Recommendation? Help finding a fixed blade please

M

mk.ultra

Joined
Jun 17, 2010
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713
Hello dudes,
I am looking for a decent fixed blade for some future bikepacking (mountain bicycle camping) excursions. I already have a Morakniv Companion which is pretty great, but I'm looking for something a little nicer looking.

-Around 3.5-4.5" blade
-Wood handles
-Leather sheath
-Relatively lightweight
-Preferably stainless blade or water resistant
-Mostly used for food prep, light wood work, cutting paracord, possibly self-defense

Was looking at the Buck Vanguard, Buck 105 Pathfinder, Helle knives, and the Morakniv Kansbol (even though no wood handles). I'd like to stay under $150 or $100, just looking for a good value.

Thanks,
Matt
 
Alberta Ed said:
Helle Viking, although it wouldn't do much more than your Morakniv Companion.
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Not a bad call, especially since he just wanted something nicer.

Keeping with the Helle, I've been looking at the Helle Harding 99 lately.
If you're willing to push your budget a little then Brusletto has just released a great looking new model called Femund GRS. N690 steel, and some awesome handles.

Or as always, check out the makers on this forum, tons of great makers, and fixed blades in your range.
 
Doesn't have wood handle or leather sheath, but may want to check out the Cold Steel Master Hunter in San Mai III...can be had for around $100
 
mk.ultra said:
Hello dudes,
I am looking for a decent fixed blade for some future bikepacking (mountain bicycle camping) excursions. I already have a Morakniv Companion which is pretty great, but I'm looking for something a little nicer looking.

-Around 3.5-4.5" blade
-Wood handles
-Leather sheath
-Relatively lightweight
-Preferably stainless blade or water resistant
-Mostly used for food prep, light wood work, cutting paracord, possibly self-defense

Was looking at the Buck Vanguard, Buck 105 Pathfinder, Helle knives, and the Morakniv Kansbol (even though no wood handles). I'd like to stay under $150 or $100, just looking for a good value.

Thanks,
Matt
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The world is your oyster: https://www.bladeforums.com/forums/for-sale-fixed-blades.754/
 
jlauffer said:
Doesn't have wood handle or leather sheath, but may want to check out the Cold Steel Master Hunter in San Mai III...can be had for around $100
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I found one for ~$70 on ebay

and today in my mailbox I found a Cold Steel Pendelton Mini hunter, it is a cute little thing, though as above no wooden handle, no leather sheath, but with only a 3" blade it is not really a defensive "weapon", but at $32 you could afford five of them
 
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If you are not hung up on a full-width tang, a nice puukko would do, with a stabilized curly birch handle. Ahti puukkos are supposedly quite good, with carbon steel blades by Laurin Metalli (also used for the somewhat famous Skrama, the Jääkkäripuukkos and the Peltonen Sissipuukkos).
See for instance: https://brisa.fi/puukko/ahti-knives.html. If you are looking for something a bit sturdier than a Mora, get a short leuku, they have wider and thicker blades without being too 'prybar', so they are a bit better at light chopping, delimbing and so on. Not overly thick though, about 3 mm, so they'll slice well enough.
Apart from that, the Mora Kansbol, although not in wood, is considered by many the be the best allround Mora, certainly if you want to use a lot for food prepping. And if you don't mind staying 'Mora-ish' but want just 'not a Mora', the Hultafors OK4 outdoor knife is nice and light for hiking and cycling, hardly noticeable on the belt, but stronger and with a more comfortable handle than a standard Mora and even a Mora HD.
 
It sort of depends on what you see the knife doing but if you're open to leather instead of wood, the Case Mini FINN (M 3 FINN SS) might make a nice fit for you. It's around $50 and in Case's TruSharp (420HC).

Then for ~$40 you can add a DMT DiaFold C/F sharpener and ensure all the blades on the excursion stay sharp. :)

One thing I'd consider for biking, is are you going to be wearing the knife on your person or carrying it a bag or something? If on your person, the sheath design might take more precedence over the handle material. If you had any type of accident that caused you to fall, you want to be dang sure that blade is going to stay put.
 
22-rimfire said:
The Cabelas Buck Vanguard (192) in their Alaskan Guide Series would make a nice knife at around $100.
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Great knife ;)
AVCh0Ey.jpg
 
If it's for mountain biking and you are going to carry it on your belt, the sheath may be more important than the knife itself. It should always retain the blade and prevent it from cutting/stabbing you, even if you do a full salto and fall on top of the knife with all your weight. So the sheath should have not just good retention but also an additional safety (snap, flap, whatever), and it should have a hard shell inside the leather that envelops the blade all around, so it will never penetrate through the sheath - or it could just be a hard plastic sheath in the first place. Some people carry a Mora Kansbol with the tactical system on a strap diagonally across their chest; on your belt a flexible dangler will keep it from hitting you in the kidneys with the handle during a fall, but retention should be 100 percent failsafe. A long time ago during a canoe trip in Norway an instructor (!) got into the mood to dance and jump on a lake beach, and his puukko knife that was sitting in a typican scandinavian friction sheath just 'jumped' out of it and fell down on his foot, tip first. It was a very sharp blade, went right through his canoeing shoe and into his foot. He had to be taken to a hospital to get stitched up. Something to consider. Super knife with bad sheath = bad combo. Decent knife with excellent sheath = very good combo. ;-)
 
schwep said:
If it's for mountain biking and you are going to carry it on your belt, the sheath may be more important than the knife itself. It should always retain the blade and prevent it from cutting/stabbing you, even if you do a full salto and fall on top of the knife with all your weight. So the sheath should have not just good retention but also an additional safety (snap, flap, whatever), and it should have a hard shell inside the leather that envelops the blade all around, so it will never penetrate through the sheath - or it could just be a hard plastic sheath in the first place. Some people carry a Mora Kansbol with the tactical system on a strap diagonally across their chest; on your belt a flexible dangler will keep it from hitting you in the kidneys with the handle during a fall, but retention should be 100 percent failsafe. A long time ago during a canoe trip in Norway an instructor (!) got into the mood to dance and jump on a lake beach, and his puukko knife that was sitting in a typican scandinavian friction sheath just 'jumped' out of it and fell down on his foot, tip first. It was a very sharp blade, went right through his canoeing shoe and into his foot. He had to be taken to a hospital to get stitched up. Something to consider. Super knife with bad sheath = bad combo. Decent knife with excellent sheath = very good combo. ;-)
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Very good points to consider. I think I would mount it on my bike frame like I did with my Mora last year. I would only wear it off the bike or around camp, so the sheath may not need to be kydex.
 
I know you said fixed blade but you might consider a Buck 110. It's a beast of a knife and can also be had in the Alaskan Guide series.

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