Review: Benchmade - 8Med Rescue hook

Back in April I picked up a couple of Benchmade safety hooks from LEGear.com.au, one I have already discussed, and the other, I put in the MOLLE visor panel in my car and promptly forgot to cover. I knew it was there, part of my cross-check when I get in the vehicle is to check where my essential kit is, and there it was, one day when I was wondering what to cover next.

As with the 5hook, and the Gerber strap cutter I covered before it, the principle element to these tools is the safe-on-skin cutter at the business end but this particular tool has more going for it than just a blade. This is the 8Med Rescue Hook.

Made of a single piece of 440c steel, which is a pretty standard tool steel, Is made long enough to take a full knife type grip, with a ring at the far end to loop a finger through, along with a crenelated spine and three ergonomic finger notches in the leading side.

The finger grips are sufficiently widely spaced that it can be operated easily with full fingered gloves, surgical gloves or even bare handed with ease. I found that I could wield this with both my little finger in the ring, or reversed, with my index finger through the ring, not dissimilar to how I might wield my other Benchmade blade, the CQB Dagger. 

The blade has the same 0.5" "length" as is sharpened not only on the inside of the back, but also the arms of the edge, meaning that it will cut at an angle, before the main belly of the hook bites in. Especially handy if you are cutting in an awkward possition. The blades reported to have a hardness of 58-60 HRC which should not only keep the cutting hook keen (as they aren't easy to sharpen) but also to maintain the wrench slot from deforming when opening cylinders. More on that in a moment.

This model (as there are several in the Benchmark 8 range) has several additional features that the basic models lack. First up is the O2 wrench, which enables you to open compressed oxygen cylinders, it's placement means you get the whole length of the tool as a leaver to assist in this, as needed, without compromising your grip, or need to remove the tool from your hand, especially useful in a crisis when motor skills might be compromised.

It also features a notch at the tip, which Benchmade describes as a "syringe popper". I wracked my brains about this, and looked at some of my medical kit, as well as some of the lab supplies I have access to at work, and am as mystified as these guys... 

There is also a  notch inside the finger ring that should also fit an O2 regulator, but I'd be more likely to use it to keep a lanyard tape secured. 

On security, the hook comes with a soft case, which is fitted with PALS/MOLLE compatible loops on the back, which doesn't add to the profile significantly, but expands the connection options. The interesting thing about the case is the elasticised cap. With a hook-and-loop closure to begin with, this case has an additional feature, in the band of elastic wrapping around the top of the case enabling you to pop the top and the elastic snags the lid out of the way, to prevent incidental restriction to the finger loop.

I really like this hook, it fits the hand nicely, allowing a full, solid grip for rapid and continual cutting action, key when you need to rapidly strip a casualty, or in my case, might need to rescue someone in distress from a harness or bound up in rope. Having this in my car gives me a sense of security that I have an escape tool handy, for myself, my kids and other occupants of my car or those at the scene of an accident or disaster I come across. 

Review: Benchmade - Figure 5 cutter

A while ago, as I was packing up my kit to go and do the IRL Shooter: Patient Zero lasertag event, I seem to have mislaid my Gerber Strap cutter, which made me a bit sad, because I do very much enjoy having a safely cutter on hand, for a variety of adventurous reasons. 

Combat shears are all good and well, and I certainly keep them on-hand when I am out and about doing adventure things, as part of my response kit, but there are occasions where you just want to pull-place-cut your way out of a problem.

When LEGear.com.au put on a big sale, I was quick to snap up a variety of goodies, and this, the Benchmade 5 Safety Cutter Hook was one of them.

I have been carrying this one in my pocket along side my CRKT Eat'n'Tool since it arrived, and the two marry very nicely. The Delrin Snap-Fithard sheath offers a friction release carry option, and itself has a variety of features. 

With three webbing loopholes, as well as two lanyard or Tek-Lok capable holes, you can lash, loop or bolt it to pretty much anywhere. It will also take the MALICE clips from Tactical Tailor.
The deep crenelations on the spine give a really solid grip without tearing at the hand, thanks to their rounded shape, similarly, the "inside edge" where the middle finger rests, with its correspondingly smaller crenelations adds to that grip.

The main finger hole is 2.85cm (1.12") in diameter, making it a good fit, even for a gloved hand. The "mouth" of the blade section is 12.7mm (0.5") so can accommodate a wide variety of materials, and layers. 

 I will be mounting this one to my Zulu Nylon Gear CAOS Admin Pouch which in turn rides on my Bullock Echo daypack when its not in my pocket.
The safety hook aspect of it means that it is great for cutting cords, strapping and opening packaging, but as a rescue tool, there is something very reassuring about being able to go in fast hand hard to get someone out of a bind without worrying about gutting them.

The two extra holes are something of a mystery to me. They are not oxy-tank wrenches, (which are oblong), and they are in fact joined by a thin gap, that runs from the middle of the bottom, through the finger hole, and int othe second eyelet. I can only imagine these are cutting slots, and weight saving holes. Does anyone know what purpose they serve?

I cut a few things to test it out, some 1" webbing, a zip-tie and some paracord. Fast, efficient, and fit for purpose. Benchmade claim that even after 500+ cuts, the initial pull-to-cut strength is 4 times less that that of their competitors (1.8 kg or 4lbs) and will even cut 5 layers of webbing. That's a lot. I look forwards to using this more, but not NEEDING to use it, if you follow ...

Review: Benchmade - SOCP CQB dagger

So, in my recent delivery from Tay at HorNest Singapore, I finally laid my paws on this piece that I first saw on 2Cent Tactical (or at least, the Spartan Arms CQB version) but primarily from the Soldier Systems write up of this one specifically, the Benchmade SOCP Close Quarter Battle dagger.   


Being a dagger, this is a restricted item in Victoria, where I live, but I hold an exemption of the Weapons Control Act as a bona fide collector.

I had held one in the past, when in the Platatac retail shop. Now I have one.

 This is a piece of delicate, singing steel. This is no kitchen knife. No camp knife for chopping branches and making kindling.  This is for putting the pain into people.

Both the dagger and the red skeletonized trainer blade are made of 440C blade steel. The dagger weighs 62.37g (2.20oz ) and the trainer 65.49g (2.31oz), with overall lengths of 18.42cm (7.25") and 17.30cm (6.81") and blade lengths of 8.18cm (3.22") and 7.06cm (2.78") respectively.


Worth noting that on the dagger, the actual sharp edge only accounts for a little over a third of that length but comes to a wickedly sharp point.

10ga phlebotomy needle sharp.

The tail end features a large ring, with crenelations cut into its cap for a very positive grip and the narrow spine is shaped to fit a tight grip, with further crenelations cut into the middle "knuckle gap"for added gripping power.



The trainer and the dagger have the exact same layout, and this makes a very nice and safe transition, over more traditional "training" blades. The safety-red trainer looks, feels and acts almost exactly the same as its more deadly sibling, allowing you to train like you fight, and fight like you train.

Just what is it for then? This blade was designed to be an on-hand backup for a firearm in close quarters fighting.


The narrow spine and ring-grip allows the wielder to maintain a grip on a firearm, be it a pistol or longarm, and have it on-hand to fend off attackers in grappling distance, without switching hands.


One can quite comfortably be carried whilst you are using your hands for other things (just TRY to take my lemonade away).

The idea behind this blade is that it is not a "fighting knife", but a "last-ditch" weapon to buy yourself time in a very dire situation. It is light, fast and very very good at putting holes in things that need ventilating in a "never touch me again" situation.

Being able to hold a knife and still hang operate another tool, or object simply gives you a time advantage over someone who needs to drop an item and draw a knife.

Part of the key to this is the design of the ring grip and how the sheath works. The injection molded sheath with retention clip and lanyard holes fits neatly into a MOLLE channel, taking up three rows, and is held snugly in place by the clip and the flared end of the sheath.

The placement of the lip pf the sheath and the ring means that you can hook the tip of a finger through it, yank it up and out and into a usable grip from just slapping your palm against it, and making a fist whilst drawing back. Its an unusual maneuver, and I am particularly glad that I got the trainer, because I can see myself giving my gear or self an impromptu shave practicing this.

The sheath is available in olive drab or black, and it really does blend in, as well as only adding 28.35g (1oz) to your load. This is a stealth piece if i ever saw one.

A beautiful, functional, dangerously stealthy piece. I really like it, and am very pleased to have added it to my collection, and in the event of the breakdown in society, I'll be very happy to have it in my arsenal.