Fixed Blades For The Woods

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Vivi

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I'm looking at smaller fixed blades for the woods. Blades under 6 inches. I'm a big fan of full flat ground types of blades and minimal guards. Handle materials, I prefer natural materials to synthetic. I take good care of my knives, but it needs to be able to stand up to some moisture. Needs to be comfortable for extended use, on the lighter side and a good enough edge to make fine woodshavings and other more acute cutting chores.

Right now I really have my eyes on a Bark river Northstar based on my criteria. I'd really like some photos of it next to some common folders, like a Manix, some SAKs or a Buck 110 so I can guage the handle size.

I'm open to any suggestions as long as the price does not exceed 150$. Generally I do fine with a Mora for a fixed blade, but I'm planning on doing some very extesnive trips this fall and want something I can have a lot of faith in when it comes to both the knife and the warranty.
 
I don't have the Northstar, but I do have a number of Bark River knives, and they are excellent! Very well made, sharper than heck! And they generally match your specs, with one exception:

They are convex ground, not flat ground! Personally, I liked this: they cut very well, and are easily maintained and sharpened. The sharpening is a bit different from a flat ground, but easily mastered.

Check DLT Trading for a wide variety of Barkie knives and handle materials. Larry and Mary there are very helpful and quick on the shipping.
 
FWIW, a Ranger RD6 would be right at your upper length limit, while not light per se, it is a very light-handling 6-inch blade. Possibly more knife than you need, but too much is always better than not enough, right? for a light blade with semi-natural scales, i LOVE my benchmade 190 -- comfortable laminate scales, D2 steel (great edge retention and corrosion resistance), around $100. It has nice little features like frictive grooves on the distal end of the spine for choking up during delicate cutting or skinning, full flat grind, etc... hope thats of some use
 
have you considered a ontario RAT-3? sounds like it would suit your needs very well and its only $90
 
Seal pup (i think that is under 6")
Ranger knives RD6 gets good reviews also, though ive never owned one (yet)
 
Vivi said:
I'm looking at smaller fixed blades for the woods. Blades under 6 inches. I'm a big fan of full flat ground types of blades and minimal guards. Handle materials, I prefer natural materials to synthetic. I take good care of my knives, but it needs to be able to stand up to some moisture. Needs to be comfortable for extended use, on the lighter side and a good enough edge to make fine woodshavings and other more acute cutting chores.

Right now I really have my eyes on a Bark river Northstar based on my criteria. I'd really like some photos of it next to some common folders, like a Manix, some SAKs or a Buck 110 so I can guage the handle size.

I'm open to any suggestions as long as the price does not exceed 150$. Generally I do fine with a Mora for a fixed blade, but I'm planning on doing some very extesnive trips this fall and want something I can have a lot of faith in when it comes to both the knife and the warranty.
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Hi I have Northstar and yes is a very good cutter but for me it has short handle and too curve in reverse position a pain, I prefer more straigth handle so more neutral
 
northwest ranger by sog, pentagon by sog, al mar operator, benchmade has some less expensive ones, if you want natural bone handles and such, your either going to pay alot more than 150 or get a piece of crap, besides if you really want to go outdoors, a rubber handle that rinses clean easily is far better than feeling woodsy with an elk antler handle.
 
My Northstar is awsome, but for some the handle is too small. I have medium hands and it fits me just fine. Ive put it through its paces and its held up quite well. It is my backpacking fixed blade and will be for many more miles. Also the Aurora is due to come out soon. Its is the "big brother" to ther Northstar, and its handle is designed for everyone's hand size. Although thats not out yet, but soon.

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Hi Mike,

If you are looking for a small knife that can take a serious beating take a look at the Howling Rat from Swamp Rat or its three-times more expensive brother, the Badger Attack from Busse. But both these knifes are hard to find and over 130 usd (the BA 2-3 times that!!)

How about the TAK and RAT-3 and 5 from Ontario or the custom made RD-4 from Ranger. Also take a look at the smaller Fallkniven. All knives that can stand up a lot of punishing for around 80-100usd.

Check BF and the manufacturers-website for more info about them. Not all are as good for bushcraft chores.

Also check: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=407795I have to say I love my HR but I really need to make the edge a bit thinner to make it a nice bushcraft knife, especially for wood carving.
 
becker Crewman or Companion - my crewman has pryed apart and chopped pallet rackings like they were nothing. only $40 too.
 
I would recomend the Fallkniven F1.It fits most of your critera.I've caried one for almost a year using it for exactly what you want it for and it has perfomed flawlessly.They're around 90-110$ on ebay.:thumbup:
 
I just got back from a weekend hiking trip with my Benchmade 210 Activator. I use it to whittle, open food, cut rope, etc. The 210 is the smallest knife I own by a long shot (something like a 2" blade), but it is very utilitarian. The blade is super thick at the spine (for such a small knife), and tapers down over a full flat grind into a nice cutting edge. The S30V is heat treated very well, as I have never had a chip with a 20 deg combined angle. The leather sheath is the only drawback, because it has no locking ability to hold the knife in. Benchmade realized this, and just came out with a kydex neck sheath, making this possibly the coolest small fixed blade!
 
You can't go wrong with the Bark River NorthStar. I have fairly large hands and have never had a problem with it's grips. The only drawback I had with it was the leather sheath, but that was easily and affordably taken care of. Reid, at Sharpshooter's Sheath Systems whipped me out a kydex sheath in a weeks time (from order to delivery). The NorthStar is crazy sharp and, once you get used to sharpening convex edges, is easier to sharpen than my flat ground blades. Also, you don't have to worry about being weighed down by the NorthStar it's super light, unlike my BK2 which carries like a brick...
 
If you like full flat grinds, check out the Fehrman Peacemaker. It's one of the most ergonomic little knives I have ever held, and the 3V steel holds an edge on par with D2. It's thick enough to be extremely strong, but not so much as to interfere with cutting or get heavy.

It's a great little knife!
 
Ka-Bar D2 impact Spear point. As mentioned above Benchmade CSK is a top knife but blade is over 6 inch.
 
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