Need a fixed blade

r redden

r redden

Joined
May 23, 2015
Messages
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I want to buy my son a new knife and he wants/needs a good fixed blade. This knife will be heavily used for cutting brush for trail blazing, feild dressing animals up to and including white tail deer and general in the woods food duties. He is not a kid he is a 40 year old man that is an avid outdoorsman. I would like to stay around $200 for this purchase but if necessary I wil go higher. I know and collect folders but never had fixed blades to know how well different brands and models preform. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
sorry, can't help you there, i would probably suggest the usual supects anyways (and since i am from europe start it off with enzo trapper and fällkniven).
i just wanted to spare a moment and tell you that i think that this is a really nice move from you.
 
Please check out JK Handmade subforum in my sig line.

John (the maker) can make just about anything you can dream up.
Hes making a knife for my sons birthday in September, and even has my sons initials stamped into the blade.

Check out the picture thread over there to see all the different styles and whatnot.

In my opinion, a custom handmade knife is much more meaningful than a mass production blade.
And his price point on a blade that big is right on par with what your wanting to spend.
 
You need a chopper & a skinner,
Svord kiwi machete & economy curved skinner, or golok & deluxe skinner
Svord%20Curved%20Skinner%20-%205.75%20Inches%20-%20Mahogany%20Handle%20Model%20%20677BB%20copy.jpg
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http://www.svord.com/index.php
 
My favorite fixed blades are Esee and Becker. Both have several models in your price range that may work well.
 
r redden said:
I want to buy my son a new knife and he wants/needs a good fixed blade. This knife will be heavily used for cutting brush for trail blazing, feild dressing animals up to and including white tail deer and general in the woods food duties. He is not a kid he is a 40 year old man that is an avid outdoorsman. I would like to stay around $200 for this purchase but if necessary I wil go higher. I know and collect folders but never had fixed blades to know how well different brands and models preform. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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$200 budget for a field dressing knife, perfect :D

Take a look at Bark River's offerings. They're available in a gazillion handle material options, with as many blade styles as you can think of. I prefer the more militant Bravo series - the Gunny would make a perfect field dressing knife, but there are more traditional designs as well like the Fox River.

BRKT has a great warranty, if you somehow damage the knife, or just get it dirty and scratched, send it in and they will return it to you looking like new for the cost of shipping. Their knives also have character, lots of it, especially the wood handled knives.
 
I would pick something along the lines of becker... Preferably BK2.
Its get the job done and you will save some $$
 
I would second the recommendation of two different knives. An inexpensive machete like the Svord mentioned will do an absolutely bang up job of bushwhacking and clearing brush without eating into your budget too much. That leaves a good chunk of money for a smaller knife to field dress game and do camp kitchen duty.
 
Insipid Moniker said:
I would second the recommendation of two different knives. An inexpensive machete like the Svord mentioned will do an absolutely bang up job of bushwhacking and clearing brush without eating into your budget too much. That leaves a good chunk of money for a smaller knife to field dress game and do camp kitchen duty.
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I agree. I prefer two very different knives for field dressing game/camp chores and "clearing brush". I would recommend a combo, Mora Bushcraft Black and BK9 or BK7.
 
The Becker and ESEE knives have attractive shapes, but they're 1095. While I personally like this steel, it rusts easily and the unfortunate consequence is the blades get painted or powder coated. In my opinion, this lowers the value below what I would want to give as a gift. A person willing to make the commitment to carbon steel doesn't want it painted. It can be removed, but I would prefer to give a gift that is ready to be presented. A person not willing to care for unpainted carbon steel is better off with stainless.

The Sandvik steel blades would be a good choice. Falkniven's F1 is the most popular general purpose shape, but the H1 may be better for skinning and dressing game. The S1 and A1 are bigger which make them my personal preference. The Morakniv are also excellent, but probably too far below your target value. Instead, consider a Helle Puukko.

440C is another good choice for a stainless general purpose knife. Boker makes some Integral hunters at the higher end of your target value, but has more choices from their Arbolito subsidiary that are outstanding values. The Arbolito stag hunter in N695 fits the bill, as does the more contemporary-looking Buffalo Soul series. The Relincho and Venador are also beautiful.
 
I wouldn't worry about clearing brush with the knife. Personally, I've used a Case pocket whittler to blaze a trail through thin willows and didn't have a problem. My Morakniv would have only done a little better. Condor makes nice machetes but a machete isn't as good a gift as a knife. Besides, North American brush tends to have a lot more lignin than is typical of the equatorial regions. It's woody. I believe for wrist-thick wood brush, a Bahco laplander saw is the best thing you can fit in your pocket. A bow saw is even better.
 
I've been using this Bradley Bowie for everything in the wilderness and I am extremely pleased with it. It's carbon steel and fairly easy to sharpen. It holds it's edge very well. It throws sparks from my ferro rod like crazy. It slices through meet with ease and processes wood efficiently. It's not the best for chopping but because it is so perfectly balanced in the hand (and the handle is soooo comfortable) you can use it hard for a long time without any hot spots.
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Good advice above regarding 2 different knives.

I'd get him a good smaller knife for field dressing/skinning/camp duties. I like a 4-5" drop point style for these tasks. Something in the 5" range has room to engrave too.

No opinion from me on a brush cutting blade, I have no experience with them.

Good luck,
AJ
 
Get him a BK4 for clearing brush. You will still have enough money left to get something nice for the smaller work. Lots of good options out there.
 
If you want good looks, quality, USA production, and money savings, look at Hess knives. I bought this one for $87. It comes with an excellent sheath.

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