What’s In Your Pocket?
By Del Corsi

I can still feel the effects of the adrenaline as I begin to write this story. Whenever I leave home, there is always a knife in my pocket or on my belt loop. “I never leave home without it!” I always have an EDC!

Today was no different, as usual my morning begins with a twenty to thirty-minute brisk walk with our dog, Joey. As we rounded a corner, I noticed a car pulled to the curb at an odd angle. This was on a busy road in front of our place. Both doors on the driver side were open, a young lady was yelling as she continually went to the front and back seat areas of the car. I was 75 yards away, sensing something was desperately wrong I sped up while feeling for the Spyderco Assist Salt™, reassured, it was tucked clipped inside my right pants pocket. I did not know if she was fighting with someone, being hijacked, or what was happening?

As I neared the vehicle the young lady shouted – “My daughter has the seatbelt wrapped around her neck, do you know if there is an emergency release?” I shouted “No, but I have a knife to cut it!” Another lady had stopped in front of this woman’s car to help as well. She had grabbed a hammer with a belt-cutter on one end from her car. Inside the first car a young girl around six or seven years old was crying and squirming around, she could talk and was still breathing. The lady was frantic, she handed her phone to me to talk to the 911 operator. At the same time we opened the rear hatch and the lady with the belt cutter hopped back and cut the belt.

I never got to use the Salt, but just knowing it was there allowed me to stay calm while assessing this emergency. Had the other car not stopped it my folder would have just as easily done the job. My model is meant for this type of situation, it also has the window smasher on one end.

One of the reasons for choosing to write about an every day carry knife was to show the importance of “knives” as tools! Even for self defense it is still primarily a “tool!” In the last few weeks I have noticed a bear just beside the area where I walk with Joey, it is comforting to know that I have something to defend us with. The serrated blade on my Spyderco Assist Salt™ is a spectacular cutter! It quickly whittles kindling for a fire, could just as quickly slash the neck of an attacking animal. I would be in tough against a charging bear, but better to have one shot than none at all.

The best use for my Assist Salt knife is on the water. Here it truly shines! I fish off my SUP, having a knife at the ready is a necessity. Not to mention when we go out paddling on the ocean. The Salt opens with a flick of the wrist, or by easily sliding the ring right by your thumb. The clip is so secure, at home whether it is tethered to the paddle board, or to my board shorts!

The Spyderco™ website has this to say about the Assist Salt model, “it uses nitrogen instead of carbon to create a steel that is tough, holds an impressive edge, and is practically immune to corrosion. The blade’s Trademark Round Hole™ ensures swift, positive, one-handed opening, even while wearing heavy gloves. Its blunt tip safely slides under seat belts, clothing, and other materials and will not puncture flotation gear, while its SpyderEdge provides extreme cutting performance that easily powers through even the toughest materials.”

What can I say, could not agree more. I absolutely love this model! It is touted as a “rescue tool”, for me the Assist has become a regular fixture in my pocket!

So – What’s in your pocket?

(For more information on the Spyderco Salt Assist, visit www.spyderco.com)