Anyone Want to Talk Traditional Fixed Blades?

[Old Hunter]

SwaybackSteve - that is precisely why I like my 118 for a deer hunting knife - a big enough handle to be comfortable working on cleaning several deer with enough size not to slip when bloody, but a small enough blade to stay out of my way when working in the deer while also offering some blade belly to aid in easy skinning.

Brett, that is the famous Buck 119 Special - an all around outdoorsmans knife (I'm not sure, but I'd be willing to bet it is the most popular of the Buck 100 series fixed blade knives). OH

 

[Old Hunter]

Sonnemann, I was sitting here admiring your Blackjack - it is a very handsome knife - when I thought I got a knife like that - this Randall #26 - 4". I've only skinned and butchered one deer with it, and that was several years ago - I think I should take it back out this season and give it another go. OH

 

[KBA]

Bottom right black handle looks to be a 119

Brett, that is the famous Buck 119 Special - an all around outdoorsmans knife (I'm not sure, but I'd be willing to bet it is the most popular of the Buck 100 series fixed blade knives). OH

Thank you gentlemen.

Blackjack Classics, the Randall-esque models, have been Mike Stewart knives all along. They have been made in Effingham, Ill., West Virginia, and currently made by Bark River. Some of the different designs (Mamba, etc?) were made in Seki. There is a different line of Blackjack knives made elsewhere overseas but are easily identified as being basically gas-station quality modern folders.

Keep it Blackjack Classic in carbon steel and you're good to go

Thank you sir.

Here are five that I am making in 1095 with 56 Rc hardness. Cocobolo w/red liners, Natural canvas and O.D. Green canvas micarta. Rough grind finished on two blades, three to go.......not enough hours in the day

Very cool Mark! What is the OAL on those? Can't wait to see them finished.


With all the post it looks like I have some homework to do.

 

[Markesharp]

Thanks Brett. 6 1/2" OAL 3" blade.

 

[Buzzbait]

Here's a trio of convex ground 52-100 goodness.

My favorite traditional fixed blade, the Marbles Fieldcraft.

Marbles Trailcraft

Blackjack Small

 

[allen456]

Cool thread and I look forward to see what all appears! I will have to get a pic of my top five but thought I would go ahead a share a pic of two my new model, the "quartermaster".

Hosted on Fotki

 

[VCM3]

Than you all for the post! I was hoping others may be interested.


Cory - Wonderful write up my friend! I have been interested in each of the ones you have and like yourself, I see myself buying fixed blades over folders for a while. Im also looking at the Hess Outdoorsman. It such a great looking blade. If you grab one please let me know what you think.

lessismore - That is a beauty and an amazing gift! That Ironwood looks great!

OH - I always enjoy seeing your Buck collection. Last time I read you had miss placed one. Did you ever find it? I certainly have Buck on my lesson plan. Thank you for the link. Quick question, are current Buck models worth looking into? Or, should I stay look at a certain year or prior?

jonerays - Thank you for the kind words, I appreciate that. I started off with pocketable edc but Hess certainly is a great knife to expand into. I forgot to include the Western I just picked up. I think it's fro the 50s but not sure. I have family in today so I'll post it a bit later.

Christian - I was hoping you would drop in. This thread was started after I ran across a post of yours in another thread I forgot to save. Your taste in fixed blades has certainly caught my attention, and as you know through my pm to you, the khukiri is next on my list. As you stated, I am finding a smile forms when a see a good fixed blade. Also great to see another 1911 fan out there : )

Vincent - That is a beauty! Wonderful stag! If you look at my pic, you will notice that enjoy the raw look of forged blades. What is the OAL of the knife you posted?


Thanks again everyone. Im going to let this thread go where ever it may. I do hope to learn a bit of history. For other newbies, I found the write up on the Bowie interesting. I have always pictured the original bowie as a clip with a guard.

https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/lnb01

Brett, that knife by A.B.S. M.S. Ray Kirk is 7-3/8" OAL with 3.25" of cutting edge,it is forged from 52100 round bar stock. There is a video of Ray making this style of knife

 

[jonerays]

Wow! Tons of amazing blades in here.

Does anyone have any experience with the Fallkniven Northern Lights series? They look amazing, but I'm afraid I would never want to use one because they are so pretty.

As a user, I recently picked up this one here for camping and backyard use. Been really happy with it. Affordable and just plain fun.

LT Wright Bushcrafter HC

 

[Cory Hess]

I have been trying for a while to find a knife that's small enough to pocket carry, but large enough to be comfortable in use. I have come to accept the fact that I will never find a three finger grip comfortable. This leaves me with a very small window of overall lengths, as there's not much room between fitting in the pocket and offering a full grip. I just came across this idea in the General Knife forum and thought I'd share it here in case any of our traditional types miss it there:

Seems that this would allow the convenience of carrying in the pocket with the ability to have a longer handle. It would also keep your knives upright instead of them attempting to lay down in your pocket. I'm sorry if this is common or obvious, but I've never seen it before and am excited to try it out.

 

[Gevonovich]

That looks like a great rig, Cory! Thanks for the post. It has the best of all worlds going on there. Unsnap...put in pocket. Wear in just like that or as a dangler. It probably has a belt option on it as well.

 

[KBA]

...- this Randall #26 - 4".

Beautiful blade OH!

Thanks Brett. 6 1/2" OAL 3" blade.

Thanks Mark. Show them off when you get done buddy.

Brett, that knife by A.B.S. M.S. Ray Kirk is 7-3/8" OAL with 3.25" of cutting edge,it is forged from 52100 round bar stock. There is a video of Ray making this style of knife

Thank you sir. I was hoping they were 52100. I'll have to watch the video when the girls take a nap.

Cory - That is a really cool idea that Sonny posted! Thank you for sharing that. I may have to try it on a few. :thumbup:

Buzz - Love the Marbles! That is certainly a brand I want to research.


Here are couple that are new to me. I don't have the time to do a write up but thought I would post a few pics. There is probably a thread or two on them anyways.







Next to my 73L in coco





Next to a Humphrey Whitetail really just show thickness of blade




Also picked up a Western over Boulder Colorado L58. I think the L58 is from 1959.

 

[KBA]

Wow! Tons of amazing blades in here.

Does anyone have any experience with the Fallkniven Northern Lights series? They look amazing, but I'm afraid I would never want to use one because they are so pretty.

As a user, I recently picked up this one here for camping and backyard use. Been really happy with it. Affordable and just plain fun.

LT Wright Bushcrafter HC
View attachment 562822

Just looked up the FNL series. Wow, those do look good. Ive never used VG10 and have read it is a good still but can have edge issues. At there price range though they are certainly out of my budget. They do look cool though.

You did mention a style or pattern I hope to grab one day, the bushcrafter. I have decided on who I would like to go with for that one yet.

 

[jonerays]

Just looked up the FNL series. Wow, those do look good. Ive never used VG10 and have read it is a good still but can have edge issues. At there price range though they are certainly out of my budget. They do look cool though.

You did mention a style or pattern I hope to grab one day, the bushcrafter. I have decided on who I would like to go with for that one yet.

Definitely out of my realistic budget as well! Haha.

Another custom maker that doesn't get a lot of talking on the forum is Dan Koster he makes a great product. He has a good looking Bushcrafter that I've been eyeing as well. I've got a small fixed EDC that I don't carry nearly enough that I was impressed with. I think Koster knives has closed its 2015 orders though.

 

[KBA]

Just looked up the FNL series. Wow, those do look good. Ive never used VG10 and have read it is a good still but can have edge issues. At there price range though they are certainly out of my budget. They do look cool though.

You did mention a style or pattern I hope to grab one day, the bushcrafter. I have decided on who I would like to go with for that one yet.

Steel not still & their not there ... these were killing me. Stupid autocorrect. That and my ipad is shattered making typing on it all the more fun.

Allen456 - Mind sharing some details on those beauties?

 

[Raymond1000]

I have been trying for a while to find a knife that's small enough to pocket carry, but large enough to be comfortable in use. I have come to accept the fact that I will never find a three finger grip comfortable. This leaves me with a very small window of overall lengths, as there's not much room between fitting in the pocket and offering a full grip.

Cory,

Years ago I threw a Busse Game Warden into my jacket pocket. (No, Busse is not traditional. I’m just using it for demonstration purposes.) The longer I carried it, the more I liked the proportions. Comfortable four inch handle, sturdy three inch blade. That combination hits my sweet spot. If I had to shorten anything, it would be the blade. A good handle matters.

 

[Whetstone39]

I have been away from the forums for a while, but hope this is still considered traditional. The Bark River City Knife. I am quite taken with these stout little blades, and have had one with me daily for a while now. Usually paired with a folder. I like them so much I acquired a few different flavors .

 

[MT Damascus]

I love traditional fixed blades and have quite a variety. I carry a fixed blade any day I am not at work, along with a slipjoint.

Here is my backpacking knife, Fallkniven SK1 Jarl in curly birch, NS fittings and 3G steel,

and one of my favorites that Mike Craddock built for me in hand forged W2, with a sheath by Larry Parsons

 

[5K Qs]

Hey, Tom, great to see you around again!! :thumbup: I always enjoy seeing your fixed blades paired with your scouts and SAKs (even though I've so far refused to let myself fall down the fixed blade rabbit hole ). I don't even know why I'm looking at this fixed blade thread (my answer to the thread title is, "Not me!" ), but I'm glad I happened to be here to see you make an appearance!

- GT

 

[KBA]

WOW!!! Kris that Craddock and Parsons combo is jaw dropping and eye eye popping wonderful! :thumbup:

Thank you for the eye candy


One thing I am interested in learning is ethnic traditional fixed blades associated with certain countries. The Nepalese Khukuri has also caught my attention due to this new found interest and I would love to know and see different traditional fixed blades from other countries. As mentioned, I have a couple puukkos from Finland on order, for example.

So what tradtional fixed blade do you associate to certain countries or regions?

 

[Sonnemann]

I just snagged another Effingham 1-7. Also a stag-handled M3 Bayonet. I lack willpower when it comes to such matters.