Elk Creek Fire Department Crew tests the Coast Products, Rapid Response® Knives

By Michael Davis, Elk Creek Fire Department

Note: This product review reflects the opinions and views of the author and does not express any opinions or views from the National Volunteer Fire Council. To submit a product review to the NVFC, email kimberly@nvfc.org. Reviewers cannot have any affiliation with the company providing the product being reviewed.

Whether you’re a Firefighter, EMT, or Paramedic, chances are a folding knife is an important part of your gear. That’s why I was so excited when Coast Products offered the crew at Elk Creek Fire Department an opportunity to try their new Rapid Response Knives.

Coast has long been a source for quality bladed tools. In 1919, Henry W. Brands founded the Coast Cutlery Company. Working from his small shop near the Willamette River in Portland, OR, Mr. Brands produced fillet knives for northwest salmon fishermen and working knives for the logging industry. Today with third generation David Brands at the helm, Coast Products, Inc. has expanded its product line to include: LED flashlights, lanterns and headlamps, multi-tools, as well as knives. Their customers include the U.S. Army, Navy Seals, CIA, and FBI. The family-owned business has grown from a local purveyor of knives to a major corporation with distribution to over 10,000 retail outlets in the U.S. and 30 foreign countries.

Over the years Coast Products has partnered with many innovative minds to develop new products. In the case of the Rapid Response Knife, Coast turned to renowned knife maker, and member of Blade magazine’s Cutlery Hall of Fame, Mr. Ron Lake. Mr. Lake holds numerous patents for inter-frame knife design and technology. Lake’s custom knives sell for thousands of dollars, and are in demand among collectors. He is currently working with a 10-year backlog for his custom knives.

The Rapid Response design project held a special interest for Mr. Lake. He has a deep admiration for First Responders. Following 9/11, Ron Lake sent cases of knives, pry bars, and leather gloves to FDNY, Battalion 33 in Brooklyn for use in rescue operations.

Ron says he set out to design the Rapid Response knives to be safe, easy to use, durable, and affordable. The core of the Rapid Response knife is a high carbon 420 stainless steel blade, available in 3 and 3.9-inch lengths, with either a standard edge with a non-reflective glass-bead finish, or a partially serrated blade with a black oxide coating. The knives are built on a heat-treated stainless steel liner and finished with a fiberglass-filled nylon handle. I’d recommend the 3.9-inch blade for people with larger hands. Its handle is 4.875-inches, and it fits my hand comfortably, whereas the 3-inch blade with its 4-inch handle doesn’t accommodate all four of my fingers. The 3-inch models retail for under $35; the 3.9-inch models for around $40.

Rapid Response knives utilize “Smooth Assist Technology,” a spring assisted roller-cam opening system invented by Ron Lake. The mechanism is so fast these knives are often mistaken for switchblades.

To open the knife, hold it in your palm with your fingers on the back and your thumb on the front side of the handle. Working with the larger knife, my thumb naturally falls to the smooth indentation in the handle, just below and behind the thumb stud on the blade. By moving my thumb forward and exerting slight pressure on the thumb stud, the spring-loaded roller-cam mechanism is activated and the blade pops out into the open position. You don’t need to use your wrist to flick the blade open, the spring and roller-cam do all the work. A locking plate inside the frame automatically swings out behind the blade fixing it in place. Continuing the forward motion my thumb comes to rest on the Max-Lock lever. Pushing this lever forward engages a second blade locking mechanism that insures against accidental closure during heavy cutting operations. The Max-Lock can also be used to lock the blade in the closed position.

Volunteer firefighter and paramedic Loren Schuessler tested the 3.9-inch Rapid Response model 19214. Loren said he appreciated the ease with which the knife could be opened, and the fact that it stayed sharp after heavy use. He said the knife’s sharp tip limited its utility on the ambulance, and he wished there were a model with a blunt tip that could be used to cut away a patient’s clothing.

With a little practice, I learned I could open the blade and engage the Max-Lock with one hand, while wearing structural firefighting gloves, even in a zero visibility environment. In an MVA rescue application, the partially serrated blade makes short work of seat belts, but I found myself wishing the knife had a glass punch on butt of the handle so I could break out a tempered glass car window and cut the seat belt with a single tool. I have a knife that includes this feature, but its price is more than double that of the Rapid Response model 19214.

We gave Coast Products’ Rapid Response knives a good test run. We all agreed that these are high quality, dependable tools. The quick open Smooth Assist Technology makes the Rapid Response one of the easiest knives to open that we’ve seen, and we liked the double safety of the Max-Lock system. At prices in the $35 to $40 range, the Ron Lake designed Rapid Response knives are an outstanding value. We’d highly recommend them.

For more information, or to find a dealer near you, visit Coast Products, Inc. at: http://www.coastportland.com/

Michael Davis is a volunteer firefighter – 1st Responder and Public Information Officer at Elk Creek Fire Department. Elk Creek Fire Department is a combination department providing medical, fire, HazMat, and rescue services, in Conifer, Colorado.