redcrossemt
Forum Asst. Chief
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Also, forgot to mention that shears do go bad! Cut a couple pairs of leather work boots off, or through a couple people's winter clothing... The blade will start to dull. Replacing these shears is not cheap.
EMS Carabiner Trauma Shears - Feedback Wanted
- Thread starter EMTSTRONG
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Sorry about the type-o.
I didn't mean to say "some people are like cheep and basic". I meant to say "some people like cheep and basic". I hope that type-o did not offend. If so please accept my apologies.
I didn't mean to say "some people are like cheep and basic". I meant to say "some people like cheep and basic". I hope that type-o did not offend. If so please accept my apologies.
reaper
Working Bum
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Exactly!
There is no design change to the blades. They are basic shear blades that will dull quickly.
The ones I use are $15. They can be sharpened and have a lifetime warranty. Will cut through any material, no matter how thick. I have had the same pair for 5 years and have never lost them. I don't drop my equipment on the ground. When I use them, they are placed somewhere safe, until they are cleaned.
If someone wants disposable. They are not going to pay that price. Take a look at the big shears. The maker thought they were great, but no one wanted to pay the price for them!
Make them cheap and you may sell them. No one will care about quality material, when they dull out right away, anyways!
mycrofft
Still crazy but elsewhere
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Website was easy on the eyes, dynamic graphics,
lots of good "white space" (not too busy). I hope the military pic is not hypoerbolic, are they using them?
Don't use the inventors as the testimonials. Don't over-sell the inventors. Give a bunch away then follow up closely for your testimonials and user feedback. Thank you for using USA labor and materials!!
Focusing on them as a variation on current use is a loser, For the price of one of yours, I can buy eleven pairs of the ONE I've been using for ten years (except Ace Hardware's discount table rarely stocks that many at once). Maybe there are different uses, such as clipping onto ambulance overhead rails, litter rails or handles, in microgravity (NASA) or negative G's (air ambulance) or using with gloves (snowmobile shears?).
Market to impressionable new users and you might start to develope a niche, a graduation present from EMT academy or such.
Modify the technology to incorporate a protected V-blade into the handle for belts, bootlaces and hanging cutdowns?.
lots of good "white space" (not too busy). I hope the military pic is not hypoerbolic, are they using them?
Don't use the inventors as the testimonials. Don't over-sell the inventors. Give a bunch away then follow up closely for your testimonials and user feedback. Thank you for using USA labor and materials!!
Focusing on them as a variation on current use is a loser, For the price of one of yours, I can buy eleven pairs of the ONE I've been using for ten years (except Ace Hardware's discount table rarely stocks that many at once). Maybe there are different uses, such as clipping onto ambulance overhead rails, litter rails or handles, in microgravity (NASA) or negative G's (air ambulance) or using with gloves (snowmobile shears?).
Market to impressionable new users and you might start to develope a niche, a graduation present from EMT academy or such.
Modify the technology to incorporate a protected V-blade into the handle for belts, bootlaces and hanging cutdowns?.
The website says that the blades are titanium bonded and are 3 times harder than steel, however titanium is softer than any steel used for making cutting tools. It is similar to aluminum in that it has a very good strength to weight ratio, however it won't hold an edge as well as a high carbon steel and therefore not appropriate for making knife blades out of and most likely not appropriate for shears either.
Adding to reaper's comment, the hinge is still the el cheapo rivet that most shears use, which tends to loosen after a while or even after a short time with heavy cutting. It also concerns me that there is a "Stay-Closed O-Ring" on these shears, which suggests that there is very little if any resistance when the blades are closed. This would be caused by the pressure that the blades exert on each other. Due to the nature of bypass cutting blades, without pressure between the blades the cutting ability of these shears would be very poor.
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That's the most balanced, thoughtful and helpful critique so far. Thanks loads.
thanks too
I think you are very correct on that analysis. These are already some of the suggested changes I have asked for. The reason for the o-ring is not because the shears easily come open on their own. We found while using them that if you bump them while walking around a hall corner they might catch and come open. The high tensile strength o-ring prevents this. I like the o-ring better placed further up the shear near the bows - it creates a mild spring action when cutting and still does not limit opening.
Love the rivet critique - I'm certainly going to look into that.
I think you are very correct on that analysis. These are already some of the suggested changes I have asked for. The reason for the o-ring is not because the shears easily come open on their own. We found while using them that if you bump them while walking around a hall corner they might catch and come open. The high tensile strength o-ring prevents this. I like the o-ring better placed further up the shear near the bows - it creates a mild spring action when cutting and still does not limit opening.
Love the rivet critique - I'm certainly going to look into that.
Here is the answer to your critique on "titanium bonding" - it is NOT simple titanium!
I borrowed the description below from Clauss, the maker of the shear blades.
"Titanium Bonded” is not paint or a coating, but a process for applying a blend of titanium and other space-age materials to the surface of cutting blades in a way that permanently bonds them together. This is no “off-the shelf material,” but an intelligently engineered metal treatment, documented to be better performing than the individual components by themselves. It is one of the hardest materials in existence!
An application of the "Titanium Bonded" formula creates a super-hard outer shell on a cutting blade that is tough and long-lasting. The advantages are many: blades are sharper; blades stay sharper longer; and they better resist corrosion. The benefits to users are many, and lend themselves to a wide range of home, office, school, and commercial cutting products.
The advantages are many:
• Lightweight yet durable
• 3 times stronger than stainless steel
• High corrosion and rust resistance
• Less friction than stainless steel - Enhances surface lubricity = smoother cutting
• Long-lasting, sharp cutting edges
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DV_EMT
Forum Asst. Chief
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Look.... heres what i can surmise about these shears...
They're probably gonna be for use for SAR people who are more involved in SAR and not so much the EMS factor... only because they have a carbeaner clip.
If your looking to appreal it to the EMS market... i don't believe that many people will want to spend the money because most pants worn by EMT's and Medics have 2 snap pockets for shears. thus solving the issue for "where do i keep my shears".
As and Idea... try to change your demographics to more SAR and people who do more rugged rescue ops. You may get more receptiveness to the idea
They're probably gonna be for use for SAR people who are more involved in SAR and not so much the EMS factor... only because they have a carbeaner clip.
If your looking to appreal it to the EMS market... i don't believe that many people will want to spend the money because most pants worn by EMT's and Medics have 2 snap pockets for shears. thus solving the issue for "where do i keep my shears".
As and Idea... try to change your demographics to more SAR and people who do more rugged rescue ops. You may get more receptiveness to the idea
mycrofft
Still crazy but elsewhere
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- 48
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Remember the truism about customer-suggested modifications:
"Sure, just send me the check for the one hundred units you want made that way and I'll starft on it for you".
"Sure, just send me the check for the one hundred units you want made that way and I'll starft on it for you".
Mountain Res-Q
Forum Deputy Chief
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Sorry, wrong... In SAR we need carabineers for rope rescue and if we carry shears we need them to be lightweight. strong, compact, and not dangling from a harness on a rescue (where they will get in the way and will be a safety liability. There is no useful application in SAR for these. We do not need the shears to be within arms reach on calls or dangling from our packs, exposed to the rain, snow, and low hanging branches. Most SAR folks I know do not even carry shears (even our EMTs and Medics). Reality is that we try to minimize exposing the pt. since cutting clothing only serves to damage a primary source of protection form exposure, the number one killer in the outdoors. If we are gonna cut clothing, we have other means to do so, and as a general rule, every item we have with us in our packs on a SAR call should have multiple purposes... like a knife... I, however, do carry shears with me in the wilderness due to the fact that they can be used for multiple things... but I got smart and carried a pair that is inexpensive, compact, and lightwieght:
http://www.conterra-inc.com/product_info.php?products_id=332 They are 4 inches long, work just as well as the full size shears, and are compact. I have three pairs of these, one of which is carried for SAR in http://www.conterra-inc.com/product_info.php?products_id=284, a pouch attatched ot my packs waist belt. The pouch comes with the shears, gloves, and a CPR Shield (the shield is useless on SAR, but the pouch allows me to carry sevral gloves with me on all SAR calls).
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Can you expain what you were refering to?
With the back and forth, it became unclear.
With the back and forth, it became unclear.
We are expecting to sell to many different folks.
SAR was not one of our first market expectations, even though there is a carabiner on the shear. My partner, a former mountain wilderness guide, didn't give it much thought for SAR. Camping maybe. From this ongoing post thread, EMT isn't looking as good as my partner hoped, although the posts are coming from a limited number of people so you never know. For EMTs posting here, the greatest criticism seems to do with the price and there is little we can do about that without sacrificing quality at this time. Of course we will never beat the free shears that Mountain RQ loves in a price war. I have high hopes for other markets that we have not yet approached. Success so far has come with sales to ER docs, fire dept and flight choppers. Hey, but we are just getting started.
SAR was not one of our first market expectations, even though there is a carabiner on the shear. My partner, a former mountain wilderness guide, didn't give it much thought for SAR. Camping maybe. From this ongoing post thread, EMT isn't looking as good as my partner hoped, although the posts are coming from a limited number of people so you never know. For EMTs posting here, the greatest criticism seems to do with the price and there is little we can do about that without sacrificing quality at this time. Of course we will never beat the free shears that Mountain RQ loves in a price war. I have high hopes for other markets that we have not yet approached. Success so far has come with sales to ER docs, fire dept and flight choppers. Hey, but we are just getting started.
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Sasha
Forum Chief
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If by some chance I wanted my shears to hang from my belt I would loop a carabiner through the handle. However, I wouldn't want to hang them.
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Thread closed per OP request.
Courtesy announcement for trauma-shears.com
I'd like to sincerely thank those who have purchased FlightShears. We hope you will benefit their utility as much as we have. If you have any need to communicate with us, please do not hesitate to do so through the addresses provided on the trauma-shears.com website.
As a courtesy, I need to announce that all active coupon codes, including the Lifesaver1 code, will expire at the end of January. If you have not purchased a pair of FlightShears, but were planning to, you can still benefit from the current promotion until the end of this month.
Thanks,
trauma-shears.com
I'd like to sincerely thank those who have purchased FlightShears. We hope you will benefit their utility as much as we have. If you have any need to communicate with us, please do not hesitate to do so through the addresses provided on the trauma-shears.com website.
As a courtesy, I need to announce that all active coupon codes, including the Lifesaver1 code, will expire at the end of January. If you have not purchased a pair of FlightShears, but were planning to, you can still benefit from the current promotion until the end of this month.
Thanks,
trauma-shears.com
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