Emergency blade for fireman

L

Locust

Joined
Sep 30, 2008
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539
A good friend of mine is a volunteer firefighter. Recently he said he thinks it's finally time to get a knife. He stated he wanted a folder that is double edged plain on one side, and serrated on the other. Also he keeps pointing out that he is allowed to use an auto if he wishes. To top it all off he wants it to be cheap enough to replace since it has a high chance of being destroyed or lost.
Initially I recommended a fixed blade, but he says it will get caught on things. The only folders I could think of were the Byrd Cara Cara and the Black Hawk rescue hook. I'll also try giving the Spyderco assist a push. He told me that the blades I suggested looked to hard to operate "if you are on fire with smoke in your eyes." I pointed out that a reliable auto would cost way too much and his blade shape sounds like a great way to get cut. He will now consider a fixed blade.
Can anyone out there with more knowledge on firefighting offer a suggestion?
 
Award-winning Victorinox Rescue Tool
[youtube]LFiThyHoTVo[/youtube]
 
Sep said:
Award-winning Victorinox Rescue Tool
[youtube]LFiThyHoTVo[/youtube]
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+1 on the rescue tool. I have a few friends that are firefighters and emts. They all swear by the knife for being very useful in rescue situations.
 
The problem with cheap autos is that they are cheap and usually do not last long. Especially with all the crap that is floating around in pockets (dirt, lint, etc.).
I'd recommend something that can be opened with gloves easily, and that does not have to be sharpened a whole lot, maybe an AO knife.

Having a double edged blade is kind of dangerous especially in the event of a fire. One wrong move is all it takes. Most of the firefighters I know use shroud cutters and trauma shears. Patients usually freak out when you whip out a knife and start removing clothing etc. Just my $.02
 
My son is a fireman and carries his red Severtech. Heavy duty, sharp, pointy for window busting, and one handed.
 
Oh, I forgot to mention that Victorinox Rescue Tool can be had for around $56. It's not cheap enough to be flimsy (it's a Victorinox afterall), but cheap enough you won't cry too much if you lose / damage it.
 
Two knives that you may want to check into are the SOG Mini Pentagon and the CRKT Russ Kommer Bear Claw Rescue (Serrated, blunt tip) Both great knives....fixed blades.
 
I am a firefighter and didn't understand about your friend using a knife "with smoke in his eyes."
I carry a Benchmade 9050 everyday, including at work. I have not needed my knife while inside a fire. I would not be able to get to it anyway, it is clipped to my pocket under my bunker gear. If I get tangled up in wires, I pull out my wire cutters that are carried in my bunker coat.
Any reputable knife will do for firefighting tasks. My knife is mainly used around the station for various cutting tasks. It has only been used a few times during rescues, we have EMS shears to handle cutting clothing and seatbelts.
 
fltim said:
I am a firefighter and didn't understand about your friend using a knife "with smoke in his eyes."
I carry a Benchmade 9050 everyday, including at work. I have not needed my knife while inside a fire. I would not be able to get to it anyway, it is clipped to my pocket under my bunker gear. If I get tangled up in wires, I pull out my wire cutters that are carried in my bunker coat.
Any reputable knife will do for firefighting tasks. My knife is mainly used around the station for various cutting tasks. It has only been used a few times during rescues, we have EMS shears to handle cutting clothing and seatbelts.
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+1 I cant ever remember using a knife in a fire. On calls always used either trauma shears or a Benchmade Rescue Hook. Also is an auto knife even leagal in your area? If he wants something for fast deployment think of something with a thumb hole then just use a zip tie and use that as a modified 'wave' feature.
 
I'm a knifenut and a firefighter and I've carried all sorts of knives while working - Benchmade AFO, Buck 110 auto, Sebenza, Ultratech, Busse Game Warden, Swamp Rat Bandicoot, Graham Pocket Kukri, and currently an XM-18.

The one that gets the most use is the multi-tool. A Vic spirit to be exact.

If your friend doesn't have a multi-tool, start there. If he still decides to get a knife (and I don't blame him, since the knives on multi tools are just not as handy as a folder or small fixed blade) any reputable one-hand opening folder should do the job.
 
Locust said:
A good friend of mine is a volunteer firefighter. Recently he said he thinks it's finally time to get a knife. He stated he wanted a folder that is double edged plain on one side, and serrated on the other. Also he keeps pointing out that he is allowed to use an auto if he wishes. To top it all off he wants it to be cheap enough to replace since it has a high chance of being destroyed or lost.
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Are you sure he's not a hired assassin looking for something disposable?
 
Hi,

+2! I have never figured out I would ever get a knife out and use it in my turnouts, SCBA, and gloves.

In 16+ years of being an EMT/firefighter, I've never needed a knife on scene. We've got way better toys/tools than anything you can pull out of your pocket. And you should really be using them. And as an EMT, I don't want anything sharp or pointy next to my patient, we're already having a bad enough day. I don't need some fool with a knife panicking them more than they are already.

I do carry a knife and often a multi-tool. And so do most of the other guys on the department. But not for use at a scene. Mostly I carry a slip-joint. Either a Barlow or a medium Stockman or Canoe. But I have carried a Leek a couple of times. And the ultimate tactical -- a Peanut.

I do have a Vic Rescue tool that I was given as a gift from my Wife when they first came out. Best $25 dollar knife money can buy for $60 in my opinion. As much as I like my SAK's, I wouldn't bet a cur's life on a Rescue Tool when the chips were truly down.

dalee
 
Thanks for the advice guys. I'll let him know about wire cutters. He doesn't want this to use to rescue others. He wants it in case he gets tangled up in a fire.

Guyon said:
Are you sure he's not a hired assassin looking for something disposable?
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Quite sure. He's a good guy just pathologically cheap. He also knows nothing about blades and probably got caught up in what he thinks is cool/useful.
 
Locust said:
Thanks for the advice guys. I'll let him know about wire cutters. He doesn't want this to use to rescue others. He wants it in case he gets tangled up in a fire.
Locust said:
Wire cutters will help him get untangled. I have a pair that are carried in my bunker coat, in the radio pocket. They are tied to the coat with some 550 cord so I won't drop them.
RIT classes teach this. Knives are used mostly around the station for normal cutting tasks.
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Im a retired firefighter and never used a knife at an emergency, although I always carried one. A plier based multitool would have come in handy.
 
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