Car escape tools: Seatbelt cutters and window breakers

[Lightbringer]

@Chronovore

As far as glass breakers, I’ve kicked out car windows. I’ve smashed them with other objects. The “glass breaker” is usually just a hard point for concentrating impact. That could certainly make the job easier. Where I question it is that I usually see them on small EDC objects that require you to have your hand very close to the point of breakage. Does anyone here have a lot of experience using that kind of tool to break glass?

Yeah, by proxy. :laughing:

Some cops I know carry spring-loaded punches Just In Case. Can’t get into a car, just push it against the glass and it “pops” and busts the glass. Carrying one of those on your person if you’re a civvie might look funny, though.

Didn’t one of the Zanflares (F1?) have a glass-broker on it? One flashlight had a nib that was supposta be able to do that…

Anyhoo, taking a regular item and embedding a porcelain splinter would be way less conspicuous.

Ah, I was right:

from

REVIEW: Zanflare F1 Flashlight

[wle]

it also seems likely that that ‘piece of a spark plug’- would shatter and not break the glass

[Lightbringer]

@wle

it also seems likely that that ‘piece of a spark plug’- would shatter and not break the glass

Ummm, ever try to crack that kind of porcelain? Good luck with that…

I saw someone with just a chip from a plug hold it in thumb/forefinger, and just lightly tap-tap-tap on a car window enough to “weaken”(??) it, then quietly put his back to the window and leaned. It gave way and shattered almost silently. Oh, you could hear the glass “gravel” falling and clacking together all over the seat and into the footwell, but the actual window shattering was almost noiseless.

One too many taps, or just tap too hard, and it could shatter right then and there. Doesn’t take much.

[Mdeth]

I put glass breaker bits in both of my Leatherman Skeletool multi tools; replacing the flathead screwdriver bits with this: Carbide Glass Breaker Bit | Leatherman​ | Leatherman​ That bit originally shipped only on the Skeletool RX meant for EMTs or first responders. Skeletool RX Multi-Tool | Leatherman​​ It still has a flathead bit on the opposite side of the two sided bit.

The one in the car has the glass breaker bit loaded as the primary bit… its in the “spare bit” section on the Skeletool that doesn’t live in the car. You lose the “smaller” flathead bit out of the original 4 bits on the tool, which seems like an acceptable tradeoff to me.

The escape tool in the OP is currently on lightning deal at Amazon… tempting to get a couple of those in case as well.

[jeff51]

Me and Mrs. Jeff have the Resqme thingies. Have had for years now.
Went and checked the windows.
My 2014 Toyota has tempered glass side windows. My wife’s 2019 Ford has laminated glass side windows.
Guess we need to rethink her escape options. Luckily out here, to drown in a car out here, you need to head for a swimming pool…
Still would like to have something to get out if a door refuses and we want out.
All the Best,
Jeff

[Lightbringer]

Squibs?

[tamadedan]

Have the Benchmade SOCP Rescue Tool for vehicle escape.

[jeff51]

@Lightbringer

Squibs?

No Officer, this is is not a sawed-off shotgun. It’s an escape tool I had to get because normal methods won’t open the new laminated windows in my car….
And the President of the United States told me to: “Just buy a Shotgun”.
All the Best,
Jeff