Hollow handle knife suggestion (to store basic fishing gear)

Q

Quehanna

Joined
Jun 1, 2014
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16
Yes I am a kid of the 80's but seriously I would like a hollow handle fixed blade. In spring And summer I hike/backpack and fly fish small feeder streams for native trout. Past couple of years I've fished with saplings made into fishing rods right on the stream banks. What I want is a good fixed blade that will be a good small tree cutter, wittle a pole for fishing and store some line and a few flies.
Any and all suggestions welcomed.
I practice catch and release so fish prepping is not a concern.
 
Your not likely to find a decent hollow handle at that price range made in the USA. The Boker Apparo is a very well made knife 440c in your price range, pretty crappy sheath. The Schrade one piece hollow handles are ok and a lower price range, basically copies of the Chris Reeve one piece knives.

Or you can up your price and there a quite a few very good hollow handle knives made in the USA, Sam Wilson, Newt Martin, Randall, and a few others. All are going to be above your price limit though.

Here is a great thread with tons of hollow handle knives
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1132950-THE-Hollow-Handle-Knife
 
If you can deal with the wait time and have the funds, Turley knives does a great hollow handled knife.
 
If whittling and fine cutting tasks are a great consideration, and you don't have a habit of sending knives in for heavy re-grinds, then the Randall Model 18 has the thinnest edge at 0.020". That alone makes it the one to get for a fine tasks user that can also chop. Most hollow handles, even many expensive ones, for some reason, are on the thick side at the edge, and at the low price range you mention the Boker Apparo is very thick and will not whittle as is: It must be around 0.070"+(!)... I heard the Schrade was very thick at the edge, and note it is also much thinner in the blade overall than the Chris Reeves versions, so not comparable at all in quality... Chris Reeves are not bad in the edge at 0.040", but they grow a bit thicker towards the point...

Of note is the Model 18 does not have the deepest handle cavity, but it does have the greatest inner compartment diameter: Diameter is a much bigger plus than depth. Chris Reeves are only about 1 mm or so narrower in diameter, yet the difference seems absolutely huge...

There is a much cheaper alternative in the $50-100 range: It is to look on Ebay for "Parker" survival knives: These have a black-painted cast aluminium handles, usually ergonomically shaped with various blade shapes, and are cast/epoxied on the tang, so they are almost indestructible. Most Parker hollow handle knives, even with "normal" tube handles, are sound in construction and will not break. Their sheaths are decent leather, although the snap strap does not hold tight usually... They are at least 30 years old, and can look in rough shape... The edges are not ridiculously thick but not as good as Randalls. I remember mine in the 80s as hard to get a good edge on, but that applied to all my knives back then...

Gaston
 
Wilson custom knives, Sam Wilson is seriously a good dude to deal with and an up and coming maker who has some pretty ingenious ideas.
 
ESEE Laser Strike? Perhaps the compartment is too small for your needs, though...
 
Don't know of a "good" handled knife in that price range as most of the ones I see that are "good" ones are from: $450.00 & up to $950.00 or so.* <<<< Customs.** Anything you get in the $125.00 range will not last long as far as I know and have heard people say or talk about.* Save your money and get what you want that will last and stand up to what you put it through.*
 
I like hollow handled knives too, but my suggestion is to ditch the idea and get a knife with a decent sheath and store your equipment there.
 
Marcinek, Marcinek: you just can't help yourself can you ;)? I trust he means in a pouch on a sheath similar to the Ontario Rat series. It is actually a good suggestion; in case of the loss of your knife (In deep water, in thick brush, etc.) at least you would still have your fishing gear (since losing a belt sheath is unlikely) to use with any stick you find. :cool:
 
katanas said:
Marcinek, Marcinek: you just can't help yourself can you ;)? I trust he means in a pouch on a sheath similar to the Ontario Rat series. It is actually a good suggestion; in case of the loss of your knife (In deep water, in thick brush, etc.) at least you would still have your fishing gear (since losing a belt sheath is unlikely) to use with any stick you find. :cool:
Click to expand...

Hey, the only way to learn is by asking questions! I would imagine there are fly-fishing specific belt pouches that serve that exact purpose, and that our new friend may already have one, and that he is trying to eliminate that sort of extra gear. The dude seems pretty "minimal"...heck, he makes his own rods in situ!
 
If minimal-minimalist is the goal, I suggest a good multi tool with which he can make his pole, flies, and line :p. In direct answer to your question Quehanna, The suggested Cold Steel survival edge might work and it's inexpensive enough to allow you to see what you like and what you don't about the system. Good luck (Wissahicken area? I had some good times around there in my youth) :D
 
katanas said:
(Wissahicken area? :D
Click to expand...
Mostly in Moshannon and Elk state forest in PA.
I have modified sheaths and have minimal fishing rigs in altoid tins and other stuff. Just looking for a hollow handle for the fun of it. Looks like its a little more money for a quality hollow handle than I can spend now but I will putting it on my short list. Just need a little more cash in the blade fund.
Thanks to all for the suggestions.
 
I have the Boker Apparo, and a Parker Survival knife from the 80's, and you'd be glad you bought both of them. The edge thickness is definitely thinner on the Parker, but honestly, the sawback on the Apparo more than makes up for it. (the back edge of the Parker is useless unless you need to cut yourself out of an aluminum can) Both have ample room in the handle for flies, and small floats and maybe even some tippets.
 
Buy some Altoids, give the mints to a kid if you don't like them. Use the Altoids tin for storage of fishing stuff and carry it in your pocket. It'll be easier to get what you want out of a tin than a tube.
If you're determined to get a hollow handle, Schrade has a few that though made in China, tested out real good on Ultimate Survival Tips on Youtube. Almost got one since I was permanently scarred at the age of 15 when a hollow handle knife I thought was expensive at 12 dollars fell apart. The Schrade is 1095, so you'll make points with a lot of folks on this forum. If they come out with one in stainless, I might get that.
 
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