For several years, I've carried a Life-Hammer rescue tool in all vehicles we've owned - mounted where any occupant can reach it. A few months ago, Car and Driver was reported to have done a test of them and found they would not work. Curious, I looked up the article, which turned out to be not a test, but merely an editorial about a single rescue tool and an informal evaluation. I think the one they used was a Kmart version. The editor had been unable to break any windows with his, so it got me wondering if they were even worth carrying.
Today, I was at a body shop to drop a neighbor off to retrieve her repaired Sienna. Spontaneously, I asked the owner if he had any intact glass and he reappeared a moment later and handed me the side glass from a Subaru. This evening, the Miller family did a test of our German Life-Hammer as follows:
The glass was inserted into a plastic garbage bag that was taped shut. It was then laid down on an energy absorbing mat of the type used in industrial locations where people stand a lot. The outer surface faced upward as though you were breaking into a vehicle. This would simulate a real window supported by weather stripping to a degree. Then, a circle about 3 inches in diameter was cut as a target, and to expose bare glass. Duct tape was then placed across the circle, and a 2 inch circle cut out of it for the same purpose. The intent was simply to tape down the edges of the cutout circle so glass could not blow out of it, and this was an easy method.
First up was my 5 year old daughter who weighs 32.5lbs (just got her a new car seat, so weighed her last week). I coached her for about 6 practice hits on the rubber mat so she'd get a feel for it. She was only able to get the metal hammer tip to hit first about half the time in practice simply because of unfamiliarity with the hard hammer swings I was encouraging. On her first hit, she took a tiny chip out of the bare glass and I was surprised the window did not shatter. 5 more hits were unproductive as she hit the tape, the plastic, or the hammer again rotated so the metal tip did not hit first.
Next up was my wife, who weighs 104lbs. No coaching. Her first hit exploded the glass so violently it actually tore a small hole in the bag and a dozen BB sized pieces of safety glass ended up on the floor. She was surprised at how easy it was and so was I. She did not swing very hard, either - more of a chopping motion.
Clean up was a piece of cake, as I just picked up the limp bag of glass chunks and tossed it into the trash can. Then a dustpan for the few errant bits.
So, I can't speak for the cheap American knockoffs, but this TUV approved rescue tool seems to work as advertised. I would have been surprised if it did not, as it came with literature listing dozens of awards from Europe and showed it is required in all public safety vehicles such as police and emergency vehicles in some countries. I did not test the seatbelt cutting ability though Car and Driver also had trouble with this aspect of their model. This was simply because the literature warned against using the blade for non emergency use as it might dull it. Practice tools are available. So there you have it.
DougM
Today, I was at a body shop to drop a neighbor off to retrieve her repaired Sienna. Spontaneously, I asked the owner if he had any intact glass and he reappeared a moment later and handed me the side glass from a Subaru. This evening, the Miller family did a test of our German Life-Hammer as follows:
The glass was inserted into a plastic garbage bag that was taped shut. It was then laid down on an energy absorbing mat of the type used in industrial locations where people stand a lot. The outer surface faced upward as though you were breaking into a vehicle. This would simulate a real window supported by weather stripping to a degree. Then, a circle about 3 inches in diameter was cut as a target, and to expose bare glass. Duct tape was then placed across the circle, and a 2 inch circle cut out of it for the same purpose. The intent was simply to tape down the edges of the cutout circle so glass could not blow out of it, and this was an easy method.
First up was my 5 year old daughter who weighs 32.5lbs (just got her a new car seat, so weighed her last week). I coached her for about 6 practice hits on the rubber mat so she'd get a feel for it. She was only able to get the metal hammer tip to hit first about half the time in practice simply because of unfamiliarity with the hard hammer swings I was encouraging. On her first hit, she took a tiny chip out of the bare glass and I was surprised the window did not shatter. 5 more hits were unproductive as she hit the tape, the plastic, or the hammer again rotated so the metal tip did not hit first.
Next up was my wife, who weighs 104lbs. No coaching. Her first hit exploded the glass so violently it actually tore a small hole in the bag and a dozen BB sized pieces of safety glass ended up on the floor. She was surprised at how easy it was and so was I. She did not swing very hard, either - more of a chopping motion.
Clean up was a piece of cake, as I just picked up the limp bag of glass chunks and tossed it into the trash can. Then a dustpan for the few errant bits.
So, I can't speak for the cheap American knockoffs, but this TUV approved rescue tool seems to work as advertised. I would have been surprised if it did not, as it came with literature listing dozens of awards from Europe and showed it is required in all public safety vehicles such as police and emergency vehicles in some countries. I did not test the seatbelt cutting ability though Car and Driver also had trouble with this aspect of their model. This was simply because the literature warned against using the blade for non emergency use as it might dull it. Practice tools are available. So there you have it.
DougM
