Happy New Year to All!
 
Carole M's friend has given her a very good tip on collecting shells
in general, not just venomous cones.
 
The experienced diver/collector usually has most, if not all, of
his/her flesh protected while in the ocean. This includes gloves
for the hands (leather surfaces for the grasping areas are highly
recommended) but these are no assurance that a cone's venom delivery
system would be thwarted, AND they make smaller shells difficult to
handle.
 
My 'collecting jar' is a small Rubbermaid(tm) container with a snap-
on lid (pick your most convenient size). With the lid in place, cut
an 'X' across the lid. This allows the collector to pick up a shell
and put it in the container with one (gloved) hand while the other
hand is: 1.) free (to ward off sharks, maybe) or 2.) is busy (being
mangled by a moray eel, perhaps). This method gives positive feedback
that the item has gone into the container because of the 'pop' of
the lid portions returning to normal after the shell is in.
 
To keep hands free, I make small holes in the outer lips of the
lid and container through which a small cord is passed and then
tied into a loop. The loop goes into a spring-loaded clip on my
buoyancy vest and allows me to pick up and store desired items...
with one hand... without looking at the container... and be certain
that the shell went in.
 
Try it, you'll like it!
 
Aloha,
 
makuabob (a.k.a. Bob Dayle)