EDC fixed blade M390 suggestions

[TigFur]

Hello guys!
After a lot of time thinking i have decided to get me a single proper knife. the steel of my choice is M390.

Since id like to carry it every day it shouldnt be too big or heavy. I also dislike folders, i dont trust mechanisms very much and i kinda feel like m390 would be wasted on a folder if i planned on batoning with it. (i wouldnt mind something of the size of folts minimalist if it had an appropriate low price, but id prefer something more all-around-ish)

I would mostly use it for small tasks and i enjoy polished edges very much, so a sharper angle of the knife would be appreciated, given that it still has to survive some occasional hard wood use.

Most of my EDC stuff i wear diurectly clipped onto my pants (no pocket, no belt) with a fixed blade this might be bothersome. I used to wear a neck knife and that was very good but somehow it also got in the way often. So the sheath of the knife if also a factor to think about.

Anyway hit me up with all sorts of suggestions! im fairly open minded. Be aware, im from europe and "its made in the USA" doesnt work on me, in fact mostly it means more taxes and customs...

 

[Knifeoholic]

Check out the Bradford Guardian 3, awesome knife! The leather sheath supplied is great. It's a belt sheath but rides horizontal and is actually very comfortable! Just a thought.

 

[Therom]

I was looking for the same thing and I narrowed my search to the Bradford guardian 3


Envoyé de mon iPhone en utilisant Tapatalk

 

[Scurvy092]

Bark River Adventurer

 

[Ccc]

If you are willing to alter or buy/make a different sheath, the Lion Steel M4 is a small M390 fixed blade, and made in Italy.

 

[Sonnydaze]

I've had lot of fixed blades...all are vertical hangers. This Bradford Guardian3 in M390 is a great horizontal sheath which disappears under my untucked t-shrit. I wear it every day and never notice that it's there. I still carry my expensive semi-custom folder, but I seldom take it out of my pocket.
I just bought a second Bradford3 just like this one, except in CPM-3V. It's a twin, other than the blade-steel. Both are great.

​

 

[TigFur]

Is the guardian3 comfortable? It looks like the edges are not too round?

 

[TigFur]

Bark River Adventurer

Thats a gorgerous knife, but they seem to "only" make it in CPM20CV

 

[TigFur]

If you are willing to alter or buy/make a different sheath, the Lion Steel M4 is a small M390 fixed blade, and made in Italy.

Definately worth considering, i found it for a good price too. Cant find its hardness anywhere though, i wonder how it is heat treated.

Anyway most of you seem to like the guardian. theres just so many different handle options and i have never carried a knife that way, plus i dont wear a belt often. i have to think about it

 

[noob93]

Thats a gorgerous knife, but they seem to "only" make it in CPM20CV

Cpm20cv is basically the American version of bonkers m390 from my understanding.

 

[Grapeshot]

Bark river is top notch and they have a few designs in m390. Lionsteel has an m390 fixed blade that looks nice as well.

 

[Larcivs Lepidvs]

Lionsteel M4.

 

[TigFur]

so here are some of my thoughts

Guardian 3 is a nice, i like its finger choil, price is okay, i dont like the sheath and the ergonomics and the shipping price... i also looked at the guardian 4 which is more the size that i like.

Bark River Knives has a few models that catch my eyes - adventurer 1 and 2 and essential. they seem comfortable but i dont like the finger choil on the adventurers, id prefer a longer blade instead - and you cant grip it without the choil. plus they are the most expensive.

Lionsteel M4 looks comfortable, is not from usa which cuts the costs drastically, looks ok. so far its winning even though i thought it was the ugliest at first look, the more i think about it the better it gets.
the sheath looks good but... did the leather strap have to be so long after the button? That annoys me more than it should. im not a fan of leather sheats for sharp knives... everyone knows they glide through leather like butter.

Actually the sheath seems to the weakness of all the knives i have encountered... but hey i should try making my own with my big mouth.. lol

Still this is bothering me.
what kind of heat treatment does lionsteel do with them? i cant find the hardness or any other info, in this price category id think a simple rockwell test is a standard?

 

[Larcivs Lepidvs]

what kind of heat treatment does lionsteel do with them?

Lionsteel is great with the HT. their M390 and Sleipner blades are both 60-61 HRC (from the official Lionsteel catalogue). the screws on the handle are torx.

 

[Deer]

Bradford Guardian3, longer blade there is the G4, G5, and G6

The sheath has a plastic insert around the blade btw




First day carrying it for 8 hours. Hides under a t-shirt. Don't feel it at all. Even sitting on the edge of the couch bent over typing on laptop on the table.

Love this thing.

 

[TigFur]

Lionsteel is great with the HT. their M390 and Sleipner blades are both 60-61 HRC (from the official Lionsteel catalogue). the screws on the handle are torx.

Did they also mention if they use a cryo treatment or such?

Where is the balance point on the M4?

 

[mycough]

My favorite fix blade is a personal edc by Big Chris in m390. Easy to sharpen and a really useful size and shape.

Russ

 

[TigFur]

If you are willing to alter or buy/make a different sheath, the Lion Steel M4 is a small M390 fixed blade, and made in Italy.

What kind of sheath would you suggest? I made a cardboard model of this knife to test the ergos and also made a sheath for it and i have to say, i didnt find a single comfortable place for the original sheath