In buying any folder, you're not only taking into consideration the blade, but the frame. I have one of the early Recon 1s, with the steel-reinforced Zytel frame. It's one of the fastest knives I own and the new model has G10 grips (steel reinforced) and an AUS8 blade. Thick blade steel will not do much unless enough of it is behind the frame to support it in emergencies.
I have a friend who watched an entire family (except the father) die in a car fire, which spread too quickly once the door was opened to rescue the father, who was in the driver's seat. I won't go into the gory details, but he wasn't able to use the time he had before the fire to cut seatbelts and help the rest of the family exit the car. It's been years, but he still has nightmares about it.
Although knives are not intended to be pry bars, some simply have to be used as such in emergencies. A blade has to be long enough and sharp enough to cut through seatbelts and the frame tough enough to break glass. In the situation above, others were trying to get to those in the back seat, but the doors were locked. People have had to use their knives to pry open doors in buildings where fire has broken out. So when I look at the Recon 1, it seems tough enough to be a good emergency knife. I prefer CS's serration pattern to others and don't like patterns that can't cut both ways, easily and comfortably. The Recon 1s have the option of having a good length of serrations, which stay razor sharp for a very long time, and enough of a plain edge for cutting wood, stripping wires, etc. The axis lock (borrowed with royalties from Benchmade) is one of the strongest locking mechanisms found on folding knives. I initially thought it could become accidentally disengaged in a scuffle, but I've changed my mind on that. The G10 is awfully grippy and if you lose your hold on the knife, it will take a lot of hand skin with it. So I don't think it's likely that your hand will go over the front and onto the blade.
I like many Cold Steel knives, but I also think the CRKT M21-04 makes for an excellent emergency knife, but I'd steer clear of the serrations. They're a waste of valuable cutting space on a blade. Their new Veff serration patterns look interesting, but I don't know that cutting can be made in both directions.
I like tough knives and the Recon 1 and the CRKTs seem to have extraordinary locks and thick steel that goes well back into the handle for reinforcement.
I don't know how strong a Buck 110 would be for that type of work, because the top part of the blade doesn't seem to go very deep into the frame (see photo above), but I'd like to hear from others who may have experiences. The Buck, the CRKTs and the Recon 1 are all fairly heavy for EDC, though. Still, I often slip my old Recon 1 in my back pocket when running out the door. I have a great deal of confidence in it.
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