Customer Reviews

Smith & Wesson SWFRS First Response Serrated Knife

5 star:		(64)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I started out looking for a fishing knife to put in my new kayak. I was also looking for a safety tool to help free me from my vehicle if it ever went into the drink. I frequently drive over a bridge that goes 26 miles over water and I've seen too many vehicles fished out of the lake. This knife turned out to be the perfect combo.

A small disk inserted into the top of the blade near where it meets the handle makes it very easy to open, even when your hands are wet and slippery. The combo of half serrated and half sharpened edge makes it good for cleaning fish, cutting rope or other utility uses. The windshield shattering metal nib is on the butt of the handle and the seat belt cutter is right next to it. You can use both without having to open or turn the knife, a big plus in an emergency. It also has a very strong and long clip firmly attached to the handle. This is tight enough to slip onto the waist of your jeans or into a life vest pocket if you don't wear a belt. The knife is heavy enough to add some heft to your stroke should you ever have to break a windshield underwater. The metal looks similar to what might be used on one of their pistols and it is assembled with numerous star headed screws rather than rivets. You should be able to tighten or clean it as needed. Good purchase...patting myself on the back as I write!

I got this knife because it has the seatbelt cutter and window breaking tip to have as an all-around emergency and daily folding knife. This knife has good weight and balance. The handle fits perfectly in my hand and feels comfortable. This is my first Smith & Wesson knife and I'd buy another one based on the quality of this one.

I recently purchased this knife and was amazed at the wonderful quality for so cheap. The blade lock-up is VERY tight absolutly no wiggle what-so-ever. The deployment is quite slow but with some wrist flick it speeds up the process some. It is rather heavy at 5.7 ounces but it is a tough knife. It has the flow-through design so mud and water can flow on through. The clip is tip down non-movable, however is sits very deeply in the pocket. The steel liner is not skeletonized but it is attached with adjustable screws to disassemble the knife if necessary. Out of the box the blade needs quite the touching up on its edge, for it is rather dull. There is a small thumb ramp, but no grooves to catch your thumb, however the underneath hold the index finger superbly. The handle itself is very ergonomic and just wants to be held.

Its a good knife, if you aren't going to be using it as a rescuer. I kept it in the pocket of my turnout gear, but had to take it out. The steel isn't stainless so if it gets water on it, rust spots apear almost instantly. Also, the steel of the blade it soft enought that when I used it to try and tighten up a screw (Yes I know I should have used a screw driver, but on the fire ground you use what you have) the blade chipped all along its lengh. Its gotten moved to my car so I can use it if I have to get out, but its just not tough enough to use to help others. Bottom line - if you're going to be using a knife day-to-day, find something with a hard, stainless steel blade.

What prompted me to look at "First Responder Knives" was my wife's wish for me to purchase her one of those "Emergency Hammers" that can break the window and cut a seatbelt so you can get out of a wreck. Rather than get her something that might not ever be used, or be difficult to swing in a damaged and wrecked car, I thought the ideal solution would be a First Responder Knife. The SWFRS has a clip which can be clipped to a visor within reach if the car rolls, and will hold it in place. It can be held firmly in her hand (it is slightly small for me, since I have large hands, but still can be held comfortably and securely in mine.) A simple swing and it will shatter an automotive glass window with the strong metal tip. The seatbelt cutter appears to be easy to use and very sharp. The knife blade is large and locks into place firmly. My wife can open the knife with her thumb one handed quite easily too, and the lock mechanism (a liner lock) works well and again is easy for her to use, and she has no worries of the blade closing on her fingers. From my point of view I really like this knife (we bought two, one for each car). It is very well made, and appears that it could be totally disassembled with torx bits and hex wrenches. The knife blade opens smoothly with a snap role of my thumb, and locks into place and feels like a solid piece of steel. The pocket clip works well, and is bent over in such a way that pocketing it should not loosen the screws. As for the size, it fits my hand fairly well, and like one of the reviews stated "it begs to be held." The black portion, the stock, appears to be zytex. The blade is sharp too. It is very well designed. If Smith and Wesson is reading this, glow in the dark plastic stocks would be an even nicer touch.

The only thing I do not like about the knife is the serrated edge. If used, it should keep its edge for a long time, except serrated edges cannot be sharpened easily. However, this knife is better made than knives I have paid $80 for. I highly recommend this product. It is well made, thoughtfully designed, and inexpensive enough so you could put one in every car you own.

I got this knife as an alternative to those little orange safety hammers for my car. It has a seatbelt cutter, glass-breaking nub, and good sturdy blade. This will be great for cutting rope, opening boxes, and all the others stuff you have to do when out and about. I keep it out and handy (03-06 Expedition owners: this fits perfectly in the PDA holder in the center console!). Knife is nice and heavy, and the blade is sharp. Made in China, but what isn't. Very happy with the knife for about $16, you can't go wrong.

Decades in the fire service and in prehospital emergency medicine have taught me that to be a true 'first responder' knife, it needs to be instantly accessible and immediately functional with a minimum of fumbling, among other attributes.

Unlike what is included in some other knives at a similar or very slightly higher price point, S&W does not provide additional holes in this knife to re-mount the spring clip if you happen to be left-handed, as I am. This renders the knife entirely unsuitable as a primary knife for a left-handed responder because its carry orientation, as determined by the spring clip, will be the exact opposite of what you'll need for a swift, single-handed deployment. Adding additional mounting options would have meant drilling and tapping only two more holes. Such a shame they didn't do this....I have a "freebie" knife that I got from a different seller which has this feature and I've seen it on other knives as well.

If S&W had provided a means for changing the clip position I would have rated this knife at five stars due to the added features such as the seat belt cutter and window punch at this amazingly low price point. It's cheap enough that you don't have to worry too much about losing it in the mud during a 3AM call yet heavy enough to make it a substantive tool. Although the body is slippery, at least it's large enough to get a good grip on it with extrication gloves.

This purchase has turned into real disappointment for me, as I had high hopes of carrying such a versatile knife every day.

I'll look forward to making a gift of this knife to a right-handed friend :-)

Buy it TODAY if you're right-handed, otherwise continue looking for 'that perfect knife' if you haven't found one already.

I Wanted a knife for auto emergencies and functional enough to be used for everyday personal safety. Most emergency knifes are either too small, have a bright color or not very functional as a personal safety knife.

This knife fits comfortably in my hand, is large enough to intimidate, has a neutral color and can be used for auto emergencies.

This is a true emergency knife.

Extremely well designed for emergencies .... it's heavy & not suitable for girlie pockets....I'll keep it in a safe place that's reachable in an emergency.

I was looking for a knife that is sturdy and sharp with a nice grip on it. Because I tend to play a lot with my knife while working. I've dropped it, buried it in sand chucked it at least 20 feet onto concrete it still works. The only part that didn't work that well is the seat belt cutter in the back. I try to cut seat belts and it didn't even put a nick in the seat belt (better use the blade then the seatbelt cutter). As a first responder this is one of the best sturdy knife I own for it's price.