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CRKT El Santo Trauma shears?

ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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CRKT El Santo Trauma shears?
on: February 09, 2017, 01:46:12 PM
It looks like the Leatherman Raptor has some competition- CRKT has a new set of Trauma Shears out called the El Santo Trauma Shears designed by Michael and Baltazar Martinez in New Mexico.

They look a lot bulkier than the Raptor, but at an MSRP of $50 vs the Raptor's $70 it seems a bit more reasonable for an EMT to carry.  CRKT has this to say about them:

[i}In a trauma situation it comes through like a saint. Grab hold of El Santo™ emergency trauma shears with your right or left hand and you’ll see how this multi-tool got its name. Cut straps. Break glass. Start up the oxygen. Those in need will think someone’s looking out for them. That someone is you.

El Santo™ was designed by Michael Martinez of Albuquerque, New Mexico. He has a long history of creating revolutionary blades that fit the needs of those in tactical settings. So when a trauma surgeon came to him with an idea for a better tool to be used in a life or death situations, the next evolution in emergency shears was born.

You never know what will get thrown your way in a trauma situation. That’s why El Santo™ features a variety of cutting tools. A removable and replaceable ripping blade has micro-Veff Serrations™ that enables you to tear through corded leather, nylon or belts. Lengthened shear blades with a tapered porpoise nose easily slip under clothing and provide increased leverage so you can cut the most important thing—time. The rippling blade is even easy to swap out with a “no tool” needed screws and replacement part.

The ribbed utility grip handle on El Santo™ feels like it was meant just for you. It’s ergonomically designed to be an ambidextrous trauma shear with equal cutting and ripping ability in either hand .

Close the handle around your belt and secure the blade lock. Then feel confident someone up there likes you with El Santo™ by your side.

*Product materials not suited to tolerate the Autoclave sterilization process.[/i]

That last bit seems a bit damning as you would think sterilization would be an absolute must with a tool like this- although to be honest I have often speculated as to whether the Raptor would be sterilizable either since it has so many tiny nooks and crannies- you'd never get all of the gunk out of it.

I think I like the El Santo better than the Raptor, although I haven't seen it in person yet.  The cutter on the bottom seems larger and less likely to snag on a victim than the tiny fold out one on the Raptor, and it also does not need to be deployed.  When it is no longer useful it seems easier to pull off than the Raptor's folding one. 

The spring in the El Santo seems like it would also be beneficial, although I worry about it being that exposed- would it break, and if so, can it easily be replaced?  Would it hold gunk and good that you would hate to have introduced to your open wound?

At around the same weight I don't think the carbide glass breaker is going to be much different in either one.  Ditto for the O2 Wrench, although it doesn't actually need to be deployed to be used on the El Santo like it does in the Raptor, I don't see that as being that major of a difference.  I do wonder why the El Santo has the spiky head around the glass breaker/O2 Wrench though- maybe to break away leftover glass around the edges of a window once it's been shattered?  Maybe to make it look cool?  I dunno...

The Raptor does have the ring cutter, which could be a very important difference between the two though, so there's definitely that going in it's favor.

I don't know if I would rather have the Raptor or the El Santo (mostly because I haven't handled the El Santo yet) but I will say that on a cost and feature basis, it does seem more attractive to me than the Raptor.  But then, I am also the guy that said I would rather have a set of cheap 3 for $10 trauma shears because they cut at least as well (if not better) than the $70 Raptor, they were easier to sterilize and they could be tossed away if they got too contaminated, dull or broken.  I sort of feel that this might also be an argument against the El Santo too.

Def
El Santo.jpg
* El Santo.jpg (Filesize: 43.65 KB)
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


ch Offline Etherealicer

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Re: CRKT El Santo Trauma shears?
Reply #1 on: February 09, 2017, 04:26:41 PM
Thanks for sharing
I'm really happy that there is a growing market for quality trauma shears. I for one don't like the 3 for 10$ kind. They might work on a negligee but I wouldn't trust them to cut through heavy stuff (even with my weak grip I have broke some). Personally, for first-aid I prefer simple, as there is less complication. That is why I have modified Kai scissors in my first aid kit. They cost more than El Santos and a Raptor together but I'm confident they will cut heavy cloth armor.

A big question is always the ability to sterilize tools like this.
Personally, I don't worry about sterility, that is something that can be dealt with later. So not being suitable for autoclave sterilization is not a concern to me I would not even mind throwing it a way after use. But first-responders who use gear like this on a regular base need to be able to sterilize their gear after use in order to not transfer anything nasty from patient to patient. So, like the Raptor, I cannot see pros using them, but both seem like a good choice for a premium first aid kit. Of the two I would probably choose El Santo, solely because you don't have to unfold it. I have seen people struggle with the LM Raptor and it might be not me who uses them but a friend cutting me free, so again... keep it simple.
« Last Edit: February 09, 2017, 04:27:45 PM by Etherealicer »
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ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: CRKT El Santo Trauma shears?
Reply #2 on: February 09, 2017, 07:23:07 PM
Interesting thoughts, and you are absolutely correct- these are really for premium first aid kits and not for professional use, no matter how much Leatherman and CRKT try to tell us otherwise.

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


us Offline tango44

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Re: CRKT El Santo Trauma shears?
Reply #3 on: April 20, 2017, 11:34:30 PM
Leatherman Raptor are perfect for me and our first aid kits.
You can always clean with Viraclean.
Enjoy.
Enjoy!


 

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