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Sidearms & Scatterguns US Made Rescue Knife?

T

thehjot

Sergeant of the Hide
Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 14, 2011
118
0
East Missouri
I'm here's what I'm looking for; a folding pocket knife, with a locking blade, that has the seat-belt cutter and the metal tip for breaking tempered auto glass. I can't find any that are made in AMERICA and cost less than $50.
I realize that you get what you pay for, but my knives are used for opening cardboard boxes, spreading cheese, and killing spiders. When I get a job with Bear Gryllis or start carving wooden figurines for a living, I'll consider spending $100 on a pocket knife.
I want the "rescue" type knife, with the seat-belt/cord cutter and the window breaker because I've needed it on two occasions, so far. My elbow is no longer a suitable substitute...
Smith and Wesson says their knives are made in the U.S.A., but when they arrived, the box clearly says "Made In China". Same with Buck brand knives. They claim to be American made, but the distributor websites say they are made in china.
Are there any American companies making quality rescue knives that don't charge ungodly amounts for their products?!
Can somebody recommend a good one, please?
Thanks!
 
Re: US Made Rescue Knife?

Chinese knives make jobs in the USA too. Taylor Cutlery imports and sell the Smith & Wesson knives. They are based in TN.
It is admirable that you want to buy American. Check Benchmade and Kershaw.
But expect it to cost more than $50.
 
Re: US Made Rescue Knife?

Yeah, there was a little insert with the S&W knives telling me that "Taylor Brands LLC" had made them. One knife broke when I tried to open it, the other had loose screws in the bag with it.
They're both being returned, but now I need replacements.
If I wanted a cheap Chinese-made knife, I could just go to the mall and buy the crappy stuff they sell at the little booths.
I wanted a good, quality, knife. Something I can trust to not fall apart in my pocket, much less the box it was shipped in.
I don't think $50 is unreasonable for that, do you guys?
 
Re: US Made Rescue Knife?

Ontario Knife Company is supposedly American made, too. But the distributors say they're made in Italy.
 
Re: US Made Rescue Knife?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: thehjot</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'm here's what I'm looking for; a folding pocket knife, with a locking blade, that has the seat-belt cutter and the metal tip for breaking tempered auto glass. I can't find any that are made in AMERICA and cost less than $50.</div></div>

http://www.galls.com/uniformstyle?assort=general_catalog&style=KN508&friendlyurl=

Unsure of country of origin though.
 
Re: US Made Rescue Knife?

Thanks, IronMaidenFan. I'm really looking for a folding knife though. I'm not EMS or a Fire Fighter, so I would be rarely (hopefully it's rare...) using the hook/punch.
I never thought I'd even need those features in a knife, but like I said, having been involved in two situations like that already has changed my opinion on the matter.
 
Re: US Made Rescue Knife?

Protech Knives are American made, according to their website, but they also cost $300 and more.

Gerber has a S.A.H. (Safety Auto Hook) that's made here, but it's priced around $150.
 
Re: US Made Rescue Knife?

Go to knifecenter dot com, I think they have a tab you can select to show US made knives.
 
Re: US Made Rescue Knife?

I did that. Most of the brands they list aren't actually made in America. China mostly, but the ones that are made here are outrageously priced.
 
Re: US Made Rescue Knife?

I guess so. It seems like that's pretty much the consensus here.
Maybe I need to just bite the bullet and accept that I'm going to have to pay that much for something I'll probably just lose in a car seat somewhere.
 
Re: US Made Rescue Knife?

If you don't mind "Made in Japan" Spyderco has served me well for many years and come in the flavors you desire.

Cheers,

Doc
 
Re: US Made Rescue Knife?

Thanks, Doc. It's not that I'm anti-China-made so much as I am pro-American-made.
 
Re: US Made Rescue Knife?

Spyderco has Made in USA & also made in Japan. I'd prefer Japan over China. Check out Cutleryshoppe.com and you can see what was made where. Also, Kershaw has a Rescue that runs about $59 retail ... I "think" it's USA made.
 
Re: US Made Rescue Knife?

Cutleryshoppe is a good one to have. They filled in the blank on a Gerber that I was looking at. Made in Taiwan.
 
Re: US Made Rescue Knife?

Here is a Benchmade that fits the bill other than price. I have one of these attached with velcro in mine and my wife's vehicle Rescue Hook
 
Re: US Made Rescue Knife?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: thehjot</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Yeah, there was a little insert with the S&W knives telling me that "Taylor Brands LLC" had made them. One knife broke when I tried to open it, the other had loose screws in the bag with it.
They're both being returned, but now I need replacements.
If I wanted a cheap Chinese-made knife, I could just go to the mall and buy the crappy stuff they sell at the little booths.
I wanted a good, quality, knife. Something I can trust to not fall apart in my pocket, much less the box it was shipped in.
I don't think $50 is unreasonable for that, do you guys? </div></div>

This is the knife I was referring to:

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/s...playErrorView_N
 
Re: US Made Rescue Knife?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: thehjot</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'm between that Benchmade 915 Triage that RJ posted or the Gerber Safety Auto Hook.
Prices are almost identical, but I think I like the blade better on the Benchmade.

Benchmade:
http://www.benchmade.com/products/915

Gerber:
http://www.gerbergear.com/Tactical/Knives/Safety-Auto-Hook-Knife_30-000383</div></div>

Benchmade makes a much higher quality knife than Gerber, especially when you're looking at their folders.
 
Re: US Made Rescue Knife?

You're not the first person I've heard that from, Jim. Maybe there's some truth to it??
I've always wanted a benchmade, ever since I watched a guy saw through the sheet metal of his driver's door with one. While I don't really see the practical application of that, it was still impressive. So I'm kind of leaning toward the benchmade now.

It's still ridiculous that it's SO hard to find American made knives, or anything else for that matter.
 
Re: US Made Rescue Knife?

American made knives get pretty expensive because of the American made steels and components...Just the way it is.
You can buy a Boker, but you get what you pay for.

I agree with Jim D that Benchmade makes a great knife that is way above Kershaw's standard production quality.
Kershaw does make the Zero Tolerance line which currently produces (IMHO) the finest production knife on he market for the dollar spent...have a look at the 560
smile.gif


Personally I feel the seat belt cutter and rescue blade concept is is over rated. A regular knife will cut seatbelt material just fine...Just face the blade away from the person.
I think a glass breaker should be considered essential edc equipment. Maybe look for a knife with a glass breaker?

Or you can go with a regular knife with one of these....I always have one on my keychain.
ResQme
Read some reviews on the cutter..It is is an outstanding little piece of gear.
Get one for your wife while your at it.
 
Re: US Made Rescue Knife?

You're right, X-Fan. That Zero Tolerance line looks impressive! But there's no way I could spend that much on a pocket knife. Like I said, I'm spreading cheese and opening boxes. I can do both with my teeth and save the $300 bucks. Those look great for somebody who needs that caliber of knife, but (fortunately) I'm not that guy.
I used to agree with you about the seat-belt cutter. I thought it was a silly thing to have attached to a knife. I thought, a knife will cut a seat-belt just fine!
The last time I cut a seat-belt, the car was upside down and on fire. The kid was hysterical, obviously, and wouldn't hold still. Because his weight was against the belt, the buckle wouldn't release under tension. I cut way up high, by the shoulder pulley, so I was nowhere near him. But I don't know that I'll always be able to do that. So, just in case, I'd like to have the ability to cut the belt where it crosses the person's lap, without worrying about cutting them.
I agree with you, it sounds dumb, but I'm a 'rather safe than sorry' kinda guy.
As far as the window breaking thing, I have no idea how that works. I hope it's quick and painless, using the knife, but I don't see why I can't use the body of the knife to break a window. Is it a special spike on the handle? Won't the blade tip do the same thing? I don't know, but with peoples lives at stake (maybe my own) I'm not finding out the hard way.
 
Re: US Made Rescue Knife?

That ResQme thing looks cool. I've seen those types of thing before. My problem with them has always been that I don't always have my keys with me. In both accidents, my keys were in the ignition of my truck.
You have to stop the vehicle, put it in park, turn the key back, and remove it from the ignition. That's a lot to think of when you're scared as hell.
The one you posted, ResQme, is different because I wouldn't have to do all that. It has an awesome breakaway feature so I could rip it off the key ring and just run with it. My concern there, is whether I'd remember to do that. In the first accident, I forgot to put my truck in park (it was pinned against the median) before I got out and didn't realize it until they went to tow it. That seems like an obvious thing to do when you take time and think about it, but in that moment it was the last thing on my mind.
I really think a rescue knife, that's in my pocket whether I remember it or not, it the way to go for me.
 
Re: US Made Rescue Knife?

The 560 at $260.00 is too much for a lot of folks, but a real Hinderer (believe it or not) is $700.00-$900.00!

Even if you do get a rescue knife I highly recommend the ResQme tool...So cheap and works so well it just makes sense. I much prefer it to the cheap shit knives sold by most other knife makers. If it is you stuck in the seat belt you may not be able to get to your knife.

IMHO the glass breaker thing on knives is a bit sketchy as your hand will follow the impact into the broken glass. That said glass is a lot harder break than you would think and you will have ahell of a time doing it with a regular knife.
 
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