Stuck!

[Razorsharp1986]

Hey fellow knife locos!
It's 5 am, and I'm just back from my friends late BBQ.
I got stuck in the elevator between floors at about 04:48 am. Just minutes ago!
I didn't know what to do, and already thought of calling fire-dept. to get me out. just before I made that call, I realized that I should try getting myself out with a knife.
I had a Streetbeat and an Opinel #9. I stuck the Opinel blade inbetween the door of the elevator, and using it as a prybar, forced the inside door to open. It was then easy work, I pulled the inside handle to open the outer door, and jumped off. No damage whatsoever was done to the knife. Thumbs up - Opinel.

Moral of the story: People always argue which knife is better for prying, and usually think- thicker is better. Also, the expensive knife is "better", EVEN for prying. Also, they all claim it's a last resort thing, for a last resort situation.
Well, I wasn't in a life threatening situation, yet I didn't want to wait for the Fire fighters, neither did I want to wake up half of my neighbors. Having the Opinel, i didn't think twice, and used it (Since it is a $8 knife). Furthermore, the thicker blades (Strider for example, known also as "a sharp prybar" :jerkit would not fit the extremely narrow space of the elevator door. The flexibility also helped getting the blade in.
And on top of all, knife didn't get damaged a bit!
To that i say - wow. Myth---------> busted!

 

[alex]

Believe it or not you put yourself in a life threatening situation unknowingly when you decided to pry the doors open and extract yourself from the elevator. Since the elevator was still electrically energized if it decided to move even a few feet while you were between floors it could easily crush you, amputate a limb, or just generally screw you up real good for life.

I am in the middle of an elevator renovation project and in many conversations I have had with the elevator design consultant on the project he showed me some pictures of elevator accidents and court cases he has been involved with and I was amazed how dangerous they could be and how I was oblivious to the danger.
The first thing the Fire Dept or maintenance people always do before prying open the doors is kill the power to the elevator to make sure no unexpected movement is possible. After seeing the accident pictures I have a newfound respect for elevators. A year ago before starting this project I probably would have done exactly what you did. Not anymore unless it was a life and death situation.

Next time call the Fire Dept. That's what the elevator phone is there for.

 

[jesseaction]

Hey fellow knife locos!
It's 5 am, and I'm just back from my friends late BBQ.
I got stuck in the elevator between floors at about 04:48 am. Just minutes ago!
I didn't know what to do, and already thought of calling fire-dept. to get me out. just before I made that call, I realized that I should ...

I thought you were going to say that before making that call you should...post on BF. Haha :thumbup::thumbup:

Regarding the great debate ('a knife should be dependable no matter the application' vs 'I would NEVER use my knife for anything but slicing, prybars are for prying'), it is definitely each to their own, but I absolutely prefer to carry a blade that I feel could serve in any manner of unexpected situations. The question is, would you have tried that with a $400 sharpened prybar Strider?

Incidentally, I might think twice about doing that after reading the above post. Not that I wouldn't be tempted. It would probably depend on how many soda's I'd had at the BBQ.

 

[effer]

I'm glad that you didn't get hurt and got out of there alright. I'm also glad that the knife you had on you worked in this situation and turned to be a good value to you. But the whole myth busting tone of the thread makes me think that next person will go and cut down a small tree with a kitchen knife and say that "myth is busted, machete is not needed for a jungle trip, and kitchen knife works even better because it has a thinner edge".

While in this case you have proven that $10 knife can be as valuable as $400 knife, there are tons of other situations that might show you the opposite.

To me, the moral of your story is that most times the "best" tool for the job is whatever you have on you at that moment. I will pry with my nails and cut with my teeth, if my life will depend of it, and I will have nothing better for the job.

 

[Steven Andrews]

Believe it or not you put yourself in a life threatening situation unknowingly when you decided to pry the doors open and extract yourself from the elevator.

The first thing the Fire Dept or maintenance people always do before prying open the doors is kill the power to the elevator to make sure no unexpected movement is possible

Next time call the Fire Dept. That's what the elevator phone is there for.

:thumbup:
:thumbup:
:thumbup:

 

[Razorsharp1986]

Thanks for all the educational replies!
First of all, I am also aware that the Fire dept. kill the power before rescuing somebody from a stuck elevator. Yet, I was cautious, and quickly jumped off, holding the elevator while I did so. Even if it still could crush me, bla bla bla, it didn't. Also, it's a common problem in my building, so I kinda knew that the elevator won't nudge until they spend like 3-4 hours fixing it
You guys just gotta understand, that I was too tired for any kind of bullshit (dealing with fire dept. superintendent, etc.)

I agree that there could be a situation where another kinfe would prove more useful than an Opinel, but my point was that many situations where you need prying won't be life-threatening enough for you to use your "better" knife. Also, I pointed out that the prying was not of the toughest types, yet the knife I used was sufficient enough, furthermore - no damage.
and sorry, i just didn't have a prybar

but anyhoos, I did it, made it out of the life-threatening-crushing-oblivious people killing elevator.

 

[Razorsharp1986]

I thought you were going to say that before making that call you should...post on BF. Haha :thumbup::thumbup:

Regarding the great debate ('a knife should be dependable no matter the application' vs 'I would NEVER use my knife for anything but slicing, prybars are for prying'), it is definitely each to their own, but I absolutely prefer to carry a blade that I feel could serve in any manner of unexpected situations. The question is, would you have tried that with a $400 sharpened prybar Strider?

Incidentally, I might think twice about doing that after reading the above post. Not that I wouldn't be tempted. It would probably depend on how many soda's I'd had at the BBQ.

I'd never pry anything with any other knife I have.
I've had two more knives in the elevator, aside from my Opinel.
That is my point exactly though. None of us would pry anything with an expensive knife, UNLESS our life is soooooooooooo threatened that we have noooooooo choice, but pry with an expensive knife.