davidfoxrn said:Interesting about the safety factor. I like fixed knives because I always would worry about the lock failing on a folder and the knife closing on my fingers. I think about that everytime I handle ANY folder. Still....I'm irrestibly drawn towards a very well made piece at a bargain basement price. Wait...Oh god...I can't stop myself...I'm buying one! Oh well, I'll just start putting money away for my upcoming traumatic finger(s) amputation surgery. In all seriousness: I am new to knife collecting and sharpening, etc. However, not at all new to knife use: I worked in a poultry plant for 5 years and cut up several thousand birds with wood handled Chicago Cutlery knives, no guards and professionally sharpened. I did cut my thumb badly once and got 3 stitches but this was not bad for 5 years at this plant. Much better than the average. Once at work this guy cut himself so badly that he hit an artery and blood was shooting out when his heart beat. He had been there for over 20 years. ALL knives are dangerous. Some knives are safer than others but even experts will eventually screw up and hurt themselves. The key is to recognize the safety issue ALWAYS, try not to get sloppy. Are guardless knives too dangerous?? Not one knife at the poultry plant had a guard on it, but I'd bet that there would still have been injuries if there were. I don't know, but I won't let the lack of a guard keep me from getting a certain knife if everything else about it is perfect.
David - Thanks for the good info and your emphasis that any knife is inherently dangerous.
When hunting where you are gutting blind up inside the rib cage where you only work by feel sometimes my personal opinion is that a blade guard is a nice thing to have. For skinning/gutting quail/pheasant/duck you really don't need one.
You have to remember that when hunting or camping you are out in the "toolies" and not close to any medical facilities and many times you don't even have a decent first aid kit with thread and needle. That's the reason I favor blade guards on my fixed blades. All they have to do is work once to prove their worth. These Bark Rivers are sharp little rascals and I am very careful with mine. I like the Scandi style knives which never have blade guards. But, they are probably used more for push cutting and the users are wearing big mittens or gloves. Also it is probably so darn cold where they use those puka blades that blood freezes instantly, hee hee!
http://www.barkriverknives.com/gameskeeper.html
Here some info about blades and handles that I found useful and pertinent.
http://www.jayfisher.com/Handles,Bolsters,Guards.htm
