knife for a fire-fighter, help

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bobzzz

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Oct 10, 2005
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well, my brother is in college for fire safety and hes an EMT. i was wondering what would be a good knife to get him when he graduates, i dont want to use my little knife skills and pick out a wrong knife to find out it failed when he needed it, so price aint much of a thing. i was looking at the CRKT FD M16-Z, just dont know how good those are, any help would be appreciated. thanks. also if the company does blade etchings so i can put his name on it or something like that i would appreciate it. thanks again
 
My brother is a volunteer Fireman. For Christmas, I bought him 2: 1. A Spyderco D'Allara DP 2. A Yellow Pacific Salt. I KNOW these ARE good knives, and will laways be there for him when he needs them. I thought the HI blade of the Pacific Salt would be very hand for a Firefighter!! (It doesn't rust.) And the D'Allara DP, can be used one handed opening and closing. So, I got him 2.
 
i am liking the rescue blur, havent heard much about kershaw quality(good or bad) and almost always hear about spyderco quality being really good, along with benchmade. ill find out about kershaws speed safe quality because i have a scallion ordered that will arrive on the 20th-22nd
 
Kershaw has good quality knives. If $ don't really matter for you you might want to consider an Emerson. A Commander perhaps? Those knives are made to be abused.
 
A blue Spyderco Rescue 93mm maybe. Maybe even a "Waved" one for quicker deployment.

The Emerson SARK comes to mind also.

STR
 
Paul Davidson said:
http://www.equipped.org/shot_show_2006_knives.htm

Check out the first Gerber knife, halfway down the page, from Doug Ritter's SHOT Show reviews. I'm not sure when they are coming out, but it's designed by Rick Hinderer for Fire/EMT work. I believe Rick has a bit of experience in that field, so he should know what would be needed.
Click to expand...
i really am liking that one, not sure about the steel though. is 440A good?
 
I'd go with the D'Allara Rescue(that's what I carry on duty) and maybe get him a window punch and a simple pair a paramedics' shears. Most fire apparatus has more than enough tools on them for more dedicated uses like prying and what-not. A set of wire-cutters can come in handy as well.
 
I shun "rescue' knives for the most part. I try at all costs not to use any type of blade around a PT. There are just too many things on the job that i need a point for also.

Other than risk of cutting the PT. ( see pt.s sometimes move around try to stop you, grab your arm etc.) or one of my fellow FF who is not paying close attention, I work on a lot of geekers, passed out drunks, people shot stabbed etc. This past night trick I had two ' man down in the street" runs.
Is he shot, stabbed, or just drunk ? you got to find out. remove some clothes etc. well one guy finnally wakes up and starts to struggle with us , not knowing who we are , now imagine if he sees a knife..... Not a place for a open knife reguardless of the tip. That and the fact that my customer base hates folks in uniform and sees knives only as weapons.

Now think about this, if you use a EMT shears and get blood on it (and you will) not much chance of it cutting YOU. You will have to drop it into a bio-hazzard bag and clean it later. Now what will you do with an open sharp knife with blood on it ??? You can't put it in a plastic bio bag, you going to close it and put it in your pocket??? if you set the bloody knife down around where we're working I'll put you on charges, same as if you were careless with a used hypo.

I'd go with a Spyderco Endura or Delica, the new 4th generation ones. I also like the CRKT Fd 16. i keep one in my goods.Strong tip, fliper works better with gloves than holes, studs etc.
 
I'm guessing there are some type of union regulations as to what type of gear is used, and that if personal gear is used, the firefighter/EMT is responsible. I'm also guessing that all the heavy gear your brother would need, ie axe and prybar etc, would already be on the truck. Was your brother issued any type of knife or multitool when he was an EMT? Will he be issued any type of knife or multitool when he becomes a firefighter? Does he carry a favorite knife with him on the job now? If so, whatever you get him might just be something he leaves at home. If he carries a junker, definitely, get him a new knife of high quality. I don't know what type of gear firefighters carry, but a good multitool and knife would probably be best for him as an EMT. I would get him, as others mentioned, a Spyderco Rescue, VG10 steel. You could also get him an Atlantic Salt, H1 steel. The Blurs are neat, but use 440A. I've heard that the Benchmade Rescue Hooks are good, I've also heard bad reviews, but it looks to me like something worth researching. SOG makes a rescue version of their Flash series. Basically anything with a blunt tip, because the main use of the knife will probably be cutting seatbelts.
 
I carry a Spyderco 93mm Blue handled Rescue. It is more sheeple friendly in my job as a nurse. Honestly though, I don't use it much for use around patients. Most of the time I use Shears for cutting. When I was a EMT and a Medic in the Army I carried Spyderco. For the money they were good knives and I would not be too upset if I lost it as the cost is not unreasonable.
 
i think im going to go with the m16 FD and a benchmade rescue hook
edit:no, he wasnt issued a knife when he volunteered and stuff. right now he uses a 12$ gerber paraframe from dicks sporting goods. the bm rescue hook would be a good choice i guess because as someone stated earlier u dont want to use a open blade near someone thats moving around a lot. guess i wasnt thinking that well :)
 
I carry a Spyderco Remote Release on my turnout gear and I carry a Spyderco Salt I with a yellow handle in my station wear lefthand pants pocket. You can't go wrong with either of these knives. Take it from a firefighter. ;) :D :thumbup:

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Lone Hunter said:
I shun "rescue' knives for the most part. I try at all costs not to use any type of blade around a PT. There are just too many things on the job that i need a point for also....

I'd go with a Spyderco Endura or Delica, the new 4th generation ones.....
Click to expand...

I shun "rescue" knives too. I carry an Endura (pre-4th Gen) in my firejacket for general use and a ResQMe for popping toughened vehicle glass and cutting clothing.
On my station wear I'm currently carrying a Benchmade 525 Mini Presidio in a belt pouch.

Pliers are handy too. I carry a pair of 6 inch combination pliers in my firejacket pocket, and a Swisstool Spirit on my station wear belt.
 
bobzzz said:
well, my brother is in college for fire safety and hes an EMT. i was wondering what would be a good knife to get him when he graduates, i dont want to use my little knife skills and pick out a wrong knife to find out it failed when he needed it, so price aint much of a thing. i was looking at the CRKT FD M16-Z, just dont know how good those are, any help would be appreciated. thanks. also if the company does blade etchings so i can put his name on it or something like that i would appreciate it. thanks again
Click to expand...

BobZZ-

Here are two knife-like tools that seem very popular with our local fire-para-rescuers. I never heard of them until I started talking blades at the local firehouse and they started hauling theirs out to show me.

The Benchmade Rescue Hook is a no BS easy carry tool.

http://www.benchmade.com/products/product_detail.aspx?model=5

and the other version of the "hook".

http://www.benchmade.com/products/product_detail.aspx?model=6+H2O

So, "get the hook"!
 
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