Additional Context: A few of you have let me know that newer vehicles are now coming with laminated glass on the sides and rear (same stuff as the windshield). Thanks everyone! New regulations are requiring that all vehicles as of 2018 use laminated glass to prevent ejections. Like we said, the windshield can't be broken with the tools we talked about in the video and the same applies to these newer windows. You will need a glass saw or shears in order to get through laminated glass. Make sure you know what type of glass is in your vehicle and that you have the tools to deal with it appropriately! Also: As a junkyard aficionado it’s important for me to note that all the car windows we broke were cars going to the crusher that day, so we were not wasting glass someone might have needed😁. If you want to practice any of this you can go to your local junkyard and ask if they have any cars going to crusher that day it’s usually $5 a window and super fun.

The reason the spark plug thing is so popular isn't because of people using it in emergency situations. It's because it's how people break into your car

Watching this with my husband who subscribes and I can't help but notice some differences in perspective. You guys presented everything to be prepared to help others in an emergency, where I would have shopped for a tool like this to break myself out. I'd love to see if the efficacy changes smashing from the inside out.

I can personally testify that the glass breaker on the Swiss Army Rescue tool works exactly as advertised. 2 summers ago I used mine to get to a man who’d been rear ended by a semi that was going 50 mph. It folded the quad cab pickup so opening the doors wasn’t possible. I took out the front windshield and two side windows in less than a minute.

As a crackhead from San Francisco, I’m so excited to start busting windows the proper and safe way. Im gonna break so many windows with this info. Thanks guys!

I have been asking myself the question "Can I just use my knife?" for the longest time now! Thank you for answering this question! This was one of my favorite videos of yours. I like the topic of realistic emergency uses for knives.

My employer (state government) had a highway patrolman do a seminar with us on armed intruders in the building and he also said breaking large plate glass windows in the corner were an option for those trying to escape to safety. Happy to see it mentioned here, but not surprised with Jaime’s experience. Love the videos.

No potential window donors were harmed in the making of this video (only knife blades). Also I've never seen this concept explored on video , yet its so simple . I nominate this for content of the year.

16 year fireman checking in- you nailed it bro ❤️ ⚔️ I’ve put my hand and arm through tempered glass too many times with crappy tools…. But my Microtech has been king when it’s all I have at the moment

When you and Jamie started your own channel I wasn't sure if the hype was worth it and if it was going to be anything worth writing home about really, but for real your channel is actually so great. The continued quality you have delivered for quite some time now is actually amazing. Thank you both for the effort you put into your content.

I personally have a Resqme in my car. It has a pressurized punch that is really easy to use and also has a built in seatbelt cutter. It's made in USA and is inexpensive and I highly recommend people keep one in their vehicles!

Zac, awesome video!!!! So informative on a great topic. Thank you!

I was waiting for someone to explore the glass breakers on knives. Good job

What about those carbide-bead-elastic bracelets? You should try those.

+1 to More tests against all knives / axes / tools for IRL usability! Great video, Zac

That's pretty cool to see and learn the proper method. Zac, get the black bailout with plastic handles it doesn't have the glass breaker! And I know on some knives it can be removed. I was thinking if you could use your knife, them you answered that right after. And I 100% agree, if it's an emergency, breaking your knife tip doesn't matter at all compared to helping someone.

I totally just learned something new. Great video, Zac!😊

Zac, thanks for the eye-opening info on glass breakers! Your video covered the concerns most people have about breaking glass during emergencies. Great job! -Alex @ Vanquest

The spark plug trick was used by all the kids that would borrow people’s cars they didn’t know to go joy riding. They didn’t take it out of the car they were using they used to just carry it around. I think that’s part of the reason it’s so well known on the internets. That trick has been around since I was a teenager. And for the record I took no part in any such activities.

Great video. Agreed that I avoid glass breakers on my knives and instead keep one of the small ones in my car (has a seatbelt cutter on it too). Definitely glad I watched this video because I'm not sure I would've ever thought to try my knife, even if I had no other choice... just didn't even come to my mind as an option til you said it.

Great video guys. Very useful info

Great tips on what to use (and not) and techniques for best results. Now I want to go to a junk yard and try it.

Hey Zac, wondering if you could do a video on serrated knives? I've always heard people say they're great for rope and other fibers, but in my experience all they do is rip the rope to shreds. The only use case I have for them is cardboard and occasionally used it on seatbelt when I was a volunteer EMT.

That’s pretty cool guys! I have a couple of spring loaded punches in my shop I don’t use much at all so I’ll keep one in my console now if I need it! 👍

I feel the same way about glass breakers Zac. Thanks for the knowledge and entertainment. Take care bud.

Great video guys ! Thanks

Unbelievable I was just thinking about this! Thanks guys!

I carry a Spyderco Assist FRN Orange at work (I’m a paramedic). It has a retractable glass breaker, and the CombinationEdge absolutely EATS seatbelts and airbags. Also, some new cars now have laminated glass all around, and as Jamie mentioned, none of these will work on laminated glass. Fun video as always tho!

I’ve never seen this topic addressed in a knife video. Very cool!

Honestly could be one of the most useful video on KZfaq

GREAT video! I’ve been trying to put together a gear/edc type kit in my car trunk..I’ve got everything from jumper cables to a pen..definitely going to look for a center punch to put in my glove box! Look forward to more videos inbound! You guys are awesome!

Great video, thank you!

Bro.. I literally had a dream about this EXACT topic last night.. and here you are doing it.. 🤯 That might be my first actually premonition 😂

i wish i could like this video more than once. thank you zac and the rest of the team.

Thanks for sharing this. It may save somebody’s life.

Great video very informative.

Great info and video, thanks

It's great to know what to trust. Thanks guys.

Interesting results, hopefully never needed but good to know. I have seen a few bodycam videos here on YT of police trying to break side windows by whaling on them with telescopic batons and they had real problems doing it. In one video a fellow officer suggested hitting a bottom corner of the window and it finally worked.

Thanks for the fun and informative video I always enjoy and appreciate the content have safe and memorable Merry Christmas gentlemen

Hey Zach, I love the video and the information! Just a fun idea if you wanted to eliminate the bailout spike so you could carry it, Rockscale Designs makes a replacement titanium backspacer for the Bailout. It eliminates the spike and creates a smooth surface on the bottom of the knife. Just a thought!

Oscar Delta has a lovely little hair tie with a carbide bead on it that shatters windows; they also have a breakaway necklace with a similar bead for swinging into glass as well.

Ive got a Spyderco Salt Assist that lives in my car, and has a retractable glass breaker. Its really cool. While the blade is closed, you squeeze the blade further closed, and out pops the glass breaker.

Thank you! This was a very helpful video but I was wondering what do you do if you have one of the newer cars that have side windows that use the same glass as the windshield

This was awesome!

Thank you, Zac. I worked construction for a bathroom remodeling operation for a while. Demo day was always the best 'cause breaking shit is ALWAYS fun.

This was good stuff. Thank you

Good to know a glass breaker is both necessary and sufficient. I carry a Microtech knife that has one, but I've never used it, nor has its presence ever bothered me.

Great work fellas.

Great video is always gentlemen. Zac, I did not carry my bailout for the same reason so I got a titanium backspacer from rock scale design, and it makes a world of difference. you should pick one up and try it🤙🍻

I got a SOG trident, it has a carbide breaker on the top side of the knife so when you have it on your pocket the carbide tip is pointing down. Never broken any glass with it. But feels like a nice design detail from SOG

Thank you for this simple yet interesting video! Been debating getting the carbide for the Leatherman for years. Never got it because seems useless on an all metal tool.

I was wondering about this very question. But no one has ever addressed it (as far as I know). Thanks, guys!

My Winkler Crusher Belt knife with rubber handles is great at smashing and breaking glass. My favorite knife

Last august on i70 in Kansas a semi rolled over in the median. I used my benchmade with the window breaker on the front windshield. I had to hit the windshield about 20 times and then kick it out. Got the driver out and across the median before I could shut the engine down.

I remember my dad telling me like 25 years ago about the spark plug. People used to break into cars using that method in the area we lived in.

From my understanding, while these are really effective at breaking car windows, they are really intended to be used in place of a hammer per se. They are intended to be used underwater if you were to drive your car into a lake or something. When you are underwater glass gets much much stronger and a hammer or really any object wont break it. It would just bounce. These are intended to be tapped against the glass, and I mean tap.. it's that easy, to allow water to flow into the car so that you can then crawl out or open your door and get out. Otherwise you cannot get out of the car until the entire car has been filled with water, by which time you are already dead.

You can test the sharp type by scratching regular glass. You can use a old water cup or smt. Wear protection and don't apply too much pressure

Jamie did a ridiculously good job in front of the camera! Natural presenter

Cool video. I was wondering how you guys look at things like the Leatherman Raptor as a car emergency tool.

I keep a ResqMe on my turn signal stalk, but keep my CRKT pocket knife with seatbelt cutter and carbide tip in my pocket. Got to use it once-a crash happened just in front of me. Driver was having a seizure and had their foot firmly planted on the accelerator but smashed up against the other car. (I initially thought it was on fire because the tires were burning out.) Popped the window with my knife, sliced the seatbelt, and pulled the driver to safety, still seizing. Put it in park and checked for other occupants.

I always carry a sog trident folsing knife with the carbide tip in my bugout bag as a 2nd knife....got it real cheap....and definitely works in those types of emergency situations

Love seeing the wasatch in the background

Glad I caught this video. I always thought just jam the damn knife in there lol.

Neat video, I swapped out the standard Philips flathead that came with my leatherman signal with the flat head/glass breaker bit you can buy separately. I bought the signal for survival and seemed that this made it more survival than a standard bit. Have you tried it yet?

If it's something you want to keep in your vehicle I'd say to check out a ResQMe, it's a compact, spring-loaded, dedicated glass-breaker/seat belt cutter. They have a safety cover for the blade and you can get a visor clip so it's to hand when you need it, for yourself or another vehicle.

i have a one of those glass breaker hammers with seatbelt cutter in my car that's easy to get to. i feel that's all most people probably need when it comes to getting out in an emergency. and yes, a decent medical kit, and a few bottles of water is a good idea.

I think its Original Goat that has the aftermarket backspacer that deletes the glass breaker on the Bailout. I went with the purple one to give it a 940 look. Highly recommend it to make the Bailout more carry-friendly

You missed something very big Zac, what about multitools, what tool in a Leatherman would be the best to use if you don't carry a glass breaker (I have one on my Nitcore pen and it's retractable so it's never in the way), would it be the awl?

Do those elastic brackets with the little carbide nut work? I saw the professional homeowner guy talking about those a little while back

Great video, thanks for sharing even with a cost at the end for science. lol Be safe Zac

Years ago I bought a bunch of super inexpensive spring center punches from harbor freight as stocking stuffers. Luckily no one has had to use them yet.

Great video! Why don’t you just grind off/round off your bailout glass breaker? Love the bailout!

Very educational

Do you know if you can use the small ring there is on most Swiss army knifes, the one where the keyring normally is in?

The same principle that allows glass breakers to work are also applied with tank sabot rounds, where instead of an explosive projectile, the tank fires what is basically a large dart, which is able to penetrate armor effectively.

Awesome video

I personally keep a pocket knife with a carbide tip and seatbelt cutter in my center console. It's there in case of emergencies, and I've also always got a knife on hand if I forgot my EDC, lent it out, or broke it somehow.

Good video I was woundering what works and what don’t work.

I had a ring of spark plug ceramic tied to the inside of my car door handle with light fishing line for a while. Made it accessible and easily removable way to break glass.

Shout out to the letherman raptor. Never used the glass breaker, but the strap cutter and shears are awesome.

That small sledgehammer demonstration was impressive. Never ever expected that a carwindow could ever EVER withsrand that.

Hey Zac. I have the Guardian Tactical Scout and I wanna know if the 3-ball bearing glass breaker system works. I don't have the money for any mistakes so I don't really wanna find out the hard way haha. Could there be a way you can help me find out with a video?

My EDC is a Leatherman Charge with screwdriver tips. I wonder if the Phillips bit would be useful here. It's not super sharp, but I'd be curious to test it.

Man I wished you had a Zaan to test out in this video. Great content.

I personally carry a Tactical Triage as a cop - I've used the glassbreaker to shatter a bunch of side windows, and it's always worked great. It sits in its own smaller pocket so I never end up getting poked by it. Generally guys think to use their baton, and it will work but it's not as effective. I would only use it to clear glass out of a windowframe after it's already been broken.

I've always heard the prongs of a head rest (at least in older cars) were shaped to be an emergency glass breaker if you had nothing else to use.

Great video guys, I learned a lot. Thanks for sharing. Wonder if any tools on a multitool or Victorinox would make a good glass breaker? The Victorinox might not be a viable option due to it being a slip joint.

I wonder how flipper tab, does. Like on a zt 0562, if you hold the blade closed in a nice grip. Then use the pocket pecker like a hammer at the glass. Just a thought. Good job with the video.👍🙇

I just got the 2023 exclusive bailout and was a bit disappointed it didn’t have the glass breaker on the end. But I guess it was sort of uncomfortable every time you went to take the knife out of your pocket

I've always wondered if my car knife would be enough to both cut the belts and break the glass thanks for testing!

Years ago i saw about the spring loaded center punches, and there are companies making keychain tools for exactely that. The one i bought is calles resque me and has a spring loaded punch as well as a protected beltcutter on it, and lives on my carkeys. Cause that's most likely where i would need them. The most important thing: it's small and light and pretty cheap. And the spring loaded punches also work under water when you would not manage to get enough speed for a glass breaker on the end of a knifehandle. (have seen that tried and tested by some car journalists in germany) Btw.: there's a Victorinox for exactely those circumtstances which even has a replaceable glass breaker and a replacable winshield saw.

Question: opening the *awl* on a SAK and punching the window corner, like "punch-dagger" style?

Aftermarket back spacers without the glass breaker are available for the Bailout. Pete over at Cedric and Ada has one on his.

definitely a big fan of having one on the knife but i like it to be subtle, i’ve been carrying an esee 3 for years with the pointed pommel and it’s barely noticeable and not obtrusive or even really sharp but still breaks windows no problem

Hey Zac! Love your channel! Based on your experience in this video (and maybe Jaime could weigh in also) do you think that the Chris Reeve Umnumzaan would preform well? It’s also a bonus that the “glass breaker” isn’t obtrusive at all since it was molded into the blade. Thanks in advance!

Thanks I always wanted to know if you could just do it with your knife

I always wanted to know if you can use the microtech glass breaker by pressing the glass breaker against the window and closing the knife

What about the needle nose pliers on your multi tool?

Would the screwdriver on a multitool work? Along with my pocket knife, I always have my Leatherman Free P2 on hand. I keep an RMJ Shrike in my vehicle, so I know I’m covered in that regard, but some places frown on openly carrying a tomahawk (legal or not).