Hard use fixed blade

I

IAKimber

Joined
Mar 28, 2010
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What would you guys recommend for a hard use fixed blade? I'm looking for something that will be tough for batoning and chopping. So far I've looked at the Bark River Bravo 2 and the Becker BK7 or BK9. Is the Bravo 2 worth twice the price? Also what else should I be looking at? I'd like it to be in the 7"-9" range and be under $150 or maybe $200. I have a CRK Pacific, but can't bring myself to abuse it like that. Also I am looking for something that isn't partially serrated, as the Pacific is. Thanks.
 
They are very well made, and have a great warranty. The other, and very important, point is that all the ESEE knives come with very good sheaths and some options. Good luck.
 
IAKimber said:
What would you guys recommend for a hard use fixed blade? I'm looking for something that will be tough for batoning and chopping. So far I've looked at the Bark River Bravo 2 and the Becker BK7 or BK9. Is the Bravo 2 worth twice the price? Also what else should I be looking at? I'd like it to be in the 7"-9" range and be under $150 or maybe $200. I have a CRK Pacific, but can't bring myself to abuse it like that. Also I am looking for something that isn't partially serrated, as the Pacific is. Thanks.
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Get a Bark river or Fallkniven. Both have convex edges, which make pushing through wood when making tinder and kindling much much easier IMO.


Fallkniven handles do not give you blisters. Other knives require gloves.

-Freq
 
I would just use the Pacific, they are made for the abuse and you can always get it recoated and sharpened for a small fee. I have a Mountaineer 1, even though its a pretty nice looking knife, I plan to use it on my fishing trips. Just remember to rinse it with water and put a small coat of rem oil after each use.
 
I'd go BK9. Used mine for a few years before retiring it and never had anything but good luck with it.

It's a damned tough knife for the money.:thumbup:

Good luck.
 
Fallkniven A2 would fit your requirements.

as for how tough they are, Fallkniven is one of the only brands (if not THE only brand) ever to score five knives at Knifetests.com.
 
sambo. said:
Fallkniven A2 would fit your requirements.

as for how tough they are, Fallkniven is one of the only brands (if not THE only brand) ever to score five knives at Knifetests.com.
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You need to go back an look at knifetests again.....................Busse and Scrapyard knives not only got more than five knives, but were the only "survivors" of his tests ever. Meaning he had to get all mid Evil on them to finally get them go fail.

If you were looking for absolutely the toughest knives out there. Scrapyard, Busse and Swamprat. Busse are expensive, relative to some others and on par with some higher end factory. The steel is awesome. Best balance of edge retention, strength, and corrosion resistance. The Swamprat knives have great steel, with super edge retention. It is Sr101, which is a more rust aggressive steel, but not more so than most high carbon steels. They are cheaper than Busse (same warranty, considered "Busse Family" knives. Scrap yard use, for the most part S77 which is modified jack hammer steel. Less edge retention, but it is a shock steel, and is super super tough. Much less expensive than Busse. Most handle material is Resiprine C (not to be mistaken with Krayton which is much softer, and much much less tough or resistant to chemicals.). Resiprine C is the toughest "soft" handle material I know of, and has a life time warranty on the handle, as well as the blade (never seen by me before on a rubber handle material).

The scrapyardknives.com (the manufacturer) is selling the Regulator and De-Regulator. A thick, combat oriented knife. Very thick. .31+ thick SR101 steel, coated. You can pick one up with a sheath for under 130 I believe right now. Would work as a general purpose, all around blade. But you might find it too thick for your tastes. (but the full height grind and good edge make it cut better than you would suspect).


Others have suggested ESSE (formerly Rat). Cost effective, great great warranty. The best warranty you can get. The steel is 1095 with a great heat treat. You have to know how to take care of the steel, but not a huge deal (depending on your willingness to do so, especially if you strip the coating). Great combo of edge retention and toughness. Not a "super steel" by modern standards but a tough, well heat treated steel from them, and it will out perform some "super steels" from very famous more expensive manufacturers.

Falkniven have good rep as well. But for the cost, you have other options with better warranty, for a lower price. That said, Fallkniven have a good rep for edge retention. Their laminated steel does well.

Bark River has great designs with great heat treated steel. Lots of current production to pick from, and a lot of options on blades and designs. They have a great rep, and a pretty good warranty as well.

If you watch knifetests.com video's you will see some inexpensive knives do very well for the money, and some quite expensive production knives fail and do very very poorly. (many detest these video's but when a 20 dollar knife withstands much more abuse than a 300+ knife it gets my vote for sure).

Some one mentioned convex grinds with convex edges......they do excel at certain tasks. You have to know how to sharpen them, but really they are the easiest edges to maintain out there, as far as I am concerned.

Others on here have given lots of options. Just do some research. Narrow it down to designs you like and get advice on them (on here). If you can hold one do that, because if a 500 dollar knife does not fit your hand, you will hate it.

All depends on your price range. and what you are looking for performance wise.


The Scrapyard Regulator or Deregulator is right in your sweet spot for price range even with a sheath.
 
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Hard to beat the Beckers' at their price. Get the edge convexed. The Bravo II isn't really designed to be a camp/chopping knife.
 
Bigfattyt said:
You need to go back an look at knifetests again.....................Busse and Scrapyard knives not only got more than five knives, but were the only "survivors" of his tests ever. Meaning he had to get all mid Evil on them to finally get them go fail.
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i stand corrected.
 
BK2 All i have to say is i pried my car door open enough to reach in and grab my keys ,and cut a whole tree down with it, no lie. damn thing looks good as new.
 
I would HIGHLY recommend an Esee/ Rat Cutlery knife for your needs. I have a couple and love them. Great users who can take abuse. Esee also has a full lifetime warranty and will replace any broken knife with a new one. Great knives great company.
 
Bigfattyt said:
You need to go back an look at knifetests again.....................Busse and Scrapyard knives not only got more than five knives, but were the only "survivors" of his tests ever. Meaning he had to get all mid Evil on them to finally get them go fail.
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Yep. :thumbup:

The Busse FFBM was the overall winner and the SY was 2nd overall. :)

He beat the FFBM over 30 times on the side impact test and it didn't budge. :thumbup:
 
Busse's are very very tough knives, just check out the Busse forum a member just cut a sunroof in a jeep cherokee with his Basic-11. No Regrets, :thumbup::thumbup:
 
IAKimber said:
What would you guys recommend for a hard use fixed blade? I'm looking for something that will be tough for batoning and chopping. So far I've looked at the Bark River Bravo 2 and the Becker BK7 or BK9. Is the Bravo 2 worth twice the price? Also what else should I be looking at? I'd like it to be in the 7"-9" range and be under $150 or maybe $200. I have a CRK Pacific, but can't bring myself to abuse it like that. Also I am looking for something that isn't partially serrated, as the Pacific is. Thanks.
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You need one of these...

IMG_0320.jpg


The Regulator is probably one of the toughest knives ever made, the blade is .33" thick.
The only reason any of them are still available is that the Scrapyard made a ton of them. They will run out eventually, get yours before it's too late.

http://shop.scrapyardknives.com/
 
At the price point given, I would get either a Scrapyard Regulator, or something by ESEE.
 
Davor said:
I would just use the Pacific, they are made for the abuse and you can always get it recoated and sharpened for a small fee. I have a Mountaineer 1, even though its a pretty nice looking knife, I plan to use it on my fishing trips. Just remember to rinse it with water and put a small coat of rem oil after each use.
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exactly...what you buy the Pacific for, just to show off?...use the blade in the manner it was designed for.

i use a sebenza for fishing; when the guts and stink are washed off its ready for my pocket again...
 
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