Before the dawn of time, while the world was still young, Odin All father wandered upon the land and saw that it was good. If one looked closely at old One Eye, they would see a Go Bag slung across his chest. The All Father knows any good EDC contains some form of first aid kit. Trauma shears are a must for any respectable trauma kit. Just as Odin is the king of Asgard, the Leatherman Raptor is the king of trauma shears.
The Raptors are crafted of 420 High Carbon Stainless Steel. The Raptor’s cutting surface is the same as any off the shelf pair of trauma shears. The reader will notice that the finger holes are just a little bigger than my off the shelf comparison. A gloved finger can easily operate the shears.
You can see the Leatherman has thought of using every available inch of this product, down to the ruler in inches and cm on the shear itself. All folding parts lock as they open, but they are easy to unlock with big buttons. There is a seatbelt cutter that extends from the shears when they are folded down. The cutter also has a notch for the lug found on oxygen bottles.
Last but not least they have included a carbide glass breaker on the end of one of the finger portions. A knife master that I work with likes to hold the shears like a karambit, index finger in the smaller slot; shear side down, carbide glass breaker upward.
Obviously there is no bladed portion to this karambit, but it does allow the shears to be used as a defensive tool. A full hammer-fist speed can impale the shears, “hooking” with the cutting portion of the shears can redirect attacking limbs or the attacker themselves. Then there is the upper-cut carbide tip to remember as well. It is no Mjolnir, but Thor approves of any tool in a pinch.
All of this folds down nice and compact. Leatherman didn’t stop there though. An injection molded polymer sheath is included. This sheath can be secured to any MOLLE attachment point. It could also be easily attached to a belt. If Odin’s faithful finds that not to their liking, there is a replaceable clip that will secure to any pocket.
Along with his trusty spear Gungnir, Odin would surely have asked the dwarves in Svartalfheim forge him a Leatherman Raptor. If it is good enough for Odin, it should be good enough for you. You can get yours here, or on Amazon here.
Magnus Ruppert served on SFODA 153 B Co. 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) from 2004-2007 where he deployed three times in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Magnus continued service in the brown-water Navy on an Expeditionary Intelligence Team deploying to Africa and the Mediterranean. After leaving the Military Magnus became a Federal Law Enforcement Officer. He currently works as a Firearms and Less-Lethal Instructor in the Pacific Northwest. When not spending time under body armor, Magnus spends his time under a ruck enjoying time hiking with his wife and son in the mountains of Washington State. He will occasionally play the gray-man as a GoRuck weirdo.
This article was originally published on the Loadout Room
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