3-4" D2 fixed blade?

G

glocker199

Joined
Mar 14, 2005
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Looking for a new small fixed blade. Nothing custom, must be a production knife, D2 steel, around 3-4" with 3.25-3.5 being optimal, no tanto. Bonus points if it has a kydex or plastic sheath.

Suggestions?
 
The Benchmade Adamas fixed blade is about 4.25" if you're willing to go up just a bit in size and comes with a plastic sheath. I quite like mine.
 
The Becker D'Eskabar has all you want. It comes skeletonized but accepts the G10 and Micarta Izula scales, with slight modding (only the central shim must be filed to shape).
 
Take a look at the Enzo Elver in D2. Not a great sheath, but a very good knife in general.
 
I got interested in Russian knives as they seem to be very well finished and offer many patterns I find both attractive and practical. As to steel quality, I have no idea how they manage their fabrication tolerances. Is their D2 in the fabrication tolerances we expect from European or American producers ? Also, D2 is a rather tricky steel, it's easy to botch the heat treat. At this price (or just slightly higher), there are very similar american production knives and by the way, also knifemakers on this forum who could make something nicer with american steel to boot, I suppose.
 
Grab a Smith & Sons Brave. 3.5" D2 drop point, 7 3/8" OAL, they're stunning & tough & a family company. This model comes in both handmade & mid-tech, though they're really all production-ish knives, as they repeat set models over & over. I believe their sheaths are leather, but that's a good thing - I know you've fallen under the siren song of Kydex & even plastic, but leather is where knives live - best of luck with this knife!
 
Try Dozier. Love my little K1 General Utility with a gorgeous jigged bone handle. Cuts unbelievably well.
 
I second, or third, the Kizlyar knives too btw....but not the "Supreme" line, the actual Russian Kizlyar line....honestly, I'm not sure if D2 is only offered in the Supreme line or not, but ya, the Russian Kizlyar knives are amazing. And D2 isn't the be all end all of knife steels, & it's one of the hardest to predict steels. I guess due to trickiness of HT-ing it, I've had very mixed results with D2 knives from various companies....but again, Smith & Sons has perfected their D2 HT, so I strongly recommend them, & their Brave in particular.
 
This will be a general purpose outdoors knife and I've found well heat treated D2 to be pretty much optimal combination of wear resistance with tough chores like processesing game and corrosion resistance.
 
glocker199 said:
This will be a general purpose outdoors knife and I've found well heat treated D2 to be pretty much optimal combination of wear resistance with tough chores like processesing game and corrosion resistance.
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I hear ya & respect that, a well HT'd D2 is a great all around choice, but so is CPM3V (I've actually had much better corrosion resistance with 3V than D2, even though the D2 has more shiny stuff (technical name) in it. & really, any of the "good - great" modern steels used in knives today are going to make an excellent all around performer because they're so ultra clean & well composed, & their HT procedures have been all but perfected.

The only reason I bring this up is to advise against choosing a knife based on it's steel. If you dig everything else about a given knife, but it's in CPM-154 instead of D2, I believe the correct decision is to purchase the 154 knife. With that said, I routinely ignore my own advice & buy knives based on them having an M390 or CruForge-V or 52100 or fill in the blank, because I collect knives & I have a serious mental deficiency...as you already know, there's absolutely nothing wrong w buying the knife you want because it's the knife you want - Now, w that said, I really must insist you buy the S&S Brave! I'll need to see an email confirmation or something of the sort by day's end - good hunting!.
 
I'm with Alberta Ed. When I think of a 3-4 in D2 blade I can't get passed Bob Dozier. My K1 is an awesome cutter.
 
Kabar BK24 D'Eskabar
3.25" FFG D2 , Plastic sheath , Optional Zytel handles

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Check out the line of Queen fixed blades in D2. They are well made knives with a nice fit & finish, and can be found in the $70-$80 range online.

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Alberta Ed said:
Try Dozier. Love my little K1 General Utility with a gorgeous jigged bone handle. Cuts unbelievably well.
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I'll second the Dozier. That's the first name that came to mind when you said D2. Bob's knives are legendary and his kydex sheaths are just as good. I have 3 of them and I'm wearing the Personal Utility right now. It's often my daily carry FB.

Keith Murr is another name to check out if you want D2. He does his own work now after starting out working with Bob Dozier. A G Russell carries a lot of Dozier and Murr knives but they have their own web sites, too.
 
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