Aardwolfe--

You're right about the paramedic shears, though at a considerable space penalty. The BM Rescue Hook is better, space-wise, but not as versatile. There's been considerable discussion in this forum re: shears vs. blade. Paramedics of my acquaintance tend to use blades for clothing removal, & shears for other things. But, the shears do get the job done safely; that's why a pair is in my vehicle kit, which BTW, is in an orange Pelican 1150 case (lunch-box sized).

However, I don't think the shears will fit in the Pelican MicroCase that JohnN is using as a FAK container. If they will, they'll be even bigger than the ones he's using now, taking up more space. Remember, this is basically a pocket-sized FAK.

JohnN, having now viewed the photo of some of your gear & having read your responses & reasonings, I'd suggest placing a medium or small SAK in the kit. It would take up less room, offer the same "grab & go" completeness, and offer more blades, too.

But, you've still got the pointy scissors. Personally, I don't find that to be much of a problem, nor using a bare blade to do the same. I've removed clothing with the scissors on a Vic Classic, and also with a locking folder. Both took a bit of care on my part, but were done in complete safety with no harm.

If just cutting away clothes is the issue, perhaps one of those X-Acto blade based letter openers would be a viable, low-use alternative. It'll be dull after a pair of blue jeans, but would work!

Bandage, or Lister, scissors might be a compromise. I've got full-sized ones in the FAK at home, & a smaller pair handy in a bedroom drawer. REI sells an even smaller pair (less than 5" long) that might work for you, too. They'd certainly fit your container.

Thanks for starting this; it's making me think about what I've got, & how I've got it distributed.

David