Fixed Blade for Car/Truck

I was gifted a Cold Steel Tanto, 30+ years ago. I'm not a Tanto guy, so I made it a truck knife. It's been absolutely dependable. I've done everything that should and shouldn't be done with a knife and it has never failed
 
I’m in the same boat, SRK lives in the toolbox under the back seat of my duramax. Mine was around $50, solid as hell and no big deal if it gets stolen.
 
I am considering the Recon Tanto as well. For a primary cutting tool the SRK Compact seems better but for an all around tool the thicker SRK or Tanto might be more appropriate.
 
I have an SRK, tried to use it as a chopper and failed. It’s not heavy enough.

It comes with a steep grind and not very sharp, so you’ll have some re-grinding if you want it to be properly sharp.

Build quality feels great, though; very solid.

Mora makes a better knife for less cost, IMO.

The new Victorinox should also be a contender, if it’s in budget.
 
me2 said:
I can’t say I’m a huge fan of Mora knives, unless the one referenced above doesn’t have a Scandi edge. I’m also not interested enough in 3V steel to pay double for it.

The SRK C is an interesting option. I hadn’t considered a Tanto blade but it’s an option.

How about up toward the 7”-8” limit?
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Hultafors heavy duty is like a Mora but cheaper, stronger and without the scandi.

It is rated to be hit with a hammer

Big chopper. Go for the skrama.
 
I'm looking for a decent cheap fixed blade for my vehicle.
This one is too hard to replace if stolen.
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My go-to recommendation for a sub-$100 full-sized fixed blade is this Ruike Jager in 14C28N. It's tough, stainless, easy to maintain, and an overall step up from some other budget stuff. The handle is surprisingly comfortable given the exposed tang. The sheath is decent but not great, though it does come with my favorite adjustable-cant belt attachment.

The main question is if its 4.3" blade is welcome at the table here.



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For a truck knife, I like the idea of being able to shatter glass in an emergency situation or chop wood if stranded Some excellent suggestions here but many like the SRK or Recon Tanto don’t have an exposed pommel and many are too light to chop.

My vote is something completely different; a tomahawk. Go for the tough as nails Estwing Tomahawk at around $40 and combine it with a Cold Steel Recon Tanto or Mora (any model) All for under $75 combined with lots of capability.

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A used Ka-Bar? I've seen some on the auction site for a little under the $100 mark.

Ontario makes some Ka-Bar-adjacent patterns that might fit the bill, too.

When somebody says "truck knife", I think of something that's going to get asked to do the jobs of other tools, even if it isn't the right tool for the job, because it's there and the other tool is not. That makes me think of something with a reputation for being "grunt-resistant".

A less tactical alternative might be something called a "hacking knife". Blade is a little short on that one, but it could be an option.

If you really want blade, maybe consider something in the shorter range of machetes. Since this is part of your truck kit, I would throw in a machete, anyway.

If you want to go hard, there's a thing called a "crate hammer". Axe, hammer, heavy prying tool, long handle for leverage. They also come as a hammer with a pry-end on the pommel, which seems more specialized.

Estwing makes some interesting non-hammer tools that might fit the bill, and they're plenty durable.
 
Was wondering rather than a chopper but one good basic knife, seems there’s been a lot about the value of BPS knives. I like the look of the Adventurer.
 
Generally, I'd recommend something stainless for a truck knife. But, the Cold Steel Survivalist gets my vote. 52100 is a really good steel, the coating is effective at preventing rust, and the FFG geometry is good for slicing and chopping. There's really nothing to break, the grip inserts are quite grippy, and it's easy to sharpen. And they're relatively cheap. The sheath is not great, but it works.
 
I have a Cold Steel Bushman I got for $5 at a knife show. Great beater for a truck. New ones can be had under $20.
 
In my vehicles, I keep Cold Steel shovels, which have a sharpened side for chopping capabilities, as well as SOG Seal Teams. Figure the serrations could help in emergency seat belt cutting, and the pommel for pommeling.

Bought a new vehicle recently and had a CS Recon Tanto (plus the shovel), but today decided to replace it with a Seal Team. It’s just the perfect vehicle door knife: pointy and long, some serrations, stainless enough to get rain and snow on it occasionally. Used to be cheap and easily replaceable, but they’re discontinued now.
 
Just a word of advice on keeping a fixed-blade in a vehicle- the heat that can build up in a vehicle can easily warp a kydex sheath and, among other things, make it loose and reduce it's retention on the knife.

I don't know if heat affects "conceal-ex" or "secure-ex" sheaths the same way.
 
That’s a good point. My intent was to keep it in a glove box or console or something but it still gets plenty hot there too.

The mall ninja in me really likes the Recon Tanto. The SRK is a classic as well and has been around as long as I have been into knives. The SK5 steel is perfectly serviceable for my uses and I can resharpen it easily once I have it se the way I want.
 
What about one of the BPS knives? Just a thought, good value for the price.
 
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