Posted: 4/25/2009 4:13:36 PM EDT
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I've got a good multi-tool [Leatherman Skeletool] but I need a good fixed blade. I want a knife that isn't going to break under heavy use, and won't lose it's edge easily. Something around 4 inches or more, and a straight blade, no serrations. I would like it to be affordable, but I understand sometimes you have to pay for quality.
Suggestions? Thanks. |
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BY FAR the best bang for your buckk
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/DBA444-1.html incredible deal for a VERY GOOD fixed blade workhorse I'm going to buy a second one |
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Quoted:
I've got a good multi-tool [Leatherman Skeletool] but I need a good fixed blade. I want a knife that isn't going to break under heavy use, and won't lose it's edge easily. Something around 4 inches or more, and a straight blade, no serrations. I would like it to be affordable, but I understand sometimes you have to pay for quality. Suggestions? Thanks. You are on the right track. A good drop point blade, full tang, in the 4-5 inch range, is one of the most versatile cutting tools you can carry. I would have suggested a Mora, but if you will be chopping, prying, and batoning with the knife, it may not hold up well under extended rough use. You are going to have to spend more than $60 for a piece of quality cutlery. I'd suggest: Fallkniven F1 Fallkniven S1 One of the ontario RATs Ranger RD4 or RD6 Bark River Knife and Tool also makes outstanding knives, check out the Bravo 1 |
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I have heard nothing but great things about these. I plan on getting one soon.
Gerber LMF II |
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I have heard nothing but great things about these. I plan on getting one soon. Gerber LMF II Same here. But I want a straight edge blade, no serrations. I would get one in a heartbeat if they had one without serrations... But thanks for all the suggestions guys. |
| The absolute end-all of hard-use fixed blades....Busse Combat. Look into the SAR5, or Skinny ASH-1. Pricey? Yup. But the INFI blade steel takes a beating and asks for more, just search for Busse destruction tests on YouTube. I paid $360 for my ASH-1 (not the Skinny version). I'm currently having a sheath made from Chuddybear Leather, which with all of my options, will cost $120. |
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Quoted:
I have heard nothing but great things about these. I plan on getting one soon. Gerber LMF II Same here. But I want a straight edge blade, no serrations. I would get one in a heartbeat if they had one without serrations... But thanks for all the suggestions guys. I have one awesome knife! |
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I need a good fixed blade. Suggestions? read http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=10&f=17&t=622915 ar-jedi |
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I have a knife fetish, but the top two that fit that category are the Rat Cutlery RC4 or BRKT's Bravo-1. The Bravo-1 is a little more robust, but both keep a great edge, tough-as-nuts and aren't too bad on the pocket book for a quality knife. Another option is Fallkniven's F1...another quality blade/design...simple but functional. A good carbon steel (although Fallkniven's steel is VG-10...it's still quite good) would be my recommendation; O1, 1095, A2, 1065, etc...if you use and maintain you knife, rust won't be a signifcant problem or concern. The higher carbon steels are easier to sharpen and last longer than most standard stainless steels.
Let us know what you finally decide on... ROCK6 |
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Fallkniven F1. About $100. VG-10 laminate steel.
New Graham Knives |
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Quoted:
BY FAR the best bang for your buckk http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/DBA444-1.html incredible deal for a VERY GOOD fixed blade workhorse I'm going to buy a second one I also have one of theese but in the classic style blade. All it took was hitting it on the chef knife steel I keep in my kitchen to make it razor sharp. The real drawback is the sheath. It plain sucks. |
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Quoted:
I've got a good multi-tool [Leatherman Skeletool] but I need a good fixed blade. I want a knife that isn't going to break under heavy use, and won't lose it's edge easily. Something around 4 inches or more, and a straight blade, no serrations. I would like it to be affordable, but I understand sometimes you have to pay for quality. Suggestions? Thanks. I think the answer depends greatly on what tasks you intend to tackle with the knife. Bushcraft (building shelters, making traps, etc.) or hunting (dressing game, if so what size) or something else? Different blade materials and designs are better suited for certain tasks. |
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Loads of great options under $100.
Of the ones mentioned so far, I'm partial to Ranger Knives and Fallkniven. I love my RD7––great knife for the money. You might check out http://www.equipped.org/devices5.htm before you buy. Doug Ritter has some good advice, IMO. His knife is pretty cool, too. 
From Ritter's site: There are few areas with regard to survival knives that elicit as much controversy as the length of the blade. Advocates of larger knives think that those who champion smaller blades, such as myself, are out of their minds. Likewise, the reverse is often true. For me, the deciding points are that a smaller blade is easier for the inexperienced user to work with and less dangerous in inexperienced hands, weighs less, a critical matter for pilots and many others, and is more versatile for the myriad of basic chores associated with a typical survival situation.
Those areas in which a larger knife excels, such as chopping branches and wood, are adequately handled by other means without the liabilities the large blade carries with it, in my opinion. For experienced outdoorsmen, this controversy is entirely academic. They will have found what works best for them and have the experience to use it competently, small blade or large. Often, the choice is to simply carry two knives, each sized and optimized for its particular tasks. When you have to rely on a single blade which could end up being used by almost anyone, it pays to be conservative. This leads to my recommendation that a survival knife should have a blade at least four inches long, but no longer than six inches, or there about. Many experienced woodsmen carry a knife about 4 inches long, give or take a little, for general purpose work (many also carry a second bigger knife, but the small knife is what is used for most chores). A survival knife can stand to be a bit longer, but not too much longer. You simply do not need an enormous blade for any job you will likely be faced with in the wilds. A little brain power will more than make up for any extra inches, without the problems inherent in trying to use a knife which is too damn big, especially for the inexperienced. Great advice, IMO. My "go to" blade is a Bill Buxton 52100 EDC with a wide, drop point, droped edge blade with a convex edge. Pretty close to Ritter's Rx above. |
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I just bought a SOG Seal Pup Elite to augment my collection of outdoor stuff. The full tang blade is 4.85" long and is razor sharp. It has Zytel handle, very rugged MOLLE nylon sheath and the back of the black ridges for sawing I guess. I paid about $70 and all the reviews I read are great. I did get the partially serrated blade, it was the one I grabbed. I can go either way on a serrated blade. I feel they increase utility but they take some getting used to and little work to sharpen. This knife will augment the following in my "collection". This is the first new knife I have bought in about 5 years. Some of my knifes are over 20 years old and are still great. (And yes I do use them...) Take care of them and be careful.....they bite.
Fixed KBAR Cold Steel Recon Tanto Folding Buck 110 Case XX Benchmade Spiderco S&W folding tanto Multi-tools Leatherman Gerber |
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GERBER LMF II - I own 2 of them and swear by it http://www.knifecenter.com/knifecenter/gerber/images/gb1400.jpg I've got a bit of a fixed-blade survival knife fetish and have wanted the LMF for some time now. But that lack of full tang makes me nervous. How stout is it built? I've got a Cold Steel SRK (Carbon V) that I like, but again the lack of full tang turns me off a bit. For now, my Browning FDX 1095 blades (made by TOPS) are my survival go-to's. |
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it's been bullet proof for me!!
And here's a sweet series of abuse tests on it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL7rpJuCRWs |