Use of Rescue Knives in Real-life

[mikerestivo]

I was looking over some of Spyderco's Rescue and Assist knives tonight and my son was curious as to whether folks actually use these to assist at car accident scenes and so forth.

I told him that firemen and EMT's probably do.

Can anyone reaffirm this with their own work experiences? Has anyone used a Sypderco rescue-type knife to help get someone out of a vehicle after an accident? Any similiar situations?

[.357 mag]

I didn't have a spyderco but I was on the local volunteer firedepartment and I carried a airlight beretta SE rescue knife and used it to cut seatbelt to get people out of cars.

[araneae]

I am sure that lots of them are in use everyday by professional responders. Just ask Tony about his Jumpmaster and Salt. I have a 79mm Rescue in my center console. It is the one knife I hope to never use.

[Halfneck]

Years back I sent an Assist to a friend serving in Iraq. He had an Iraqi at a roadblock that would not comply & get out of his car. Worried the car might be rigged with explosives he busted out the window & dragged the driver out through the window. <He's a big boy, played football at West Point> The Assist also got used in cutting/prying open a Humvee door that had been hit. Sadly not to rescue anyone, but not to leave anyone behind.

My time as an EMT I carried a CE Delica, cut a few seat belts with it too. Took it with me in the Army an later gave it to a soldier in my squad needing a knife.

I carried a blue-handled Rescue for a while working at an Urgent Care Clinic, but it mostly got used on boxes.

[yablanowitz]

You might check out this thread: http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47916

[jackburton9807]

in 17 years as a paramedic I have used it a lot. I've never encountered a situation in which I needed to break a window or cut a seatbelt. In my experience they just don't get stuck like people would have you think. I have used it innumerable times to cut clothing off and that type of thing. I carried one in kydex on my belt for a very long time.

I have very few bad things to say about Spyderco, but I think getting rid of the PR rescue was just plain silly. PE cuts through fabric of all types better than SE. I guess better is not really the right word, but PE is much more gentle when cutting around long bone fractures and other injuires that would be better served by not jostling the pt. I have gone through 3-4 93mm Rescues over the years and have come to the conlusion that they are the best for prehospital work. By the time I lost the last one (it happens when you cut something and lay the knife down, I'm disinclined to put a bloody knife back in my pocket) the PE rescue was OOS. I then just lopped the end off of my PE E3 to take it's place.

Jeff

[Donut]

I have very few bad things to say about Spyderco, but I think getting rid of the PR rescue was just plain silly.

So maybe the Jason Breeden Rescue would work good for you.

[mikerestivo]

Thanks for the replies. I have shared your stories with my son (he's 12) and we have both enjoyed hearing them.

[Zendemic]

I work at a technical rescue squad, and I use my Assist quite often. I've never used to cut a patient's clothing. Even though it's got a blunt tip, I still don't want to risk any further injury and only use trauma shears to expose an injury. Otherwise, It's quite good at breaking windows (though I don't have to do it often), and it cuts ropes and seat belts like nobody's business. As for a civilian (aside from boaters, and people who need to cut a lot of rope) having a rescue knife, I think it's nor very necessary. As Jackburton9807 said, getting trapped in such a fashion (while not sustaining incapacitating injury) that a rescue knife will save the day rarely happens. Also for cutting patient clothing a sharp PE is soo much nicer.

[tonydahose]

i have used a fair amount of spydies since i became a fireman, before that i used a CE endura 3 (my 1st :spyder :) when i was a cop. i used a tasman salt for a long time because the H1 wouldn't rust and most other knives would start rusting after one fire (it hung on the outside of my firecoat). i probably used that one to cut 4 or 5 people out of their seatbelts. we just had a rollover on the highway the other day and the lady was buckled in, but now upside down. i really wanted to cut the belt but i could get to the buckle so i didnt and all the guys were giving me crap for it because they all know i love using my :spyder: s..lol. i have cut wires to power seats before, the wires arc'ed and i lost a small tooth in the serrations but it still worked fine. i have used the tasman to cut co-ax cable that fell thru the drop ceiling and got caught up in a firemans SCBA tank. i also cut a fireman out of some blind strings. they weren't in danger but it isn't a good feeling to be tangled up in something in a fire. my tasman was one of the first without screw construction and the main pivot was too loose after a few years of use so i bought a jumpmaster. i love this knife. i modded it with a window break and just used it 2 work days ago to break a window, it worked great but i still need to try it on tempered glass. so i guess the answer is yes, they are used alot. :)

edit: i have an assist in my suburban and a H1 rescue modded with a window punch in my mustang.

[jackburton9807]

So maybe the Jason Breeden Rescue would work good for you.

$230 vs. $70 for a knife that I have gone through 4 of....nah, I'll give it a miss.

Jeff

Also, I'm in admin now so I mostly open envelopes.

[SimpleIsGood229]

Hey Tony, do you have a recent picture of your Tasman? Have you added any more engraving to the FRN? :D

[tonydahose]

sorry no more pics, i gifted it to a Lt. who didnt have a knife so it is still out there working :) .

[2cha]

$230 vs. $70 for a knife that I have gone through 4 of....nah, I'll give it a miss.

Jeff

Also, I'm in admin now so I mostly open envelopes.

More like $150--but I see your point.

[defenestrate]

jackburton,
I bought a PE Atlantic Salt last year new for about $50. I assume there are still some out there available for not too much.

I kept an SE Rescue (fairly early version) in the glovebox of my Jeep for some time. Somebody stole it - it was good to have it there, though I had a few other knives stashed that would be useful as well.

[Michael Cook]

:spyder: I use my waved rescue at the sub shop where I work all the time to open meat for the slicer. :spyder:

[Blerv]

Atlantic Salt PE still available as mentioned? A Cento4 will cut a seatbelt too but are discontinued (about $70 I think).

SE will out-cut PE by a LONG shot. Performance wise PE will cut cleaner and doesn't have any faults but each cut seems to take more off the apex of sharpness. Dull a SE will saw/rip and PE will just frantically make the "whoosh" sound as it slips.

The Breeden is definitely not comparable price or material wise. Then again, you can't compare a CLK430 and Miata because they both have tops that go down .

There seems a need for rescue knives in certain situations. Shears are safer and more useful for most tasks but a knife like the Jumpmaster is like a manual chainsaw. Same reason why the tomahawk has made a come-back. A knife makes more sense but won't cut open a helicopter door.