Fixed blade mounted near the seat in your car/truck? Anyone do this?

[HornsKeith]

I found this thread about seat-belt cutters that people mount in their car, but I hadn't seen much about having a general-purpose fixed blade mounted close at hand in a vehicle (though its a hard thing to search for).

I was pondering getting a fully serrated sheath-mounted fixed blade and mounting the sheath next to the seat in my car. One possible mounting option I considered was (if its a small knife) to mount the sheath to the seatbelt stalk. This way, it'd easy to draw quickly on my right side (without having to fumble in the center console or open any lids).

The thinking behind a fully serrated knife was twofold. First, it'd be an effective knife for cutting seatbelts or otherwise working to extract people from a vehicle. Second, it might be a little more sheeple- and police-friendly while still offering me the possibility of using it in self defense. I feel like having a serrated knife mounted there might be less likely to be viewed as a concealed weapon.

If that's not a ridiculous plan, what would be a decent and reasonably priced fully serrated fixed blade? I'd think something short would be easier to mount without it getting in the way.

 

[HornsKeith]

With a bit more digging around the forum, it sounds like two of the more common things people keep in reach for these kinds of scenarios are the Benchmade Rescue Hook and the Life Hammer. I'll have to go handle a rescue hook at some point and see what I think. It would certainly be easy to mount near the driver.

I've also encountered at least five Gollnick posts where he warns people not to keep anything in the cabin that you don't want to be hit in the head with.

If I were to continue with the idea of a short, serrated fixed blade, I think the CRKT Bear Claw might not be a bad choice. Small, lightweight, and should be easy to mount without it being considered a nasty weapon.

 

[korbiaka]

I keep a Spyderco Rescue duct taped (lightly) to my steering column. I work on the road and have seen a lot of accidents, and want to be ready to help. I have been pulled over and questioned about the knife, and have only had a positive responce, I think it got me out of a ticket!

 

[rdelliott]

I've also encountered at least five Gollnick posts where he warns people not to keep anything in the cabin that you don't want to be hit in the head with.

Yeesh. I keep a 5-D cell Maglite in my car, in the map pouch on the driver's door. Hadn't thought about what it might do if it got loose in a crash. I'll have to figure out how to secure it better...

 

[Rat Finkenstein]

the Life Hammer is a POS.:thumbdn:

 

[T.K.C.]

That is an interesting question, and most thought provoking. I do not have a fixed blade mounted in truck. I DO keep one in the center console, along with TOPS CQT Magnum knife. And I ALWAYS have a knife on me. I have been thinking about adding a Spyderco Rescue knife for emergency use. I think I WILL definately get one of those at some point.

 

[mete]

I had asked a related question in 'gadgets and gear' because there had been a case in NJ where people had died after they had driven into water Neither occupants nor witnesses had the means to break the windows. I always have a knife and one in the truck but added an automatic centerpunch to break the windows . There ar e combination tools that break windows and cut seat belts on the market.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I keep a 17'' HI Chiruwa AK Villager Khukuri stuffed between the seats of my truck, does that count? It comes in handy in the winter for cutting windblown trees and such off the road, and keeps it from being buried in jumper cables, tow straps, flares, extra winter clothes, etc. behind the seat.

When I worked and commuted in Anchorage I used to keep a Spyderco Perrin beside the seat for me for self defense. Then the one night I really could have used it, I freaked out so bad I forgot it was there.

I used to keep a sheepsfoot blade handy back in the EMT days. A real sleeper was the Mini-Dyad by Spyderco. Overall though, I personally feel that people are waaaayyy too eager to cut seatbelts in auto accidents, and my most frequent issue, even now as a good samaritan is keeping accident victims IN the vehicle. (dependent of course on the mechanism of injury, and extent of damage) That way they aren't aggravating any potential spinal injuries, getting hit by passing cars, wandering off, or getting into conflict with another driver. The seatbelt also restrains them if they start siezing, or even better, trying to hurt you! (no, they don't often think to just push the tab...)

That being said though, I once did and still do love cutting seatbelts, once it's time to begin extrication. It verifies to cops and insurance companies that "yes, this seatbelt was being worn at the time of the accident..."

I no longer carry a specialized blade though. I do just fine covering the point of my regular folder with my index finger when making a cut. If someone's thrashing around bad enough to where I can't do that, I'm not gonna take on the liability of having ANY kind of open edge near them anyways. (although the Rescue Hook would really shine in those instances)

 

[Colorado_Outdoorsman]

Overall though, I personally feel that people are waaaayyy too eager to cut seatbelts in auto accidents, and my most frequent issue, even now as a good Samaritan is keeping accident victims IN the vehicle. (dependent of course on the mechanism of injury, and extent of damage) That way they aren't aggravating any potential spinal injuries, getting hit by passing cars, wandering off, or getting into conflict with another driver. The seatbelt also restrains them if they start seizing, or even better, trying to hurt you! (no, they don't often think to just push the tab...)

I do just fine covering the point of my regular folder with my index finger when making a cut.

If someone's thrashing around bad enough to where I can't do that, I'm not gonna take on the liability of having ANY kind of open edge near them anyways. (although the Rescue Hook would really shine in those instances)

Well said and I agree wholeheartedly... Have cut a few seatbelts in my day... had to extricate a lady once... she was ummmm "large" when she engaged the belt it became jammed and no amount of working it would allow it to disengage... I could not slip a blade between the PT as the belt was that tight... I used a Benchmade Rescue Hook and she was out...

I now carry a Leatherman Charge XTi with its hook it allows me the same advantage as the rescue hook and a few other tools as well...

And...

I've also encountered at least five Gollnick posts where he warns people not to keep anything in the cabin that you don't want to be hit in the head with.

Again this is sage advice... the company I work for has a rule about "Cab Clutter"...

 

[muzzleup]

Behind my drivers side visor is a Cold Steel push dagger velcrod to the visor. On the front of that visor behind the registration holder is a Al Mar "Wild Hair". Between the center console and the passengers front seat is a Boker Applegate/Fairbairn double edge.

Ciao
muzzleup

 

[TorzJohnson]

Take a look at this page at BuyBrown Sheaths. At the bottom of the page you can see how David Brown hooked up a fixed blade in his truck with some velcro. Looks simple and fool proof to me.

 

[Lone Hunter]

I'm with Runs With Scissors and Colorado Outdoorsman. If you want to do it though, I think you need to re think its location. I remmeber when seatbelts used to have the buckle between the door and seat. The reason it not there anymore is because doors often get driven into the seat.

 

[[digidude]]

My Dad keeps one in the car in the back seat (theres a place on both rear seats where one can put papars, maps etc.) It was knice to have one time when I was alone in the car and a few "gangsters" started showing interest in a lone dude (me) sitting in a car with the engine running. Plus I was on the passanger side.

 

[wetdog1911]

I had asked a related question in 'gadgets and gear' because there had been a case in NJ where people had died after they had driven into water Neither occupants nor witnesses had the means to break the windows. I always have a knife and one in the truck but added an automatic centerpunch to break the windows . There ar e combination tools that break windows and cut seat belts on the market.

We have this quite often down here, something like 30-50 people/year die from going into water and that's just in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. A 7 mile drive to work has canals on one side or the other for at least 5 miles.

A neighbor and his daughter died on her first driving lesson when she missed a turn and went into a canal.

I carry a very thick Busse on my belt, crossdraw, where the handle rides above the seatbelt JUST for this reason. Not serrated, but sharp and the exposed tang will work on the side window. I also have a center punch taped to the steering column and another in the center consol, but upside down in a 30' deep canal ..........

It's scary and very real.

Rob

 

[HornsKeith]

Well, instead of buying a new knife for this, I thought I'd try it with my Swick first instead. Here's what it looks like:

It seems to be fairly secure, and I'm more apt to trust the Swick sheath than something like a CRKT Bear Claw for now. I'll drive around a bit with it like this and see how I like it.

If I remount it later, I may try tilting it forward a little, which would make it easier to grab while wearing the seatbelt.

 

[puukkoman]

Fixed blade mounted near the seat in your car/truck? Anyone do this?

Nope, I don't want to be arrested.