Fixed Blade Recommendations

ming · Jun 10, 2005

Does anybody have any good recomendations on a good company that sells fixed blades. I have only bought folders for a long time. I would like a black blade and looking for a price of around $50-$150.

The knife will be used for brush and will be abused and raped.

mkent20 · Jun 10, 2005

My favorite fixed blade is the SOG SEAL 2000. I think you can get it for about $100.00. The blade isn't black, but it is a dark grey. Here's a pic of one of mine. I don't have a good pic oh handles, but they have GREAT grips. Kind of rubbery, but very hard...... They come with a Kydex sheath now, but mine has a Cordura sheath..... Mine is 5+yrs older

ming · Jun 10, 2005

Very nice, is it like really sturdy as it could just take anything you give it?

Will · Jun 10, 2005

Cold Steel and Becker make rugged fixed blades (with black coated blades) in your price range. More expensive, but still in your price range are Fallkniven and Swamp Rat, problable more rugged than the former two, and also available with black coatings on the blades.

Ka-Bars come with a black coating and are really cheap and rugged too.

Will

mkent20 · Jun 10, 2005

Yes, it is VERY sturdy...... Kinda heavy, but I backpack with it in the Smokey Mtns yearly...

Here is a link to SOG's page about the knife.. Check out the other fixed blades they sell... SOG's are VERY good knives, and have a GREAT price... BUT ignore the MSRP on their pages... You can get them MUCH cheaper than they quote!!!!

Good luck with your search

ming · Jun 10, 2005

I was looking at these origionaly

backwoodsman · Jun 10, 2005

I just got my kershaw outcast, it has a black blade is 10'' long and seems like a real good deal at 49.99 which is what I got mine for, all I've used mine for so far is cutting some 550 para cord, also the maine raider bowie from ontario is a good one to , it is also 10'' but thicker than the outcast and is 1095 instead of the d2 steel in the outcast.The marine raider is the one that I wear everyday though.

Will · Jun 10, 2005

ming said:
I was looking at these origionaly

The top one (Becker BK10 Crewman) is a good choice. The middle one is a new design collaboration with Doug Ritter and Becker and isn't available yet. The bottom one (Becker BK2 Companion) is really thick and may not be as practical.

Will

ming · Jun 10, 2005

do you know when the Doug Ritter variation will be available. and is it s30v.

This knife is for nothing but abuse. I want to destroy it. I take my anger out on the trees.

Cliff Stamp · Jun 10, 2005

ming said:
.... is it s30v.

This knife is for nothing but abuse. I want to destroy it. I take my anger out on the trees.

S30V would not be a good choice for the type of work you are describing, unless of course you do want to be able to break it easily. The knives you pictured are also far too small for serious chopping. Get a 18" Ang Khola from HI, that will allow you to vent some serious frustration.

-Cliff

ming · Jun 10, 2005

18" my lord. I just need somthing so I dont kill my folders. 4-6" is about right.

bquinlan · Jun 10, 2005

ming said:
This knife is for nothing but abuse. I want to destroy it. I take my anger out on the trees.

The 18" Ang Khola is probably not your best choice. It will soak up abuse until you collapse from exhaustion. Buy one when you want to take out your anger on a concrete bunker.

--Bob Q

Cliff Stamp · Jun 10, 2005

ming said:
4-6" is about right.

You can't really deanimate any serious trees with that :

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y269/CliffStamp/Heafner Bowie/hb_end_grip.jpg

Three swings.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y269/CliffStamp/Heafner Bowie/sticks_hb.jpg

A lot more.

Ok, they were cut down using a chainsaw. But most of the limbing was done with knives.

Moving them was harder.

-Cliff

AntDog · Jun 10, 2005

18" my lord. I just need somthing so I dont kill my folders. 4-6" is about right.

Like Cliff Stamp said, 4-6" is not something you want to go chopping down trees with. If you want to just vent your frustrations out on trees, I'd suggest a cheapo axe. It would get the job done a lot faster than a knife, and you would not get tired as fast. Bring your axe, a really abrasive sharpener, and some Tylenol... and get ta swingin'!

If it HAS to be a knife that helps you "take your anger out on the trees" [to be 15 again

]

You should check out the bigger Beckers, Swamp Rats, Ontarios, etc...

Bottom line is: If you want to chop down trees, 4-6" ain't gonna cut it.

MTF3 · Jun 10, 2005

Buy a good one.

Cliff Stamp · Jun 10, 2005

AntDog said:
If you want to just vent your frustrations out on trees, I'd suggest a cheapo axe.

Hell drop on by sometime, I'll supply the axe and all the wood you can chop down. Vent all the frustration you want.

-Cliff

WYK · Jun 11, 2005

In that price range, it will be difficult to beat the Cold Steel 9 1/2" trailmaster in Carbon V for abuse(unless you're batoning with a rock, apparently).

WYK

guy g · Jun 11, 2005

Buck Short Nighthawk 5" blade, Walmart 39.95. Or the long Night hawk, 50 bucks or so online.

Hamon · Jun 11, 2005

Cliff Stamp said:
Get a 18" Ang Khola from HI, that will allow you to vent some serious frustration.

-Cliff

Serious frustration vented in picture form:

One swing:

If you don't like the shine, etch it with vinegar to get a nice gray... It's not black, but it works.

Travis

James Green Dragon · Jun 11, 2005

The SOG knife is definately "sexy" but it's made from relatively cheap stainless. Not going to hold up to abuse the way the Becker knives you are looking at will.

I don't think we have seen any evidence that the laminated stainless blades of Falkniven are any tougher than the much less expensive carbon blades from Becker. However, I would agree that Swamp Rat knives are simply a cut above the rest. ...You have to be willing to wait for them though.

I would recomend the Cold Steel SRK for a 6" blade. It is incredibly tough, you can get one in the $40 - $50 range and is an excellent all-around 'workman like' knife. As has been said before, a 6" blade ain't a 'chopper' but at least the SRK is balanced in front of the handle. If you just have to get the sexy SOG design, CS makes the UWK - it has a black coated Carbon V blade in the same basic shape as the SOG and though a bit lighter, balances in front of the handle like the SRK...

BTW, I really like that new Becker design though (the middle one with the spear point in the above photo)!!! I think I'm going to have to get one of those - while I like the rubber handles on the CS knives a little better than the Beckers, the handles are easily removeable & I figure I'll just wrap it with paracord. Any info on when this knife will be available?