Akron SaberJet nozzle

[turkyman]

Anybody ever use the new SaberJet nozzle from Akron Brass? It is the combination smooth bore/fog nozzle. I just watched a video clip of it on their website at http://www.akronbrass.com and it looks promising. The problem I see is confusion with shutting down the line. You use the bale to shut down the smooth bore section and then turn the fog tip to the right until it shuts off. Looks like a good product for use on our trash line (car fires, brush fires, dumpster fires). Maybe not as good for use in a building fire. Anybody here use these or know anything else about them?

[StayBack500FT]

Not to get into an age old debate here...but I really do not like them. In my opinion "off" should be off and "on" should be on. I think their firefighting capabilities are sound...I just don't like all the fooling around to shut them off.

[turkyman]

The On/Off issue is what would make me leery about it. However, the penetration of a smooth bore in a dumpster or vehicle fire will definitely come in handy. I think the confusion of a structure fire to begin with would only further complicate the operation when you throw in the monkey wrench of two separate ways to turn off one hose stream. But, there is an advantage to having both smooth bore and fog/combo capabilities at the outdoor fires.

[Bones42]

Try one, it's not as hard or difficult as it seems. You just need to think of it as 2 separate nozzles and use it that way. If you wish to use smoothbore, ignore the tip entirely. If you wish to go fog, ingnore the bale entirely. Don't ever bother trying to do both, you can, but you end up with crappy water from both. We tried them, found them to be a neat toy, but not worth it. In my area, most rooms that we enter are at most 20' deep, so an adjustable nozzle on straight pattern will do just as well as a smoothbore.

Get one, try it, you may like it, it may work for you in your area.

[ff7134]

I use them everyday I go to work. We have been using them for a while and they work great. And they put out structure fires just like any other type of nozzle. Its all about waht you are use to, it took a little time but I love them now. My Engine Co. is the only ones in our dept with that nozzle. So don't knock it until you try it.

ENGINE 71

[StayBack500FT]

I've tried them...it's all about what you like.

[bobsnyder]

I was involved in evaluating Saberjets for possible purchase soon after they came out. In the end, we decided not to go this route, mostly because of the way in which they are operated.

We're working in an environment where there's a lot of automatic mutual aid, with crews from different companies, as well as mixed crews, often working from the same rig on a fire scene. It seems likely to cause confusion when people could walk up to one rig, pull a line, and get a Turbojet, then walk up to a different rig, pull a line, and get a nozzle that looks just like the Turbojet, but works differently (a Saberjet). If all the companies involved in the AMA agreement switched simultaneously, it might make more sense (we did this with SCBA...each and every rig from all our primary AMA companies has Scott 4.5's so that anyone can grab a pack from any rig and use it), but we just didn't think that the benefits of the Saberjet warranted examination of approaching all companies to switch. In short, having separate straight bore and fog lines available is good enough, and the Saberjet just wasn't slick enough, in our opinion, to warrant the investment in changing all of our nozzles.

[PAVolunteer]

We have 'em, we like 'em. Worst case scenario, you never even bother w/ the tip, you simply have a smooth bore in your hand. Pull the bale, and you get water. The only problem we have had is having the tip rotate open prior to the line being charged. Sitting at the door to the fire room, calling for water, and then getting soaked is not very fun. You have to check to be sure the tip is closed prior to calling for water.

I like having a smooth bore to fight fire, and a fog to wash down my boots on the same line.

Stay Safe

[Firefighter156]

I HATE THOSE NOZZLES!!!!
Off should be off, on should be on. Somebody from another dept picks that up, they are going on their ***.
We just re-hid the one we have at our station.

[12TruckIrons]

A lot of people are not going to like this but, here it goes anyway. Its the operator not the equipment. The saberjet has a lot of potiential, but the nozzle man and the pump operator both need to be paying attention to what they are doing. My dept. put one on each first out engine last year, some people like em some dont, because it required that extra bit of effort. The old saying jack of all trades master of none does apply to this nozzle. It preforms good in each area but not quite excellent. I have heard on the radio many times an interior team saying that they could not shut off the nozzle but that was due to a lack of training and not a problem with the nozzle. Saberjets are a lot like thermal imagers they are new and take some time to get used to but after awhile they can become a great asset. Just like the TI's they are not the one stop answer you have to remember your basics even when surrounded by all the latest and greatest gizmos.

[PAVolunteer]

Originally posted by 12TruckIrons
It's the operator not the equipment.

Ding ... Ding ... Ding ... Ding ... WE HAVE A WINNER!

You must be smarter than the equipment.

Stay Safe

[ff7134]

Someone finally hit the nail on the head. As they use to say when I worked on computers. Its OE....Operator Error.

[tgc204]

we tried one

Try it,excellent nozzle, i loved it. but lack of money we bought a simple open bore nozzle.

[ccvfd114]

i dont like them my self. Like Firefighter156 off shood be off AND on shood be on. and thay dont trun off too good i have the hit it 3 time befor it truns off---- I HATE THEM

[Pride373]

They are a lot heavier than they look in the pictures...