fixed blade

When you say "caveats," what do you mean, things to look out for or things to look for? Or are you asking about the steel? What is the Sig that you're looking at?

The 440C is a good grade of steel providing it's heat treated properly. One caveat is to be wary of blades made in China.

Finally, what price range are you in?
 
I am looking in the ~$100 range or less. How do I know a Chinese knife. By caveat, I mean the little known secrets (aspproximatly).
 
Buying a fixed blade is like buying a folder, but it doesn't fold. Does the handle fit your hand well? Is the grind appropriate for the work to be done? What about the steel? What are the carry options? Is this knife legal to carry where I live? These are general considerations and maybe not what you are looking for.

Is the tang-blade junction radiused? Is it full tang, half tang, rat tail tang, skinny tang, or other? Is the handle pinned, screwed, epoxied, or some combination. What the handle made of? Will it crack, warp, shrink, or dissolve in certain solvents? Does the knife have a guard? Do I need a guard? What about a lanyard hole? What is the sheath made from?

Above all else, the most important "caveat" in buying a knife is "Do I like this Knife?"

By law, the knife will be stamped with the country of origin, or it will say on the box. Assume the worst if it is unmarked.
 
What Hlee said is right on. It's just like someone saying, "I need a gun. What should I get?" There are many different considerations. I have two Ka-Bars that my dad took through the second world war. They're sharp and tough as nails, and my dad scratched the names of all the places he visited during the war years in the Pacific. Both knives could still pull full duty for the rest of my life. I have a number of fixed knives and folding knives and they have many different uses. Are you looking for a tough, outdoor knife for camping? As strange as it sounds, I just got a Smith & Wesson Homeland Security Tanto that I've fallen in love with. Yep, that's right. Smith & Wesson. I NEVER thought I'd recommend a S&W knife to any one for any reason, but there it is. And the blade is stainless, too, which is something else I don't usually recommend. But I found a good price on the S&W and I liked it so much that I turned around and ordered four more of them!

But it's a matter of what you want out of a knife, how it feels, performs, and how much it costs. Some folks don't like tantos and a whole bunch of people don't like S&W knives, me too, most of the time. Some want a double-edged knife, or a Bowie of some kind. Others want carbon steel and some prefer stainless. Some want the blade coated black or camo, and some like a flat, brushed steel color; and then there's wood handles or G10 or some kind of rubber. And we haven't begun to talk about sheaths!

So perhaps you can tell us more....
 
It's not just the metal - but the heat-treating as well. For a great all-around fixed blade, the Buck 119 Hunter is a keeper - and <$36 at Wally World. For a larger knife, that KaBar USMC knife mentioned earlier is still available - still made in their Olean, NY factory - from $50-$70. For a smaller knife, the Buck Vanguard has a feel that is great. The standard version - in wood - is ~$65 - in S30V steel as the 'Alaskan Guide Vanguard' - ~$95 - mine is too pretty to use... get the standard version! All 'Made in the USA'!

Stainz
 
I currently carry a Sog Seal Pup with a kydex sheath. I am looking to get a Ka-Bar Next Generation stainless steel blade with partial serrations in a Ka-Bar eagle sheath to replace the Sog Seal Pup as my edc knife. Does anyone have experience with the Ka-Bar?
 
I have a D2 extreme in an eagle sheath and I love it.it's a long fixed blade (7") but it's a great bush knife.The stainless one I don't know about but I mentioned the D2 because it's the same shape and size.
 
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