knife for a fire-fighter, help

im almost positive im getting him a bm rescue hook, but i cant decide on a knife! theres to many good ones ! :D
edit: i think im going with a spyderco or bm though, so maybe the grip or the salt(thanks collucci)
 
I think that one of the Salts would be a GREAT idea!! There are several too choose from; Salt 1, Atlantic Salt, Pacific Salt, and Tasman Salt.
 
Thanks for the mention Paul!...Yes, I designed the Gerber "Hinderer Rescue" from the ground up as a rescue knife using my 10 years as a FF/EMT as a guide....all the features of the knife were born out of actual calls that I had over those ten years...one of the things you need to ask yourself if you are going to carry a knife or tool as a rescue tool is can you open the tool with heavy turnout gloves on...and better yet can you CLOSE the tool with heavy turnout gloves on....those of you who are rescue personell know what the dangers are of having a open blade around a pt. could you imagine if you accidently cut one...my knife has a solution for alot of things that you could be confronted with on a call...how many of you guys ever took a O2 bottle up a few flights of stairs or doun a embankment only to find that the O2 wrench came off halfway down?!...no worries with the Gerber knife...it has a O2 wrench built in.....the seat belt cutter on mine, is designed so that you can trap a belt blindly, even in the dark upside down (been there,done that) and cut it.....have you ever popped a window with a static punch?using your gloved hand? not easy huh..you need to have the punch perpendicullar to the window for it to work properly,thats why I designed mine so that when you grip the knife with the blade closed (of course)..and strike the window the punch naturally hits perpundicular with the window...
anyway, what I'm getting at is this knife WAS designed by a FF/EMT and a knife designer...features are on there not only because of feedback but more importantly because I have "been there, and done that" and I know what works and what doesnt...Thanks for your time!

Rick Hinderer
FF/EMT/rescue diver
 
I just went out to my garage and grabbed my gloves and tried to open my Spyderco D'Allara. It was fairly easy. Closing the knife was another story:eek: ! To my chagrin, I couldn't do it. Maybe I'll just have to get another knife...;)
 
flipe8, I know what you mean!...as you may be aware a open knife left unattended could be a serious thing on a scene..about like a needle not put in a sharps container!:eek: ...in the pic of the Hinderer Rescue, that button you see on the handle behind the pivot...to ulock the blade you just push back on the button about .050 and it unlocks the linerlock,VERY easy to do with the heaviest of turnout gloves...and the oversize pivot?..VERY easy to open with turnout gloves;) Thanks!...I'll try to get more pics up of the knife!

Rick Hinderer

gerber_Hinderer_rescue2.jpg
 
Rick,
Out of curiousity, can the liner be disengaged by tradional means as well, or is this a fairly different take altogether? It looks like a winner:thumbup: .
 
In fairness to the D'Allara, the only time I wear structural firefighting gloves is in buildings. While around MVAs, I wear mechanic's gloves with disposables beneath. I have yet to use a knife inside, during a fire(have used during overhaul, however). So, for me, smaller gloves have been and will be worn when using my knife(in all likelihood). I've never used my knife on a patient-my knife has been used for more utuility(cutting hose, window gaskets,etc...).
Around patients, I have used my cheapy shears(who cares if they get contaminated-I'll get new ones!)
 
flipe8, you can disengage the lock without the outside button,BUT, it is a totally different mechanism...

one thing that I wanted to state is when I designed this knife, I realized that if you asked 20 different emergency personel what gear they think is the most important,you will get 20 different answers!:D ...I wear mechanics glooves on mva's as well,I also carry shears( the excellent Gerber shears!:D )...what I had in mind when I designed this tool was for when Murphy shows up! and if you've been running long enough you know that Murphy has a nasty habit of showing up!...if you can open AND close this knife easy enough with heavy turnout glooves on then when you do it with mechanics gloves on its REAL easy...when you loose your shears (or loaned them to someone on the last call:rolleyes: )..you have a backup in the seatbelt cutter, and know that you will not run into the chance of cutting the PT. There is alot of differnt instances that I could relate but, I'm sure you guys will be able to come up with your own...
Speaking of Murphy, I just had one about a month ago with a PT. who got into 270 volts of electric...sent him into full arrest (he weighed about 270lbs)...we worked him on the way to the er,and as we pulled ito the hospital I went to change his O2 tubing back to the bottle from the squad O2,we package pt's with the O2 bottle between their legs and wouldnt ya know Murphy put the damn O2 wrench way under the guys ass, I couldnt pull it out so I just reached into my pocket, pulled out my knife and used the O2 wrench slot to open the bottle..no delay....(I let the nurse get to O2 wrench :barf: )....

Rick Hinderer
 
Here is a pic of the Hinderer Rescue with the side of the knife with the O2 wrench slot, a another pic showing the seatbelt/clothing cutter in the open position.
O2_slot.jpg

seatbeltcutter.jpg
 
flipe8 said:
In fairness to the D'Allara, the only time I wear structural firefighting gloves is in buildings. While around MVAs, I wear mechanic's gloves with disposables beneath.
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I suspect that the D'Allara would also be difficult to close while wearing mechanic's gloves with surgical gloves underneath - a lot more difficult that a lockback Delica or Endura anyway.

Ball bearings are designed to be slippery - I just doesn't make sense to use one a lock release in my opinion.
 
Shouldn't cause you any trouble. I had some concerns about the ball bearing lock in gloves myself, not that that's a normal problem for me. I wore the thickest gloves I had, mittons really, and it took me a little practice, but five minutes in or so I could easily flick open and closed axis style even in very thick gloves.

I guess one of the advantages of the bb is that it becomes extra near impossible to accidentally disengage, or for an opponent to disengage in a struggle. I do think the axis lock is the better of the two, but there are some advantages to the bb lock also.

I guess a remaining legitimate concern to the bb lock is the presence of liquids on it, and I'm afraid I can't testify one way or the other on that subject.
 
I never used the Hinderer Rescue, but it looks to be well thought out.

However, I can certainly vouch for the Spyderco Pacific Salt.
It is very light in weight, which is good considering how much weight those guys are already carrying.
The thumb-hole is really large and it's a breeze to open.
And since it's rust-proof, you can hose it down and clean it without reservation--even in the dishwasher!

I would choose the Pacific Salt over the Atlantic Salt because I also think that a point is too handy to do without.

Good luck,
Allen.
 
I tried the D'Allara wearing thinner mechanic's gloves with latex underneath and was able to open and close the knife with relatively little problem.:)
 
Rhind64 said:
Thanks for the mention Paul!
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No problem. I have always liked your designs and while I don't know much about EMT/Firefighting work it seemed like a knife designed by someone that does the job would be a good bet.
 
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