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Tool Talk => Rescue Tools => Topic started by: Lynn LeFey on March 02, 2014, 01:32:06 AM

Title: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Lynn LeFey on March 02, 2014, 01:32:06 AM
I'm subbed to 'Tested' on youtube. They just put out a video where they were testing hgh speed cameras, trying to capture safety glass breaking, using the Lifehammer and ResQMe tools.

I just thought you guys might find this a neat video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHkUc23UlR0
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on March 02, 2014, 02:16:43 PM
I'm a follower of Tested.com as well and I was waiting until I got a chance to sit back and watch the video properly on a high resolution screen.  All I can say is Wow.  While I personally prefer the ResQMe tool to the Lifehammer (mostly for mounting reasons) I do have to say that I thought the Lifehammer would have done a better job.

Also, I was quite surprised to see that even in the high speed footage, the glass seems to instantly shatter rather than radiating out from the impact point.  That is pretty amazing, and gives you an idea of just how fast tempered glass breaks.

One caveat I have to wonder about though- they talked briefly about shattering the window if your car is underwater and how the edges of the glass aren't sharp.  I have always wondered about that myself- while tempered glass chunks aren't as sharp as regular glass chunks, when under water, the sudden shattering of the window is likely to cause all of that broken glass to shoot inward as the water comes in.  As windows are often at face level  ::) is that really what you want?  While I imagine cuts on your face and the possible loss of eyes is preferable to a slow, cold drowning death in a car I have to wonder if there couldn't be a better way of doing this entirely.

Def
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: bmot on March 02, 2014, 02:18:46 PM
I think I heard that you shouldn't open the car anyway, until it's full of water... Might be completely wrong, of course, and I'm not very inclined to test it  :whistle:
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: enki_ck on March 02, 2014, 02:20:02 PM
I sub to them to but have to wonder about a few things here. 

First off, why test is with the glass OUT of the door, just loosely mounted on those stands?

And as far as safety goes, you put on a helmet with visor, thick gloves to prevent cuts and then wear a short sleeved shirt. :doh:

Also, didn't work from the outside? Really? :think: I'm not gonna go breaking into cars now >:D but this guy manages to break it from the outside just fine multiple times. (3 times after the 3:30 mark)

Cheapest Tactical Tool Ever! The ResQme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVdpid6vWuY#)
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on March 02, 2014, 02:25:10 PM
Interesting that the video has "Tactical" in the title- it makes me think that a completely different mindset is at work here.  Anyone "tactical" is going to be of the mind that they are there to rescue others, and not that they are going to need it to extricate themselves after they have been in an accident.

Conversely the guys from Tested.com are more likely to think of these things as a way to get out of the car, and only tested the outside going in as a secondary objective.

As for why they didn't do it with the entire car door, chances are it was just easier to work with straight glass than try to obtain full doors with the glass intact, transport them to the set, manhandling heavy doors into place, smashing the glass, then disposing of the doors afterwards.

Def
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: enki_ck on March 02, 2014, 02:28:57 PM
I think I heard that you shouldn't open the car anyway, until it's full of water... Might be completely wrong, of course, and I'm not very inclined to test it  :whistle:

Well if I land in the water and have a resqme on me, I'm not waiting. :whistle:

You're thinking of a different thing here, the advice to wait till the car fills with water is for opening the doors by hand, as it will be easier to do so then. While the pressure of the water is against the door from the outside you wouldn't be able to open the door. That's where these rescue hammers came in to get you out faster.

I live between two rivers and people end up in them every now and then and drown for the very reason. There was again a case of it about two weeks ago, a guy skidded off the wet road, hit the river and drowned. No one saw it, but people noticed the skid marks on the ground and dragged the river. I have a resqme on my gear stick and I bought one for my father too. Just in case.
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: bmot on March 02, 2014, 02:42:46 PM
I think I heard that you shouldn't open the car anyway, until it's full of water... Might be completely wrong, of course, and I'm not very inclined to test it  :whistle:

Well if I land in the water and have a resqme on me, I'm not waiting. :whistle:

You're thinking of a different thing here, the advice to wait till the car fills with water is for opening the doors by hand, as it will be easier to do so then. While the pressure of the water is against the door from the outside you wouldn't be able to open the door. That's where these rescue hammers came in to get you out faster.

I live between two rivers and people end up in them every now and then and drown for the very reason. There was again a case of it about two weeks ago, a guy skidded off the wet road, hit the river and drowned. No one saw it, but people noticed the skid marks on the ground and dragged the river. I have a resqme on my gear stick and I bought one for my father too. Just in case.


Ah, that makes sense, yeah...


Really, with the amount of water around here, it's almost weird we don't have that kind of accidents more often than we do..
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on March 02, 2014, 03:30:51 PM
A few years ago a couple was on their way to a wedding near where my parents live during a blizzard.  They never made it to the wedding, and everyone just assumed that due to the bad weather they decided not to go, but when neither of them were heard from afterwards people started looking for them.  It wasn't until the next spring that their car was found in a river- apparently they had skidded off the road and into the water, and the ice and snow covered them up quickly.

Cars and water seem to go together a bit too easily.  You'd think it would be easier to have some kind of flotation device incorporated into the rocker panels of a car- if the car detects an impact, they fire off like the rest of the airbags, so if the car is in the water, it'll float.

Def
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Lynn LeFey on March 02, 2014, 04:54:17 PM
I thought the lifehammer would do better as well, but I really have to say that from everything I've seen, the ResQMe looks like an awesome tool.

There was another case I heard of some time back, where a woman locked her car with her baby inside in the middle of summer. Some skateboarders were passing by, and recorded it...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RPAn1-XOgc

I'm guessing there are a fair number of instances of cars crashed on dry land where such a tool could be useful as well.

In any case, I've been carrying a ResQMe on my car's keychain for a while now. While the odds of needing it are pretty slim, if it ever was needed, it was well worth the $10 or so I paid for it.

About the speed of the break. I posted a video here some time back about the 'Prince Rupert's Drop', a piece of glass that is formed under stress. It makes it incredibly resilient to damage, but it the long fragile tail is broken, the whole thing explodes. The guys in this video had a 130,000 fps campera, to catch the speed of the break.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe-f4gokRBs

I suspect something similar is going on with auto glass.
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on March 02, 2014, 05:08:30 PM
I remember that- that was a totally cool video, and thanks for reposting it.  :D

Def
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Cogito on March 06, 2014, 08:06:44 AM

One caveat I have to wonder about though- they talked briefly about shattering the window if your car is underwater and how the edges of the glass aren't sharp.  I have always wondered about that myself- while tempered glass chunks aren't as sharp as regular glass chunks, when under water, the sudden shattering of the window is likely to cause all of that broken glass to shoot inward as the water comes in.  As windows are often at face level  ::) is that really what you want?  While I imagine cuts on your face and the possible loss of eyes is preferable to a slow, cold drowning death in a car I have to wonder if there couldn't be a better way of doing this entirely.

Def

Maybe try driving with the window open  :rofl:
jk
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on March 06, 2014, 11:39:00 AM
And not near any water?  :D

Def
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: bmot on March 06, 2014, 05:02:18 PM
And not near any water?  :D

Def


I wish....  :facepalm:
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Aloha on March 06, 2014, 06:53:08 PM
I've see people trying to break ( unsuccessfully ) car windows with hammers.  I personally have a spring loaded punch in my vehicle and one in my pouch when I travel by car with others.  Great videos of the skateboarders lending a hand and finally getting those kids free.  Neat slowmo video too, I love watching things in slowmo. 
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: jzmtl on March 08, 2014, 07:31:28 AM
I have a resqme on my keys and put one in parents' car as well. The thing that somewhat concerns me is it relies on spring tension and a plastic body to contain it, so essentially you have a weak mechanical device that's under high stress, which you don't know if it's a dud and can't test it.

Still it's pretty much the only keychain sized option, a lifehammer would be more reliable but can't put that in pocket.
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Lynn LeFey on March 08, 2014, 09:15:36 AM
I have a resqme on my keys and put one in parents' car as well. The thing that somewhat concerns me is it relies on spring tension and a plastic body to contain it, so essentially you have a weak mechanical device that's under high stress, which you don't know if it's a dud and can't test it.

Still it's pretty much the only keychain sized option, a lifehammer would be more reliable but can't put that in pocket.

You can ABSOLUTELY test it. I recommend doing it against a piece of scrap lumber. I believe Grant will back me up on NOT doing it on your thumb. It will 'fire' every time you press it down. It's not a one-use thing. If you press it down on the wood, and it makes the 'thunk' sound, and leaves a dent in the wood, then it's working.
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Cupboard on March 08, 2014, 12:45:03 PM
if you want a metal one then you can get an automatic centre punch.

I'd much prefer to have a ResQMe than a Lifehammer in an emergency.
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: jzmtl on March 08, 2014, 07:42:52 PM
I have a resqme on my keys and put one in parents' car as well. The thing that somewhat concerns me is it relies on spring tension and a plastic body to contain it, so essentially you have a weak mechanical device that's under high stress, which you don't know if it's a dud and can't test it.

Still it's pretty much the only keychain sized option, a lifehammer would be more reliable but can't put that in pocket.

You can ABSOLUTELY test it. I recommend doing it against a piece of scrap lumber. I believe Grant will back me up on NOT doing it on your thumb. It will 'fire' every time you press it down. It's not a one-use thing. If you press it down on the wood, and it makes the 'thunk' sound, and leaves a dent in the wood, then it's working.

Making dent on wood isn't the same as breaking glass though. I had a no name one that I played around with, I can tell the spring gets weaker each time I used it, and it fell apart after some strikes. The resqme version doesn't look much sturdier, so I don't know.
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on March 10, 2014, 02:31:47 PM
I have a resqme on my keys and put one in parents' car as well. The thing that somewhat concerns me is it relies on spring tension and a plastic body to contain it, so essentially you have a weak mechanical device that's under high stress, which you don't know if it's a dud and can't test it.

Still it's pretty much the only keychain sized option, a lifehammer would be more reliable but can't put that in pocket.

You can ABSOLUTELY test it. I recommend doing it against a piece of scrap lumber. I believe Grant will back me up on NOT doing it on your thumb. It will 'fire' every time you press it down. It's not a one-use thing. If you press it down on the wood, and it makes the 'thunk' sound, and leaves a dent in the wood, then it's working.

(http://www.multitool.org/cache/multithumb_thumbs/1___images_stories_Tool_pics_ResQMe_ResQMe05.JPG)

 :ahhh

Yup.  It is a very unpleasant experience.

Def
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Cogito on March 10, 2014, 07:07:07 PM
I googled it and it seems as though the center punch is the right way to go, thanks for the suggestion cupboard.  Also I read that you should use it on the corners of the windows to be most effective.

I'm thinking some sort of strap cutter + a center punch although bulkier would be much more reliable to use vs the ResQme tool.
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: RT1969 on March 20, 2014, 02:01:14 PM
Interesting videos! I especially liked the 'tactical guy' because he gave some good points without going into TactiCool territory.

I have a (potential dangerous) question: Has anyone ever tried a glass breaker on non-tempered glass? A drinking glass, a bottle or something else? I wonder how those two types of glass compare.
And: Kids, please don't try this at home!  :angel:
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Cupboard on March 22, 2014, 07:17:49 PM
hmm...

I have a ResQMe, an automatic centre punch, some beer bottles and some welding gloves. I could have a play  :ahhh
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Cupboard on March 22, 2014, 07:49:47 PM
Right. Experiment done. Verdict: that was rubbish!

I walked over the road to work with some beer bottles, where my car resides with its ResQMe and safety specs. Went to my workshop, got my centre punch. Went to the main farm workshop with that lot and a couple of large cardboard boxes to catch the glass, fumbled around with welding gauntlets and my phone (as a camera) and eventually all was set.

First up, the ResQMe: phone in one hand, ResQMe in the other, bottle on the floor in the box. Aimed the ResQMe at the side of the bottle and "plink"... nothing. The bottle had moved and the thingy had missed. Take two. "plink". A small section of the bottom of the bottle falls off.

Next, the centre punch. Now with this there's no way it can miss because it doesn't have a surround so putting it at a slight angle makes no difference. "Plink" and it makes a little hole in the side of the bottle about 8mm across. The area round the hole is still there but rather fragmented. A bit of wiggling and the bottle falls in half. Boring.

Now I took 3 bottles over so I had another go with the centre punch, this time in the bottom. Even less exciting. I've now just got a bottle with a little hole in its bottom.

I do have a video but it's so rubbish its not going to be worth me doing anything with it.
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Lynn LeFey on March 22, 2014, 08:48:21 PM
There's nothing that says that doing tests will yield INTERESTING results.  :rofl:

Thanks for doing this, even if it wasn't a spectacular outcome.  :salute:
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Cupboard on March 22, 2014, 11:47:41 PM
I was all set for glass flying everywhere, but there was nothing. I was on a nice, flat bit of concrete with nothing around me for a few meters covered from head to foot in stuff to repel flying glass but there we go. Better that way than ending up with a large chunk poking out of my eye  :tu:
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: RT1969 on March 24, 2014, 08:14:44 PM
I was all set for glass flying everywhere, but there was nothing. I was on a nice, flat bit of concrete with nothing around me for a few meters covered from head to foot in stuff to repel flying glass but there we go. Better that way than ending up with a large chunk poking out of my eye  :tu:

Thank you for those tests! I thought it might be a benchmark (So you don't have to break a car window to test). Sadly it does not, but more important: You did not hurt yourself!  :tu:

You can learn something new everyday here!
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Cupboard on March 25, 2014, 09:20:12 PM
I think a glass ovenproof dish or work surface covered might be better.

I'd love to try it on my dining table which is 4'*6' but then I wouldn't have a dining table  ::)
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: ducttapetech on March 26, 2014, 12:04:56 AM
what about Pyrex glass?
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Cupboard on April 02, 2014, 08:33:14 PM
that's what I was thinking, but I didn't know how universal a product Pyrex was hence what I wrote :)
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: kalans on November 20, 2014, 10:25:11 PM
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yevIXPddhcE

Missing the back window, but ultimately the information is good. I definitely will get a resqme but in real life it seems that your passengers be the limiting factor.
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Lynn LeFey on November 21, 2014, 12:37:19 AM
I would have liked to see more of the tests done from the inside of the car in that video, but I assume the glass breakers work about the same from either side.
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Megan on November 21, 2014, 05:45:05 AM
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yevIXPddhcE

Missing the back window, but ultimately the information is good. I definitely will get a resqme but in real life it seems that your passengers be the limiting factor.

I carry one in my car after watching videos and reading reviews on it.
I think you're right about passengers- but you'll see that in every survival/rescue scenario.
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Cupboard on November 21, 2014, 12:42:53 PM
Ah given this thread has re-surfaced...

Comparing the ResQMe to the CRKT Exitool, the ResQMe is easier to use in a car because you don't have to swing it at the window.
The belt cutters on both work, though the ResQMe is marginally better.

In terms of ease of use, these work well and are easy to use without thinking. A decent knife blade works well but requires a bit more thought. The strap cutter on the OHT is OK, doesn't work as well as a knife/ResQMe but is easier to use without thinking than the knife. The strap cutter on the MUT is crap and just doesn't work for cutting a seatbelt. You'd be better off with a Squirt.

All tests done at the UK Meet using seatbelt provided by Gareth.
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Lynn LeFey on November 21, 2014, 10:16:53 PM
Very cool to hear that the ResQMe seatbelt cutter has been tested. Thanks for the info!  :tu:

I have one on my car keys, and I'm always a little amazed how well they work when I see people testing them in videos.
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Chako on September 27, 2015, 06:13:53 PM
Just got one for my collection...buy maybe it might be more useful in my Jeep.

(http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r207/Chako_photo/Chako_photo003/IMG_9635small_zpsyezrkjyj.jpg) (http://s145.photobucket.com/user/Chako_photo/media/Chako_photo003/IMG_9635small_zpsyezrkjyj.jpg.html)

(http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r207/Chako_photo/Chako_photo003/IMG_9636small_zps14qjejjt.jpg) (http://s145.photobucket.com/user/Chako_photo/media/Chako_photo003/IMG_9636small_zps14qjejjt.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Tested.com uses Lifehammer and ResQMe on auto glass, w/ high speed cameras
Post by: Peyote on June 03, 2018, 01:41:32 AM
I have three resqme's and plan on buying more.