Glass breakers and "rescue" knives

Y

youfoundnemo

Joined
Feb 5, 2009
Messages
74
I was wondering why it is that all of the rescue knives have poor blade geometry? I want a normal blade shape and a glass breaker in a folding knife, it surely isn't that hard to design, yet every manufacturer has come up with safety features to dumb down our (fire/rescue professionals) tools and "make us safer". Do they not understand that cutting a seatbelt doesn't require a seatbelt cutter (and that their a PITA) or that a sharp knife should be.... SHARP! For cutting clothes and other medical nonsense we have wonder shears. But when we need a knife its usually for cutting... or prying :o something small, with precision.

Can someone direct me where I can find a real knife, with a glass breaker or the carbide tips (most likely threaded on one side) so I can drill and tap my own knife. I am sick and tired of the knife industries current offerings :confused:
 
Don't know what to suggest, but I agree with your blade comment. If a rescue personnel can't control a blade and needs a safety knife, then they shouldn't be in that profession. When somebody is saving my life, I could care less about being pricked by a sharp tip. Better alive with a hole then dead and intact.
 
How about this one? It is called "reality based blade" so it must be legit!

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Zero Tolerance 0360.skd

Problem is that the production is on hold while KAI revamps their factory. The 0360.skd is a modified 0350 with a carbide glass breaker.
 
The CRK Umnumzaan has an integral and unobtrusive glass breaker while still retaining a "normal" blade shape. Be ready to shell out over $400 though.

It actually works pretty well, but my only complaint is that glass shards end up in the pivot area. On the other hand, if you were ever actually in a situation in which a glass breaker really was needed, I'm sure that that would be the least of your worries.
 
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the gerber 06 auto is a helluva knife... fondled one once. i just dont like the aluminum handle material and the blade steel. give me that knife in a titanium handle and a tough steel...im sold! im not a fan of gerbers either. the backspacer is brought passed the handle to make a pommel/glass breaker
06auto.jpg
 
the rescue blur is nice but it has the goofy safety blade on it. I have been wanting a similar knife to what youfoundnemo is looking for and the Kershaw fb people said there were planning on producing a blur with the glass breaker and a normal blade. If it doesn't happen soon enough I plan on getting a rescue and swapping blades.
 
I don't know how OP feels about serrations, but the spyderco "assist" comes to mind. It is 80% serrated with a blunt tip which, if i'm not mistaken, was partial designed for a bit of prying. It also has a retractable glass breaker that extends when squeezing the already closed blade into the handle. One resides in my car. Check it out and see if the blade is suitable to your needs.
 
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BobSig said:
the rescue blur is nice but it has the goofy safety blade on it. I have been wanting a similar knife to what youfoundnemo is looking for and the Kershaw fb people said there were planning on producing a blur with the glass breaker and a normal blade. If it doesn't happen soon enough I plan on getting a rescue and swapping blades.
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because it should...No rescue knife IMO should be limited to a single blade with only a pointed blade. If you want to carry a pointed blade knife at least make sure you still have a blunt tip somewhere on you for back-up. Last thing you want to do is cut someone's arm or leg to pieces tangled up in netting, rope, etc,(rope entrapment) cutting circulation off while fighting raging flood waters.
 
But when we need a knife its usually for cutting... or prying :o something small, with precision.
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Yup. Carry any nice knife you like.

Can someone direct me where I can find a real knife, with a glass breaker or the carbide tips (most likely threaded on one side) so I can drill and tap my own knife. I am sick and tired of the knife industries current offerings :confused:
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Forget about the glass breaker. If you need to break some glass bring a forcible entry tool.
 
Probably not what you're looking for but the Benchmade Triage seems like a well designed knife. The blade geometry looks pretty good and it should take a nice edge and cut well. It has some what of a usable point while still keeping a sturdy tip. Has a glass-breaker and a seatbelt cutter that you probably wouldn't notice in normal use.

Also, I was under the impression that the sheepsfoot blade was generally used on these type of knives not to keep the user safe, but to help keep the person who's being rescued safe, as they may be agitated or struggling in some way.
The seatbelt cutter seems reasonable as it ensures that there's always a razor sharp edge avalible and it further reduces the risk to the victim.
 
No offense to the original post, however, we should consider that the design on rescue knives is based on the experiences of EMT's, Firemen, and Military paramedics.

For sure, giving the case, you can use any knife to cut a seatbelt or to free a person entangled in any kind of webbing or rope, although it's actually a fact that you are going to hurt him. In an emergency situation, no matter how experienced you are, you are not really going to have a steady hand as you struggle to free a trapped person (you have to consider most rescues are done against time, with smoke/water/dirt/fire around you) that's where a recue tool comes into play, it allows you to be precise and protect the person your are helping.

Take for instance a person with a broken ankle, you are gonna have to remove his boot in order to immobilize it, try cutting thorugh a boot with a sharp point knife without causing more damage or moving the injured area. Been there, and the best tools to do that are safety cutters. Benchmade makes very good ones, even the one by Gerber is quite good.

If you want something more versatile, try the Spyderco Rescue 79mm or the Benchmade 915 Triage.
 
Heck, the latest "rescue" I had to do was cutting a kid's basketball shorts that were wrapped around the wheels in his seat in the rowing shell. All I had was a BM tanto mini grip on me since shears wouldn't fit in, and put my thumb on the blade's tip to protect his leg. I sure do wish I'd had my usual blunt tipped knife for that, as I ended up poking a hole in my thumb, but I'm glad I did since otherwise it would have been that poor kids leg.

Most uses are not cutting people out of cars that are flipped upside down and on fire where a nick here or there is understandable collateral damage. But if you just want an edc with a glass breaker why not the DPX Hest, or but a rescue blur and a standard blur and swap blades and lock bars? Pretty easy and you get two great knives.
 
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