-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
5" or 7" fixed blade?
- Thread starter MaineEdge
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2005
- Messages
- 835
Since your going to be carrying a smaller knife already, then go with the Rat7.
It's really a good medium size knife.
Get the 1095 plain edge.
It's the middle one.
It's really a good medium size knife.
Get the 1095 plain edge.
It's the middle one.
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2006
- Messages
- 284
I say 5"...I own a BK 7 and the sheeple in CA give me weird looks when I wear it on my belt hiking or camping- it looks huge and I am big guy. I'm going to get a RAT 5 because it looks less menacing (and is very affordable) and I can carry it on my belt more comfortably. That way I will have it when I need it, and not take it off due to sheeple fear or comfort. I figure a 5 inch knife you have with you is better than a 7 inch in your car at the camp site.
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2002
- Messages
- 3,291
Yeah, I found the same thing about the BK on my belt and I have it minimized in size. It's still a big knife to the people here. So.......... I tried a Frost Mora SwAK with 4" blade and it got the same reception. It's a SAK in the pocket now, unless I'm heading into the deep bush where sheep don't graze.
Wow, I am obviously out of touch with just how bad things are with the sheeple types. Maryland is a sheeple state too, although, go a couple hours west, in the Applachain mountains, and every other pick-up truck has a full gunrack.
Our lines of Dmarcation go with the topography.
If sheeple are that much of a problem, then it's probably good to go as incognido as possible.
Put the larger knife in your daypack.
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2002
- Messages
- 3,291
There are areas where a belt knife is required fashion, but for the most part, Caly is full of PCsheeple. About placing a fixed blade inside of a pack; it's a no go. Fixed blades must be worn on the belt, without being covered by coat, to where it can't be recognized as a knife. Placed in a pack, it becomes a concealed weapon of mass destruction and the peeps go screaming into the night and launch their scuds in retaliation. Yeah, it's a felony.
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2005
- Messages
- 3,516
Good question, I am having the same dilemma myself.
I'm not sure why but after reading everything here,
I am leaning toward the RAT 5. I think. Maybe.
It's 140$ CAD for the RAT 5 (they say tak1) at knifezone.ca, 182$ in D2.
the RAT 7 is 187$, and 213$ in D2.
This is the only canadian site that carries them. May have to go south of the border.
I'm not sure why but after reading everything here,
I am leaning toward the RAT 5. I think. Maybe.
It's 140$ CAD for the RAT 5 (they say tak1) at knifezone.ca, 182$ in D2.
the RAT 7 is 187$, and 213$ in D2.
This is the only canadian site that carries them. May have to go south of the border.
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2006
- Messages
- 284
What do you think about an even smaller blade like a 4" drop point hunter like benchmade griptilian on the belt? I don't like the Idea of not carrying a fixed blade into the desert.
In California REI is the popular outdoors store, and while they carry a lot of good gear, the largest knife they carry is like 3" or a multitool, which are very non-threatening; looking more like a 'tool' than a knife. In the Midwest outdoors stores are more focused on hunting and fishing...you can find knives in the stores like cabelas or basspro. I normally now carry a 110 folder into the desert, fishing etc...While the 110 is an excellent knife, I still want the added features/utility of a fixed blade.
The California sheeple irritate me with their stereotypes...
- Joined
- Nov 13, 1998
- Messages
- 2,598
A 7" blade would be the minimum I would carry as a single knife in the woods. I can do anything with a larger knife that you can with a smaller, but the opposite is not true. My favorite size blade for the woods are in the 9-11" range, depending on blade width, thickness, geometry etc.
To me, a 5" blade is in that size range that is really odd, as it doesnt really do anything better than a much handier 4" blade and does not perform nearly as well as the 7"+ blades.
When you start getting into the 7"+ blade range, there is much more performance advantage gained in a small trade off for size.
Best thing to do is just take one of each and go cut for a few hours, the answer will then be obvios.
To me, a 5" blade is in that size range that is really odd, as it doesnt really do anything better than a much handier 4" blade and does not perform nearly as well as the 7"+ blades.
When you start getting into the 7"+ blade range, there is much more performance advantage gained in a small trade off for size.
Best thing to do is just take one of each and go cut for a few hours, the answer will then be obvios.
Codger_64
Moderator
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2004
- Messages
- 62,324
I agree. That is why I've carried a 5" for more than 35 years now. To me, the advantage of this "mid-size" sheath knife is obvious. As are the advantages of a traditional appearing leather sheath and handle, without the military looking blackened blade. The "tacti-cool" look is less sheeple friendly than a traditionally styled hunting knife. Even in states where 4" is the maximum allowed, no one gives a second look when I walk into stores wearing this knife on my belt. And we do have a "positive defense" clause in the knife law for hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation.
Codger
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2002
- Messages
- 3,291
I carried a Frost SwAK on my belt while in Az and the Calif. high desert around Pear Blossom and further south in the Los Coyotes area. On a couple of occassions, I had my WWII Khuk on my belt. No one batted an eye, so you would probably be safe carrying a mid sized blade in the desert.
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2005
- Messages
- 2,979
No disrespect here, but if it WERE obvious, then we wouldn't have this thread in the first place.
Doing what chores, SPECIFICALLY, does the 7+ inch knife put the 5" knife to shame?
Specific real life, real need, high probability examples would be very much appreciated.
.
I know this has also been discussed in other posts, but is a 9 or 10" blade really safe in a survival situation? I know, I know, with proper knife technique and properly trained skills, a knife that size should be completely safe - BUT in a survival situation, where anything can occur, is it really safe to have a large heavy blade that could cut off any one of your many useful appendages with one slip? Just a thought.
I know that will seem silly and ridiculous to seasoned large knife users, but even a well trained user does not know how they will react in a survival situation. It would not be hard to imagine a situation where one might panic, or simply lose enough concentration to do some serious damage with a large knife in the 10" range. Plus, the only advantage I hear of for the larger knives is chopping. Chopping does not seem that important to me (although I do want a knife strong enough to do it). Wood can be gathered other ways.
When the weather improves here, I plan on trying out a gerber hatchet that I have, that might be what I start carrying along with a mid-sized folder. The hatchet also has a small fixed blade in the handle so with just those two tools I could gather firewood, make a shelter, make traps, clean fish and small animals without a problem and any other tasks that may arise. I'll need to try it first to test its performance.
Those are just some other things to think about.
I know that will seem silly and ridiculous to seasoned large knife users, but even a well trained user does not know how they will react in a survival situation. It would not be hard to imagine a situation where one might panic, or simply lose enough concentration to do some serious damage with a large knife in the 10" range. Plus, the only advantage I hear of for the larger knives is chopping. Chopping does not seem that important to me (although I do want a knife strong enough to do it). Wood can be gathered other ways.
When the weather improves here, I plan on trying out a gerber hatchet that I have, that might be what I start carrying along with a mid-sized folder. The hatchet also has a small fixed blade in the handle so with just those two tools I could gather firewood, make a shelter, make traps, clean fish and small animals without a problem and any other tasks that may arise. I'll need to try it first to test its performance.
Those are just some other things to think about.
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2006
- Messages
- 284
what do yo think of the frost mora? what model should i look at for a field/survival fixed blade in the 4-5" RANGE?
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2005
- Messages
- 2,979
Why would someone with a large knife panic and inadvertantly cause "serious damage" but the hatchet wielder would not?
Seems like a baseless argument to me.
.
- Joined
- Nov 13, 1998
- Messages
- 2,598
David, you may be correct, it "SHOULD" be obvios after a few hours or even a few minutes of cutting in the woods (difference between 5" and 7" blade performance).
Some specific, real life chores that a 7" blade will out perform the 5" blade are ANY chores that involve chopping, prying, reach etc. Limbing, clearing, chopping firewood/kindling, making stakes etc... You can just start to get some good blade speed and snap with a 7" blade (MUCH more so when you get past 7), its just not there with most 5" blades.
All this said, folks like different knives for different things, some will prefer smaller blades, some will perfer larger.