S & W First responder

J

JFD140

Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
2
Hey guys, is the S & W first responder rescue knife worth the money?

I need a knife that has a punch on it and a decent blade that is dependable when time is most valuable.

Also, is the punch spring loaded as in, i push it to the windshield and it will snap into it automatically like a pen style punch or is it just spring loaded to pop out to be used with a manual hand motion to smash the window with it.
 
My early one worked reasonably well on several car windows I tested it on. The punch is springloaded, safer on hands than a non-sprung design.
Cut seatbelts well, too.
I'd consider it worth the money.
Denis
 
I remember getting one way back when they came out.
Less than $20. I see they are considerably more now.
I sold it a few years ago.

Model SW911, right?

mike
 
For double that price, if you want to go higher, you can get a Blade Tech Responder. There is a post on this knife somewhere close by. Check out www.newgraham.com for some info on it. Looks like a real neat tool. It uses S30V steel for it's blade.
 
Having busted several auto windows over the years, I prefer the springloaded S&W tool over a non-springloaded tool. Reason being with the S&W you just place the striker end against the glass & release the striker. With other types that require you to swing your hand holding a tool against the glass, there's a certain risk of overtravel & hand damage.
Back in the days when I did such things professionally, I wanted to keep my hand well back from breaking glass if a swinging impact was required. A springloaded striker impact was a totally different matter. :)
And, unless you'd be using the blade a lot, the steel type isn't all that critical.
Denis
 
The S&W is not worth the money. This one is:
http://www.newgraham.com/detail.aspx?ID=7438
This will cut through almost any belt with little effort. I have been using one daily at work for over a year and it has not failed me. If you want a blade for cutting there are many others that are better than S&W. If you could get the S&W for about half of what that site wants it might be worth it.
 
Although I think many of the S&Ws I've seen lately are a bit underrated, I would recommend the model that would be proportionate to when and how often it would be used. If you're a professional, I'd opt for maximum quality; but I certainly think the Smith would do the job. Overall, I don't like seatbelt cutters. I'd much prefer a good knife blade like a sharp Spyderco Native or Cold Steel serrated. Other plain-edge knives would be just as good, but I really like Cold Steel's serrated pattern for cutting seatbelts and nylon cord.

I think S30V and other premium steels are great for emergency use, but most good knives are very dependable, and I've found that many Smith & Wessons cut substantially better than other, more expensive knives (read Gerber, CRKT).

Whatever you get, please post a short review.. I'd like to see how it turns out.
 
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