Spyderco for firefighter

[VooDooChild]

I'm a firefighter and my most frequently carried Spyderco is a Pacific Salt, FWIW
It's thin, light in pocket, impervious to rust, easy to sharpen, tough, has a strong tip, easy to use ambidextrous with or without gloves, and not too expensive if I lose or destroy it while on duty.

I too am a firefighter, and I agree with this. (Pac salt serrated)

The assist is certainly a nice purpose built knife, and if you think he wants something to put in his turnout gear to use only on emergencies, then maybe the assist is the best choice.

If however he would prefer something to carry on his uniform instead, then definitely go with something like the Pac salt serrated. Or maybe wartstein's serrated endela. I will say that everything gets wet on this job... Everything. Which is why a salt knife is so handy. But vg10 and stainless liners haven't caused me any issues yet.

I'd be cautious about any of the suggestions that include liner locks, compression locks, and even the cbbl. When your working hard, knives can open. I've cut myself before on a liner lock knife that opened in my turnout coat. I've since switched to a knife that locks in the closed position to put in my turnout coat. But the assist may have a strong enough closing bias to work in that role. I've never personally handled one. I used to like knives that had all the things the assist did like the glass breaker and belt cutter, but I realized I don't use those functions. (Honestly I rarely use the knife on a scene) Firefighters have every tool in the world between the truck and their turnouts.

No disrespect to any one else who commented, but definitely don't go with a Caribbean. I do like those knives a lot, but it has a very weak detent compared to some other compression lock knives (pm2, para 3), and will be much more likely to open up in his pocket while he's working. (Mine opened up in my jeans pocket and I wasn't doing very much when it did)

I do think your all around best choice is the Pac salt. Did I mention it has a wider spydi hole to work better with gloves than say the endura, endela etc... It has lots of positives for this type of work, and is the cheapest of all of them.

Also, look into the channelock rescue series of tools. They make a great multi purpose tool for firefighters. One tool the size of large pliers and it has cable cutters, pry bar, gas shutoff, and spanner wrench etc. That's a tool that will get used a lot, then you can get him the byrd rescue to go with it and you'll have spent under $100 total

Pretty much completely agree with all of this.
(Off topic)
You have no idea how much I wish spyderco would make a manual opening salt series with a secondary safety that locked it closed, and could be disengaged and opened/closed and reengaged with one hand. In the future (not any time soon) ill make a post about this very thing and talk in more detail. I was a beach lifeguard and have carried salt series knives in pretty much the worst conditions. The exact type of conditions that will cause one to open. After tightening down pivots my other work around was to tie a hair tie through the lanyard hole just tight enough to where it can slip over the butt of the handle and the blade can be deployed. (This doesnt work on some knives depending on the profile of the spine of the blade to the butt of the handle in the closed postion, but it does work on many.) Its cheap, and replaceable, but it can still break and requires two hands to "disengage" the hair tie.
(On topic)
Agree on the caribbean. The detent is weak. Mine will ride on the drybag of the boat or get light edc. But I really wouldnt want to even go jogging with it.
Agree on avoiding pretty much everything thats not a backlock for a lot of reasons. But blade retention and self close bias are pretty much at the top of that list.
Agree that most people will find out in rescue type situations a knife is not commonly used or reached for. However its still way better to have one and not need it than the alternative.
My real recommendation would be something cheap that can be lost. If it has to be a spyderco though ill say assist salt, saver salt, atlantic salt, pacific salt, salt 2. Whichever you like.

[VooDooChild]

Also the snap-it salt would be great if he just wants something to ride on the med bag.

[tonijedi]

The Salt line is, on my opinion, the ultimate work knife series Spyderco produces. That's why I carry a Salt 2. If you don't know what you may need your knife for then the salt line is what you need. I understand splinter picker knives with very thin behind the edge stats are funnier to use in a controlled environment, but when you just need things done and fast Salts can't be beaten.

[wrdwrght]

The Salt line is, on my opinion, the ultimate work knife series Spyderco produces. That's why I carry a Salt 2. If you don't know what you may need your knife for then the salt line is what you need. I understand splinter picker knives with very thin behind the edge stats are funnier to use in a controlled environment, but when you just need things done and fast Salts can't be beaten.

Really, really hard to argue with this statement.

[Lonehunter]

Firefighter is a broad field , wildland , structural , ems based ,airport and so on . I retired from a dept in NY, not ems based ,we didn’t transport nor was it our main thing call volume . About 30 years on a Truck co. half as a LT. I carried to many to recall over the years ,from Delicas ( first in ‘91 ) to Strider AR to a Hinderer XM18 .

What you clip to,your uniform pocket, you’ll never reach with bunkers on . Hard to beat an Endura or Delica for pants pocket and another for bunkers . I don’t recall anyone that carried a sheepsfoot, like the Rescue , although I did for a bit, lost it after a fire , I opened the roof and after I dumped my tank at the rig, and believe the straps caught the clip and pulled it out of my coat pocket as it was clipped there .

[JD Spydo]

Assist Salt?

Or maybe the Autonomy.

I would go with ASSIST Salt model as well. I hope that the Glassbreaker feature is still available. Mine is the older VG-10 model with the glassbreaker and I wouldn't trade it for nothing. There is just enough plain edge on the tip part of it to get by.

Also I'm wondering where our old buddy "Tonydahose" has been. He was our resident firefighter here at Spyderville. Hope he's doing well :)

[sal]

Really good stuff. Thanx for sharing opinions. Double D. Voodoo child, your thoughts are valuable, especially on the self close. That's one of the reasons that I really like back-locks. Maybe a fresh thread on a model that would incorporate the features you suggest would be useful. My wife, Gail, was a firefighter for some time.

sal

[prndltech]

99% of the time I carry and SE pac salt. As previously recommended, I can’t say anything that hasn’t already been said, except that if I was a firefighter or anything else than a mechanic I’d still carry and SE pacific salt because I beat them like a red headed step child and they say “can I have some more please”

I also like the muscle memory factor, which I think plays a huge role in knife use and EMT/firefighter/any emergency work. work, play, kayaking, running/hiking/sports, chillin, driving, swimming, cooking, same knife, same motor skills. Don’t even have to think about it.