Inexpensive garage knife?

C

CoffeeCat2112

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Jan 26, 2007
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I'm looking for recommendations on a smallish fixed blade (3-4") as a "beater" garage knife - cutting cardboard, rags, wire, roots, plastic, hoses, etc.

The handles should be solvent resistent, so I would prefer a hard material and not rubber coated.

Any ideas? The less expensive, the better, as long as it's not a sharpended piece of rebar... :)

ETA: I guess I'd like a full tang, and a blade on the thick side.

ETA2: I think I'd also consider a folder, like maybe a Kabar Dozier?

ETA3: It would also see some garden use - roots, stems, etc.
 
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my 2 cents: get something with either partial of full serrations. I used to use FS Spyderco Delicas a lot when I wrenched more and they would go through heater hoses like a laser. Likewise for old belts. You wouldn't think a serrated knife would make a clean cut but it does. i'd opt for a medium Voyager clip point in FS edge or a Spyderco with the spyderedge, maybe find a used one on the exchange to fulfill the inexpensive criteria.
K
 
crom said:
my 2 cents: get something with either partial of full serrations. I used to use FS Spyderco Delicas a lot when I wrenched more and they would go through heater hoses like a laser. Likewise for old belts. You wouldn't think a serrated knife would make a clean cut but it does. i'd opt for a medium Voyager clip point in FS edge or a Spyderco with the spyderedge, maybe find a used one on the exchange to fulfill the inexpensive criteria.
K
Click to expand...

I thought about serrations, but I really hate sharpening them. I really don't want a combo edge. If I did go SE, it would have to be a full SE.
 
Oops, i did not see the fixed blade part. Cold steel GI Tanto as being discussed on another thread. Great beater for less than $20.00 though a little bigger than what you mentioned like prying.
 
got a belt sander and a bucket of water?
put a bevel on the edge of an old file.

or google "hacking knife" - it's an electrician's tool with soft 1/4" spine designed to be beat through things.
 
That's almost kind of what I want, but I still need a point sometimes, and I don't want to completely lose finesse in favor of coarseness.
 
Mora Eriksson 511 is my choice, Also hultafors carpenters knife is a choice or their heavy duty knife for thicker stock.
 
Find someone who has relatives in Sweden or are going there for the holidays.
Ask them to get you a bunch of Mora knives. The plastic handled ones are about 5 bucks each and can be found in any DIY store.

A Mora knife is never sharpened. When it gets dull you just discard it and take a new one. Dull Moras can be used to clear weed, stir paint or just torture them to death.
 
BW, you won't go wrong with a Mora. I've got one in my shop that gets used all the time. You might also troll $5 through a flea market when you get a chance. Every garage should have a can of junk that might come in handy. No need to pry open paint with a knife when you have a church key or old chisel in the junk can.
 
utility_knife.jpg
to supplement your edc pocket knife when you're cutting something that will otherwise wreck your edge.

Can't say I'd dedicate a fixed blade knife to garage duty, much easier and cheaper to replace worn utility blades than to fix the edge every day.
 
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