Build the ultimate fixed blade EDC

3.75” Sheepsfoot M390 Blade, full flat grind, 0.20 blade stock
4” white twill CF handle, zirc bolster, ivory micarta liners, two mosaic pins
Crowned spine, rounded handle with slight index finger groove
Sharpening notch

 

Have you thought about this a little? Maybe be a bit more specific?

Seriously though, why sheepsfoot?

 

I like the way it sounds a lot too! Just not sure on the sheepsfoot blade. I haven't really used them much.

 

NVM

 

Leaving a flat section on the spine close to the guard for fire steel strikes

 

Non-intrusive, yet enough to comfortably grab and use is going to be the operative balancing act in my mind.

My ultimate EDC does not yet exist. To me, it would have been a Becker BK14, but instead of it having the ESEE Izula handle, it would have the Izula 2 handle.
For EDC tasks, i like steels that I can sharpen easily so something like 1075 or maybe AEB-L, or so would be about right.
I'd prefer micarta to G10.

But as a basis, as far as I'd be concerned, Becker's small blade shape (the one we find on the BK11, 14, formerly on the 24) attached to an Izula 2 shaped handle is something I've been asking Kabar to produce for years. If not exactly that, it should at least give an idea for what I'd think to be ideal in terms of dimensions.

 

Definitely must be carried in a horizontal cross draw style sheath like @Horsewright makes!

 

I'm having my ultimate knife made for me by a bladesmith who will be displaying his wares at the Blade Show. It is an 8 inch dagger, out of M390, with Black Micarta handles with Red Liners, full tapered tang, Black Leather Sheath.

Cost: Approx $800

 

This looks like a great design.

 

This would be mine.

It's a small turn of the century style Bowie hunter
8¾ oal
4¼ handle
With stag or jigged bone scales
4-3/8 long, 1"wide, 1/8" thick , 2/3 sabre ground 1095 blade.
1/16 thick brass guard, 3 brass rivets.

 

The "positives" about sheepsfoot (and wharncliff) blades are --

- lacking a "point", they "appear" less threatening in the eyes of non-knife folks and more like "utility knives for slicing open bags, clampacks, etc.

- lacking a "point", it's really hard to stab yourself or someone else "accidentally". Rigger's knives, sailor's knives, yachting knives, whatever you want to call them have sheepsfoot/wharncliff blades for safety - a stumble on a pitching/rolling deck can easily lead to the user or shipmate accidentally being stabbed.

- the sheepsfoot blade is a lot easier to use as a flat surface pull cutter, e.g., a leather working, poster board slicing (pull cuts on a table top) than a clip, spear, skinner, etc. Not that those blades can't be used for the same tasks, I just find a sheepsfoot or wharncliff blade works better for those types of cuts.

- I find sheepsfoot and wharncliff blade easier to sharpen than blade shapes that have a curved cutting edge as the angle of hold/contact remains the same for the entire stroke on a flat stone.

The only real negative I can come up with for a sheepsfoot or wharncliff blade is "positive #2" - no point for piercing cuts or stabbing when those actions are necessary.

Aside - Is the plural of sheepsfoot - sheepsfeet or sheepfoots?

 

I can't EDC a fixed blade here in MI but I'll play along with my ultimate EDC fixed blade.

Blade = I like a drop point, spear, or sheepsfoot. Let's go about 3.5" of 154CM, A2, O1. I don't need the latest and greatest steel. I wouldn't go HC for EDC unless you want a 1095 version to keep costs down. Full, flat grind is fine.

Handle = I like a more contoured handle. Black G10 + orange liner and 4.15" in length. I'm a fan of synthetics. G10 or micarta. Liners make a nice color splash. For this size blade, I'll lose the lanyard hole and exposed skull crusher.

I like the finger guard and thumb ramp the Nimravus has. I'm a big thumb ramp fan. I can understand losing the thumb ramp on a EDC blade. But you did say "ultimate fixed blade edc".

I'm happy with a nice kydex sheath for various mounting options.

I love the overall shape and line of the Nimravus, just a few changes and tweaks quite frankly.

 

Here it is for me..in cpm3v ...has been one of my favorites so far
I need to make one for myself..have some silver twill CF and some marble CF

 

I have had some puukkos about .100” or thinner. They all worked fine for most tasks. So it depends how you define EDC, but I never needed anything thicker than that.

 

For me, the ultimate EDC would have to be something that I could be confident in no matter the use or situation. That means it has to be large enough to do most tasks I could ask of it while being small enough that it doesn't get in the way and doesn't scare too many people. So keep it within pocket knife size range.

I would say 4" blade exactly, with a 3.8ish cutting edge (must have a choil for easy sharprning), 5/32" thickness and 1.5ish hight. That way it's big enough to do things like bushcrafting style chores if ever the person were in a survival type situation, as well as being able to defend oneself should the need ever arise.
I think a contoured handle of ~4.5" is probably the best for various grips and overall comfort. I would like to see it have a tapered tang for strength and micarta or maybe G-10 handles with finger notches at the front. These notches are common on bushcraft knives but will also be more helpful in kitchen and food prep use, as a pinch grip is most recommended on chefs knives.
If the steel were 3V I think that would be ideal, because it is very tough, holds a great edge, isn't super difficult to sharpen, and is almost stainless which is a big benefit if this is truly an EDC knife.

For blade shape and grind I think a high (80% for strength in use and for clamp sharpening systems) saber ground drop point is probably the most universal and best for EDC tasks in all environments. It is strong, will pierce well, and can handle slicing tasks too. Again, think bushcraft style, those knives are usually drop or spear point because they have to do almost everything. For comfort, I would also like to see a rounded spine on the tip half of the spine in case of detail work where I would need to put a finger on the blade, and a short row of jimping right in front of the handle to facilitate grip.

For the sake of safety I would like to see a small, integral guard on mine just behind the sharpening choil, that way in bad or extreme or careless situations there is less chance of your hand sliding onto the edge.

 

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I'm a Bolts fan to a certain extent as long as Steve Y is there. He has a done a great job in TB.

I edited my post to chop down the dimensions and make it more EDC friendly.