NEED small 4'' fixed blade

There is a wide rane of knives out there especialy when you get to Scandi's as well there are the Frosts Bris Helle and Eriksson not to mention Isaac Jaarva.
I deal in a number of the scandi lines and recievve a lot of good feedback on them perhaps what I hear most is that the knife is incredible for the price. take your time making your selection of which knife you want but I guess it is safe to be sre that this won't be your only knife it is easy to get hooked.... :)

http://home.cogeco.ca/~aelias/

Abe
 
For cheap price, the Moras are tough to beat. Check out the Swedish Army Knife (SWAK) and/or the tri-flex steel Craftsman or Tradesman from Ragnar's Ragweed Forge as the others recommended. At the price of Mora knives, for less than your $70 limit you can get two or three & stash the lightweight little fellas throughout your gear with bucks left over.

However, my primary recommendation is another vote for the Swamp Rat Knifeworks blades. For just a few bucks more than your $70 limit I recommend the Howling Rat, even though it has a 4.5" blade. I have one and it is a bombproof-tough blade. The handle ergo's are very good. Resiprene-C handle material doesn't get "slippery when wet" & is impervious to many chemicals (including DEET which eats kraton handles badly). The blade on the Howling Rat has a decent slicing geometry. The blade is made from 3/16" thick hi-carbon steel. It's not as optimized for slicing as the Moras, but it does cut well and is many times more durable. As noted, the Swamp Rat warranty is top notch, i.e. "If you break it, we'll replace it." Check out Cliff Stamp's review of the Howler here:
http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/knives/howling_rat.html

Alternatively, check out the Swamp Rat Bandicoot or Bog Dog models, both with 4.5" blades. The 'coot has a narrower blade (spine-to-edge dimension) in their SR101 steel, which is a tweeked version of 52100 hi-carbon. The Bog Dog is 1/8" thick D2 with an amazing amount of toughness for a stainless type steel. Check out the pics & report of Swamp Rat D2 blade torture testing here:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=322561

Becker Knife & Tool model BK-10 Crewman from Camillus is another decently tough & versatile blade. But its blade is 5.5" long, so it too is a bit longer than your stated 4" blade specification. The BK-10 costs about $40 from Bayou LaFourche Knifeworks.

A few other makers whose blades might suit your size & price range:
- Kabar
- Ontario
- Cold Steel, especially their factory seconds
- Ranger Knives from Justin Gingrich
 
Is this going to be your only knife. What else are you planning on carrying, a hatchet or axe? This could be something to consider IMHO.
 
I have a Swamp Rat Bandicoot that I thinned the edge out on my Edgepro. It will outcut my Mora's hands down, and hold an edge much longer. It is a strong little knife, I have no doubt that it would be almost as strong as a Howling Rat, which is next on my "to get" list.
 
elvenbladesmith07,

Please email me with pics of the knives you make. I like customs. parang1@comcast.net (sorry to snag the thread)

There have been a lot of good knives listed. My personal favorite is Fallkniven F1.

Ragweedforge is a great site. I have bought a lot of stuff from him. Ask questions. I forgot the owner's name, but he is very knowledgable and very personable.

I just trades for a BRK Highland and I love it. It might even become my new favorite. Now I sound like my kids.....
 
Originally Posted by elvenbladesmith07
how about a custom caveman? im always looking to make a few bucks ;)

Originally Posted by bishop85gt
What would that be?
Click to expand...

That would be a grammatical faux pas. ;) With capitalization and punctuation in place it would be, "How about a custom, Caveman?" In other words, "Would you like me to make a custom knife for you?"

(edit to add) Lostcaveman, Another small fixed blade that fits inside your parameters is the Benchmade model 180 Outbounder. Surprisingly, it is a small blade that never seems to make the "here's my recommendation" lists here on BFC. It is on sale for $69 at: http://www.impactguns.com/store/bench_180_out.html

Features of the 180 Outbounder
Blade Length: 3.75"
Blade Thickness: 0.12"
Blade Material: 440C
Blade Hardness: 58-60
Blade Style: Drop Point
Weight: 3.22oz.
Lock Mechanism: Fixed
Overall Length: 7.5"
Sheath Material: Full Grain Leather
 
Any recommendations for one that is 4'' full tang and carbon steel, price range, scandi grind, and not a plastic handle, up to $60? And also with a slight gaurd.
 
grant4353 said:
Any recommendations for one that is 4'' full tang and carbon steel, price range, scandi grind, and not a plastic handle, up to $60? And also with a slight gaurd.
Click to expand...

You could go to www.queencutlerycollectors.com and look at the 4100 Pro's. They are full tang D-2. One comes with an oak handle. It will cost you under $60 with shipping.

The grind on the 4100's is full flat with a micro bevel - actually the most common grind on knives from Scandinavia. (That's right, the "zero bevel" "scandi grind" is very much in the minority on knives made in Scandinavian countries, but what do they know at Helle, Issaki, EKA, Fallkniven, etc.? :rolleyes: ) It could easily be made into a weaker edge "scandi grind" by sharpening it into a "zero-edge." Just lay it flat on the stone and grind until there is no final bevel. Won't take long because the final bevel is pretty small.
 
The "Scandi grind" is said to be best for wood-carving. Yet my wife's grandfather and greatgrandfather were both professional wood-carvers at the highest level (custom wood-work in rail cars for the rich). I have some of their knives -- German, English and USA made. Every one has a final mirco bevel - mostly convex. Not one is a "Scandi grind."
 
Ok, when I said scandi grind I just met one like my mora....if it has a secondary bevel, then fine.

What do you think of the scandi pack pal? What's a mortised tang?
 
grant4353 said:
Ok, when I said scandi grind I just met one like my mora....if it has a secondary bevel, then fine.

What do you think of the scandi pack pal? What's a mortised tang?
Click to expand...

The term "Scandi grind" is used to describe a knife edged in a certain way. A single flat bevel on each forms an angle to create the edge. The bevels may start at the back of the knife ("flat ground blade") on each side or may start at a line intermediate between the edge and the back ("saber ground blade"). It is sharpened by laying each bevel flat against the stone. The Mora 2000 I bought is not a "Scandi grind," having arrived with a micro final (or "secondary") bevel on each side, but folks insist that they have "Mora" knives that came with a "Scandi grind," and they should know.

Alan Blade makes nice knives. I have a "Scandi Pack Pal." It's a nice knife. I have convexed the edge to strengthen it. Takes and holds a nice edge. Hard to beat the price.

A mortised tang is a tang set into a slot cut in the handle to accept the tang. I have seen both totally hidden tangs and tangs with only one edge visable called "mortised tangs." The tang is not "full" or "full length." See also "blind tang."
 
lostcaveman said:
The Helle's any good?
Click to expand...

Helle has a good reputation. I am pretty happy with the two I have. Both are laminated SS. They feel good in the hand, came very sharp, and seem to hold an edge well. They look good - to me at least. Like "Mora" knives, the blades are relatively thin, which makes them good cutters but no sort of "sharpened prybar."
 
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