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#225014 - 06/02/11 02:52 PM Medical Shears Recommendation
gonewiththewind Offline
Veteran

Registered: 10/14/08
Posts: 1517
for you EMTs and other medical professionals: What brand of medical shears do you recommend? I would like them to be as heavy duty as possible. I have cheap ones, but I do not have very much confidence in them beyond light cutting. Can you educate me on how to choose the good ones? Thanks to all in advance.

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#225023 - 06/02/11 04:22 PM Re: Medical Shears Recommendation [Re: gonewiththewind]
paramedicpete Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 04/09/02
Posts: 1920
Loc: Frederick, Maryland
I have had good luck with these:

EMT Shears

and

Compact EMT Shears

and

Mini Shears

Pete

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#225027 - 06/02/11 04:54 PM Re: Medical Shears Recommendation [Re: gonewiththewind]
LesSnyder Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 07/11/10
Posts: 1680
Loc: New Port Richey, Fla
Montanero.... I'm not EMT but have changed from a generic EMT shears to electrician scissors (Wiss 175E)... these things can cut a copper penny in half, and if I read the Homeland Security carry on requirements correctly can be carried on commercial acft.

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#225035 - 06/02/11 06:26 PM Re: Medical Shears Recommendation [Re: gonewiththewind]
gonewiththewind Offline
Veteran

Registered: 10/14/08
Posts: 1517
The electrician scissors do look durable, but I am thinking more for my scouts to carry something they can pull out quickly and not poke their eyes out. I am not comfortable with the younger scouts carrying a one hand opening knife yet. The EMT shears can be used for 90% of what they use a knife for anyway, and no sharp points. My troop is very young, with only a couple of older scouts. They tend to play a lot still.

Thanks Paramedicpete, I will get a couple of the shears and test them, especially the compact ones. They will fit the kids' hands well.

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#225036 - 06/02/11 06:29 PM Re: Medical Shears Recommendation [Re: gonewiththewind]
paramedicpete Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 04/09/02
Posts: 1920
Loc: Frederick, Maryland
The problem I see is if you only order a few, the shipping will kill you. If you PM me your address and I will send you a pair so you can try them out.

Pete

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#225045 - 06/02/11 07:26 PM Re: Medical Shears Recommendation [Re: gonewiththewind]
bacpacjac Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 05/05/07
Posts: 3601
Loc: Ontario, Canada
Originally Posted By: Montanero
The electrician scissors do look durable, but I am thinking more for my scouts to carry something they can pull out quickly and not poke their eyes out. I am not comfortable with the younger scouts carrying a one hand opening knife yet. The EMT shears can be used for 90% of what they use a knife for anyway, and no sharp points. My troop is very young, with only a couple of older scouts. They tend to play a lot still.


Great idea Montanero. I'm going to steal it! Thanks!
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#225049 - 06/02/11 07:42 PM Re: Medical Shears Recommendation [Re: gonewiththewind]
dougwalkabout Offline
Crazy Canuck
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 02/03/07
Posts: 3219
Loc: Alberta, Canada
I'm quite pleased with these two offerings from Lee Valley Tools (no affiliation). They hold up to real work, unlike other cheapies, and are standard carry-on kit whey I fly.

Edit: the red-handled version with the usual "paramedic shear" safety foot isn't in the catalogue any more. Too bad. But they're functionally identical.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=59398&cat=1,64488

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#225058 - 06/02/11 08:13 PM Re: Medical Shears Recommendation [Re: gonewiththewind]
Art_in_FL Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 09/01/07
Posts: 2432
Originally Posted By: Montanero
for you EMTs and other medical professionals: What brand of medical shears do you recommend? I would like them to be as heavy duty as possible. I have cheap ones, but I do not have very much confidence in them beyond light cutting. Can you educate me on how to choose the good ones? Thanks to all in advance.


I've been messing with cheap EMT/bandage scissors for a while and found that most of the cheap ones are remarkably strong and durable. The key to gaining confidence is to buy a pair and go out cutting stuff. I once took a pair I got at a local drugstore for about $4 out to a abandoned car, punched the pointier blade through the door panel and proceeded to cut a piece out of the steel a foot wide. Yes, they showed some wear, the pivot was a touch looser and the blades were a bit duller but it still worked.

I peened the rivet a bit to tighten them back up and took a file to the edges and they cut like new. I stuffed them into a emergency kit I pensioned off.

The way I check them is to look closely at the pivot to see that it is sturdy. The only pair that failed, and that after a lot of abuse, was one with a sloppy and undersized rivet. I like the ones with a sturdy screw but rivets work also. And rivets don't vibrate out and get lost.

Then I break out my Leatherman and use the knife blade and file to see if I can scratch the stainless near the cutting edges. The knife should leave little or no mark. The file, only a small mark. This tells you the steel is hard and likely to resist dulling. I also give the plastic over-mouldings on the handles a good twist and pull to make sure they won't quickly break or pull off.

It isn't a scientific study but of the EMT shears I've tried, all under $10, only the cheapest one failed, and that after some serious pounding. Just cutting bandages all of them would, IMHO, last indefinitely.

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#225071 - 06/02/11 09:37 PM Re: Medical Shears Recommendation [Re: gonewiththewind]
Frisket Offline
Addict

Registered: 09/03/10
Posts: 640
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Nope.......

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#225074 - 06/02/11 10:10 PM Re: Medical Shears Recommendation [Re: gonewiththewind]
gonewiththewind Offline
Veteran

Registered: 10/14/08
Posts: 1517
Pete, thanks for the offer. I will probably get one full size and 2 or 3 compact and let the boys try to tear them up. With that many the shipping doesn't increase. But I do thank you.

Art, that is good information. I do have several cheap ones that I will compare the new ones to. If they all hold up, I can equip more boys.

Thanks to all for the information. That is how the internet can actually increase knowledge and make the whole worth more than the sum of its parts.

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