A tall order, I know...
A couple of things have happened lately that have made me want to start carrying a fixed blade knife.
First, there was that whole nonsense about NY cops deciding that pretty much every locking folder is a 'gravity knife'.
I stopped carrying my Kershaw RAM (which upset me greatly) and started carrying traditional slipjoints.
I absolutely love the peanut pattern, and agree with the philosophy that this tiny knife can do 99% of whatever you may need a knife for.
Unfortunately, the other day, I happened upon one of the 1% of tasks that it's not really suitable for!
I was chopping up an enormous cardboard box (4 ply corrugated) and found that, while I was able to do this safely with my peanut, I had to do it very slowly and carefully, and I was applying pressure that I didn't really feel comfortable with when using a slipjoint.
I used proper technique and got the job done without hurting myself, but it made me really miss my RAM.
I have decided that I need a fixed blade knife to supplement my peanut
D) of a design roughly equivalent to the RAM (ie blade length, overall length when open etc).
It seems that I need a neck knife, though I doubt I'll wear it as a neck knife.
Unfortunately, this epiphany has come at an inconvenient time, as I have just spent an obscene amount of money on a load of computer stuff.
I want to get a cheap-but-decent knife as a stopgap until I can afford something nicer, and also to try out the idea of carrying a fixed blade to make sure it works for me.
My wife and kids seem to think that eating is more important than buying knives
so I am setting a budget of $20 including shippin for this first foray into carryable fixed blades.
After a bit of research, I have found three likely contenders:
Meyerco Necklance ~$10
Benchmark Backpacker ~$18
Mtech Xtreme neck knife ~$18
Now, no giggling, I know Mtech's reputation, and in fact own one of their Kabar knockoffs that I received as a gift. This neck knife looks genuinely ok.
So, pros and cons:
Meyerco Necklance: I can't find much info on this knife, especially here on Bladeforums, but they look like a cracking good deal.
Pros:
Least expensive
Looks like a decent knife with positive youtube reviews.
Stainless blade for hot, humid NY summers.
Design of blade, grip and sheath all look pretty decent.
Cons: can't find much info, and not being able to find opinioms on my trusted Bladeforums makes me wary.
Not full tang, and from what I can gather, not even a half tang.
Benchmark Backpacker:
Pros:
Size, shape, design, sheath, everything about this knife looks good.
Con: While the carbon steel blade is almost certainly delightful (I love carbon steel), I think I need a stainless blade for edc. IWB carry + horrific NY humidity= rusted blade.
I know I can rigorously maintain the blade, and normally I consider maintaining carbon steel blades to be one of the joys of knife ownership, I don't think I could keep up with the summer here.
This is compounded by the fact that I only use edible oils on my carry knives because I use them for preparing food.
Mtech:
Pros: actually looks quite decent. mtech are a mixed bag to be sure, but I watched a youtube video that convinced me that this might actually be a decent knife.
5mm thick blade!
Pleasing design, micarta handle, sheath looks servicable.
Cons:
It's an Mtech!
Rather large at 7" oal, an inch longer than the other two.
I would love to hear opinions from people who actually own these knives.
Any further suggestions would also be most welcome.
The only thing that I ask is that any opinions of the mtech are from people who own them.
I'm very well aware of mtech's reputation, but it's possible that this knife is an exception.
Please don't drag the thread down to general mtech bashing!
Edit: I forgot to add another important point.
The knife must be a non-threatening utility type knife because of NY state laws, so no double edged knives, tanto points etc, nothing that looks overtly like it was designed as a weapon....
A couple of things have happened lately that have made me want to start carrying a fixed blade knife.
First, there was that whole nonsense about NY cops deciding that pretty much every locking folder is a 'gravity knife'.
I stopped carrying my Kershaw RAM (which upset me greatly) and started carrying traditional slipjoints.
I absolutely love the peanut pattern, and agree with the philosophy that this tiny knife can do 99% of whatever you may need a knife for.
Unfortunately, the other day, I happened upon one of the 1% of tasks that it's not really suitable for!
I was chopping up an enormous cardboard box (4 ply corrugated) and found that, while I was able to do this safely with my peanut, I had to do it very slowly and carefully, and I was applying pressure that I didn't really feel comfortable with when using a slipjoint.
I used proper technique and got the job done without hurting myself, but it made me really miss my RAM.
I have decided that I need a fixed blade knife to supplement my peanut
D) of a design roughly equivalent to the RAM (ie blade length, overall length when open etc).It seems that I need a neck knife, though I doubt I'll wear it as a neck knife.
Unfortunately, this epiphany has come at an inconvenient time, as I have just spent an obscene amount of money on a load of computer stuff.
I want to get a cheap-but-decent knife as a stopgap until I can afford something nicer, and also to try out the idea of carrying a fixed blade to make sure it works for me.
My wife and kids seem to think that eating is more important than buying knives
so I am setting a budget of $20 including shippin for this first foray into carryable fixed blades.After a bit of research, I have found three likely contenders:
Meyerco Necklance ~$10
Benchmark Backpacker ~$18
Mtech Xtreme neck knife ~$18
Now, no giggling, I know Mtech's reputation, and in fact own one of their Kabar knockoffs that I received as a gift. This neck knife looks genuinely ok.
So, pros and cons:
Meyerco Necklance: I can't find much info on this knife, especially here on Bladeforums, but they look like a cracking good deal.
Pros:
Least expensive
Looks like a decent knife with positive youtube reviews.
Stainless blade for hot, humid NY summers.
Design of blade, grip and sheath all look pretty decent.
Cons: can't find much info, and not being able to find opinioms on my trusted Bladeforums makes me wary.
Not full tang, and from what I can gather, not even a half tang.
Benchmark Backpacker:
Pros:
Size, shape, design, sheath, everything about this knife looks good.
Con: While the carbon steel blade is almost certainly delightful (I love carbon steel), I think I need a stainless blade for edc. IWB carry + horrific NY humidity= rusted blade.
I know I can rigorously maintain the blade, and normally I consider maintaining carbon steel blades to be one of the joys of knife ownership, I don't think I could keep up with the summer here.
This is compounded by the fact that I only use edible oils on my carry knives because I use them for preparing food.
Mtech:
Pros: actually looks quite decent. mtech are a mixed bag to be sure, but I watched a youtube video that convinced me that this might actually be a decent knife.
5mm thick blade!
Pleasing design, micarta handle, sheath looks servicable.
Cons:
It's an Mtech!
Rather large at 7" oal, an inch longer than the other two.
I would love to hear opinions from people who actually own these knives.
Any further suggestions would also be most welcome.
The only thing that I ask is that any opinions of the mtech are from people who own them.
I'm very well aware of mtech's reputation, but it's possible that this knife is an exception.
Please don't drag the thread down to general mtech bashing!
Edit: I forgot to add another important point.
The knife must be a non-threatening utility type knife because of NY state laws, so no double edged knives, tanto points etc, nothing that looks overtly like it was designed as a weapon....
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