Well, just for some fun, and some use, what are some of your favorite outdoor blades in a 1095-type steel, 3.5-4.5" blade, and very economical. To make it interesting, how about avoiding the Moras (of which I'm very tempted to pick up a trifelx craftsmen).
-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/
Economical, compact fixed 1095 blade
- Thread starter Buck268
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2006
- Messages
- 2,526
http://www.elinemerchandising.com/BK11.html
Becker Necker, a bit smaller than you specified but I think it should be considered. Love mine. You can find them cheaper if you look around.
Becker Necker, a bit smaller than you specified but I think it should be considered. Love mine. You can find them cheaper if you look around.
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2005
- Messages
- 20,005
Old Hickory makes an entire line of knives out of 1095. Actually, its a cheap way for someone to learn to make knives. No heat treat necessary, as long as you're careful not to burn off the heat treat. I've done a bunch. How about some pics??? The knife cost me ~11 bucks shipped.
Attachments
Lots of things you can do with the skeletonized handle. I've cord wrapped mine a couple of times. You can also get a "real" handle put on it somewhere; I didn't do a search, but its been talked about a few times here.
No need to think of it as skeletonized, think of it as being accessibly full tanged.
Oh I doubt I will also, but I just figured it'd be interesting what everybody likes in a economy fixed blade. I'll probably get a mora eventually, unless I find something I like a lot more; but in any case I'm not overly worried, just gotta find myself a job for this summer (and if things dont get very well this semester, for next winter!); hopefully I'll get into the USFS STEP wildfire fighting program.
dialton
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2007
- Messages
- 2,382
Old Hickory makes an entire line of knives out of 1095. Actually, its a cheap way for someone to learn to make knives. No heat treat necessary, as long as you're careful not to burn off the heat treat. I've done a bunch. How about some pics??? The knife cost me ~11 bucks shipped.
I believe I recognize that knife. Good job by the way.
Economical is a relative matter.
Buy groceries for a family of four , $75 doesn't go very far.
I can buy a cheaper tool a few times over, or buy the good one only ONCE.
Economical doesn't necessarily mean low cost.
How many people have bought something, then found it needs to be replaced?
The old addage goes "You bought it twice"
Now, if someone says, "Under $50, or Under $100" then we have something to work with. And with the added, "forget about the Moras" the choices really dwindle.
You are probably looking at one of the standard smaller Ontario knives.
The Moras are the obvious choice, especially if looking in the "I'm broke" range. Though they are "high carbon" I can't swear they are 1095.
SkunkWeX said:
Ragweed Forge said:
That answers that question, I would say. As far as the whole word game about economical, I was just curious what low-cost knives (cheap cheap cheap) members around here have had and thought were worthwhile to have. And since the Mora is such an obviously beloved choice, I figured I'd try to leave it out. What Ontario knives were you refering to, Skunk?
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2006
- Messages
- 2,194
The carbon steel Frost's mora is nothing to sneeze at either, and the triflex is very nice. I went to Seattle Marine Supply today and picked up a Frost's stainless mora-- for $7.90!
I have a Becker Necker and it makes a great hiking knife. I wrapped the handle and it doesn't bother me a bit. Add a couple inner tube rubber bands, stuff a firesteel under, put a compass, whistle and a micro light on the same lanyard and you have a survival necklace. I would love to see that knife with another inch of blade and handle both. Part of the idea of the skeleton handle is to make it easier to lash onto a stick for spearing game, not to mention lowering cost, weight and bulk.
The short Ka-Bar's are longer than your criteria (5-1/4"), but they are carbon steel and under $50.
You can get all kinds of great Schrade knives on Ebay cheap enough. Just make sure you get the old US made stock -- Schrade went out of business and the brand went offshore. Like the moras, they are so good and cheap, there's little excuse to get caught in the woods without a knife.
I want 'em all
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2006
- Messages
- 2,526
Respectfully, I think you guys are missing the point (ho ho) about the "no Moras" rule in this thread; I took it to mean, there's so much info available on this forum alone, he doesn't need someone to explain how great they are again. I should point out that I own both a Necker and a Mora, I'm a card-carrying fan. 
Buck268, are you willing to invest some elbow grease and have or know someone with a grinder? A modified Old Hickory (made by Ontario, one of the standby, go-to purveyors of 1095 knives) is a fine idea. Maybe you should talk to Fiddleback about that.
I used to have a USAF pilot's knife and I have two things to say about it... it's REALLY hard to break (except for the last 1/4" of the tip, don't ask me how I know that
), and it cuts about like a splitting wedge. Not the steel's "fault" by any means, it was designed for a pilot or soldier, not a camper or hunter. If you're willing to spend some time pulling the bevel up closer to the spine so you get a narrower angle to the cutting edge, I believe it would be a very fine knife. They're certainly about as bullet-proof as you could ask, comfortable to use and carry, and affordable. The sheath is bulletproof (well, it IS leather, sooo...) too and they come with a stone, never a bad thing. The few I've actually handled are an aggressive medium-grit, a good choice for this knife IMO.
If you don't need it to slice onions razor thin or pop hairs off your arm, it's 100% complete out of the box.
It's strikes me that I'm having a bit of trouble thinking of other knives with these specs, under $50. That's kind of sad, surely I'm forgetting some?!?
Buck268, are you willing to invest some elbow grease and have or know someone with a grinder? A modified Old Hickory (made by Ontario, one of the standby, go-to purveyors of 1095 knives) is a fine idea. Maybe you should talk to Fiddleback about that.
I used to have a USAF pilot's knife and I have two things to say about it... it's REALLY hard to break (except for the last 1/4" of the tip, don't ask me how I know that
), and it cuts about like a splitting wedge. Not the steel's "fault" by any means, it was designed for a pilot or soldier, not a camper or hunter. If you're willing to spend some time pulling the bevel up closer to the spine so you get a narrower angle to the cutting edge, I believe it would be a very fine knife. They're certainly about as bullet-proof as you could ask, comfortable to use and carry, and affordable. The sheath is bulletproof (well, it IS leather, sooo...) too and they come with a stone, never a bad thing. The few I've actually handled are an aggressive medium-grit, a good choice for this knife IMO. If you don't need it to slice onions razor thin or pop hairs off your arm, it's 100% complete out of the box.
It's strikes me that I'm having a bit of trouble thinking of other knives with these specs, under $50. That's kind of sad, surely I'm forgetting some?!?
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2005
- Messages
- 20,005
Oupa did a tutorial on modding Old Hickory knives. I followed that. PM me for a link if interested.
The Douk Douk is 1075, and at 15 dollars takes an edge sharper than any I've ever gotten. Its also slim, light, and very easy to carry or stuff in a survival kit.