Fallkniven F1, ESEE RC-3, ESEE Izula, Griptilian

I have one of those too. It would be da** hard & leave some blisters, but it just might make it through in 5 minutes. Maybe? Tough call.

I was making a point that I don't think he could go through the wood in 5 min with a Griptilian and needs a fixed blade. I still think that.

I saw your debris shelters, traps/snares etc and I commend you on your bush savvy. I don't feel like I need to show what I can do with a blade to make a point right? :)
 
personally i own the F1 and izula, as well as a mcusta folder, delica, mora fixed, enzo, kukri, kukri machete, hatchets, bahco saw, 2 saks, and some others not worth mentioning.

the F1 blows me away, who says its hard to field sharpen? i can get a razor edge with a little dc3 stone whenever i want, and then later fix up the convex on some sandpaper. after hard chopping, batonning and prying, theres no chipping or any problems at all, the only chip came off the tip when i carelesly dropped it on a tile floor, barely damaged at all and fixed it easy.

the Izula is another beast that im loving, I would carry that on my belt or pocket anytime outdoors and leave the f1 in the pack for when I need something powerful (paired with the bahco saw and hatchets become pretty useless, in canada we use real axes.) the izula is easy to sharpen and gets really, really sharp. i hate the sheath though, ill be making a kydex one soon for both it and the f1.

folders cant pry or baton like the f1, so if you process firewood with a nice, get a fixed blade. the izula handles anything in its size range, which for me means the f1 doesnt see as much use now, though i still would want it in the pack just in case.

the strength you get from gripping something that fills your hand equals easier power cutting, you cant ever get that from any folder, the best way to tell is get both and try for yourself. sure you might be able to get there in the end with a folder, but if its take more time and energy then whats the benefit? I would say in "survival" that would be a huge negative. folders for me equal city carry, anytime outside of a city and i move up to fixed.
 
I can get a pretty good grip on my griptilian. But I appreciate the Izula feedback. It very well might be what I grab. I'm pretty much sold on it. The real question is, do I get an F1, or an RC-3 as well. Both seem to be fantastic. The RC-3 warranty appeals to me. But I wonder if it sat in my pack without being touched if rust would be an issue. I love the jimping on it, and the choil. The F1 however looks to be nice feeling as well, and also looks less scary. I pretty much plan on breaking the law by not displaying it on my belt, and just leaving it in my pack. if it were ever discovered, it would be nice if it didn't look tactical. The F1 seems to look classier and less emotional for non knife people than the coated RC-3.

-Freq
 
I have em all.. Used all of the to make fire in the woods on different occasions and they are all suited to gather and prepare wood.

rc-3 and izula: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=716919&highlight=survival+bloody

the izula packs a big punch for it's size and is very strong and durable. the rusting sucks on rc-3 and izula.

I would not baton the griptillian and a folder would be my least preferred.

I really love the f1, of the 4, this one is to me the most robust and durable hard use knife. It's not heavy and very functional. no hype, just a plain old good knife.
It's convex ground unlike the rest, this might hinder your sharpening if you don't now how to do that. But is is strong, sharp and very beautiful
 
zyhano said:
I have em all.. Used all of the to make fire in the woods on different occasions and they are all suited to gather and prepare wood.

rc-3 and izula: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=716919&highlight=survival+bloody

the izula packs a big punch for it's size and is very strong and durable. the rusting sucks on rc-3 and izula.

I would not baton the griptillian and a folder would be my least preferred.

I really love the f1, of the 4, this one is to me the most robust and durable hard use knife. It's not heavy and very functional. no hype, just a plain old good knife.
It's convex ground unlike the rest, this might hinder your sharpening if you don't now how to do that. But is is strong, sharp and very beautiful
Click to expand...


So the rusting sucks? How bad is it?
 
Dag-nabit said:
The short answer is yes, the Griptillian will most likely do the job for you. It seems to be your preference, so roll with it.

You have said you want this knife to carry with you hiking, so I'm assuming that if something goes wrong (lost, bad weather, sprained ankle, etc.) that prevents you from returning at days end you are looking at one, maybe two overnights until you can walk out or S&R finds you.

I carry a Fallkniven PXL for EDC. This is a solid well built folder and I would stake my life on it in a short term survival situation. I wouldn't be afraid to do some light batoning with it, and it would cut/chop well enough to notch branches or whatever to fashion a shelter and get a fire going.

It may even be very suitable for longer term survival situations, however, I would much prefer a fixed blade if faced with an undetermined length of time in a survival situation. A solid built folder will take a certain amount of abuse, but over time that will take it's toll on the pivot.

The bottom line is: a solid piece of steel is stronger than a pivot. Think of it this way; which do replace more often on your car, the tie rod ends, or the frame?

A good folder isn't inherently weak, but over the long haul a fixed blade will prove the stronger of the two.

You need to decide for yourself, but if my guess is close to correct on what your potential need may be, a good solid folder should work for you. Personally, given the option, I would opt for having a fixed blade.

Kevin
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Isnt the AXIS considerably stronger than a Fallkniven folder?
 
freq18hz said:
addictions aren't a good way to stay happy =)

When I'm rich and famous, I'll have a knife collection perhaps. Until then, I just need an emergency survival knife, and an EDC blade for backup.


-Freq
Click to expand...

I say sell a couple of your knives. Keep one folder, buy a small fixed blade and your set. You won't need anything else and youll be good for a real long time:)

Take care
 
freq18hz said:
Isnt the AXIS considerably stronger than a Fallkniven folder?
Click to expand...

No idea actually. I don't rely on any lock to be 100% solid/secure, I consider them to be protection against accidental closure rather than a means, or attempt, to to make a folder as solid as a fixed blade.

The point I was making is that the PXL is a solid well built folder, and in a pinch I'm confident I could rely on it to see me through an emergency situation. As would any well built solid folder. I'm not familiar with the Griptilian, but if it's reputation is that of a well built, solid folder it should do likewise.

My preference would still be to have a fixed blade if possible, you just can't argue with a solid piece of steel.

As long as it is a quality knife, brand becomes secondary to a large degree, and very much personal preference.

Your original post asked for opinions, and you have recieved lots of opinions, along with some good advice. Now you need to sort through it all and decide what is relevant to you and your particular need and circumstance.

Kevin
 
The F1 is great, of course, mine is nuclear-war proof yet still compact ad practical.
But I think you'll be just as happy with a much cheaper Mora 2000 or 2010, these offer incredible value.
 
I never saw a Fallkniven F1 so I looked it up and found them priced from $97 to $121 - US.

Then I found the F1m on the Fallkniven site and folllowed up on those. Slightly longer and nicer handle - who knows what 3G blades steel is, but these guys were going for $325 US, a totally different animal.

So we're talking about the F1 here and not the F1m right? Looks kind of chintzy for $120 with a 3.25" blade, plastic sheath and handle. :confused:
 
cziv said:
I never saw a Fallkniven F1 so I looked it up and found them priced from $97 to $121 - US.

Then I found the F1m on the Fallkniven site and folllowed up on those. Slightly longer and nicer handle - who knows what 3G blades steel is, but these guys were going for $325 US, a totally different animal.

So we're talking about the F1 here and not the F1m right? Looks kind of chintzy for $120 with a 3.25" blade, plastic sheath and handle. :confused:
Click to expand...

As i understand it, its the regular laminated VG10 steel F1 we're talking about.

The F1m has micarta handles and ive heard the 3G supersteel is in a league of its own.

Ill admit that the regular F1 looks real plain, but alot of thought have gone into the design of the knife, and theres a reason to why its so popular with the outdoor crowd. The thing has proven itself over the years and earned its respect. Get one, youll be happy you did!
 
So I'm definitely going to buy an F1, or a RC-3. The question for me now is:

1. Rust.
2. Sharpening

I suck at sharpening, and it looks like the convex sabre grind of the fallkniven may be hard to sharpen properly.

Any suggestions?
 
Hi freq18hz,

I have a RAT RC-3MIL (same as RC-3 but has a sharp pointed pommel) and it came shaving sharp.

No worries about rust, it's completely powdercoated with some heavy duty paint that doesn't even want to budge on the sharpener. All you'd have to do is wipe it down with any good oil like Rem-Oil, Miltech-1, Corrosion-X mineral oil and put it away.

Check it once in awhile, the only thing that could rust would be the edge which isn't painted/coated.

The F1 looks like a really good one too. Tough choice ay. :D
 
cziv is right, either knife will be a great choice.

A few quick clarifications on the F1.
- Blade is a VG10 core laminated with 420J2 stainless steel. This applies to both the Thermorun handled F1 and the Micarta handle. Last year Fallkniven released a limited edition run of thermorun F1's with a blade made from their 3G steel, which is a Special Gold Powdered Steel (SGPS) core laminated with VG2. VG10 holds a great edge, SGPS holds an edge a bit better.
- Fallkniven says their F1 Micarta knives are built and hand finished by an individual knife craftsman, which likely accounts for the majority of the additional cost. They are beautiful knives.

As for sharpening, If you own a knife, eventually you are going to have to learn to sharpen.

I'm not going to recommend one over the other, but when considering the F1 put some thought into:

Blade steel; for your intended use go with the least expensive model, there isn't enough advantage to the 3G steel or Micarta handles to make the additional expense worthwhile for a knife that will spend most of it's life in a bag.

Sheath; My personal preference is for leather sheaths, but, for your intended use I think the Zytel sheath would be better. Leather can absorb moisture and hold it against the blade, the Zytel has a bit of "space" around the blade and can air out if it ever gets damp. Stainless is much less susceptible to rust/corrosion, but can still deteriorate if left wet for long periods.

Let us know which one you choose.

Kevin
 
freq18hz said:
CONS:

ESEE-3 - bulky, heavy, rusts easier, costs the same as an F1. Possibility that it is so large, it will be left out of my pack/be too bulky or heavy.

Really. I find the ESEE 3 to be about $25.00 less expensive.

------------
Click to expand...
 
ESEE-3 - bulky, heavy, rusts easier, costs the same as an F1. Possibility that it is so large, it will be left out of my pack/be too bulky or heavy
Click to expand...

This is humor right?
 
Dag-nabit said:
Last year Fallkniven released a limited edition run of thermorun F1's with a blade made from their 3G steel, which is a Special Gold Powdered Steel (SGPS) core laminated with VG2. VG10 holds a great edge, SGPS holds an edge a bit better.
Click to expand...

i'm tossing up between a 3G WM1 and a regular laminated VG-10 WM1 at the moment.

if Fallkniven made their Northern Lights series out of 3G, i could understand the price hike over their regular blades.

an S1 for ~US$120 or a Frey for ~$300. essentially the same knife except the Frey is full convex and comes with a nice stacked leather handle.

it boggles the mind.
 
So I bought the Izula, and I am very pleased with it.

What do you guys think about using it as my main survival knife?


-Freq
 
Congrats on your decision, and your new knife. :thumbup:

As for "main" survival knife, that depends on what you are surviving. If you are still looking for something to carry in your pack while out hiking "in case of emergency" the Izula should serve you well.

If you are thinking of becoming a hermit and living off the land on some remote mountainside, it is too small.
(IMO. I actually have no previous hermit experience to draw upon):D

Kevin
 
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