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Monday 24 June 2013

Victorinox Rescue Tool Review

Key Info
- Excellent quality. 
- Replaceable parts (glass breaker and disc saw). 
- Glowing handle scales. 
- Comes with brightly coloured belt case. 
- One-hand opening blade. 
- Locking blade and bottle opener. 

Overview
The Victorinox Rescue Tool is designed for use by the emergency services to remove people from vehicles in the event of a collision. However, it is just as valuable to the average person, as it can be used to remove yourself from a sinking or smoke-filled car in an emergency, or to rescue someone else. 

The Rescue Tool has several essential tools for emergency use. Firstly, it has a replaceable glass breaker and disc saw. The glass breaker is not carbide tipped, but can be used to shatter temepered glass (auto side-windows) or create a hole in laminated glass for use with the disc saw. The disc saw is a saw used for cutting laminated glass such as car windscreens, as they will not shatter when hit, and will remain intact, requiring them to be cut. The disc saw is a feature often missing from other rescue tools. Both the glass breaker and disc saw can be removed and replaced easily if damage occurs through use. The Rescue Tool also has a seatbelt cutter. this takes the form of a large serrated blade, which cuts seatbelts more easily than a cutting-hook type. Other tools include a general-purpose, part-serrated, one-hand-opening, locking blade, a locking bottle opener/flat screwdriver/lever, an awl, a philips screwdriver, a toothpick and tweezers. 


Another useful feature is the glow-in-the-dark handle scales. These mean that the tool is easy to locate at night, or underwater. 

Use
The Rescue tool is useful for either emergency personnel or just the average person, and a tool of this nature should certainly be carried in every vehicle. If the rescue tool is a little heavy for you to carry, and you require something smaller and lighter, consider the ResQMe Car Escape Tool. 

Quality
Victorinox are known for their excellent quality and reliability. In my personal experience, no other brand has quite as high quality standards as Victorinox. This very high standard is evident in their Rescue tool, and every part, even the replaceable ones, are machined to the same precision I've come to expect with Victorinox. The rescue tool is also strongly built for use in demanding circumstances. 

However, be careful when buying a Rescue Tool, and buy from a reputable seller, as a number of Chinese fakes have appeared on the internet, and may be difficult to tell apart to the untrained eye. However, the fakes are far inferior in quality and are potentially very dangerous if they fail in an emergency situation. 

Conclusion
The Rescue Tool is an excellent piece of equipment whether you're in the emergency services or not. It surpasses its rivals with the inclusion of a disc saw to cut laminated glass. As well as being a very useful, robust everyday tool, it could save your life, and everyone should have something similar in their vehicle. 

To read more reviews or buy the Rescue Tool, visit Amazon.com

2 comments:

  1. Nice review, Derek, and a good reminder on the Chinese knock-offs.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Fantastic saw reviews, and sharing a good article.

    ReplyDelete

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