Budget Fixed Blade Recommendation

Maybe the question is settled but the Gerber Moment (the fixed blade version) is a stainless, full tang knife that may meet your needs.
 
Not especially a slicey knife, so it may not fall under your category of light duty, but I really love my Spartan Enyo. The Aus8 version comes in under $100

*not my photo*
 

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This is a well meant, "git-er-dun" suggestion.

A "budget " knife that is good enough:

So, this is not what you are looking for, but I have to throw it in for everyone else who needs a really low budget solution.

Go to Kroger or your favorite grocery store and buy an "Od Henry" kitchen knife. They have a range from little to big in varius profiles. All are carbon steel, full tang with riveted wooden handles. You can probably find them online too.

For a few (very few) dollars, they are a good enough blade that will do the job until you can, or want to, buy something more elaborate.

Then go to Goodwill and see if you can find a heavy duty purse to cut up and make a sheath for the knife. maybe a high top boot would do. The limiters are cost and availability of course. It is easier to rivet the pieces together than to do fancy lacing.
 
Wolverine666 said:
... My only nit pick is that I want a stainless (or semi-stainless) steel blade. No carbon steel.
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(Just quoting the original for emphasis.)

Another consideration is how you want to carry the knife. On your belt? Then vertically, horizontally, canted, handle above the belt or dangling below the belt? Or around your neck? Or strapped to your leg? In your pocket or in your boot? Attached to a backpack? Leather or something more water resistant?

While Buck knives are generally great, some of their sheaths have belt loops that are so tight that there is no way I can get a belt through one. Some makes have belt loops that are good for small belts but not for large ones.

Do you want to be able to put the sheath on your belt and take it off without removing your belt? (This is a big plus to me.) Then you need a sheath that can be used with a belt clip.

Some knives come with sheaths with zero retention, that is, you have to strap the knife in to keep it from falling out (say, if you are running or doing somersaults).

Of course, you can always get a 3rd-party sheath, but they can be expensive.
 
Another vote for Mora; take a look and pick your flavor. Unbelievable quality for the price, just like a Victorinox Swiss army knife.

The plastic sheath is initially unimpressive on the Moras, but the way the snap in is great.

I think they start around $25. Add a nice folding saw, so you're not using your fixed blade as a hatchet, as some of these chuckleheads around here do. 😊
 
Another Shepherd said:
(Just quoting the original for emphasis.)

Another consideration is how you want to carry the knife. On your belt? Then vertically, horizontally, canted, handle above the belt or dangling below the belt? Or around your neck? Or strapped to your leg? In your pocket or in your boot? Attached to a backpack? Leather or something more water resistant?

While Buck knives are generally great, some of their sheaths have belt loops that are so tight that there is no way I can get a belt through one. Some makes have belt loops that are good for small belts but not for large ones.

Do you want to be able to put the sheath on your belt and take it off without removing your belt? (This is a big plus to me.) Then you need a sheath that can be used with a belt clip.

Some knives come with sheaths with zero retention, that is, you have to strap the knife in to keep it from falling out (say, if you are running or doing somersaults).

Of course, you can always get a 3rd-party sheath, but they can be expensive.
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I’d say I’ll probably be carrying the knife on my belt. If I had to get an aftermarket sheath then I’d be ok with that. But a decent sheath that comes with the knife is of course a plus.
 
Grateful said:
Another vote for a Mora. The basic 511 is my favorite but the companion would also be a good choice.
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I personally prefer the 511 as well.
I like the handle better and drawing from the sheath is easier. The companion is still good though.
 
StrangeDaze said:
I personally prefer the 511 as well.
I like the handle better and drawing from the sheath is easier. The companion is still good though.
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I like the 511 so much I bought two. Cost me a whopping $20. It’s been my go to fixed blade for the last 6 months or so.
I like the sheath that’s sold with it as well. It works well for me and is pretty durable. I’ve spent so much money looking for the perfect fixed blade. Turns out my cheapest one works the best for me needs.
 
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I didn't read all the comments...but I just got the Schrade SCHF9... it's badass...$40 on Amazon ...if you're looking for a camp knife or a survival type knife this thing is the one...it's a quarter inch thick full tang heavy duty knife....i would put it in the same category as my Falkniven...ESEE and cold steel knives...for $40 you can't go wrong...
 
Another recommendation for a very tough outdoor nice. It is not too expensive: the Glock field knife. Check it out. The only real disadvantage to it is that the blade stock is a quarter inch thick so it really takes a lot of work to sharpen it that first time.

It is also a bayonet, so you can stab and chop with it if you need to and it has a saw spine. (however, as I said, it’s very thick so it would not be very efficient as a saw.)

Down below, L to R:
Buck 102, Glock Field knife, Mora Companion, Mora Eldris.

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I was wondering why nobody mentioned the Cold Steel SRK. (*For about $35, usually, it's pretty hard to beat in my humble opinion) However, when I went back to read through all the posts a bit more carefully, I caught the "stainless or semi-stainless" criteria.

That doesn't necessarily disqualify the SRK. They do make it in San-Mai. However, since you posted "around $100 give or take", I'd encourage you to take a look at the SRK in 3V. $110 is in the give-or-take range in my book, and 3V is a wonderful steel for a fixie. Beyond that, it's been a pretty low maintenance steel, in my humble opinion. (*I think it's like 8% Chromium...so pretty "stainless" for the most part)

Nothing at all wrong with a Buck or Mora. I just wanted to throw the 3V SRK into the hat...



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Not sure which size of knife you're looking for...but I just bought the Schrade SCHF9....it's a 6 and a half inch blade...quarter inch thick has a heafty handle...1095 steel and comes sharp...I'm super happy with it...u put it up there with my ESEE...Falkniven...and my cold steel knives...it's really a badass knife for about $40...you can't go wrong!
 
ELI... said:
Not sure which size of knife you're looking for...but I just bought the Schrade SCHF9....it's a 6 and a half inch blade...quarter inch thick has a heafty handle...1095 steel and comes sharp...I'm super happy with it...u put it up there with my ESEE...Falkniven...and my cold steel knives...it's really a badass knife for about $40...you can't go wrong!
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Schrade Bedrock TiNi with 1095 High Carbon Steel Blade for Buschcrafting
 
I also like my Buck 102 but the handle feels small to me, so thst is why I mentioned the 117. I have a stainless Mora Companion that needs to be baptized, got it because it looks like good quality and the price cannot be beat for about 25.00.
 
Those Moras look impressive for their price.

I can’t find much info on the Real Steel Doppler. Looks decent but must not be very popular for some reason.

The QSP Bison seems to be well-liked according to YT. Looks great to me.

Then I came across Ka-Bar/Becker and although they’re carbon steel blades , they look like well-built tanks. I like that. The Ka-Bar BK22 in particular looks nice.

I’ll pull the trigger on something soon. Labor Day weekend will be here before you know it and that’s when I’ll need the knife for a few days in the woods. Now I’m just hoping for good weather.
 
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