Best ~3" fixed blade

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A-love05

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Jan 25, 2014
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Hey, I know this thread has been done, but all the ones I've found weren't very current..

I am a folder guy, only have a few fixed blades, but all these recent posts of a folder and a pocketable fixed blade has got me foaming at the mouth for a nice small fixed blade..

So, my question is: what is a good ~3" fixed blade , (2.25"-3")

To give you a little overview of what I'm looking for, I want it as an EDC which would mainly consist of a lot of cutting/slicing but will also be called on for VERY light prying, so good tip strength is preferred, I will also use it when hiking and camping so food prep and light fire prep is preferred.
Steel: stainless or carbon. don't mind either way, but want it to hold an edge and be somewhat easy to sharpen.. I.e cpm154, m390, m4.. something along those lines..
Some knives that I'm looking at are the Bradford guardian3, BRK mini Fox, trailmate, little creek....
I'd like to keep it under $225.. but would prefer 150-175

* I know there's all kinds of variables, I get that, but I don't need a bunch of people posting the typical " it depends on what you wanna use it for, where you live, your political views and the moon phase in order to give you a recommendation!! :-)"

I just want an honest recommendation from the brief info I provided, or even what you would prefer! Just something so I can start getting a list and do some researching

Thanks, and sorry for the long winded thread!!
 
Maybe look at Survive! For a 3.5 or they come in smaller sizes too. They are great because they transition from edc to the woods flawlessly. Or see if you can find a Bark River Bravo Necker 2 or really any of their smaller knives - available in a multitude of steels and handle. Look at lt wrights knives, they will be more "woodsy" looking but may fit your style, alot of them are extremely pocketable.
 
ALSO, if you want something unique, keep an eye on the makers exchange. Most of the knives I see put up for sell are close to your length needs. And they will be gorgeous customs essentially available in most materials if you're patient. Maybe go look at Evans Knife and Tool Companion blades he just put out, they are very nice as well.
 
DPX GEAR Hest 3.15" blade in 1095. Other versions come in niolox which I like. Holds good edge & pretty easy to sharpen
 
Check out Brian Evans knife and tool here on bladeforums

His companion knife is SO comfortable. Its s35vn steel.

Plus he has 5 different handle colors to choose from each are only 10 bucks and the knife has a lifetime warranty for any failure or breakage period.

All for a base price of 84.00... cant beat it.

So for your price range you could get EVERY color handle and switch up handle to suit your mood..
 

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From personal expierence, anything with the name Busse, Swamp Rat, or Scrap Yard is top notch.

From the grapevine Survive, Bark River, ESEE, or Fallkniven.

Take a look at Swamp Rat's Rodent 3...I EDC a slightly bigger fixed the Rodent Solution and it is fantastic.
 
Becker BK11 with micarta scales.... get that and the TDI tec lock attachment for the sheath and you have a VERY solid preforming knife for well under 100.00

3.25 inch blade, but will pocket carry very easily, especially if you add the TDI clip.
 
To give you a little overview of what I'm looking for, I want it as an EDC which would mainly consist of a lot of cutting/slicing but will also be called on for VERY light prying, so good tip strength is preferred, I will also use it when hiking and camping so food prep and light fire prep is preferred.
Steel: stainless or carbon. don't mind either way, but want it to hold an edge and be somewhat easy to sharpen.. I.e cpm154, m390, m4.. something along those lines..
Some knives that I'm looking at are the Bradford guardian3, BRK mini Fox, trailmate, little creek....
I'd like to keep it under $225.. but would prefer 150-175
Click to expand...

Soooo.... I'm reply #9 and I'm the first guy to recommend the ESEE Izula2? I mean, really guys?

Here's the skinny. The Izula and Izula 2 are phenomenal performers for their size, and they are priced way below your budget too. Read reviews. Find one. Have fun.
 
Nut-n-fancy does a sweet user review of the Rodent Solution where he uses it to pry out an embedded nail from a log, I believe he hits the butt of the knife quite a few times with a hammer too. This will give you an idea of how well these knives work for prying, and withstand shock.
 
I purchased my RS almost minutes after watching the usage video, and I will never regret the purchase. Also it holds a very nice hair shaving edge at a convexed 20 degree per side. Push cuts through paper with ease. Easy to sharpen and have had no rust issues even living in the PNW about three miles from the Ocean. Lots of salt air and 9 months of rain.
 
Good fixed blade knife, do not know about prying, Duck Childress knives.
 
I had to scroll down to #9 to find someone recommending the Izula?

The Izula is an easy recommendation for a reason; 1095 steel with a great size/shape and an unconditional "run it over with a rank, we'll replace it" warranty. The Izula II is exactly the same knife, but with a slightly longer handle. The original Izula can share handle scales with the Kabar Eskabar/D'Eskabar; those two have slightly larger blades, but still fall into the "neck knife" category.

The White River Backpacker is a great neck/pocket/belt knife in S30V, also a bit longer than the Izula, with a more EDC-suited blade and a better (flatter) carry sheath. It's slightly more expensive than the 1095 options, but not much—unless you want the version with full handle scales instead of a paracord wrap, at which point they go full-out with the finishing and give you a $170 knife instead. (To be fair, they do give it a completely different model name for that reason, and if it didn't look just like a backpacker with scales nobody would balk at the price.)

TOPS has the "MSK 2.5," which is one of the less ridiculous names they emblazon across the full length of their blades, although it doesn't refer to the blade length (3" even, according to TOPS). It's 1095 steel with a pseudo-scandi grind (there's still a secondary bevel), and I've actually been carrying it for the past few weeks. It's not quite the knife for me, but you'll find plenty of good reviews for it, though, and all of them are justified.

The CRKT Minimalist line, along with the SPEW, are available in pretty much every blade shape you could want in the size range you're looking for (with a notable exception—see below). Unfortunately, they're nCrnnMoV, or something like that, and reviews of their edge retention have been universally bad.

This size is really the area where customs shine. The Minimalist and SPEW were inspired by Alan Folts customs, and if you can get your hands on one (particularly a nice-looking spear point not represented in the Minimalist line), call yourself lucky. There are other custom knifemakers with great designs, and unlike with folders, they usually stay in the three-figure range.

Good luck with your search!
 
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Are a look at evans knife and tool's companion. Think he still has a few left in the makers fixed blade section. Been carrying mine now for a little over a week and absolutely love it. Has stood up to everything I've thrown at it and is only $85 made of s30v steel
 
Busse Game Warden. Toughest little EDC 3" blade you'll find. Great grip, great service, lifetime warranty no questions. Holds its value, too. My avatar shows one of mine with my flight gear.
 
Good sir I do believe its s35vn, and I agree its a hell of a knife with a hell of a warranty.
erhodes said:
Are a look at evans knife and tool's companion. Think he still has a few left in the makers fixed blade section. Been carrying mine now for a little over a week and absolutely love it. Has stood up to everything I've thrown at it and is only $85 made of s30v steel
Click to expand...
 
I had to scroll down to #9 to find someone recommending the Izula?

The Izula is an easy recommendation for a reason; 1095 steel with a great size/shape and an unconditional "run it over with a rank, we'll replace it" warranty. The Izula II is exactly the same knife, but with a slightly longer handle. The original Izula can share handle scales with the Kabar Eskabar/D'Eskabar; those two have slightly larger blades, but still fall into the "neck knife" category.
Click to expand...

Thank you for elaborating in a way I didn't have time to do earlier.

It's got the reputation and following that it does for a very good reason. I got my Izula 2 a few months ago and have been kicking myself ever since for not having gotten it earlier. It come in around half your budget, and I'd bet it can do every damned thing that the other knives at twice the price can do.
 
There is a lot of good suggestions here already. I'll just throw my opinion in on the Bradford G3. Simply fantastic performance for the price. Izula has a very similar excellent cost to performance ration.
 
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