Why have a glass breaker on a knife?

[Steven Andrews]

I pull people out of mangled cars with far too frequent regularity. 99 times out of 100, if you are in an incident that is bad enough to necessitate self-extrication via a window, one of two things has also happened. First, the windows will already be gone- no need to break them. Or, second, unconsciousness will make self-extrication impossible.

Another thing to consider is the necessity of self-extrication. Sure, if your car is on fire, sinking to the bottom of the sea, or teetering on the edge of the Grand Canyon then, sure, get out! But if none of these environmental threats exist, you are jeopardizing yourself- or whoever it is that you are trying to Ricky Rescue. Think about it- the vehicle in question just sustained enough damage to render the doors inoperable. Even with a seatbelt and airbags, occupants of the vehicle will have sustained some damage as well. What if that damage is to the spine and wiggling around is the last wiggling you do? Will shimmying, or being yanked, out a window exacerbate internal bleeding?

It is definately a cool tool- I enjoyed the one time that I used it- 6 years ago?, but I think that there are negative consiquences that are rarely considered with its use.

:thumbup:

 

[yankee23a]

Heres my experiences with car windows (all side windows)

Cold Steel Recon tanto: Using the back of the blade to hit the window at the blade tip
caused a shower of sparks and glass, the window broke but so
did the tip off the blade. This was a locked stolen vehicle with
suspected stolen property/ firearms in the trunk.

Rifle butt: Bounced off the window with almost the same force I originally
applied, no damage to vehicle. Vehicle has robbery suspects on
board.

18" Asp: Applied in extended position just bounced off, same scenario
applied whilst extending the baton delivered the desired result.
Stolen vehicle with doors jammed and engine revving full steam

Back of knife handle: Knife in closed position in fist. Zytel handle bounced off the
window and the jimping on the back of the blade took a nice
chunk out of my index finger at the 1st joint. Scenario was a
vehicle which refused to stop at a road block.

Pistol butt: Applied a back hand blow with the butt of my pistol (model of
Beretta m92 with protrusion on the butt for lanyard) to a
moving vehicle which also just bounced off with equal force.

In these instances I did not have the time or its too dangerous (the environment) to go and fetch the hammer, towel, leather gloves, face mask, glasses etc etc etc etc and had to do the job with what was on hand. Stopping vehicles at a road block with a hammer in my hand or axe would raise some eyebrows so the knife in my pocket or on my vest is what comes to hand first.

Here in South Africa some car hijackers have developed a way of actually flicking a piece of broken ceramic from a sparkplug at a side window which cracks it. Im sure this technique requires a bit of practice to master.

 

[Jeremy brink]

The best possible answer I could think of for that question, not saying you are, despite the capabilities of what the blade can handle if a person did not have a firm grip on that handle and slipped their hand goes straight down the blade. The knife turned over to hit it and slip your hand hits the window. That is the only logical reason I can think

 

[BladeScout]

Wow, necro thread!!

Pls start a new thread on the subject.

Its not 'the done thing' to necro this old a thread.