US tool manufacturer Leatherman has launched two hardy multi-tools specifically designed for use in medical emergencies – the Raptor shears and Skeletool RX.
Leatherman’s Raptor shears have been developed with special input from paramedics and fire fighters and are a good addition to medical kits used on construction sites, mines, farms and industrial plants.
The folding medical shears have a 4.8cm primary blade made from 420HC stainless steel — an improved high carbon (HC) form of 420 stainless steel, which is then heat treated by Leatherman for increased durability.
The shears also feature other tools necessary for emergency situations like strap and ring cutters, a glass breaker made from carbide (one of the world’s strongest materials apart from diamonds) and an oxygen tank wrench.
The Skeletool RX is a diverse multi-purpose unit designed for use in a range of emergency situations.
It has a deeply serrated 6.6cm blade made from 154CM stainless steel – a high carbon, high-alloy, corrosion-resistant form of stainless steel that maintains a strong cutting edge up to three times longer than regular 420 stainless steel.
The Skeletool also has a number of application-specific tools such as hard-wire cutters, large bit driver, needle-nose and regular pliers, and a bottle opener.
The Skeletool RX’s handle is finished in Cerakote, a ceramic coating that provides a durable, corrosion-proof protective finish.
Despite being designed for heavy-duty use, both tools are lightweight. The Raptor shears weigh in at just 164g and the Skeletool RX at just 142g.