First ALL purpose fix blade under $200.00?

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waterford

Joined
May 19, 2012
Messages
156
Hi,

I am looking to purchase my first ALL purpose, multi use fixed blade knife for general use. I have a budget of right under $200.00. This will be a knife I will take on general woods day hikes, and for cycling on rail-trails in
NJ and PA. I definitely want a top quality blade, that will last a lifetime. So far, I have liked the looks of Fallkniven F1, Bark River Gunny or Bravo 1 and the Blind Horse BHK-T1.

These knives seem to be the ones so many folks love as great all purpose fix blades.

Would any of these knives be great choices? Or perhaps you can suggest some others. BUT I do like the more traditional knife look as the ones I have mentioned.

Thanks!
 
All the knives you mentioned are very nice, but in a similar situation recently I went with the Survive Knive GSO 4.1. It is $199, made in the USA, comes with a kydex sheath, handle color options and is made with M390 steel.

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Do you need an all-purpose knife for what you are doing? Are you going to be processing wood during your day hikes and bike rides?

I like the F1, but I'm starting to feel a blade of its thickness is thicker than necessary for what you are talking about.

Maybe the Fallkniven WM1 is more your size?
 
waterford said:
Marcinek,

Actually, I would say more as a tactical, self defense blade.
Click to expand...

Well now a dedicated SD blade is different than a "...a knife I will take on general woods day hikes, and for cycling on rail-trails in NJ and PA." :D

You trained in any specific blade-based self defense?
 
No, im not trained. You seem to be over thinking this, Marcinek

I just want a top quality all purchase fixed blade for general use. It can be use for anything one might encounter on a day hike or cycling on a rail-trail. I just mentioned as a possible self defense in a worst case.
Perhaps even sticking with a folder may be a great choice, like the Spyderco Para Military 2, but i really would prefer a smallish fix blade, since I do not have one yet.
 
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waterford said:
No, im not trained. You seem to be over thinking this, Marcinek

I just want a top quality all purchase fixed blade for general use. It can be use for anything one might encounter on a day hike or cycling on a rail-trail. I just mentioned as a possible self defense in a worst case.
Perhaps even sticking with a folder may be a great choice, like the Spyderco Para Military 2.
Click to expand...

Not over thinking it. "Thinking it" :D

Take a look at that WM1. It will do all the slicing and cutting you need to do on a day hike, it's lighter than the F1 for when you are biking, and on the incredibly slim chance you use it for self defense it will be as effective as any other knife.

Budget option: AG Russell Bird and Trout. Great, lightweight slicer with a nifty locking sheath.
 
Bottom line is you gotta really like the knife you get...if there is a place you can handle them and take a close up look, i think your decision would be simple...


i currently don't own any of the ones you have mentioned...
however, since you brought up tactical in one reply and smallish in another...how about getting a CS Kobun.. it is Aus8 but for the price its a great little knife, and the sheath it comes with is decent, really easy to carry.. & you still have enough left over to buy a second knife!

when i was looking for a similar all around knife, i considered the F1, A1 and the CS SRK San Mai, but i like tanto blades, so ended up going for a CS Recon Tanto San Mai, cheaper than the Fallknivens, and it seems to do a decent job so far...Although, the F1 is on my list of future knives :)
Also ended up getting a Kabar 1217 USMC as an all rounder, but the leather sheath it comes with is not the most practical, KaBar does have an optional glass filled nylon sheath though.
 
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All of the blades you mentioned are good ones. I have a BHK T2 on the way. I'm going to see if it'll kick my mora off my belt.

If you're inclined to put in some elbow grease, scrapyard has some great blades to offer but to get the look you want you'd have to strip the coating off and sand it a bit. I have a 711 that I love. I just don't usually carry it because of the weight.
 
Yep. Get a RatManDu, waterford. It's arguably the finest utility knife on Planet Earth.
 
I cycle on rail-trails, mountain bike trails, and roads with my Becker BK-24. Never seen any need for self-defense so far, and I periodically ride through hobo encampments in downtown Houston late at night. In fact, never needed it beyond a little cord trimming to adjust for loads on a rack or trimming zip ties, and maybe splitting some Swisher Sweets. When I bike-pack and camp, it's a lot more useful.
Where do you intend to wear your fixed blade? Depending on how serious you are about cycling, sheath options may be limited. I wear mountain bike shorts with built in chamois, and use a back-pocket sheath in my right front pocket or cargo pocket. Sometimes I put the knife in my bar-bag if I'm wearing less convenient cycling shorts.

Since my own personal opinion is that forums are usually pretty bland without pictures,


The 650b conversion I do all my riding on lately.

The BK-24 and ESEE-4 I took on my last camping trip. The 4 was too big to be useful for detail work and too small to be much use chopping; the BK-24 was great. The ESEE-4 won't be going into my panniers for my next camping trip.
 
Get a Swamp Rat Rodent Solution. All the knife you'll likely need from an American company with a rock solid warranty. Or an Esee 3, which is a slicing machine. You'll still have enough money left over (after you buy a decent sheath) to buy a BK 14, another great knife made by a couple more great US companies with top of the line warranties.

Or you could wait a few minutes for the next 43 people to tell you to buy a bunch of Moras.
 
I like my Emerson CQC-13, intimidating size and nothing I find it cannot do. I have been down on pavement once on my bicycle with it my rear jersey pocket and no damage.
 
I have very little use for a knife any thicker than 1/8" for a general duty camp knife. I bring along a "chopper" for baton duty on larger stuff, but for everything else, 1/8" does it for me. YMMV.

FWIW, the new Mora's in 1/8" thick C.S. blades do everything but heavy chopping (I use a Condor Hudson's Bay for that).

I'm heading out to AK for a one month primitive camping trip (Kodiak Island included). I'll be taking a Mora Craftline High Q Robust, Condor Hudson's Bay, Mora 548 and one I made myself:



If I was limited to only two, the Condor and High Q Robust would be it. Under $60 for both!

For lightest possible blade, you can't beat the Mora Robust.
 
Bark River Bravo-1 or Benchmade Bushcrafter are my choices for all around. Primary use is hunting and camping,and both of these will perform good "detail" work, for example large animal skinning.

Sog Seal Team and Cold Steel Leatherneck SF each cost less than the above choices and take an amazing amount of abuse. And you don't feel nearly as bad abusing them.
 
waterford said:
. I definitely want a top quality blade, that will last a lifetime. So far, I have liked the looks of Fallkniven F1, Bark River Gunny or Bravo 1 and the Blind Horse BHK-T1.

These knives seem to be the ones so many folks love as great all purpose fix blades.

Would any of these knives be great choices?
Click to expand...

Those are fantastic choices.

I would highly recommend a Bravo 1 as a "do it all" fixed blade. They are just big enough to do anything, but not too big. It's the most utility I've found in a knife with a 4.25" blade. Even though it is thick, the Bravo 1 is perfectly balanced so it feels much lighter in the hand than a scale says it is. The convex grind allows the .022" thick blade to slice very well, while being very strong at the same time. BRKT knives come with a lifetime warranty that covers everything, and goes with the knife making resale easy if you ever decide to sell the knife.

I've been using my Bravo 1 for several years now, it's been great for everything from taking apart cardboard boxes to splitting wet wood into kindling to get a fire going.
 
I understand marcinek's thinking on this as I would be more inclined to take my WM1, Izula, BK14, Scrapivore, smaller Barkies or similar on day hikes and cycling trips than my F1, Bravo 1, Rodent Solution, BK16 or similar sized knives. I've often carried larger blades on day excursions, but in most cases a smaller knife would have sufficed and been easier to carry. The Gunny, North Star EDC, Mini Fox River, Bravo Necker are all nice small but not too small options from Bark River. The Spyderco Mule Team is another nice in-between sized fix blade option. Your budget puts you in the range of many excellent offerings by custom knifemakers here on the forum as well.
 
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