Need to hear from the firefighters

Joined
May 19, 2006
Messages
70
I need to hear from all the firemen or women out there. I have been a professional firefighter for 10 years and I have been a knife lover for 38. I have always carried a few knives at a time. EDC swiss mini-champ, spyderco native or a camillus heat, and a gerber multi-tool. In my turnout gear I have a myerco rescue one and a gerber rescue.

I have thought about a small fixed blade but the other guys in my house look at me funny as it is.

So what do you carry? And why.:D
 
I carry a Benchmade auto, some sort of multitool in my gear, ( leatherman now) and sometimes a rescue hook.

A multitool is the only one I must have, but i love having my auto for seatbelts and the such..

tim
 
I at times have a Hobbits Fang (small fb) hanging from my goods. I also know others with small fb. I plan on carring a strider DB on my uniform pants as soon as I score one.

The only worry i have is our "customer base", I work for a city in NY state that has a murder rate some years FOUR TIMES that of NYC. Many shootings stabbings etc. in these areas a knife is a weapon period. So i do try to cover, remove and so on when at these types of calls.

The white shirts know me well, plus I'm a LT. so i have not had any trouble over it BUT I'm sure some would freak.

Oh I carry along with the Fang, I carry in my pants a Endura 4 or BM 710, in my goods pocket a CRKT M16 FD.
 
i also thought about the merits of carrying a fixed blade. never carried one during a shift.

usually have a folder (spyderco, or ao camillus) but i can't even think of all the times somebody has asked for a multi tool. i'm sure fixed blades could have their time and place for FF'ing but multi tools seem to be the most handy overall. i'll be switching to one very soon.
 
Hi IAFF318. I'm from local771 in Saint John. Welcome aboard. I carry a Spyderco D'Allara Rescue and a Leatherman Pulse at work and I usually have a Spyderco plus my new small Sebenza(for the past two days). Enjoy the forums.
 
I gave my brother who is a volunteer Firefighter a D'Allara 2 DP & a Spyderco Pacific Salt for his B-day.
 
I just sold this one about a month ago to a fire fighter from San Antonio ( name with held as I do not have his permission ) who wanted a knife capable of being a backup if he was without a larger tool. 12 3/4 inches long 1/2 inch stock 1095HC with a convex grind.
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I'm a British firefighter. On my stationwear belt I carry a Swisstool X and a Benchmade folder, usually one of these:


In my fire gear (turnouts) I carry a plain edged Spyderco Endura, a pair of six inch combination pliers and a Res-Q-Me.
 
after 21 years I've tried quite a few knives but have settled on the following...
1. on duty pants either a buck 889 or 110, or a spyderco endura if i have one at the time{plain edge}
2. gerber multi plier on duty belt
3. newt livesay woo taped to suspender behind a nite ize pouch to hold a multi plier and spare gloves and pens etc.
the livesay is small and unobtrusive and works really well when you need to cut something fast.
I've seen several rescue type tools but so far nothing has impressed me enough to change this lineup. It's worked for 8 years and if it'll make it another 7 I'm gone. later, ahgar
 
10 years on the job in Clifton, NJ. I carry a Spyderco Remote Release on my turnout coat, a Spyderco Salt in my stationwear pants, and a Gerber Legend Multitool in my bunker pants. I carry no fixed blades at all.
 
I carry a Spyderco D'Allara Rescue and a Leatherman SuperTool most often. I do think, as someone else said, that the Spyderco Remote Release is a really good idea too. Spyderco makes some very good, durable professional and "rescue" type knives. I like the stoutness of the D'Allara, as well as its ease of use. The full serrations are great for cutting things like seat belts, fabric, and even glass and wire. And the Leatherman has proven itself consistent and reliable whenever I've needed it, so I am almost never without it. I like to be able to rely on my tools while working, and these two have always gotten the job done.
 
20 years as a professional Firefighter in New Zealand. I started out with a Spyderco Rescue which gave me good service. I took a few nicks out of it cutting heavy duty phone wires at a job. I upgraded to the Spyderco Assist which I wear clipped into my trouser pocket (The rescue is now backup knife in my extracation jacket). The combination blade is great for sharpening grease pencils on the truck. The glass breaker isn't the most useful feature and I wish it wasn't black because its too easy to lose at night or in burnt stuff. I then tried a Kershaw Responder fixed blade, but it sat too high on my belt and was always getting caught on stuff (shame because it's a nice looking knife). I have a SOG Flash 2 Search & Rescue on order from 888Knivesrus as a wardrobe option.
 
I retired from the Denver Fire Department after 29 years, and I always carried a folder. When they came out, I carried a Gerber tool on my belt, along with a Spyderco Rescue in my bunkers. I always felt that a fixed blade was too cumbersome, and found that a one hand opening folder was the answer.

Before the days of Spyderco and Leatherman tools, I carried a Buck 110 or a Gerber folder about the same size.
 
I carry a leatherman Surge and and a Spyderco Endura 4. In my turnout gear is Schrade cliphanger and a Sog Seal 2000 for rougher work and rescue.
 
For those who like to carry small fixed blades / tools, I always thought that something fixed and a good sheath carry made the most sense.

But, what I don't understand is why all firefighter designed fixed blades, whether custom, production, or custom-production (mid-tech, or with input from makers) always have an exposed metal tang??

There's another past thread in here somewhere that talked about firefighter options, and cited that desireable characteristics of firefighter knives include 'being able to cut through electric wire' in case you get tangled up in it, and handle heat resistance, for obvious reasons.

... If that's the case, are the makers of these firefighter knives' brains on autopilot? What are they thinking??
 
I'm a volly FFer. I EDC a BM710 or a BM5000auto, leatherman surge. In my gear I have a cheapo gerber tool and a smith and wesson large folder. Good and sharp but practically disposable.
 
I bunker up with a gerber multi tool,ResQme tool thingie,folding spanner wrench, a wayne goddard spyderco...I DID have a microtech mini socom in my radio chest pocket...BUT..tones went out for a major rager...worked the pump panels for awhile then went interior attack....got soaked as usual and forgot the mini socom was there. hung gear to dry and all and then found a rusty mass of microtech a week later.ugggh!

While working Investigations, I EDC a Microtech Ultratech TE OTF (just bought it this week as it replaced the toughest little auto ever...the benchmade mini reflex 2550,twelve plus years of daily carry and not a thing wrong with it)Anyways, I got the Microtech cuz no one carried one around here and it is now on everyones wish list. Got the 'WOW thats cool!' thing working, hehehe. so until someone comes out with a pocket friendly OTF Halligan tool, this is gonna do.
Oh yeah, what FF in the world would REALLY carry a fix blade knife? Good God, that would evoke chuckles and shouts of Probbie around the House. Where would ya put it? Please Young Firefighters, dont ever strap a fix blade knife to your gear, Ever! Save yourself the horror. I ever catch a fix blade knife on someone I will get plenty of 'mileage' out of 'em.
Be Safe, Never Forget NYFD 343,USFS Eng 57 San Berdoo
 
I wouldn't carry a fixed blade in the traditional sense, but I do have a Wilson Tactical CopTool in my bunker gear. It's more of a pry-tool than a knife and it works great.
 
I bunker up with a gerber multi tool,ResQme tool thingie,folding spanner wrench, a wayne goddard spyderco...I DID have a microtech mini socom in my radio chest pocket...BUT..tones went out for a major rager...worked the pump panels for awhile then went interior attack....got soaked as usual and forgot the mini socom was there. hung gear to dry and all and then found a rusty mass of microtech a week later.ugggh!

While working Investigations, I EDC a Microtech Ultratech TE OTF (just bought it this week as it replaced the toughest little auto ever...the benchmade mini reflex 2550,twelve plus years of daily carry and not a thing wrong with it)Anyways, I got the Microtech cuz no one carried one around here and it is now on everyones wish list. Got the 'WOW thats cool!' thing working, hehehe. so until someone comes out with a pocket friendly OTF Halligan tool, this is gonna do.
Oh yeah, what FF in the world would REALLY carry a fix blade knife? Good God, that would evoke chuckles and shouts of Probbie around the House. Where would ya put it? Please Young Firefighters, dont ever strap a fix blade knife to your gear, Ever! Save yourself the horror. I ever catch a fix blade knife on someone I will get plenty of 'mileage' out of 'em.
Be Safe, Never Forget NYFD 343,USFS Eng 57 San Berdoo
My sog seal 2000 fits great in the baffle pockets of my turnout gear.No one knows its there. I also do swift water rescue, high angle rescue and SAR ops so we are in two different fields apparently. If I need to pry something and my halligan or axe is not available then I have my Sog to do the job. It is also a lot easier to use than opening a folder. I personally wouldn't carry an auto on me but hey whatever floats your boat. Fixed blades do have there uses though so don't be led astray by the previous opinion in this thread.
 
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