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Posted: 6/17/2009 6:43:24 PM EDT
| I need a medium sized, I'd say 4" blade fixed knife to use daily in the sandbox cutting various things, and possibly defensive purposes. What do you guys suggest? |
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Personally, I'm partial to Busses. But, if you don't want to spring for a Busse SAR 4 while they're still available at the Busse Company Store, or hunt for something on the secondary market (like a Game Warden, or Meaner Street, or a few others), take a look at the RAT RC-4, here. I've heard a lot of good things about this knife. |
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ranger knives if you are looking for the best bang for the buck
or horton knivesif you don't mind spending a little bit more(still not as much as busse) |
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I can recommend the Ranger Knives RD-4 - or the RAT RC-4. Keep in mind that the RC-3 uses 1095 steel - which needs to be cared for to prevent rust/tarnish. 1095 rusts fairly easily.
Whatever knife you choose - look at the steel used and make sure you understand it's strengths, limitations and required care. |
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I need a medium sized, I'd say 4" blade fixed knife to use daily in the sandbox cutting various things, and possibly defensive purposes. What do you guys suggest? You can get an Air Force Survival Knife for $25 at the PX. 1095 is very good steel, it comes with a stone, and the steel reinforced leather scabbard is a good thing for going on aircraft as the blade won't punch through scabbard and stab you on a crash landing. |
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I've been looking into this knife:
Benchmade Nimravus Not to pricey and it feels real good in your hands. |
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how about a strider? i have a rw2 and d9 mod 10 as well as 2 strider folders. bomb proof. made for war. bark river bravo-1 is another. busse knives too. You don't need to pay $200-$400 for something to open an MRE or cut 100MPH tape with. If your dead-set on a nice fixed blade, get a kit and make one. It's not difficult and it'll actually mean something to you. |
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how about a strider? i have a rw2 and d9 mod 10 as well as 2 strider folders. bomb proof. made for war. bark river bravo-1 is another. busse knives too. You don't need to pay $200-$400 for something to open an MRE or cut 100MPH tape with. If your dead-set on a nice fixed blade, get a kit and make one. It's not difficult and it'll actually mean something to you. I'll agree with the first half of your post. But just for the sake of arguement, not hating, I disagree with the second half. The tools and experience and time needed to make a knife your life depended on is far too impractical. I'd rather spend $100+ on some one elses R&D and testing, and knowledge and sweat and experience. Its not hard to make a knife. Thats why there are thousands of companies out there. Its hard to make a good knife. Those companies are fewer and far between. I bought a SwampRat M6 for $230 and its the last fixed blade I'll ever buy. SR101 tool steel. I can chop bone, metal, leather... slice any cordura, tough plastic and still hold an edge. |
| It really depends on how much you use your knife, for what purposes you intend it being used for and mostly... how much $$$ you have to spend on it. Yes, You can buy a cheap Ka-bar that will do the job of cutting. Marines have been using them since WWII and they've done the job. $50 will get you a good knife. However, most people who buy pistols will not buy an RG pistol. Yes,it is a pistol, it will probably fire, but if your life depends on it, wouldn't you put more money to get the best? a Winchester 30-30 is a good rifle, if you hunt, but the military issues, the M-16 because they feel it will be better in combat. I used have a nice bunch of Cold Steel, SOG, Al Mar, etc. which are all excellent knives. Then I bought a Busse... are they expensive> yes, are they hard to come by > yes.. But, would I stake my life on them.. building shelters, rafts, booby traps, survival in the wood, combat.. >>> YES. I found out that most who have busses, will NOT buy any other fixed blade knife and at first I got very upset, due to them not wanting to even take my "good" knives in trade, until one said to me, "I've got the best knives in the world, why would I want to trade them to something else?" I'm now selling out of most of my other knives. Yes, I'll keep some of my Vintage SOGs and Al mars, just because they are classics, and my Cold Steel SRK still is in my car seat. But Busse's are by far the best investment and survival knife out there. I also have three Fehrman's that are excellent knives too. But Busse's are the best, if you don't mind putting out some $$$. |
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Quoted: Ok... is it Busse, like "I took the bussy to school." or is it Busse, like Gary Busey?  It's Busse, like "I took the 'buss-ee' to school." Don't feel bad. I found these knives online through bladeforums, and thought it was "busey" for about a year, since I'd never heard anybody say the name out loud until I was at a gunshow talking to a guy. Luckily for me, he said the name before I did. |
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Quoted: ranger knives if you are looking for the best bang for the buck or horton knivesif you don't mind spending a little bit more(still not as much as busse) +1 on Ranger |
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<snip> or horton knivesif you don't mind spending a little bit more(still not as much as busse) Damn you! I just went and committed to a Horton TS-1! 
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Since you used the term "best" in the title. Busse is it! check out the destructions on knifetests.com Is there any tangible difference between Busse and Swamp Rat? They're practically the same. INFI vs. SR-101. 
what he said, INFI !!! Unless it's a special edition like the Swamp Rat InfiCoot 
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Since you used the term "best" in the title. Busse is it! check out the destructions on knifetests.com Is there any tangible difference between Busse and Swamp Rat? They're practically the same. INFI vs. SR-101. what he said, INFI !!! Unless it's a special edition like the Swamp Rat InfiCoot Or the Scrapyard Scrapper 4. But those non-Busse blades made from INFI are hard to come by, as I'm sure you know. And when one IS finally posted for sale somewhere, they don't usually last long unless the guy is just asking way too much money. |
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You're kidding right? 
Needless to say I'm not a big fan. |
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You're kidding right?
Needless to say I'm not a big fan. Somehow...I don't think he is kidding. |
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Try the Air Wolfe from TOPS. One of my absolute favorite knives.
Air Wolfe |
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