Looking for a short blade folder with rescue features

8

8string

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Jan 18, 2016
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My brother recently rolled his truck on the free way, caving his roof in, landed upside down, and used the seatbelt-cutter portion of a cheap EMT knife to cut free and crawl out.
Luckily he left with nothing but a bruised shoulder and legs!

This made me think to invest in a quality EDC folder with a seatbelt cutter and window breaker but, I can't find any with a blade length of under 3" (I live in California) except for this:
http://www.lazerdesigns.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=KNRESCUECEMT

It has all the specs I'm looking for but, it looks pretty cheap

I was hoping to get suggestions for some higher quality rescue knives with:
- Manual Opening
- Under 3" Blade Length (Preferably tanto)
- Seat Belt Cutter
- Window Breaker

Any ideas?
 
I certainly wouldn't want to use the knife you came up with, not only for unknown maker/unknown quality issues (not to mention it's a liner lock), but the short handle, which causes ergo issues and safety issues with the glass breaker. My ideas:

- Blackhawk Hawkhook;
- Buck Redpoint Rescue;
- Benchmade Houdini;
- possibly a Boker Rescom paired with a ResQMe;
- or you could have a Vic Rescue or Spyderco Assist reground shorter.

FYI, I don't know where you are in the People's Republik, but there's no state law on blade length. There are sub 3" limits in certain localities (LA, SF, Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda County are the ones I know of), though. If you decide to go with the Hawkhook, let me know, as I can get you a deal.
 
My opinion is that there is almost no knife with a window breaker and seatbelt cutter worth owning. blade notch style cutters work fine for para-cord, but in an emergency, they are most often useless. There are a few worth looking at, the Vic rescue tool (but be careful on-line, lots of fakes) the spyderco assist, and any of the benchmade or similar line/webbing cutters like the leatherman z-rex. a dedicated blade for one purpose.
If you want a rescue tool in your car, get a life-hammer, and bolt it in. easier to get to, doesn't rely on you having it in your pocket, and no weapon law troubles.
 
I second buying a seatbelt cutter and window breaker specifically and leaving it in the car, securely strapped or taped within reach. Someone else a few years ago mentioned that the keyring holder on a SAK looks like it would be nice for cracking a window, but I don't know how it would actually handle that.

Connor
 
My mom keeps a cheap one of the seatbelt cutter window smashed knives in the center console and a flashlight on floorboard between seat and door. She carries a scallion. Go to hardware store buy a utility knife with a notch in it and a spring loaded center punch and put them in center console
 
ConBon said:
I second buying a seatbelt cutter and window breaker specifically and leaving it in the car, securely strapped or taped within reach. Someone else a few years ago mentioned that the keyring holder on a SAK looks like it would be nice for cracking a window, but I don't know how it would actually handle that.

Connor
Click to expand...

I wouldn't depend on any part of a SAK for punching through a window. I have a resQme in the console in each of two cars we own that I hope never have to be used, but if needed are up to the job.
 
Just remember, anything not very firmly attached to the car will be somewhere else in even a minor crash. In my car the crash won't get me, the crap flying around the cabin certainly will.
 
DO NOT RELY ON THE END OF A SAK I would rather band the glass with my head till I passed out than think a sak will break a car window. Glass is MUCH harder to break than you think. Spring loaded center punch or those emergency hammer things are much better to use on a window.
 
blade dude said:
DO NOT RELY ON THE END OF A SAK I would rather band the glass with my head till I passed out than think a sak will break a car window. Glass is MUCH harder to break than you think. Spring loaded center punch or those emergency hammer things are much better to use on a window.
Click to expand...

Skip the hammers and go straight to a punch, a carbide breaker, or to a ResQMe. The hammers all seem to use stainless steel, which fail:

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