EMT shears - quality differences?

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OTF

Coney Island Whitefish Biologist
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Time to buy another pack of EMT shears. The more spares I keep in random places (boat, kitchen, workbench, not to mention on me while diving) the more I like them.

However being a semi-disposable, cheap chinese-made item the quality seems to vary. The prices seem to vary a lot too. Yet they all look the same and there don't seem to be any "trusted brands".

I was wondering if you all have any experience or recommendations for which to get or which to stay away from. Any ways to tell good from bad. Looking to get another big cheap pack of the basic version, not anything fancy, coated, or branded for diving. Do you guys think the more expensive (but identical looking) shears or packs are actually any better quality, or identical to the cheap ones off the same factory line only with more profit for the middle men?

The one thing I know is that I strongly prefer the 7.5" inch version over the too-small 5" type.

A couple of the big dirt-cheap packs I was looking at for reference:
12-Pack Medical Scissors, EMT and Trauma Shears, 7.25" - Premium Quality Black | eBay

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B075WZTJR4/

These come to less than $2 each. You can also buy apparently(?) the same ones individually for as much as $10.


P.S. if anyone wanted to get together and try to do a group-buy of trauma shears customized with a stainless rivet I'd be down if we can find a manufacturer.
 
I ended up buying that 20 pack. They seem similar to any others, but I haven't done a close side-by-side comparison so there could be a slight quality difference. Getting a huge pack so there are always backups and spares all over the place has worked out nicely .
 
Yeah I buy cheap tyres and replace more often

full.jpg


Noice!
 
Back in the day when I maintained an EMT license Madison Supply was kind of the go to trusted brand for shears that most of the ambulance services and fire departments used because they were good quality and lasted.

And then the Ferrari of shears was supposed to be the ER Life One Shear. But recently I have seen that now even Leatherman, SOG ect make a "tactical" shear don't know if there any better or the just add some features and raise the price. I always just used the Madison Supply, there cheap and work well

Don't know how good they are for diving but they work great as actual EMT shears.
 
Yep, exactly the same. Always washed & dried and sprayed with siliconr spray but still rusty
 

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