Choose my First Fixed Blade

Have you considered the Ka-Bar Marine/Army or Ontario 499 "Pilot Survival" knives? Not fancy, but they get the job done.
 
Ontario RD-9 Bush series and Mora Force.

This pair runs under your budget at about $120 and should cover all of your needs. They are nothing special but do work well together.

The RD-9 Bush series is 3/16th" thick and fairly light for its size. It is ground on the thin side so it actually cuts pretty well for a large knife and is very versatile.

Just about any Mora will do you justice for backpacking. They are inexpensive, weigh next to nothing and cut like a dream. I happen to like the blade profile and plump handle on the force. Also, the blade is stainless so corrosion is one less thing to worry about.




EDIT TO ADD:

There is a standard RD-9 that is 1/4" thick if you are looking for something more beastly. For this situation, you may prefer the thinner, lighter Bush Series.
 
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Orezona, I would have bought a SYKO 711 in a second. 140 bucks for that knife, oh yeah. They seem to be out of production sadly.

As mentioned by several, since I'm hiking out, weight is a concern. Trying to find a balance between something robust and manageable.

This thread has been an excellent resource so far, extending my thanks to all of you once again.
 
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Ftr : I grabbed a mora last night at the local sporting good store, coincidentally. Just got a mora1 for some light work.

Ill make an assumption about your state from your ftr patch. I have no doubt that knife is perfect round those parts. Sadly overkill for me, as much as I would like to have a time and place to do that kind of choppin.

Leaning towards rat 7, or rather something in that size range.

Almost bought an Ontario genII sp51 last night. A bit heavy though. I stopped myself as I still have a little over a month before our first trip. :)
 
TheFactor said:
I just bought my first Fixed blade and decided on a Bark River Bravo-1 LT with a CPM 3 V blade and Green Canvas Micarta handle . I like it so much that my next one will be a standard Bravo-1 . It came razor sharp OTB and the Quality and craftsmanship is incredible down to the leather sheath . From my experience I highly reccomend a Bark River .
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I'd suggest the Bravo 1 LT as well. I have the exact same model (rampless, green micarta CPM 3v, leather sheath) and it is a great setup. I've tried Becker, Busse, Benchmade, Spyderco, Kershaw, Fallkniven, Mora, and a number of other brands of fixed blade knives. The Bravo 1-LT would be my choice if I could only take one knife with me.
 
This is the one you should consider. SwampRat Ratmandu - Lifetime warranty, even if you abuse it.

Here it is next to the Rodent 3:

 
KJD, those are some damn good looking knives. I'd be one happy camper with that pair. I really like how the handles have similar colors but different patterns, along with the different blade finishes. Great depiction of contrast and uniformity working together to make art in places one wouldn't expect. Thanks for sharing the picture! :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
 
cinnamochoil said:
KJD, those are some damn good looking knives. I'd be one happy camper with that pair. I really like how the handles have similar colors but different patterns, along with the different blade finishes. Great depiction of contrast and uniformity working together to make art in places one wouldn't expect. Thanks for sharing the picture! :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
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The Mandu was actually coated in the same Black coating until I stripped it. I hate coatings!!!
 
Cinnamochoil, did you finally decide on what ones you will take on your trip or still looking? Just want to hear with what you go with and your reasons behind it. Best of luck, and of course, pics from your trip are always welcome. :D
 
My two favorite types of knives are the Ratmandu and Bark River Bravo 1's. I really like the Bravo 1LT in CPM3V, if you want light weight, a good slicer, and it can handle virtually anything you throw at it. It's the sharpest bushcraft type knife that I have thus far, which makes it the most versatile for backpacking. Ratmandu is much heavier but offers a longer and thicker blade in SR101 for doing larger camp chores. I also have a Ratmandu in Infi and read that infi is a great steel but haven't used it yet. Those will be slightly higher than the budget you posted.
 
supertac916 said:
My two favorite types of knives are the Ratmandu and Bark River Bravo 1's. I really like the Bravo 1LT in CPM3V, if you want light weight, a good slicer, and it can handle virtually anything you throw at it. It's the sharpest bushcraft type knife that I have thus far, which makes it the most versatile for backpacking. Ratmandu is much heavier but offers a longer and thicker blade in SR101 for doing larger camp chores. I also have a Ratmandu in Infi and read that infi is a great steel but haven't used it yet. Those will be slightly higher than the budget you posted.
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X2 I love my Bark River Bravo-1 LT CPM !
 
Cinnamochoil , here's some pictures and some Specs for you . Mine has the Green canvas Micarta scales but there's many to choose from. The grip is very comfortable and fits most size hands nicely .
Specs:

Overall Length: 9.065 Inches
Blade Length: 4.250 Inches

Blade Steel: CPM 3V @ 58 rc
Blade Thickness: .156 Inch

Weight: 6.635 Ounces


 
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