Rescue knives

[jackknifeh]

Hello,

Does Spyderco have any good rescue knives and if so has anyone needed to use them for what they were designed for? The minimum requirements would be a glass breaker (car windows for example) and a seat belt cutter that doesn't have an exposed point or blade that may cut a person needing help. Even if you didn't need to help someone has anyone actually broken a car window with a knife? I've used a couple of tools that claimed to be designed for uses like cutting seat belts. None that I've used worked very well. There has to be better ones out there.

Thank you for any input.
Jack

[Pete1977]

The Assist has a glass breaker and a whistle I believe and is a dedicated Rescue knife with a blunt sheepsfoot tip and a serrated blade. I don't own one and thankfully have never had to actually use my Rescue for rescuing anyone.

[The Deacon]

By your standards, no, they do not. Assist is a great knife, and is the only Spyderco with a glass breaker, but it does not have a dedicated seat belt cutter. Instead, it has a safety tip on the blade which makes it very difficult to cut flesh with it.

[Pete1977]

Deacon-

Is the Assist with the plain edged tip instead of the safety tip a less available verson of the knife and was it ever made in the bright handle instead of the black?

[The Deacon]

Deacon-

Is the Assist with the plain edged tip instead of the safety tip a less available verson of the knife and was it ever made in the bright handle instead of the black?

Less available in the sense it was discontinued a few years back. Also does not have the glass breaker. IIRC, I've only ever seen it in black and I don't think an orange version was made, but I could be wrong.

[v8r]

I have seen a Orange one at a gun show if we are talking about the one with glass breaker and whistle in the handle.... the name eludes me at this time? :o

[Pete1977]

Thanks Deacon-

I think the Assist with the sharp tip would work for what I primarily use a knife for. The glass breaker would not be a necessity but the whistle can come in handy in a man overboard scenario. I have never seen an orange handled Assist with the sharpened tip either but your knowledge is vastly superior to mine when it comes to variations on Spyderco products :D

[The Deacon]

Thanks Deacon-

I think the Assist with the sharp tip would work for what I primarily use a knife for. The glass breaker would not be a necessity but the whistle can come in handy in a man overboard scenario. I have never seen an orange handled Assist with the sharpened tip either but your knowledge is vastly superior to mine when it comes to variations on Spyderco products :D

Pete, on the older Assists the safety tip was pretty much a full 3mm thick and would have been a real bear to remove. On the new ones, it only lacks the primary grind. It would be a less than five minute job for someone with the right tools to sharpen all the way to the end.

[catamount]

The Assist is available in orange with a carbide glass breaking tip in the handle.

It also has a blunt tip for prying, a rescue whistle, and the ability to use it like scissors for cutting rope.

http://spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=304

[whkento]

The Assist is available in orange with a carbide glass breaking tip in the handle.

It also has a blunt tip for prying, a rescue whistle, and the ability to use it like scissors for cutting rope.

http://spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=304

Yep. Quite an attractive knife for someone in the field. I haven't been there for several years, so don't have first-hand experience with it. I'd buy it in a heartbeat if I were still out there. I really like the carbide-tip glass breaker.

[ccpmedic]

I have used an ATS 55 steel version Rescue to remove clothing, cut climbing rope and seatbelts. I also had the need to cut car battery cables with it (needed to cut power to the vehicle prior to the arrival of Fire/Rescue). The cable was severed in one pass, without damage to the blade. This is a great knife. I do not have a newer version with a glass breaker, but I have no doubt that it will perform as intended. Buy with confidence.
Roy, 21 year Paramedic Veteran

[Pete1977]

Pete, on the older Assists the safety tip was pretty much a full 3mm thick and would have been a real bear to remove. On the new ones, it only lacks the primary grind. It would be a less than five minute job for someone with the right tools to sharpen all the way to the end.

would diamond sharpmaker rods work to sharpen one to the end?

[telemeister]

Have the Assist in Orange with the carbide tip and whistle. Never had cause to use the tip, but have used it to cut belts and webbing etc. It works, unsurprisingly. The tip of the knife makes it virtually impossible to stab someone or something.

Its a great knife but it is also very big (which doesn't bother me).

[jackknifeh]

Thanks to all who replied. Your input was very helpful. I'll be looking at the Assist orange handle soon. I was looking at a knife from another company but it is huge for being a folder. 10" open. Plus I like the whistle on the Assist. That was a very good thought. Actually the whistle was the deal maker in favor of the Assist.

I'm thankful that I have never needed to help someone but if I found myself in that situation and didn't have something to use that would have helped I would probably loose sleep over that. Especially when that tool is readily available and I always have at least one knife on me. Small EDC in my pocket and something on my belt for heavier jobs. I consider both knives EDC. I could easily replace the belt knife with a rescue one or just add it to my EDC knives.

Thanks again,
Jack

[cosmo7809]

Check out this thread for some great pictures http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthre ... ght=assist



The knife is alot bigger and chunkier than I expected. Still love it.

[iwolf81]

The knife is a lot bigger and chunkier than I expected. Still love it.

This knife is easy to operate with gloved hands, even badly fitting ones. The thick grip and cobra hood make a tremendous positive difference.

Regards,
Ira

[cosmo7809]

This knife is easy to operate with gloved hands, even badly fitting ones. The thick grip and cobra hood make a tremendous positive difference.

Regards,
Ira

O yah, without a doubt.

Just that I have small hands for a man and when I first handled it I was a little surprised.

Did however try operating the knife with some leather gloves and as you said above the cobra hood is a great addition.

[yowzer]

Roy, 21 year Paramedic Veteran

Did you work a lot with John? :p

[tonydahose]

i keep one in each of my cars. i have actually used the glass breaker on a car we were tearing apart in a drill. it worked fine compared to my fire rescue channel lock tool :rolleyes: (i emailed someone about it and all the guy wanted to do was argue that i didnt know how to use it). the assist with the sharpened edge never came in orange, just black. it is harder to come by too. remember to look away when breaking the window and use it near the corner (the window is more rigid there because it is near the frame holding the window, so it will break easier instead of bouncing). as far as seat belts, i havent used an assist to cut one but i have used my tasman and endura to cut my fair share and the serrations cut thru them like butter. here is hoping you never need to use the knife in an emergency but if you do it will be worth its weight in gold.

edit: for i fixed blade i would suggest the jumpmaster. it could use a window breaker at the end of the handle though. i need to find a place that sells some replaceable screw in ones and try my hand at modding mine.