Advice on Fixed Blades under 5.5"

bquinlan

bquinlan

Joined
Jan 5, 2001
Messages
2,726
I know very little about fixed blades, so I'd like to pick the brains of more experienced folks.

I would like to buy a fixed blade that I can legally carry in Texas. Therefore it has to be a single-edged blade at or under 5.5". Within that limit I prefer longer blades to shorter.

There needs to be a kydex sheath for it.

I prefer spear-point or other drop-point blades, but I don't mind clip-points. I do not want a tanto.

My budget is not unlimited.
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This needs to be under $200, at most. Less would be even better.

Finally, I am not looking for exotic materials like stellite or talonite, but I do want a good quality stainless steel like D2, ATS-34, ATS-55, 440V, etc.

Can anyone point me toward some likely options?

--Bob Q
 
Bill Siegel (a fellow forumite) built one for me to carry in Texas while I was living in Indiana. It's a 5.5" variation of Bob Dozier's Ranger.

Now what I am back in God's Country, I carry it all the time.
 
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<A HREF="http://onestopknifeshop.com/store/spec-plus-air-force-survival-knife.html" TARGET=_blank>Spec Plus Air Force survival knife. Blade Length 5.5"
</A>
 
I seem to be getting a lot of suggestions for non-stainless blades. Maybe I worry too much, but I would feel a lot more secure with stainless.

Can anyone tell me why are so many fixed blades made of 1095 and other high-carbon steels when most folders are stinaless?

I'm learning a lot from this. Thanks to everyone who is helping to educate me!

--Bob Q
 
Folders are in pockets and the blade gets touched alot and may encounter sweat more often than a fixed blade. Stainless, therefore, is a great material for folder blades. Fixed blades don't encounter such evils as often, so carbon steel is often used. Carbon steels quite often are much cheaper and you get a blade that is much stronger, easier to sharpen and a few other benefits over most stainless steels.

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"Come What May..."
 
Welcome fellow Tejan!

Economical and sturdy, a Fallkniven would surely fit the bill. Do a search and find a model for you! I had an S-1 and it was a very nice knife. There is a fellow on the forums that makes Kydex sheaths for all of them (I believe it is Normark?) that are top TOP notch.

My two cents...

Brandon
 
If you are really bent on stainless (working on a commercial fishing boat, SCUBA Diving?) then the Fallkniven suggestion was a good one.

If you just think that stainless is better, I would rethink that position in light of carbon steel's advantages, many of which were mentioned above. Check'em out here:
http://www.chrisreeve.com/onepiece.html

With your preference for spear points, you described one of my most used and trusted knives, the Chris Reeve Shadow IV. Just order a sheath from On-Scene Tactical and you're there! You could pick up a new one for just over your budget or at your budget of you shop the forums. They come with a very high quality leather sheath, but like I said ... there is always Normark/On-Scene Tactical.

Chris Reeve's One Piece range should be carefully evaluated before you purchase one fixed blade knife.

[This message has been edited by Nimrod (edited 02-11-2001).]
 
Folks,

Have an Al Polkowski that's slightly < 4"'s because of the same NYC laws that "K" mentions. Made of ATS-34. Holds up well and no one at work has noticed it in 2.5 years.

Works for me,

Alan

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Alan Antopol
 
Check a post further down the page about John Greco Knives, follow the link to Blade art.com. Johns knives are some great ones for any price. But his prices are relatively cheap. I have several and love them all. What you are looking for can be had from John for between 85.00 and 150.00. Check out the link. I canassure you that anything you buy from John will be top shelf all the way. Good Luck in your search.

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Defeat the fear of death and welcome the death of fear. G.Liddy
 
You really should look at the new Gerber Yari.
It has a 4 3/4" drop point 1/8" thick blade of 154CM, Concealex sheath and canvas Micarta scale handles. The blade is black Oxide coated, not really needed, but it subdues any shine or reflection from the blade.
It is a real competitor for the Benchmade Nimravus, but the Yari has a higher grind than the Nimravus giving it a thinner edge. I like this a lot as it gives the Yari an edge over the Nimravus in the cutting and slicing dept.
I hope this helps.
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The individualist without strategy who takes opponents lightly will inevitably become the captive of others.
Sun Tzu
 
hi - i live in texas and recently got a masters of defense razorback and have been carrying it for a few weeks now - really like it - they run about $120 on the net retail for about $170 - have kinda a tanto point - before this carried camillus cuda arclite neck knife, either around neck, or w/the tek-lok belt clip attatched and its pretty handy too - very light, and only $20 - also CRKT have 1 called the peck or something like that a neck knife w/ sheath that will also work on belt - check 'em out - 1 thing - its harder to carry a fixed v folder so get a short 1 - the cuda anfd the peck have about 3" blades and conceal easier than my razorback w/3 7/8 so a little makes a big difference in this case hope this helps ya
 
Depending on funds, even though you said $200 is the limit...maybe you should hold on for a while, and pick up a Talon in Talonite by Cammilus(sp).

Otherwise...Busse Basic Series, Newt Livesay,
Benchmade Nimravus with custom sheath, Chris Reeve Aviator, and ANY OF JOHN GRECO's smaller pieces!

I own and love two of Mr. Greco's pieces, and I love them-the Companion in D2 I think would fit your needs superbly.

S in NYC



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What we do today in life...echoes in eternity...
Every man dies...not every man lives...
 
How nice to see John Greco finally getting recognition.
I did not know he used D2.
I think of him as using A2 and the low alloy carbon steels.
Great knives.
Glad I got mine before he became too well known.
I think he still sells his knives for less than they deserve, but he seems to take pride in making a knife affordable to the working man.

I appreciate stainless steel.
It maintains an edge better when not in use, which makes it a particularly good steel for self-defense, and it holds an edge better in a survival situation because the edge does not corrode in between uses.
When I think of carbon steel, I think of a hard-use knife in a working situation where the user maintains it.

My A2 Greco Persian has 5% chrome for hardening purposes and not for corrosion resistance, and yet I find in the dry climate of Eastern Oregon it resists staining quite well.
When not in use (I don't use self-defense knives for utilitarian purposes) I notice it tends to lose its hair-popping edge.
However, it never gets so dull it won't cut paper or shave hair.
When I first got my Greco, I whittled through a hickory (yes, hickory) axe handle and it still shaved hair afterwords without any sharpening.
Thirty seconds of steeling and a drop of oil returns it to the razor sharp axe edge John Greco put on it.

I consider Greco knives a little thick for general use, but great for a desperation situation where one stakes everything on an indestructible knife.
As a friend who knows once said, "A self-defense knife should have the ability to hit a belt buckle and not lose its edge."
He didn't know it then but he meant Greco.

I like Dozier designs.

Fallkniven rings my chimes.
Some of Fallkniven's grips, such as those on the beautiful H1, seem a little on the crowded side, to me, but I have read that they work well for large and small hands.

A Spyderco Moran seems the most knife for the money ever made.
I don't think it will handle abuse as well as the Greco's or Fallkniven's, but it sure fits the hand and the blade geometry, edge and steel all have a reputation for cutting like no tomorrow.

Both Fallkniven and the Moran use the tough and super aggressively-cutting stainless VG-10 steel developed for horticultural grafting, where they needed a steel that would cut and not crush the fine capillaries in delicate plants.

So many great choices.
Don't steer away from stainless if intended for a self-defense or survival knife.

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Luke 22:36, John 18:6-11, Freedom
If one takes care of the means, the end will take care of itself.
 
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