i.e. cutting off the rocks) that I have found so far are grape shears. They are safe to crawl around the rocks with and are excellent for precision cuts and shaping of the seaweed.
My favorite after trying many brands are the FELCO 310. These are stainless and Swiss made. They are a good value and routinely last me two years with weekly use. I’ve tried several other brands and they tend to rust up fairly quickly. I don’t use a holster for mine but some people love using a holster. Click on the picture below to get a FELCO 310.
The best part of using the Felco 310 snips is that while saltwater always wins, The pin holding the two blades together always rusts out first, leaving the snips intact. It is very easy to go down to the local hardware store and buy a new stainless or nylon screw and a lock nut and bring the shears back to life. A riveted shear needs to be thrown away.