Best Choices for Firefighter Carry?

Ray thanks for the heads up. I put in bedsprings as the guy asking the question did. I'm sure he's just listing things he could get hung up in and to show how one needs a knife that can do more than cut webbing.

I carry wire cutters because in buildings there are miles of wire above you. Computers, cable, phone, foil wrapped wire heat ducts etc.

To me a knife is a backup prying/cutting tool FB for me please.
 
Ditto on the pliers/wire cutters. I got caught up once and it was all I could do not to freak right out. I was able to untangle myself with the help of a buddy, but man oh man it didin't feel good. Buddy and I say "I didn't panic, but I could see him from where I was..":D
 
Wassup my fellow fire fighter, by reading your post, you are looking for a

Self-rescue knife (for punching through walls and windows)

4"-7" length fixed blade (hand/arm may be pinned or injured, auto-openers are illegal)

Will be using with thick fire fighting leather gloves (no folder)

In the $100 price range

I believe this ka-bar fit you description, the handle is big enough for your glove, ~$60 thru internet store, blade is almost 1/4 thick to go thru walls and
windows, it is 1095 carbon steel so you need to maintain it or it will rust.

bestknives_1934_4447007


Weight: 0.74 lbs.
Length: Blade length 5 3/8", Overall length 10 1/4"
Shape: Warthog
Edge Angle: 20 Degrees
Steel: 1095 Carbon
Grind: Hollow
Handle Material: Kraton G
HRC:56-58
Butt Cap /Guard: Pwdrd Metal/1095 Carbon
Country Mft'd: Knife Made in USA, Plastic Sheath Made in Taiwan

perpster said:
Looking for a knife to get me out of a jam in a structural fire. Because thick gloves are worn, one hand/arm may be pinned or injured, and auto-openers are illegal in my jurisdiction it will have to be a fixed blade in the 4"-7" range (give or take). Its main use would be to cut me or a fellow firefighter out of an entanglement (electrical wires, matress box springs, cords, etc.), but could also be used for punching through walls and windows if fire tools are lost or not available. It will have to stand up to rough treatment and exposure to, what else, water, without being dried off each time. Money IS an object, so it has to be in the $100 price range, give or take, max. I have one of the newer USGI bayonets, but to use the wire cutter you have to manipulate the oval onto the sheath stud. This would be way too cumbersome in zero visibility, and I should add that the sheath would be secured in the chest area of my outer "turnout" coat and detaching the sheath would be highly impractical under the conditions envisioned. I should also add that I carry a wire cutter and folder blade but they are in a leg pocket and not as easily grabbable as a fixed blade on my chest would be.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.
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This thread is providing some great info. Thanks to all that have posted!

BTW, I think of beds as the quicksand of a fire ground. Unburnt they've got blankets and sheets that can tangle you up. Burnt they've got hundreds of "claws" of metal that can puncture and lock onto you. Also a dangerous source of backdraft.

I always carry wirecutters, but they're in a leg pocket--not always easy to access. I love my LM Wave, but I don't kid myself that I could reach and deploy it in an entanglement situation.
 
For quick deploying pliers the gerbers are the best, they just snap open I have never used a faster opening pocket tool
 
This thread is starting to get old, but I wanted to mention Ranger knives to you guys - the RD7 is one tough blade for right at $100. I'd rather pay a few extra bucks and get something made by hand from a guy that puts a lot of attention in to his craft versus going w/ some mass produced production knife.

Specs - 7.5" blade, micarta grips (brown or black are standard, but upgrades come cheap), 1/4" thick 5160 steel - Justin at Ranger does all sorts of mods on the stock blade for real cheap too - check out the ranger forum inside of knifeforums.com to see more of his work. I have 3 knives made by Justin - 2 of which are semi custom (great prices), and I'm sure I'll end up getting more.
 
The more I have looked into this topic the more it seems that sharpened pry bar type knives are more what is needed than a traditional knife blade. Maybe I'll carry both.:thumbup:

rrg991981 & diceman: do you have a link to the model you're talking about?

Thanks.
 
Did anyone mention the Becker Knife & Tool TacTool yet? That tool, coupled with a decent set of wire cutters should get you out of most situations. Otherwise, I suggest spending the extra $$ and getting a Biel tool.
 
I'm fairly confused about this post. On page 2, you get a recommendation for the MAK-1, which you then claim to have designed. If you designed it, then why are you asking for a knife that do what you've already designed a knife to do? Just unsure if you misread, or I misread, or if you really did design the MAK-1 and are still looking for a better knife.

mike
 
Personally I carry a CRKT m16-14T. It's decent with rust, I pull it out every 2-3 fires and put a little mobil-1 syn on the blade and knife. It's very easy to open with heavy gloves, it's ~9.5 open. I can puncture and cut through sheetrock with it.

edit: I know it's a folder. I'm simply saying what I carry and like. Personally I wouldn't be caught dead with a fixed blade stapped to me, with my SCBA and whatever other stuff I have strapped to me, I have enough to worry about getting caught on stuff and or pulled off.
 
JackBauer24 said:
edit: I know it's a folder. I'm simply saying what I carry and like. Personally I wouldn't be caught dead with a fixed blade stapped to me, with my SCBA and whatever other stuff I have strapped to me, I have enough to worry about getting caught on stuff and or pulled off.
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The Wilson Coptool is in its sheath inside my pocket. It's not larger than an average size pocket knife, but would blow away any folder for ease of use and strength. For what it's worth, I wouldn't carry a larger fixed blade as I think it would be overkill.
 
flipe8 said:
The Wilson Coptool is in its sheath inside my pocket. It's not larger than an average size pocket knife, but would blow away any folder for ease of use and strength. For what it's worth, I wouldn't carry a larger fixed blade as I think it would be overkill.
Click to expand...

that's cool, I was just thinking the thread starter had mentioned keeping it on the outside.
 
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