Any recommendation for a pocket knife/escaping tool?

[qqzj]

It is almost Christmas and time for gifts!

I am thinking about giving my kids some pocket knife with seat belt cutter and glass breaker. Knife will be the useful part and the others should look cool and hopefully will never be used. I searched on Amazon for a long while and zeroed in on this one

Kershaw Barricade (8650)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XPR3W77/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Just want to share here to see whether there are better options out there?

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Ton ton]

Great thread. I love pocket knives.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

A dedicated rescue tool would be better.

Have you looked at the victorinox rescue tool?

 

[Don1357]

I'm a big fan of the leatherman skeletool. Heck look that up and the outdoor tool pouch.

 

[XJSuperman]

My latest ones were a $3 china knife with those features that has held up really really well considering I expected it to last a couple months instead of a couple years. And the Buck 870 Bones (this one doesn't have the features you described). I agree with others that if this is the route you're going, a multitool might serve them better. Nice to keep in a center console or glovebox.

 

[qqzj]

Do you have the link for the $3 knife. I want to throw one in every car of mine.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[tez929rr]

A simple spring loaded punch will shatter most automotive side windows. We all carry these 3.99 Harbor Freight punches in our extrication gear pockets. Cheap enough to put one in every vehicle.

https://www.harborfreight.com/spring-loaded-center-punch-621.html

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

https://www.swissarmy.com/us/en/Pro...s/Large-Pocket-Knives/RescueTool/p/0.8623.MWN

 

[RTM]

Here is a gadget that just showed up in my email. Know the seller, not the tool. Pretty good reviews on Amazon, wonder how many have actually used it as intended. Hope not all 10k reviewers.

https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/home/automotive/110008-resqme-car-escape-tool?item=45K0730

 

[Dave455]

A pocket knife incorporating a glass breaker is always going to be a bit of a compromise. The glass breaker is just going to be a hardened point for the most part. I do recall seeing a knife with a sprung glass breaker, but I can’t recall the make.

The Victorinox linked by Suzuki is a great tool, but a bit cumbersome for regular carry, unless your job is rescuing people. The best tool is always the one you have with you!

Personally, I’d vote for the Res-q-me tool linked by RTM, and shown below. Inexpensive, halfway decent quality, and made in the USA.

Other options are the rescue hooks offered by Benchmade. Although there’s no glass breaker, these work well. I fly for a living and the model shown lives in my flight bag by my seat. I can always access this, even when strapped into a seat when a pocket knife could be difficult to get to.

There’s an argument for having something that can be used one handed too!

 

[Iowafox]

Do you have the link for the $3 knife. I want to throw one in every car of mine.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using The Garage Journal mobile app

Why not just get the $3 walmart ozark trail knives one for each car. For what they are they aren't total trash. I've got 2 and one of them I wanted for fancy stuff and it's fooled alot of people they all think it's fancy even tho its just a $3 walmart beater.

https://www.walmart.com/browse/spor...MIy6qbvqXv7AIVtOy1Ch31Vgr0EAAYASAAEgJxtPD_BwE

My "fancy" one is the bone handled looking one on the site.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

A pocket knife incorporating a glass breaker is always going to be a bit of a compromise. The glass breaker is just going to be a hardened point for the most part. I do recall seeing a knife with a sprung glass breaker, but I can’t recall the make.



The Victorinox linked by Suzuki is a great tool, but a bit cumbersome for regular carry, unless your job is rescuing people. The best tool is always the one you have with you!



Personally, I’d vote for the Res-q-me tool linked by RTM, and shown below. Inexpensive, halfway decent quality, and made in the USA.



Other options are the rescue hooks offered by Benchmade. Although there’s no glass breaker, these work well. I fly for a living and the model shown lives in my flight bag by my seat. I can always access this, even when strapped into a seat when a pocket knife could be difficult to get to.



There’s an argument for having something that can be used one handed too!

The Benchmade took is great too. I believe they also have a longer handle one.

 

[toolmutt]

Here is a gadget that just showed up in my email. Know the seller, not the tool. Pretty good reviews on Amazon, wonder how many have actually used it as intended. Hope not all 10k reviewers.

https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/home/automotive/110008-resqme-car-escape-tool?item=45K0730

I taught vehicle extrication for over 25 years. I have seen numerous examples of this tool fail to break a window on most attempts. I was a career firefighter for more than three decades, most of it on a rig that was specifically tasked with extrication. I carried a spring loaded center punch for the first few years. I gave up on it and then carried a pocket knife with a hardened point for breaking windows and a seatbelt cutter with replaceable utility blade similar to that in the OP's post (only heavier duty). It never failed. And the knife portion is always useful. That would be my recommendation.

 

[Fuelboat]

AAA did article about rescue tools not working on all windows

https://www.aaa.com/autorepair/articles/vehicle-escape-tools

Not all windows will break with a standard tool since they have laminated glass in the door glass

 

[Fuelboat]

Full review

https://newsroom.aaa.com/2019/07/vehicle-escape-tools-testing/

Click on 'Full Research Report' under 'Additional Resources'

 

[AffableCurmudgeon]

Not trying to be a smart alec but where do you all drive that you have to be concerned about breaking out of windows?

 

[qqzj]

A simple spring loaded punch will shatter most automotive side windows. We all carry these 3.99 Harbor Freight punches in our extrication gear pockets. Cheap enough to put one in every vehicle.

https://www.harborfreight.com/spring-loaded-center-punch-621.html

Cool, I am going to buy one and try it out next time when I visit junkyard.

 

[Jeffh40]

My new EDC knife.

They have a rescue version as well:

https://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details/C209G/ClipiTool-Rescue/1122

 

[RTM]

I taught vehicle extrication for over 25 years. I have seen numerous examples of this tool fail to break a window on most attempts..

I guess that’s a recommendation I can trust further than 10k Amazon reviewers.

 

[toolmutt]

Not trying to be a smart alec but where do you all drive that you have to be concerned about breaking out of windows?

This is the knife that rode in my bunker coat pocket for years. It broke lots of windows, cut lots of seatbelts, cut lots of seat backs, carpet, etc. It now rides in the door pocket of my pickup in case I come upon an accident. Not to break out, but to break in, if necessary. Or cut seatbelts. Or whatever.

 

[Dave455]

The Benchmade took is great too. I believe they also have a longer handle one.

Yes, they offer several models. I have one of the longer handle ones too, but it doesn’t really do much more for the extra bulk, so it doesn’t see a huge amount of use.

Victorinox offer other knives with the, very sensibly designed, curved rescue blade. They are more of a general purpose tool, but cut belts effectively if you have to. Good for some packing too. You do need two hands to open it though

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Yes, they offer several models. I have one of the longer handle ones too, but it doesn’t really do much more for the extra bulk, so it doesn’t see a huge amount of use.



Victorinox offer other knives with the, very sensibly designed, curved rescue blade. They are more of a general purpose tool, but cut belts effectively if you have to. Good for some packing too. You do need two hands to open it though

Funny enough, I enjoy buying knives as it looks like you do too. One particular brand i enjoy is chris reeve knives. One of their models is called the umnumzaan. It has a glass breaker integrated into the lock face side of the blade. That's the next model I'm getting (not for the glass breaker lol). None of my other knives have a glass breaker on them, but a titanium pen i own does. They put them on all odd things.

As an aside, you can spend $10-1000 on a knife with glass breaker & (maybe) seat belt cutter. A "rescue" style blade is best as you won't stab yourself and in a tense situation you need simple. Something attached close by to the driver or onto the seat belt i think would be good. I carry my firearm, blade & phone on my right side. It takes a bit of maneuvering to get any of those out past the seat belt or center console. I've began to remove my cell phone and sometimes firearm if it's a longer trip so they're more readily accessible. Now you've got me thinking about an extraction tool....

 

[Ton ton]

Not trying to be a smart alec but where do you all drive that you have to be concerned about breaking out of windows?

We have some seriously deserted back roads where I live.

 

[R_einan]

What about the Benchmade Triage knife. Comes with a glass breaker and rescue hook as well as a reasonably sized blade? I bought one as a gift for a friend of mine that was a Fireman/EMT and he said it was awesome. Half his station ended up buying them once they saw it.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

We have some seriously deserted back roads where I live.

It's a concept called being prepared. You don't plan on being pulled over but you're prepared with all your documentation and license (or i can assume) in the event that you are. You have health insurance in preparation for a medical issue. So carrying a knife, gun, tools in the trunk, etc is in preparation for an incident. Have you ever been in a situation where you thought to yourself "I wish I had _____ on me today"? I have. That's why I carry a Swiss army knife along with a larger blade on the daily. Pen, tweezers, scissors, etc.

 

[Aaron_W]

Not a "rescue" knife but I just bought a classic midsize Swiss Army knife for myself, and got one for my older son who doesn't have a pocket knife (I realized I had failed in this regard, so got him one too).

Slim in the pocket, and covers all the basic needs, Phillips screw driver, 2 sizes of flat screw driver, bottle opener, can opener, 2 knife blades, a saw and the obligatory awl.

The saws are sharp and I expect would make quick work of a seatbelt. They work well to cut branches. Swiss Army knives are probably one of the most benign knives on the market seen as a tool rather than a weapon by pretty much everybody in the known universe.

Victorinox Hiker

 

[930dreamer]

Smith & Wesson rescue knife , strictly for seatbelts and windows.

 

[Dave455]

Funny enough, I enjoy buying knives as it looks like you do too. One particular brand i enjoy is chris reeve knives.

Guilty as charged...!

I remember the old Chris Reeve fixed blade’s with the hollow handles. Lovely knives. Can’t now remember why I didn’t buy one but regret not doing so.

Back on topic - I think there’s a lot to be said for having a “rescue” blade on a knife or multitool that you would normally have anyway. Victorinox offer their large multitool with a rescue blade, and I actually own one of these, but it’s a seriously big and hefty thing. I used a S & W Model 60 once that I swear was lighter than this thing...!

At the other end of the scale, I see quite a few of these lightweight strap cutters around now. I was really sceptical when I first encountered them and tried one on an old aircraft seatbelt. Surprisingly, it actually worked really well. I think it’s due to the angle of the blade - pulling it causes a sort of slicing action!

 

[tez929rr]

I taught vehicle extrication for over 25 years. I have seen numerous examples of this tool fail to break a window on most attempts. I was a career firefighter for more than three decades, most of it on a rig that was specifically tasked with extrication. I carried a spring loaded center punch for the first few years. I gave up on it and then carried a pocket knife with a hardened point for breaking windows and a seatbelt cutter with replaceable utility blade similar to that in the OP's post (only heavier duty). It never failed. And the knife portion is always useful. That would be my recommendation.

I read recently that about 1/3 off new vehicles have laminated side windows - we haven’t encountered any yet but that is a whole new problem.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

I read recently that about 1/3 off new vehicles have laminated side windows - we haven’t encountered any yet but that is a whole new problem.

Modified welding hammer head & rip saw?

 

[tez929rr]

Usually we knock a hole with a Halligan tool and use a dedicated handsaw. Sometimes you get lucky and can pull it out in one piece.

 

[toolmutt]

I read recently that about 1/3 off new vehicles have laminated side windows - we haven’t encountered any yet but that is a whole new problem.

More and more all the time. And polycarbonate as well. The trend was getting into full swing in upscale vehicles before I retired but in my response area we didn't see too many of those. I did see a few laminate side and rear windows during actual calls. If you encounter it, the same tools/techniques used for windshields should work. Recip saw works well. Or just leave it in place.

For the civilian wanting to carry a glass breaker for emergency exit, it won't work. How does one know if their window is laminate, EPG, or poly without trying their window punch? Looking for key words on the label in the corner of the window or contacting the manufacturer are options.

 

[toolmutt]

Usually we knock a hole with a Halligan tool and use a dedicated handsaw. Sometimes you get lucky and can pull it out in one piece.

A technique we liked used a recip saw with a quality demolition blade. Cut through the A post (because you're probably going to make a relief cut later, anyway) and continue the cut across the glass. Then, like you said, pull out the entire piece.

Or, if your hydraulic cutters are in play, use them for the relief cut of the A post. That creates a purchase point in the front edge of the glass to insert your saw blade and continue the cut.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

More and more all the time. And polycarbonate as well. The trend was getting into full swing in upscale vehicles before I retired but in my response area we didn't see too many of those. I did see a few laminate side and rear windows during actual calls. If you encounter it, the same tools/techniques used for windshields should work. Recip saw works well. Or just leave it in place.



For the civilian wanting to carry a glass breaker for emergency exit, it won't work. How does one know if their window is laminate, EPG, or poly without trying their window punch? Looking for key words on the label in the corner of the window or contacting the manufacturer are options.

Good tip, I never thought about that. Now I must research.

 

[dffay]

Plenty of choice to be sure. Knowing a bunch about first response, I would offer that it needs the ability to open and close with one hand. Too often, the other hand is busy holding something else in the life-saving venture.
Look for it to rescue children and pets left in hot cars sealed up during Summer days. That happens with tragic frequency.
I’d bust side glass to rescue that situation and sleep like the innocent that night any day of the year.

 

[Fuelboat]

List of cars with laminated glass (may not includ the latest year)

https://www.aaa.com/AAA/common/AAR/files/Laminated-Glass-Vehicle-List.pdf

 

[toolmutt]

Wish I'd known about that resource while I was still working! We had the Holmatro program for supplemental restraint systems and battery locations but the department didn't update it very often. Thanks for posting!

 

[csp]

Columbia River Knife & Tool (CRKT) Terzuola Hwy Rescue Knife

https://www.crkt.com/terzuola-hwy-rescue-knife.html

It's a fixed blade knife in a sheath and the sheath has a hardened point and a seat bell web cutting blade. There's one in each of our vehicles and the velcro on the sheath sticks to headliners, so it's in reach to the driver and front passenger at all times.

 

[tez929rr]

Wish I'd known about that resource while I was still working! We had the Holmatro program for supplemental restraint systems and battery locations but the department didn't update it very often. Thanks for posting!

Seems like every time we get an app for info on hybrids/plugins they last about 2-3 years and then can’t be updated. RescueCode is the most recent and still seems to update OK.

 

[sk farmer]

i am a volunteer but still carry my extrication and emr certification. as others have said. those mini/multitools work on occasion but a real tool like a spring loaded centerpunch or some of the full size knives with carbide inserts work the best.

as they also said glass and vehicle construction is always changing and what always used to work sometimes doesn't and you need to adapt.