I need help choosing a fixed blade knife.

If it really has to serve as a dive knife more than once, then it just about has to be a stainless steel plus some sort of rubber (kraton, etc), or other sort of plastic. There's also the matter of using it to pry a bit with the tip which I found a dive knife is called upon to do more often than a camp knife [used to dive, been a very very long time].

For me that would be a pretty severe restriction. None of my preferred camp or around-the-farm (where I prefer a small/medium hunting style blade to a camp sized knife) EDC knives would ever serve well as dive knives. A K-BAR will not last long as a dive knife!

For my $100, I would get a dive knife <b>and</b> a field knife, putting most of the money toward which ever one you think will be used more. I do wonder though how something like the MORA2000 (see http://www.ragweedforge.com/SwedishKnifeCatalog.html ) and look about half way down the page or search for the string "#2000". For $26 it would serve for a season, and you can always get another (or buy up) next season!
 
Well the SEAL and SEAL-PUP <b><i>are</i></b> basically dive knives, so yes, these might be a reasonable choice for you. They will also function as camp knives, though I personally wouldn't choose one of these if it were to be <i>only</i> a camp knife. These do suit your requirements because they are a fairly hi-end dive knife, and will therefore serve acceptably, though not optimally, as a camp knife.
 
Originally posted by matthew rapaport
Well the SEAL and SEAL-PUP <b><i>are</i></b> basically dive knives, so yes, these might be a reasonable choice for you. They will also function as camp knives, though I personally wouldn't choose one of these if it were to be <i>only</i> a camp knife. These do suit your requirements because they are a fairly hi-end dive knife, and will therefore serve acceptably, though not optimally, as a camp knife.
Click to expand...

What would your pick for a camp knife be?
 
For $140 shipped to you, the Camp Tramp by Swamp Rat Knives is the best choice. Lifetime warranty! You break it, they fix it. You need it sharpened, send it to them. The edge chipped, broken, rusted off, send it back.

It's 7" blade is a good overall length for just about anything. If you want it right now, it's a different story.

18+ years in the Army + being a knife knut has led me to Busse knives. Greatest thing going, aside from Strider, but I think Busse has em beat. Since Swamp Rat knives are part of Busse, you can't beat them.

Order a Swamp Rat, wait a few weeks, and you won't be sorry. I'm expecting mine any day now. I've owned and still own many, many knives, but plan on ordering every one of the Swamp Rat knives and plan on recommending them to every GI who asks what is a good knife.

Camping, diving, skydiving, mountaineering, general puttering around, lifesaving, you name it. Get a Camp Tramp or Battle Rat. I don't think that you would be disappointed.

Ed
 
Steven,
What about Fällkniven line?
Their knives have stainless VG-10 steel blades what is really quite rust resistant. Pretty thick blades and convex edges make them also very abuse-resistant practically without affecting cutting performance. They have Thermorun Elastomer molded handles and are available with different sheaths to choose including Kydex ones.

And most of them are under $100.
 
My vote would go to Spyderco Moran DP....GREAT knife for the price and the Kydex sheath with Techlock is one of the best I have seen in a inexpensive factory offering.(60-65 dollars)

It's lightweight and you barely know your wearing it. It's my canoe/kayak choice as well as my Stripper fishing knife....Techlock allows quick change from belt to PFD or wader shoulder strap.

I really like my Fallkniven F1 mentioned in an earlier reply,.... BUT...its quite a bit heavier, which is especially noticeable in PFD and shoulder strap carry.( both VG10 )

I can't believe they offer this great knife for such a reasonable price.

Try one you will LOVE it!

GH
 
I might be mistaken but don't the SEALs use the SRK as well as other knives? The SOG I would go with. If the SEALs can use it......
 
Thanks for the tips!

Am I converting this right? Is this knife under $90 with the kydex sheath? Looks nice!

EDIT: Er...that is supposed to be 1,800, not 800...so it well over $90!
 
I think those prices are in Swedish Kronen. The Fallkniven line is another very good choice. I would certainly prefer one of these to the SOG as a camp knife, and they are stainless steel so they would likely do OK as a dive knife too! I do think the A1 is over $100, but not by much... Have a look at their A2/S1/F1/F2, etc. as well as these are less expensive (though shorter).
 
Do not use a Fallkniven around the water !! I used one once by the water and the VG-10 blade rusted terribly !! Busses with INFI and coating hold up real well around salt water. Due to the steel used in their swamp rat line I think you are better off using their production or (now discontinued) basic line.

The production knives are a little more expensive than the $100 but in this case you certainly get what you pay for !!
 
Hmmm, nothing wrong is with mine...
You always can choose the version with black teflon coated blade...

Steven,
It’s nothing wrong with Fällkniven A1 if someone likes indestructible knives aka sharpened prybars. However it is far too heavy and somewhat cumbersome as to my liking but it can’t replace an axe anyway. I would go rather with their F1 and decent medium-sized axe for camping.

OK, their S1 Forest Knife could be a some kind of compromise between A1 and F1 :)
 
Also, Tom Logan is Canadian distributor .
I don't remember his web site but you probably can find it at Fällkniven home page.
 
As far as I´m informed, VG-10 is a very good steel which offers high edge retention and it´s still supposed to be relatively easy to resharpen. But high rust-resistancy ain´t one of the advantages of VG-10. I heard it´s possible to use the Teflon-coated Fällkniven blades for fairly extensive salt water use, even the non-coated blades should work in this area, but they have to be taken care of (with Tuf-Cloth or the like) quite often. VG-10 ain´t ideal for those circumstances but for non-water environments it should be almost perfect.

You won´t go wrong with Busse knives, they got an excellent reputation, but they´re expensive, as stated by others before.

I ordered a SRKW (Swamp Rat Knife Works) Camp Tramp and I´m lookin´ forward to receive it, the tests done with the Battle Rat convinced me that the Swamp Rat knives are superior to others in the same (kinda low) price range, a real bang for the buck, so to speak.
If the Camp Tramp keeps the promises (which I definitely don´t doubt), I´m probably goin´ to order another SRKW knife, maybe the heavier one of the 5 inch models (as far as I know it´s not named yet).
But for your needs it might not be the best choice, ´cause a high-carbon content steel is used by SRKW (a modified version of 52100 which is called SR-101).

Same goes with the Becker line: coated, but no stainless steel.

440 C is a low-corrosion steel which is offering nice overall performance, you might want to check it out. I would suggest the Entrek knives for that matter.

Or you could invest a fair bit more money and go with titan.
 
So, if I were to stay away from the water, the Swamp Rat knives would be the best bet? How long would it take for me to get my knife?

BTW, I have seen no mention of sheaths at SRKW. What kind of sheath do their knives come with?
 
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