Benchmade EMT tool help

Blacklungs

Blacklungs

Joined
Mar 26, 2014
Messages
41
I am an EMT student about to start my final semester before being certified as an EMT, I had found an older version of the Benchmade 5 HOOK (http://www.benchmade.com/rescue-hooks/5-hook.html) on ebay which has the "seatbelt cutter", though from what I have been told and use as, is a great clothes stripper on patients, as well as having a built in o2 tank key which comes in handy when someone decided to pocket the actual key at school when not using newer models that have built in "keys". Anyways, my question is what is the best way to sharpen the blade part on one of these?
s-l500.jpg

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Hello Santa Rosa, from Walnut Creek now in VA. A rat tail file, maybe diamond encrusted, would do nicely. Watch the burr on the other side. File that lightly too. That's a very handy tool, I carry one in my travels.
 
Get a wooden dowel at your local hardware store or even craft store. Use 3M Super 77 and glue on sandpaper. You will have a good shaped sandpaper stick. Get a good pair of shears, you'll use them more often.
 
If you are unsure about your sharpening skills.


Buy another one.
This way you can have a sharp one on hand while the other
is at BM getting new teeth.
 
You can get an inexpensive crock stick style sharpener and just pull one of the rods through the hooks edge.
 
The best way is to send them back to Benchmade.

Otherwise drop the cash on a worksharp belt sharpener

Put the 6000 grit belt on

And flex the belt into the notch.

Luckily, they don't get used very often, should stay sharp for a long time.
 
Since your shears will take most of the work, I'd rely on sending it in. Its the kind of thing you want to work every time.

To be honest, you will use the wrench and bottle opener much more than the cutter, but that's okay. It always feels good to have options, (but don't complicate your life, remember your backup) its probably best for long cuts where pulling doesn't matter as much, like rapidly getting the leather off someone, but I'd never want to be using it on a conscious patient if the clothing was on an unstable fracture area, the shears let you keep them far more still. But it all depends on the situation, and like I said, always good to have options.

If you do want to sharpen, I'd go with Skimo's method. you will be able to get a much more reliable edge with a fitted dowel rod. Very fine wet/dry automotive paper, and to sharpen the "back" side, just lay it flat on a stone to take the burr off.
 
I know a lot of EMTs and not one of them use these rescue hooks. They all use trauma shears. Once you pass the cuff at the bottom, you catch the seam on the side and away you go. One snip and seatbelts are gone. For passengers and such, these things might be better, hang them off a keychain or similar.
 
RevDevil said:
I know a lot of EMTs and not one of them use these rescue hooks. They all use trauma shears. Once you pass the cuff at the bottom, you catch the seam on the side and away you go. One snip and seatbelts are gone. For passengers and such, these things might be better, hang them off a keychain or similar.
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My experience with EMTs as well. I do carry a hook though, I'd hate to see what happens if my knife slips or I mess up cutting a seat belt or clothing. I chose the one with long handle in case I need to remove boots or for whatever reason have a bit more reach.
 
Skimo said:
My experience with EMTs as well. I do carry a hook though, I'd hate to see what happens if my knife slips or I mess up cutting a seat belt or clothing. I chose the one with long handle in case I need to remove boots or for whatever reason have a bit more reach.
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The departments I am familiar with in Southern AZ will terminate your employment if you use your personal knife and you injure a patient, aside from lawsuits and such. They have policies regarding that. A patient sees a knife, flips out in the gurney and gets cut, it's all over but the crying and pain and suffering and damages legal issue. Those hooks are better for unzipping/dressing after a successful hunt. Most of the guys I've asked refer to those things are trinkets, not tools. ;)
 
I'm a PM/FF and carry a 5 hook on my belt and a 7 hook in my bunker gear. There are more and more guys carrying them in our dept. They work great and are safe. Haven't had to sharpen either of mine yet after several years but I use them solely for cutting clothes, seat belts, etc. My most used one, the 5, has probably been used about 15 times and still seems very sharp.
 
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