Built for the Firefighter or the FF in all of us.

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Fir Na Tine

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The proverbial sharpened pry bar. But not just any sharpened pry bar. This form follows function design is 3/8” thick and not just thick but made with the dare I say the legendary Delta 3V heat treat alchemy from the genius Nathan “The Machinist” Carothers. This design was optimized for the rescue/breaching needs of first responders and military and to take the literal abuse from sledge hammers. It’s thick enough to not need add on handles but my suggestion is to wrap the handle in kevlar cordage for grip and potential needs for rescue. If desired, add some of that cordage between the guards to secure this beast even further. The generous handle is optimized for use with the likes of structural firefighting gloves. This is the knife designed to bet your life on for those who do put their lives on the line. A big thick thank you to Nathan Carothers for making this an incredible realty. I hope this tool gets tested and adopted by those who commit their lives in service to others.
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I would want something sharpenable on natural materials, something that is able to double as small hatchet, weapon, and preferably can slice too, if it is just one knife not augmented with a smaller pocket knife.

What WOULD be the best knife for a scenario like this? Can you sharpen the Delta 3V on a stone?
Maybe a David Mary in 80CRV or AEB-L?

Right now with what I have, my contenders might be the Buck 110, Ontario SP1 (too thick but sharp prybar bht is that really what I need?) CS Rajah II...
 
It’s cool and all, but if SHTF I’d want a point to pierce with. Hard to open a trachea, skin game, and stab with that. A knife adept at piercing and cutting is preferable to me, while a pry bar can be found or made more readily.

Definitely not saying it’s a bad tool for firefighters, but as the title states “SHTF”, for that I’d want something more well rounded.
 
You'd definitely want a knife that's easily sharpened. If I had to go with a big knife, it would have to my Kailash Historical Issue Kukri paired with my Winkler Blue Ridge Hunter for the shit you actually use knives for 99% of the time. I think people way underestimate how often they'd need a big chunk of sharpened prybar, even if shit hit the fan. I'd be lying if I said I didn't fantasize about lobbing off zombie heads with my kukri so I can't quite judge anyone else's SHTF fantasies now, can I?
 
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jux t said:
It’s cool and all, but if SHTF I’d want a point to pierce with. Hard to open a trachea, skin game, and stab with that. A knife adept at piercing and cutting is preferable to me, while a pry bar can be found or made more readily.

Definitely not saying it’s a bad tool for firefighters, but as the title states “SHTF”, for that I’d want something more well rounded.
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Big knife small knife combo is definitely a good choice here. Nothing much we can do about the weight of the big knife, but the small knife can weigh next to nothing, e.g. Mora Kansbol, Bushcraft Black, etc.

I’m fairly confident tackling everything I have to with my Recon Tanto or SRK, but a big honking knife would be a welcome addition.
 
Apologies about the semantics. I guess SHTF looks different for different people. Maybe this is the knife you wish someone had that was trying to rescue you. The design was directed to people who need to rescue or breach but it would be a great “Key to the city” in a dystopian SHTF scenario. I’ll see if I can change the title.
 
Fir Na Tine said:
Apologies about the semantics. I guess SHTF looks different for different people. Maybe this is the knife you wish someone had that was trying to rescue you. The design was directed to people who need to rescue or breach but it would be a great “Key to the city” in a dystopian SHTF scenario. I’ll see if I can change the title.
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No worries, it's a cool knife for sure! Just wouldn't be my personal pick.
 
Svord van Tempsky Bowie with taped handle and lanyard. It can breach, chop, batton, lever, pierce and even cut.

Considering I daily carry a leatherman, one handed knife, 2 or 3 bladed traditional, lighter, first aid kit, small screw driver set, 2 flashlights and so on I would just have to grab the big knife. 🙃

The cpk tool is nice for what it is, but fire fighting and law enforcement is quite different from shtf in my mind.
 
I am making a custom leather sheath to be attached to the “Irons” (Halligan/flat head axe) This is the tool I want to go interior with when I have to leave the axe and Halligan at the door. Clip to my gear and go to work.
 
DangerZone98 said:
Big knife small knife combo is definitely a good choice here. Nothing much we can do about the weight of the big knife, but the small knife can weigh next to nothing, e.g. Mora Kansbol, Bushcraft Black, etc.

I’m fairly confident tackling everything I have to with my Recon Tanto or SRK, but a big honking knife would be a welcome addition.
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Idk, one big knife can do it all, too. Take a look at AntDog AntDog ’s new TOPS Prathers War Bowie:
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If I could only have one, this design might be it. A true do it all. And if you need to breach a steel doorframe in order to live, you could keep snapping the tip off until you come to a thickness that allows you to leverage it open 😂. Seriously though, that’s what I consider a good SHTF knife.
 
I wonder how a Mora Companion HD as a lightweight would go, what would be an appropriate bigger tough chopper type that still works as a knife?

Also I am pretty sure the 8670 cleaver I have from David Mary is indestructible if we are talking tough of the tough, slices very well too and will sharp up easy.
 
jux t said:
And if you need to breach a steel doorframe in order to live, you could keep snapping the tip off until you come to a thickness that allows you to leverage it open 😂
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Dude, that made me laugh like a mofo but when you think about it, it’s true. It’s a more than capable blade for just about whatever, and if you had to pry like your life or a family member depended on it, that would work.

I bet you might snap a good inch or two off but you’d eventually get mechanical advantage.
 
Hashishiin said:
I wonder how a Mora Companion HD as a lightweight would go, what would be an appropriate bigger tough chopper type that still works as a knife?

Also I am pretty sure the 8670 cleaver I have from David Mary is indestructible if we are talking tough of the tough, slices very well too and will sharp up easy.
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This one is probably my favorite all-around knife and while it would pair nicely with the Mora, in many ways it replaces it. It will slice, cut, stab, carve, baton, chop and dig. There is literally nothing this knife can’t do (except maybe skin? 🤔). I bet it would even pry pretty decently. I’m speaking about the Skrama 200 of course.

OP, extremely cool knife btw

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I don't claim to be an expert on what firefighters carry, but I have spent some time reading a firefighters forum to see what kind of knives and tools they like to carry on their person. I don't see firefighters, or fire departments adopting such a knife/tool.

It seems to me that breaching a door is a VERY important task that firefighters might have to perform, like the type of task where lives may hang in the balance. I would assume that they would not want any half-measures, but instead would want the very best tool for the job. I would also assume that by now firefighters already know what the best breaching tools are, and they already have them. After all, firefighting has been going on for a very long time.

From what I've read regarding knives carried on the job and into fires by firefighters, fixed-blades are very rare, and when they are carried they are small and just for cutting, not breaching doors. A lot of FF's carry folding knives, as well as Res-Q-Wrenches for shutting off gas valves.

Considering how much weight firefighters have to carry into a fire, I don't imagine they would want to add a few more pounds of fixed-blade. All those pounds add up, and the amount of weight they carry can affect their mobility in a situation where mobility can mean life or death.

And then there's the issue of cost. I don't know how much one of those "knives" will cost, but fire departments have limited budgets (which are often susceptible to budget cuts). I don't imagine they would buy such "knives" when they already have breaching tools that they know will work.
 
I would prefer a 420HC and a pattern like a Condor Mini Duku for rural areas and outdoors in a SHTF situation. Better corrosion resistance, easier to sharpen and as tough as 3V. But for a firefighter this is perfect, I agree. It reminds me of the Ontario coping machete.
 
I'm sure this thing would be plenty tough for breaching needs, but I feel like it "could" be a little short for some situations

Leverage is important, and I feel like this thing might need a cheater bar depending on the obstacle..
 
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