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Knives Save Lives: Knives vs. Seat Belts

A photo from the scene of the accident.

A photo from the scene of the accident.

For many people who don’t use knives on a daily basis, it can be pretty easy to dismiss them as unnecessary items to carry. Unlike a wallet or keys, a knife might not have to leave your pocket unless you need to slice open packaging or cut twine.

But there’s one other reason why everyone should carry a knife: knives save lives. Sure, this may only come about once in a lifetime, but in that single moment, you control the fate of someone else’s (or your own) life.

Over the past few years, we’ve written a series of blog posts called “Knives Save Lives” documenting the real stories of how knives have been used to save someone from certain death. One thing these stories had in common was that they were unexpected.

For example, early last year, a driver lost control of a car while going over a slippery bridge in Utah. The car crashed into an icy river, trapping three small children inside a car filling with water. The driver, Roger Andersen, tried desperately to save the kids from the vehicle, but the doors were jammed shut.

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Knives save lives: David’s deadly seat belt

When you think of dangerous activities, things like skydiving, drag racing, free climbing and white-water rafting might pop into your head.

You probably don’t think something as mundane as putting on a seat belt is dangerous, but our latest installment of knives save lives is a testament that danger can strike at any moment.

In November of 2006, Kaamilya Wilson was on a routine trip in the car with her then five-year-old son David and family when disaster struck.

While putting on his seat belt, David somehow became entangled and the belt tightly wrapped around his neck. An old piece in the ABC local news featured an interview with David and his sister about the incident.

“I was trying to buckle myself and it snatched me back, so it got around my neck,” explained David.

“I was scared because he was turning colors and he couldn’t breath,” said his older sister, Alicia.

When something like that happens, panic usually sets in and it did with Kaamilya who was screaming and hollering in fear. Another passenger in the car waved down an officer passing by, but he couldn’t do anything to untangle the boy because it was too tight around his neck.

Precious time was ticking away.

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NYC Helicopter Crash Victims Trapped by Seatbelts and Poorly Briefed on Knives

Shortly after 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, a helicopter in New York City plunged into the frigid waters of the East River.

Stunned onlookers watched as the Eurocopter AS350 slowly landed on the water — where it quickly flipped upside down and started sinking.

The pilot was able to escape the downed helicopter but the five other passengers were killed in the water or shortly after.

Here is a brief video someone captured on their phone of the crash:

It’s an extremely sad story that once again calls into question the safety of helicopter tours that take private passengers around the city for photo opportunities.

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Knives Save Lives: Pocketknife saves girl from seatbelt

The latest addition of our Knives Save Lives series reports on how a young girl in New Orleans was nearly strangled by her seatbelt, before a passerby used a $5 pocketknife to set her free.

According to an article in the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Evelyn Saenz was riding in a booster seat in the back seat of her parent’s car, when somehow the seat belt became wrapped around her neck.  Evelyn’s mother, Kelly, said that her daughter was being strangled and there was little she or her husband could do.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Kelly said. “It was like (the movie) ‘Christine.’ It just locked up and, no matter how hard we pulled, we couldn’t undo it. It was like a noose and it just kept getting tighter and tighter. It was strangling her.”

The couple pulled over into a convenience store, where Evelyn’s father, Joseph, retrieved a box cutter, but it failed to cut through the belt.  Meanwhile, little Evelyn was turning blue.

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Hot Kitchen, Hot Knives: Chef Jason Wilson of Crush in Seattle, WA

This is the fourth installment of The Cutting Edge’s new article series: Hot Kitchens, Hot Knives! Cooks and foodies almost love geeking out about their knives as much as they love food (and at times, even moreso!), so we’ll be sitting down with chefs, kitchen crews, and bloggers all across the world to ask them about their knife collections and the culinary workhorses that they know and love. Check out this series every Tuesday if you want to find out what kind of heat the guys and gals in the kitchen are packing in their knife rolls.

Chef Jason Wilson

With 20 years of globetrotting and culinary experience under his belt, Chef Jason Wilson has the kind of insight into kitchen knives that few possess. Since its opening in 2005, Wilson’s restaurant, Crush, has earned him accolade after accolade from the James Beard Foundation, Food & Wine magazine, and others for his commitment to high-quality ingredients and the inventive and whimsical ways in which he and his team make them all work together. If you’re ever in Seattle, stop by Crush just to check out Wilson’s Bacon and Eggs dish, an orgasmic combination of local meat with smoked Steelhead salmon roe, bourbon maple syrup, and parsnip flan.

We’ve got Chef Wilson’s kitchen knife insights, which alternate between straightforward and downright mystical (in an awesome way), after the jump! Continue reading

20 Best Rescue Knives You Can Buy in 2023

This post was originally published in 2018 and has since been updated yearly to reflect newer and better models.

Disaster can strike anytime anywhere.

Your car might suddenly careen off the road before landing upside down in a creek or your clothing could get trapped in an escalator unexpectedly.

In either situation, only a knife can save you from certain doom. While any knife can save someone in a pinch, manufacturers have seized the opportunity to create models specifically designed to aid in a rescue.

So we compiled a list of 20 of the best rescue knives. These come in all designs and styles, from small folders to massive fixed blades.

Take a look and let us know your favorites.

1. Kershaw Funxion

Kershaw Funxion

The Kershaw Funxion EMT is an updated version of the knife with a feature-rich design. The knife comes with a 3-inch partially serrated blade that deploys with the SpeedSafe assisted-opening mechanism.

Hidden within the K-texture GFN handle is a carabiner clip, hex wrench, cord cutter, glass breaker tip, and screwdriver tip. This is a nice multitool to carry that would come in handy in the event of an emergency. This knife is particularly useful for an EMT or medic.

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2. Spyderco Assist

Spyderco Assist

Spyderco makes some bizarre knives, but there’s no denying they’re great at their job. The Assist is no exception.

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15 Best Keychain Tools

Quick, empty your pockets.

If you happen to be outside the house, you’ll likely have at least three items: a wallet, phone, and keys. We’ve already talked about credit-card knives that fit into wallets and the iPhone multitool case, but that leaves us with keys.

Since your keys are always within reach whenever you’re outside the house, they’re a natural place to attach essential tools.

If you’re looking to make your keys even more useful, we’ve assembled this list of tools that fit right on your keychain.

Some of the tools we first wrote about when this was published in May 2015 have gone the way of the dodo, so we decided to give this list an update.

Gerber Shard

Gerber Shard

The Gerber Shard is a small and easy to carry piece of steel that doesn’t overwhelm with functions. The small tool has two screwdrivers, a pry bar, a nail remover, a bottle and can opener, a scraper, and whatever else you can get out of it.

The tool is 2.75 inches long and made of stainless steel with black titanium coating.

Victorinox Classic SD

Victorinox Classic SD

Perhaps the best-known multitool ever is the Swiss Army knife. The Victorinox Classic SD is not only one of the best-selling Swiss Army knives but it is also small enough to fit on your keychain.

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Knives Save Lives: Benchmade Rift vs. Overturned Car Edition

Insurance agents probably aren’t best known for their physical strength or life-saving capabilities. But, with the help of a pocket knife, almost anyone can be a hero in a split second.

Insurance agents Cheyene Robertson and Nick Greb were driving across Iowa in June to sell insurance to seniors when they noticed an overturned car in a cornfield.

“We just happened to come across an overturned car and we both thought to ourselves, that wasn`t there previously,” said Robertson to Channel 13 WHO TV.

“I ran out there, shouting is anyone in the vehicle? Are you okay? I heard a woman inside faintly scream,” said Greb.

Chyanne Porter was stuck upside down in the vehicle. Robertson called emergency services for help while Greb surveyed the scene and looked for someone to get her out.

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Best Knives to Give to Your Dad on Father’s Day

When you think back to your first knife, it’s likely that your dad was the person who gave it to you. So, to honor your dad with the same special gift he bestowed upon you, consider getting him a brand new knife for Father’s Day this weekend.

This post originally appeared way back in 2012, but we’re updating it to add even more knives and replace some older models.

Victorinox One-Hand Trekker

Victorinox One-Hand Trekker

The Swiss Army knife is usually the first knife a father gives his son. Add a twist to the classic dynamic by giving your dad a brand new model with some advancements from the model he is probably used to. The One-Hand Trekker has many of the same features as the classic models, but it comes with an ergonomic handle, a more modern look, and a blade that locks open.

Buck 110 Hunting Pocket Knife

Buck 110 Hunting Pocket Knife

Fewer brands exhibit class and quality like Buck Knives. Show your dad that you’re no slouch when it comes to picking character over value by giving him Buck’s signature knife the Folding Hunter. The knife features a woodgrain handle and a classic lockback system and is widely recognized as one of the most iconic knives of all time.

Benchmade 940-1 Osborne

Benchmade 940-1 Osborne

If you want to splurge a little on your dad and get him something that’s known for quality and craftsmanship, opt for the Benchmade 940-1. This is the premium version of the renowned 940, with some upgrades like S90V steel and carbon fiber handle scales. Other little flourishes like blue anodized titanium back spacers set this quintessential EDC apart from the rest.

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Smith & Wesson Border Guard 2 – Badass Knife of the Week

The Smith & Wesson Border Guard 2 can take some serious abuse, without even a chance of a complaint. This badass knife is proof you can get a reliable knife for about $20.

Let’s take a deeper look.

The modified tanto blade is 4.4 inches and made of functional 7Cr17 high carbon stainless steel. Ambidextrous thumb studs adorn each side of the blade, and two blood grooves on one side help reduce the overall weight of the knife.

Made for first-response police forces in such demanding fields as highway patrol and environmental disaster recovery, the Border Guard comes with a feature-packed handle. The black aluminum handle boasts Trac-Tec inserts for a reliable grip in all types of conditions as well as an integrated seat belt cutter and window breaker.

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