Best All Around Fixed Blade?

P

PiripiTeaA

Joined
Feb 2, 2003
Messages
74
Hello,
I'm looking for the best all around fixed blade for general survival/camping carry. Any and all suggestions and opinions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Phil
 
take a look at Swamp Rat Knives
great knife for the money. THere are several reviews of them in the Review forum. Search for Swamprat by title or Cliff Stamp by author.


dave
 
Ditto on the Swamp Rats. I have the Battle Rat, but the Camp Tramp might be a more reasonable size (7.5" vs 9.5" IIRC).
 
I use a Dozier pro guides' knife for such things, and it's never let me down. good if you wan't something a little more subtle-looking than a swamp rat or a busse
 
For alot of money ($250-$500+) you can buy a Busse, and they are excellent knives, but for not alot of money ($50-$75) you can buy a Camillus/Becker BK-7 Combat/Utility or BK-9 Combat Bowie, and as with all Beckers, it is also an excellent knife.

How large is your bank account?
 
Marbles sport and Fallkiniven F1 come to mind in the under $100 price range......good durable knifes of premium steel that take and hold a great edge.

GH
 
I really like what I've seen of the Blackjack Trail Guide II.

I _love_ my Patton "field Unit", but it's probably bigger than you have in mind.

Maybe a Rinaldi TTKK?

Patton-2.jpg


The Dozier Pro-Guide really looks perfect.

dk-gui.jpg
 
Michael,

is that field unit the same model that was mentioned in an article about Patton knives in Tactical Knives a year or 2 ago?
 
Battle Mistress? Swamp Rat?? Where are you guys planning on camping? Don't get me wrong, those are great knives, and I will buy another Busse or a SR one day, but for camping, why such a monster??
If it were me, I would want someting light enough to actually carry comfortably, and was handy to use. I like to carry a big knife once in a while, but if I want cutting performance, quality, ergos, and light weight, then I would look at some of these;
$ - Mora
$$ - Karasuando Raven, Fallkniven F1, Spydie Temperance or Spydie Moran Featherwight.
$$$ - Dozier Pro Guide Knife or Idaho Knife Works Cliff Knife
$$$$ - Any small custom from guys like Bill Buxton, Matt Lamey, Dan Farr, etc. There are tons of great makers who will make exactly what you want/need, just check out the Makers threads on this forum in the exchange. Some great deals there, too.
For the retail price of a Battle Mistress you could have a Dozier PGK, a small GB hatchet, a decent LED light, a couple SAKs and maybe even a BK&T, or Cold Steel second, just for fun. Remember to search the forums for good deals, as well as internet dealers.
This is just my wacky opinion, though
 
I have a 5” Chimera model by Trace Rinaldi on the way. I think it could be a good mid-size choice!
 
I own alot of the blades that were named,My vote goes for anything Fehrman knife company makes,WOW are they sweet blades,My final Judgement cuts like no 1/4 inch knife should, holds its edge forever and the the fit and finish are excellent,The handle is perfect not to thin and not to thick.The construction on these blades are perfect,alot of attention to detail.

Fehrman knives are great,and Eric Fehrman is one of the nicest people ive met online.
 
Well, so far, I'm very fond of my Benchmade H2OS -- combo-edged dive knife in H-1 stainless steel. I haven't put it to use or anything, yet, but I really like its feel. The bright yellow handle scales, which are removable, are nice high-vis. In fact, in blue LED or U.V. LED, they glow something fierce! :)

The sheath is kinda all-purpose, and the blade is modified sheep's-foot. There's a point, but it's muted. Overall size is just under 8 inches, so it's not a massive knife by any means. For me, just enough.

I would look at the stuff by Greg Lightfoot, if you have the cash. He has some really fierce-and-useful-looking custom knives on his website. I have only his Mini-Pit Bull collaboration from Timberline, and for a really diminutive fixed-blade, it's a great knife! (and it's under $30 !!!)
 
My Marbles Fieldcraft has never let me down, and it cuts like blazes.

i just traded for a Swamp Rat Bandicoot a while back, and after some edge thinning, it is a dandy too. Good blade shape, good size, great steel, and a good leather sheath to boot.
 
A real all-purpose knife should have corrosion-resistant steel.
Dozier and Fallkniven make reasonably-priced and reasonably-sized knives.
I prefer Dozier's designs.

I have read that INFI, the proprietary steel used by Busse, has corrosion-resistant properties similar to ATS-34.
I would like to see this confirmed by someone other than Busse.
However, if so, and if one has the money, Busse seems the way to go.

If I had to buy a knife today as an all-purpose camp, hunting, survival, cooking, fighting, bragging-rights knife - without any further information than I have now - I would order a Dozier or a Fallkniven.
 
Originally posted by PiripiTeaA
Hello,
I'm looking for the best all around fixed blade for general survival/camping carry. Any and all suggestions and opinions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Phil
Click to expand...


Production knife or custom knife....?
 
Like everything else, "it depends". On your budget, your intended use, preference, etc. However, I'll be glad to share my opinion on the knives I think fit the bill.

I concur that a GP utility should be corrosion resistant, made of durable materials, with a utilitarian blade design and high quality heat treat and grind.

Small - Fallkniven F1. This knife is an outstanding value, small, light, cuts like a light saber with a terrific convex grind, and feels just right. Anything better in this size range would cost A LOT more IMO.

Medium - SRK Howling Rat or Bandicoot. Maybe the perfect size for camp/utility knife, big enough for most any job and small enough to be unobtrusive. Quality, durable materials and grinds.

Large - SRK Camp Tramp or Busse Combat Satin Jack. The Busse SJ is expensive but it just might be the perfect "if you could only have one fixed blade" knife.

In the end, I'd pick the Fallkniven if cost was a consideration, if not then the Busse SJ.
 
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