What is the opening spread of cutters (shears)?

• A. Approximately 5 inches (125 mm)
• B. Approximately 6 inches (150 mm)
• C. Approximately 9 inches (230 mm)
• D. Approximately 7 inches (175 mm)

Answer: (D)

Opening spread is the distance between the tips of the cutter jaws when the tool is fully opened. This measurement shows how wide a gap you can place the blades into to engage the material you’re cutting or prying.

For most standard rescue cutters used in FF2 practice, the fully opened gap is about 7 inches (175 mm). This size provides a practical balance: it's large enough to access common materials and work in typical vehicle or structural spaces, yet not so large as to add unnecessary bulk or weight. Smaller gaps (around 5–6 inches) can limit what you can position between the blades, while much larger gaps (around 9 inches) are characteristic of bigger, heavier tools and aren’t as common for standard, quick-entry operations. Therefore, 7 inches is the best representative opening spread for cutters in this context.