Oh NO! Save us from..."Another request for advice on a fixed blade knife"

D

DarkWing

Joined
Aug 23, 2008
Messages
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Greetings everyone, i'm a new member and a first time poster.

I'm wondering if i could have your advice on a fixed blade knife.

I've been reading posts and doing research on steel types blade sizes and on and on and feel like i need some first hand advice. Now, whenever a person asks for a recommendation, i notice experienced users of all sorts of bladed tools come back with "what exaclty will you be using it for!?" So...

What i'm using it for: Skinning and butchering animals of all sizes, wittling and making other tools. Any kind of bushcraft you can think of. However when i have my fixed blade knife around i will also have a khukri, a leatherman wave, and a full sized axe, so my fixed blade doesn't have to fill those roles. There is a Very small possiblity of one day needing to defend myself against an animal with it (four legged variety not two).

My questions: 1) Recommended model and length and style? 2) Recommended steel? No stainless please unless it's laminated onto carbon steel. I won't be using it at the ocean really and though i will use it hard, i to also take care of my knives. Still, I live in a very humid climate so some rust resistance is important. 3) Price between 100 and 200$, lower the better but quality important. Would prefer custom but if production then something with natural material scales. Blade length no longer than 6 inches, shorter very acceptable if it does the job well.

Thanks in advance and if you have the time and inclination, check out my other recommendation request in the Himalayan Imports section.

Regards,
Daniel
 
Bark River Aurora:
AfricanBlackwoodSolid.jpg


Comes in several handle materials, the more exotic ones will run over $200.
4.5" blade of O-1 tool steel (Not stainless). Comes with a nice leather sheath with firesteel loop.
IMO the ideal woodscraft knife.
 
Man the worlds your oyster, Breeden knives, Stomper, Fiddleback, Koyote etc, etc take ya pick !!!!

You can't go wrong with any of em !!!!!
 
For skinning, I might choose a blade with more belly like maybe a 4" RAT in D2. Not stainless, but close enough. Tough steel. Nice design. (I own a RAT3 from Ontario and from what I've read here the new ones not made by Ontario are great.)

I'm not all too familiar with the blades made by the various forumites on here, but many of them look like they'd fit the bill with ease. Do a little poking around here to see what others actually use.
 
somthing like this?
2751795640_5e4228d01d.jpg

a koyote bushcrafter in flame osage. i havent used it to butcher game but i am sure it would be up to it.
 
Welcome to the forums.

www.fiddlebackforge.com Strong and thin blades. Cuts like a champ.
Hard to find, but not impossible, keep your eye on the forsale forums.


Nessmuk
outt052.jpg


Bushcraft series. Plenty of belly on these blades
survivaltrip147.jpg


Gossman

WTK or PSK senior

Here's the WTK
laketrip044.jpg


Koyote Knives
Leukku Buscraft
outt058.jpg


Breeden knives

Pathfinder model is a popular one. Sorry I don't have that one:o... yet

JK Knives
DP knives
Wilderness model 1/8th thick
or Outdoorsman model

David Farmer. Excellent and scary sharp

These are just a few, there are a bunch of Makers here that will meet and exceed your expectations.:thumbup:

Can't go wrong with BRKT either:thumbup:
 
Making tools and skinning animals are very different tasks. I love my Doziers on animals, and have snapped the tips off doing simple bushcraft work with wood.

My favorite steels for your criteria are: INFI, 52100, O1, and Carbon V (or it's many variations). There are many excellent knives in those steels, and like the previous poster said, enjoy, take the time to study.

There are many excellent knives from Busse, Swamp Rat, Marbles, Cold Steel, Scott Gossman, and Bark River, just to name a few. Try and figure out what your requirements are, that will help you knock the list down.

For me, I prefer a clip point, full/high flat grind, and Micarta. YMMV.
 
There are many good knife makers who will make sure you get your money's worth on this site. Stomper, Dp and many others make great knives at a good price. Richard J is donating half the money from any knives he sells to a very ill friend. You might help them out while picking up a great knife. For a hard use knife, Stomper makes some real tank killers. See the JK knives.
 
For your needs, I would definitely suggest a 4" blade or less, and 1/8" thick at most.

For your price range, you definitely have a lot of options, especially from the custom makers on this forum.

I would suggest you look into Scandis though, as well. They can handle all of those chores, without a problem, heck they've been doing it already for centuries.
 
Whatever you do, try a knife around 3/32-inch thich. That will whittle and slice everything!

Breeden knives and Koyote Knives made me see the light on 3/32-inch steel.
-RB
 
I sold one of the leuku pattern (straight spine) BCs this weekend to someone who fully intends to use it on elk. It was a three lanyard hole handle style, he says he ties finger loops in if it's cold.

I've got a Breeden, and they are a really good value, very solid cutters, easy to maintain the edge on, and good handle geometry.

I say go custom, JK, breeden, fiddleback are all makers I've handled and are all excellent. (I've handled mine, but I'd be biased talking about them)

If budget is a serious issue, my personal suggestion would be to look at moras and whatever else ragnar has floating around. But if you can afford around a $100 knife you can probably work out something with a BF maker
 
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Thanks everyone for all your replies!

I have learned a lot and also seen some very beautiful knives (hey, how else can you describe them) on the custom knife sale pages and on the links you provided.

What i've come to is a 4" blade, 1/8" thick, in carbon steel (still fexible on which one), natural material scales, and I want it to have a very high hardness: Rc61 or there abouts. That probably means differentially tempered or laminated. Flat grind. Is that what it's called? Like on the knives Frosts puts out. Any suggestions or comments on the knife these specs make? Yeah i know i left out blade profile but i figure i know that when i see it.

Stingray mentioned Scandinavian knives. Like Frosts I take it. And yeah I LOVE those. I can never get over how great my little Frosts Mora knife feels and how well it works. I'm playing with it right now actually ;) One thing those guys haven't seemed to get 'right' though (IMO), is their sheaths. Why do they make such a great knife and then put it into a sheath that looks like it came from a dollar store?

So...Does anyone make custom sheaths for knives should i go that direction?

Thaks again all,
D
 
I'd recommend a custom, but that's just me.

Here's one a friend of mine did for me in A2 steel and GCM (3.5" blade) ((Edited to show a sheath pic, since you mentioned it):

DSCF3459.jpg


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And, here's a Koyote bushcrafter in 15n20 with dymondwood scales:

koyoteknife.jpg
 
I'm pretty new here myself, and haven't had much chance (read that to be "finances")
to check out other custom makers, but I have managed to get some fine knives
made by knife makers on the forum here

Nick Allen makes a very nice knife. 5" blade (2nd down)
The Bushcraft (3rd down) and the Nessmuk (4th down) by Dan Koster
are also excellent.
Each of these knives was less than $200.00, well within your budget.

Kit012---Medium.jpg
 
I believe the mora grind is a scandi grind not a flat grind.

In that case check out Dan Koster bushcraft. I recommend 3V for the steel if you go with a Koster, but I think he makes it in O1 as well.
Knife on right
customs007.jpg



I would not count out a convex grind knife though. Like a Fiddle back Bushcraft jr or Gossman PSK senior or WTK model
 
Bryan Breeden is great to work with. He will ask the right questions to be sure he makes the knife you want. You seldom hear anything about his sheaths but they are nice and Bryan offers several models for around $100.
 
I second Nick Allen as a fantastic maker. For a good price, he'll whip you up a first-class knife. He will make you a 4" version of his "forum knife", which would seem to fit your bill just about to a "T".
 
BTW. the barkr iver aurora is A2.
I would suggest something from barkriver.
they have SO many different models, one is bound to meet your criteria perfectly. (and most do)

A canadian special would be perfect, in all honesty.

If you want something custom though, other people have offered some great suggestions, however Bark river knives will not lack in quality and performance that is for sure!
:D
 
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