Here's another rescue knife review for you. Although Camillus has been out of business for some time now, you can still find a lot of their wares in on-line stores. This one is the Lev-R-Lok Rescue, model 5851. It wasn't as popular as the other Lev-R-Lok models because it's got a rounded tip, but that didn't stop me from buying four of them. They're also the issued knife for our Fire Department. You can find these tools on-line new-in-the-box for around $40. On with the review.
The Handle: The Lev-R-Lok Rescue (I'm going to refer to it in this review as simply the "Rescue") has a black Zytel handle, which is 4" long and 1/2" wide (not counting the lever). The handles have checkering on them, much like a gun pattern. The right side is blank and just has this checkering and a Camillus shield on the blade pivot area; the left side has the lever.
Let me explain this lever and how it works. It's a piece of metal, 1-1/2" long, flattened on the free end so you can put your finger there. When closed, the lever is toward the blade. Thumb it back towards the spine, and the blade flies open into the locked position. It's not an assisted opener; the mechanism is inside the handle and has no springs. It's entirely mechanical. You push the lever back and the blade opens.
It's a neat way of doing the whole quick-opening thing, and it does get the blade out fast and easy. Even with turnout gloves on. Unfortunately, the lever also sticks out another 1/4" from the handle, making it bulky and catch on things.
There is a lanyard hole in the butt, and it's lined with stainless steel. It'a large enough to stick two lengths of non-gutted 550 cord in.
The other downside is there's no pocket clip. Without one, you're pretty much stuck with putting a lanyard on this rescue knife and attaching it to whatever is handy. The light ring on your turnout coat would be good, or maybe a belt loop.
In use, the Rescue feels good and sturdy. One of those "ergonomic" knives that everybody likes. I don't like the short length of the handle though, since it's supposed to be a rescue knife and I'd like a bit more space to choke up on if I ever have to break a window with this thing. Even so, it's a nice, compact size.
The blade locks open via lockback, and it's positioned on the back of the handle near the butt. Mine has just a tiny bit of side-to-side blade play, but nothing front-to-back. It's not noticeable unless I'm trying to notice it, if that makes sense. On both sides of the blade pivot there is a circular shield with the Camillus Lev-R-Lok logo, and the blade pivot is not adjustable at all. The entire knife is non-adjustable, as it's a pinned design.
The Blade: The Rescue's blade is 3" long with 2-3/8" of scalloped serrations. These aren't like traditional Spyderco or Cold Steel serrations; they're all the same size and shape, close together. Scalloped. The blade is deeply hollow ground and is 1/8" thick, tapering to 1/16" thick at the tip. The front 3/8" of the blade (the tip) is rounded so you don't injure your patient while cutting his seatbelt. The blade, as far as I can tell, is made of 420HC steel. Mine (all of them) came extremely sharp, and I was able to pick out any individual serration I wanted and slice paper with it. Both sides of the blade are ground (hollow ground as mentioned before) but only the left side is sharpened.
Using the Rescue was easy, yet I wish the blade was a bit longer and just a tiny bit thicker. I found it flexing under the tension of a seatbelt, and I just don't like this.
Overall, the Lev-R-Lok Rescue knife is an okay tool to have. The missing pocket clip and bulky lever make it uncomfortable to carry or use, despite the blade being of the right shape and sharpness. As great as Camillus was, I'm disappointed with the Lev-R-Lok concept. The Lev-R-Lok Rescue waits in my car in the trunk, tethered to a light and a window punch just in case I ever need to extricate another motorist. I'm sad to say that's all I can do with it.
The Handle: The Lev-R-Lok Rescue (I'm going to refer to it in this review as simply the "Rescue") has a black Zytel handle, which is 4" long and 1/2" wide (not counting the lever). The handles have checkering on them, much like a gun pattern. The right side is blank and just has this checkering and a Camillus shield on the blade pivot area; the left side has the lever.
Let me explain this lever and how it works. It's a piece of metal, 1-1/2" long, flattened on the free end so you can put your finger there. When closed, the lever is toward the blade. Thumb it back towards the spine, and the blade flies open into the locked position. It's not an assisted opener; the mechanism is inside the handle and has no springs. It's entirely mechanical. You push the lever back and the blade opens.
It's a neat way of doing the whole quick-opening thing, and it does get the blade out fast and easy. Even with turnout gloves on. Unfortunately, the lever also sticks out another 1/4" from the handle, making it bulky and catch on things.
There is a lanyard hole in the butt, and it's lined with stainless steel. It'a large enough to stick two lengths of non-gutted 550 cord in.
The other downside is there's no pocket clip. Without one, you're pretty much stuck with putting a lanyard on this rescue knife and attaching it to whatever is handy. The light ring on your turnout coat would be good, or maybe a belt loop.
In use, the Rescue feels good and sturdy. One of those "ergonomic" knives that everybody likes. I don't like the short length of the handle though, since it's supposed to be a rescue knife and I'd like a bit more space to choke up on if I ever have to break a window with this thing. Even so, it's a nice, compact size.
The blade locks open via lockback, and it's positioned on the back of the handle near the butt. Mine has just a tiny bit of side-to-side blade play, but nothing front-to-back. It's not noticeable unless I'm trying to notice it, if that makes sense. On both sides of the blade pivot there is a circular shield with the Camillus Lev-R-Lok logo, and the blade pivot is not adjustable at all. The entire knife is non-adjustable, as it's a pinned design.
The Blade: The Rescue's blade is 3" long with 2-3/8" of scalloped serrations. These aren't like traditional Spyderco or Cold Steel serrations; they're all the same size and shape, close together. Scalloped. The blade is deeply hollow ground and is 1/8" thick, tapering to 1/16" thick at the tip. The front 3/8" of the blade (the tip) is rounded so you don't injure your patient while cutting his seatbelt. The blade, as far as I can tell, is made of 420HC steel. Mine (all of them) came extremely sharp, and I was able to pick out any individual serration I wanted and slice paper with it. Both sides of the blade are ground (hollow ground as mentioned before) but only the left side is sharpened.
Using the Rescue was easy, yet I wish the blade was a bit longer and just a tiny bit thicker. I found it flexing under the tension of a seatbelt, and I just don't like this.
Overall, the Lev-R-Lok Rescue knife is an okay tool to have. The missing pocket clip and bulky lever make it uncomfortable to carry or use, despite the blade being of the right shape and sharpness. As great as Camillus was, I'm disappointed with the Lev-R-Lok concept. The Lev-R-Lok Rescue waits in my car in the trunk, tethered to a light and a window punch just in case I ever need to extricate another motorist. I'm sad to say that's all I can do with it.
