I want to put a robust knife in the car kit. The one there now is marginal, a cheap folder with a locking blade. I want to put one in the car that I could afford to lose but the knife would have to have the ability to cut seatbelts, fabric, maybe (in an accident) punch metal or break a window. Any suggestions?

I keep a Ka-Bar between the seats of my truck. A lanyard on the sheath tied to the seat frame keeps it from getting lost. Not the ideal knife for seat belt/clothing cutting but meets the rest of the criteria.
gino

consider a 1/2 serrated CRKT KISS clipped to the visor. - not the best for punching out the window but, with a decent swing, any point will do that and there is a point on the KISS. For my money the knife is the wrong tool for windows. Get a $5 spring loaded center punch to clip on the visor next to the KISS. They are the BEST answer to punching out windows.

I would recommend a seat belt specific cutting rescue knife rather than a fixed blade carried accessible to the driver. I carry a fixed blade in my trunk kit. I also carry a spring loaded window punch in each car.

I have a Jack Emergency knife that I carry in each car. Great for seat belts, clothing etc. The recent post about the Benchmade rescue hook is also a good possibility and carries easily on the belt.

You can see the Jack and several other purpose built emergency knives at Paragear.

http://www.paragear.com/frame.asp?menu=g...p%3fgroup%3d388

Aren't you concerned about a CCW citation if the police see that there?

Bountyhunter

Between the seats my Ka-Bar is out of casual sight. I'm not sure exactly what the laws are in my state about knives in vehicles. Everything else is illegal. <img src="images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />
gino

If you carry a knife in your vehicle, you might consider checking your local laws to make sure it's legal. Needless to say, no one wants to get arrested.

In my state, a knife with a blade of 5 1/2 inches or more is illegal to carry "on or about your person" but a machete is legal. Doesn't make much sense, does it.

I keep a green handled Frost brand mora knife with a 4 inch blade above the sun visor in my truck. It cost about 10 bucks from Smoky Mountain Knife Works: http://www.knifesearch.com/images/103-2528.jpg

I also carry a pair of EMT shears on a lanyard for cutting seatbelts, as well as a spring loaded punch on a second lanyard. I have carried a claw hammer in the past, in the passenger floorboard, but I took it out. I may replace it, now that I'm thinking about it. I do keep a Gerber (Fiskars) hatchet in the cab within reach. My truck is crammed with stuff, and the main problem I have is finding something when I need it.

Re: seat belt cutters- I bought one, then tried to cut a seatbelt in an abandoned junk car. I couldn't get it to work. The edge of the seatbelt material would roll over and the cutter wouldn't cut the double thickness. That's why I have the EMT shears instead. The cutter was from an EMS/police supply place and I assumed it would work as advertised. Was I doing something wrong? This is the cutter: http://www.firstrespondersupplies.com/mm45423.jpg

Once I had a seatbelt buckle jam. I didn't want to cut the belt, so after some effort I managed to pull enough slack to wriggle out of seatbelt. I'm older now and, ahem, a little bigger around the middle, and I don't think I could do this again. I finally got the buckle to release and found a nickel (a small coin, for our international friends) inside that jammed the mechanism.

Good luck!

A bit of a warning here, the police are taught to look at the visor area when making a traffic stop. The officer might not be very happy to see/find a "weapon" there.

BE ADVISED!!!

A few years ago, ( before 9/11) I was pulled over by a local officer of the Bufort T Justice mentallity, and I had a knife in the cab mainly for seat belt cutting, ( I'm "Belt-pinned paranoid" and I now have a "non-threatening" belt cutter on board ) when the officer asked me about a weapon, I didn't even think about the knife, and when he found it on his own, the situation quickly got "Dicey". Luckily, another officer showed up who was more typical of our local boys, (read that level headed) and after checking I.D. quickly diffused the situation ( I know several local officers and am related to a few). IF YOU HAVE ANY INTENT TO CARRY A KNIFE... remember to tell police about it IMMEDIATELY, and it wouldn't be a bad idea ( knife or not ) to develop aquaintances with local law enforcement personnel.

Just my opinion... for what it's worth.

Troy

A few years ago, I bought a Szabo kerambit at a Knife Show, in Paris.

Mine is not exactly this model : the cutting part is more inward curved, in order to (i.e.) cut a trouser's leg without cutting the leg itself !!

Then after buying it, I just wonder what to do with it !! <img src="images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

As it is supposed to be a "rescue" knife, I stashed it between my car's front seats, out of view, but easily accessible.
Don't ask if it is legal ...... <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I now carry a Glasmaster (from Eickhorn) as EDC, in my pant's back pocket.
Here it is :



Alain

If you are looking for a "robust"knife check out Cold Steel's SRK knife.The blade is 3/16" inch thick and six inches long.They are around seventy dollars but you can get them cheaper if you order a factory 2nd.I also agree with the others as to check local laws and carry in the trunk.I do not like it but there are more laws restricting knives than guns.The knife was one of mans first tools. It seems it is harder to carry one than a gun.Before I get shot let me say that I also believe in the right to bear arms.I believe this to include edged tools and weapons.

As for the knife, I would recomend a spyderco Rescue. They are cheap and cut seatbelts very easily. If that knife alarms passengers and cops, then maybe a benchmade rescue hook might answer your question. I would also second or third the recommendaton of a spring loaded punch to break out windows. They arent as big as a hammer, or a s dangerous if you hit a passenger, and will bust out windows in a heartbeat.

Always remember one thing about knifes and seatbelts. Put yourself in a crash situaton and think about your state of mind. If you are in a bad enough wreck to be lcked in your seatbelt, you will probably be a little disoriented. You dont want to be thrashing all over the place with a razor sharp serrated knife in your hand, so keep that in mind when you think about size, etc. I know that some knives are designed with sheepfoot points (the rescue is one) and some even have dull points from the tip back about 3/4 of an inch to prevent you cutting someone else while you cut them out of the car.

I hope I answered your question.

Garrett