How to test Resqme?

Maybe I'm just stupid, but I am wondering whether my Resqme still works. How can I test it without shattering glass?

I had a Benchmade window breaker that, if pressed again something hard like a cardboard, releases the spike. So I tried the same thing with my Resqme. Nothing happened. Maybe the cardboard isn't hard enough. I tried a thick stack of paper. Nothing -- maybe too much give? I tried a hard plastic. Still nothing. Do I have a broken Resqme?

Those of you with Resqme: how do you test yours?

There are little indentations on the wood of my workbench from where I've tested mine. Not as good as a glass test, but much cheaper.

i put the resqme on the edge of a table with the hole of the punch over the edge aand test it that way. If you shake it and you hear something rattle, the mechanisme is broke. Happend to one of mine. Emailed the company, but did not get any responce.

Mystery solved! My Resqme didn't reset properly the last time I tested it. As a consequence the pin wouldn't fire, and when I pressed down there was very little resistance. In other words, mine wasn't working.

To reset: I just pressed down on the plastic tube past being flush with the housing, and the mechanism reset itself. Now I can punch holes.

Thanks!

Well mine experience, if you put the resqme on glass and gently increase the pressure on the spring, it will eventually activate but might not shatter the glass. More success if you just hold in in your hands and give it a good whack. The spring power plus the power from your arms combined usually does the trick.

I wrote a little bit more about the resqme on mine blog.

Tjin, I read the following at your blog:

"- Cut the seat-belt in a 45 degree angle to minimize the chance of the webbing being bunching up and blocking the cutting action. A 90 degree cutting angles causes bunching up of the webbing."

That is an excellent point. Noted, and thanks!

A note about the LifeHammer: one of the advantages of a spring loaded device over something like the LifeHammer is that you don't have to be able to swing the Res-Q-Me. If you are injured, or the car is flooded with water, it can be very hard to swing the hammer-style tool.

When I was in Spain a favorite tool of thieves who broke into cars was a spark plug. Apparently it doesn't take a lot of force to break a window if that force impacts at a single point. My Spyderco Assist 1 has a carbide tip that is exposed when you squeeze on the closed knife. It doesn't take a lot of force and it's much safer to wield than a Life Hammer IMO. I have a pair of leather/nomex gloves to provide a bit of protection from both the broken glass and any flames that may be present. Hopefully, I'm on the outside, but I keep that stuff in my truck's console if I'm on the inside.
$.02

It's fairly natural to cut the seat belt diagonally (45degree ish) when you cut your own seat belt. So i think most people do this without knowing it.

As for swinging, i'm not sure what is best. Mine experience is that you shouldn't be to gentle using a resqme. To weak and the window doesn't shatter, which mean I use a resqme with small swing.

I have never had to use it in a real crash, only on the training wrecks, so i can't comment on real use with injuries.

I prefer a simple resqme or lifehammer over other rescue knife, like the spyderco mentioned. They are fine for rescuers, but for an victim it's safer in use and easier to mount in a good place in the car.