Channellock’s Rescue Tool
By Dan Kitchen
With their 6-in-1 rescue tool, Channellock has beefed up a pair of linesman pliers to specialize ‘em for rescue work. The extra-coarse texture of the pliers provides a stronger grip, and hardened cutters will cut through almost any wire. A hardened steel point on the tip of one handle will shatter safety glass, and a spanner wrench allows you to tighten or loosen standard hose couplings. The other handle functions as a pry bar and as a wrench that’ll fit over standard gas valves.
Channellock chose tools that’ll help out in rescue and fire operations. The only one that seems a little odd is the prybar tool — it doesn’t give you much of a handle to get leverage with. On the product-specific website created for this new tool, you can see a video that shows it in action.
Hopefully, Channellock isn’t playing any jokes this April 1st, because that’s the ship date for their new 6-in-1 rescue tool. It seems to be available only through Channellock for $70 — but while supplies last, you get a t-shirt proclaiming your new tool purchase.
6-in-1 Tool [Channellock]
6-in-1 Tool [The Rescue Tool]
March 24th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
I still want a Stanley FUBAR, the big one. It’s not too early to start thinking of what to get me for Christmas.
March 24th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
We received it today in the mail to test. It is kind of heavy and the price at $68.00 is steep.
Otherwise its rugged and seems to work well if you have a lot of space and room to get the tool in a tight spot.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
The local Grainger store had a flyer on this hanging up by the counter. Looks like they’ll sell for just under $60.
March 24th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
(A different Fred)
We have Fubar’s - the small and the medium-sized ones - use them with Mayhew Tweaker bars, bowrenches and floor jacks - mostly to on decking jobs.
The big Fubar - at about $100 looks a bit unwieldy for our work.
This Channelock - looks more like soemthing a fireman might carry
March 25th, 2008 at 3:37 am
Some neat innovation by Channellock. I’d love to have a pair of these, but I would never actually use them…. still, they’re pretty cool.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
I have been looking at the Gerber rescue for a while now. I like the blunt tip that can be used pry on things. It would go nice in the center console of my truck.
March 27th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
ChannelLock did not design this tool! A firefighter from Meadville, PA designed this tool and offered to sell the design to ChannelLock. When they offered him a few buck and wouldn’t give him a share of the profits, he moved on. Soon after, ChannelLock took his design and began to manufacture it without his permission. They told him that his patent would never be granted because he only combined currently existing tools and didn’t create anything new. Stealing money from a fireman is about as un-American as you can get. I will never purchase anything from ChannelLock again.
March 27th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
WOW that’s horrible! At very least he could have acquired a design patent instead of a utility patent. Obviously the utility patent is much stronger but he still has a unique design, which could have been protected.
I wonder why they took the idea to market if it “only combined current existing tools and didn’t create anything new”. Is that their new business model…taking a not so innovative tool to market and surviving on the Channellock brand.
They do make great tools but I’d question the longevity of the brand without some consistent new offerings that are truly innovative.
April 23rd, 2008 at 10:47 am
The fireman did create a tool similar to the one produced by Channellock and was compensated for his design. If you have any questions please contact me and I will be able to direct you to further information. I believe the fireman himself has agreed to contact anyone who needs the rumors clarified.
I can be reached at SBlackwell@MyChannellockTools.com.
May 1st, 2008 at 3:07 pm
The Channellock Rescue Tool is available online for $48. http://www.nafeco.com