Recommend Good Knife-EMS

[Jim Burnes]

My oldest son has left the police and is now in training to be a crewman assigned to the Air Force MH-53 Pave Low. Ugly beast eh?

I would like to have him carrying the best rescue-knife available, does anyone have any suggestions? This knife will have to have some heft and be able to cut through the fabric used by aircraft seat restraints as well as the varied cords and lines found in vehicles and aircraft.

Thanks in advance.

Jim Burnes

[shooter1201]

Without a doubt, you want him to have an Emerson. Absolutely NO doubt about it. Almost ANY Emerson model will do and it will last HIS lifetime and be used by his offspring. They start around $100 wholesale, but you DEFINITELY get what you pay for.

www.knifeoutlet.com
www.botachtactical.com
www.discountknives.com

Emerson has a website, but for the life of me, I cannot remember the URL.

Duh!

www.emersonknives.com

[ 12-12-2002, 10:29 PM: Message edited by: shooter1201 ]

[Niteshift]

Cold Steel has a rescue knife that is pretty nice. It's totally serrated with a blunt tip. It slide forward with a push of the thumb (like the forward opening switchblades, but it's not an auto). Very reasonable priced too.

Also don't overlook the S&W knife made for seatbelts. It has a blunted screwdriver tip and a spring loaded window punch.

BTW, ugly is in the eye of the beholder. If you're getting set down in a potentially ugly piece of jungle, the Pave Low is the ride I'd want.

[Rimfire]

Seems like I'm always plugging something on Galls but.... CQD Mark I Tactical Knife

Very pretty. But they don't sell it cheap. You can probably find it cheaper somewhere else.

[Bob A]

I have a CRKT (Columbia River Knife and Tool) M16-02 with the Tanto blade. There is a larger version of this knife, but I don't remember what the model is, and I'd get it with a serrated blade.

It's the best knife I've ever used and it wasn't expensive ($65 or so) The frame is aluminum, and the blade hasn't rusted, but I'm not sure what it's made of. Very sturdy, VERY sharp, and holds its edge.

[Mike Tx]

Ditto that knife Rimfire posted. I have one, and it is expensive, but it is very high quality, and solidly built.

Glass breaker, seatbelt cutter and more...

[Jim Burnes]

Mike,

Regards that knife: What is a plunge guard?

And, have you tried to use the window breaker and the seatbelt cutter?

This knife is a fixed blade, is it not?

Jim Burnes

[Mike Tx]

No Jim, it's a folder with a release button. I have tried the seat belt cutter on heavey fabric and it ripped right through it, but have not tested the glass breaker.

[shooter1201]

Re: Plunge Guard(my guess on what it refers to)...

Folders CAN have their locking mechanism overridden when the blade is stabbed(plunged) into a hard surface, causing catostrophic failure of the locking mechanism, with the end result being the blade closing over the fingers. NOT good.

Someone mentioned CRKT knives. They use ATS-34 blade steel. My CRKT 'Apache' is one of the best folders I have ever owned...including my Emerson CQC-7. I paid $35 for my CRKT, $90 for my Emerson from Botach. I've used my CRKT to cut through full-sized fire hose with NO problem. It made it through (4) full-diameter sections before needing resharpened.

Several CRKT folders have a secondary locking system that prevents the liner lock from being overridden. This feature isn't reserved solely for $300 knives.

CRKT makes good stuff.

Oh, yeah...check out:

http://www.cfiarms.com

Emerson Search and Rescue Knife http://www.cfiarms.com/vn/emerson/04/SARK-CN-S.GIF

CRKT Kasper LG w/combo edge(has dual locking mechanism)

http://www.cfiarms.com/vn/columbia/04/6783K.jpg

[ 12-13-2002, 11:21 PM: Message edited by: shooter1201 ]

[Mike Tx]

Shooter I have two Apaches and was trying to buy another when I was told they don't make them anymore. I can't seem to find them. Any idea who may have them still? Thanks.

[shooter1201]

MikeTx....

I've got a local dealer that still has ONE in stock. It's the LARGE w/PLAIN edge...NIB for $54(MSRP was $75 at time of discontinuance), IIRC. Check your PM for a #.

[foxtrot]

[ 12-22-2002, 03:01 AM: Message edited by: foxtrot ]

[shooter1201]

foxtrot...

CRKT may also use AUS8, but my CRKT Apache clearly says ATS34 on the blade.

The listing for CFIarms was merely to show pics of knives.