another dumb Q! (Fallkniven Laminated blades....)

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sambo.

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Dec 30, 2009
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greetings and salutations once more dear fellow forumites.

i'm getting into bowhunting and have asked a few questions about a knife (or two) to take out with me. i'm thinking something in the 6"-8" range as a "sticker, finisher and all around big-blade" and something in the 4" range as a "skinner, dresser, dismemberer and general camp duties blade".

i've looked around the intarweb a lot and have a question:

Laminated Steel blades: are they really that much better than a single-steel blade that justifies the extra cost?

i'm not averse to spending decent money on my blades so long as i'm getting value for that extra cash. my motto has always been: There Is An Economy In Quality.

for the 6"-8"er, i'm currently debating about getting a cold steel recon tanto (~AUD$130 inc shipping), which i can afford pretty much immediatly. or save up and get a Fallkniven NL2 "Odin" (~AUD$420'ish).

for the ~4"er, the Fallkniven NL5 "Idun" (~AUD$270) looks like a pretty perfect fit, but again, it's very pricey or i'm also looking at the RAT Izula (~AUD$140), except the Izula with it's 3" blade might be a little short for my intended usage.

if i do decide to go with the Fallkniven blades, is it fair to assume i'm buying a couple of Heirloom Pieces? (eg: will my grandkids be using these blades once i'm dead and gone?).

i already own a couple of seriously sweet (and 50+ years old) Swedish made carving blades (i'm led to believe they were made in Esktilstuna), so i'm well aware that the Swedes know a thing or two about knifemaking.

from a purely personal, aesthetic perspective, i rekon the Fallkniven's are by far the better looking blades. i also have a bit of a thing for the good old stacked leather handles.

so, who's going to convince me to shell out the extra $$$?

(in other words: who's got a really good argument for splashing out?)
 
I have done a bit of hunting. IMO there is not much sense getting above 6 inches for a hunting knife. I am not big on Tantos and have no experience with the Fallkniven NL series. I do have a Fallkniven FI and SI and find their laminated steel to be very good for holding an edge and ease of sharpening. I don't why the NL knives are priced so high in comparison to other models.

For a 6 inch all around knife I could recommend a Buck 119 or a Knives of Alaska Bush Camp. For a 4-5 inch inch hunter I could recommend a Buck Vanguard, Knives of Alaska Alpha Wolf, Cold Steel master hunter, Fallkniven F1 and some Bark River knives such as the Fox River or Gameskeeper.

If you are are looking at a high quality knife to pass onto kids I would also recommend you look at the Custom knives in the Makers Forum. I have seen several knives there in the past few weeks that I would be proud to keep in my family for generations.
 
Get a Fallkniven H1, either in Lam Vg10 or 3G. That is the only knife you will need. It is a hunting knife that doubles as a survival knife if necessary.
 
bcornelis said:
I do have a Fallkniven FI and SI and find their laminated steel to be very good for holding an edge and ease of sharpening. I don't why the NL knives are priced so high in comparison to other models.
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yah, the price of the NL series has me thinking.....

it looks like the S1 is essentially the same blade as the NL4 "Frej", but with a slightly different approach to the convex edge profile. also, from tyhe pix i've seen, looks like the S1 leather sheath is a lot nicer than the ones that come with the far more expensive NL series blades (a small consideration i know)

i think i'll just save myself a bundle and go with an S1. i can always put a leather handle on it later.

how about a Gerber back paxe as a "serious" chopper?
 
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nodh said:
Get a Fallkniven H1, either in Lam Vg10 or 3G. That is the only knife you will need. It is a hunting knife that doubles as a survival knife if necessary.
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I agree!

Or if you prefer carrying several blades, get a Fallkniven S1 and a F1. You won´t spend so much cash and you will be left with some money to buy a Rat Izula.
 
i don't object to carrying a couple of blades with me when i go hunting. the S1 (and a pack ax) is looking more and more like the knife for me. i'll get an extra 3" blade later.
 
sambo. said:
how about a Gerber back paxe as a "serious" chopper?
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The Back Paxe will work as a tool for butchering/dressing game, and for carving/shaping wood, but for any serious chopping, I would look into the 14" sportsman's axe by Gerber/Fiskars, or something of similar length. The favorite around here for a general axe seems to be a 19-inch Wetterlings or Gransfors-Bruks. The extra length will be well worth it, in my opinion.
 
Laminated blades are usually a high end "super" steel core laminated between a softer steel. Because highly hardened steels tend to be more brittle, the softer outer layer gives the blade additional strength and some "flexibility".

Laminated blades give you the edge holding capability of super steel, and the toughness of softer steel.

Yes, your Fallkniven will be a heirloom piece if reasonably cared for.

I own and use several Fallkniven knives and have no hesitation recommending them. There are lots of other great blades available as well, but IMO Fallkniven competes at the top of the class.

Fallkniven did extensive testing on their laminated steel blades, the results are available through a link on their website if you are interested.

If you are partial to stacked leather the NL series will not disappoint.

Kevin
 
I would forget the recon, it not a knife that would work well for your needs. Think sharpened prybar.

I wouldn't be concerned on the price of the NL series its high quality and a blade to be proud to own. With care your kids will be able to pass it on to their kids.

I'd say save up for the good stuff :)
 
It's hard to go wrong with Fallkniven. I'm not a fan of stacked leather handles in general, but if you are, they are a solid investment.

Laminated does offer some advantages that others have described, but I wouldn't hesitate to get a non-laminated blade either. Their steels and heat treat are very good. Like others, I vastly prefer the H1 for what you are describing. They are cheap enough that you could get one in VG10 and test it for not too much $$$. You'll be surprised how solid and well designed it is once it is in your hand! Good stuff!
 
I've had an S-1 for a few years and used it as an all purpose knife but never for hunting .This time I thought I'd take the S-1 for the deer but I carried the TK-1 also. When it came to taking apart the deer I used the TK-1 .It was a large deer so the S-1 would have worked well also !
In any case the Fallknivens are fine knifes with very good value.
 
You don’t always get what you pay for, but, in in Fallknivens case, you do.
They are a top manufacturer.
 
IMHO you would be a lot better off with a lot thinner blade for a deer hunting knife.My favorite is my Dozier YPK.

A buck 110 would be all you really need.Although the Fallknifen will hold up to extreme use better the Buck might actually be a better choice for dressing game.
 
i don't find the chunkiness of the WM1 (and it is a slightly chunky little beast) to be a hinderance when field dressing game at all.

using the S1 on a rabbit is stretching things a little, but it'll dress out a pig in double quick time.

as for the Buck 110: eeew. i HATE folding knives at the best of times but i hate them double when doing messy work like dressing game.
 
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