Rugged & Durable Fixed Blades

snwbrdr202

snwbrdr202

Gold Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2009
Messages
4,206
Hey fellas hows it going? I am looking for a new fixed blade knife for all purpose outdoor woodscraft/survival purposes. I love the look and feel of Micarta on a 7'' plus blade. My considerations so far have been TOPS Knives, RAT Cutlery, Ontario Cutlery, and Ranger Knives. Can anyone else provide some recommendations? I am trying to stay away from 1095's and the related, as I live in a pretty humid area and my house location is considered swamp land. Thanks guys, I will look at any & all recommendations!

-Brendan
 
Re-post in the WSS forum. They'll have all kind of suggestions:thumbup:--KV
 
There's nothing wrong with any maker you listed. If I had to choose from those it would be Ranger Knives preferably from Justin. I have several and have never been disappointed with any one of them. I just got one of the Ontario Rangers but have not used it much. Fit and finish are good I just need to see how it will perform.
 
Yup, those are some great choices. If you're trying to stay away from carbon steel, however, you might take a look at Fallkniven or the like. Not micarta but quality blades.

Fallkniven_Knives_A1_SURVIVAL_KNIFE_GROUP.jpg
 
RC4 is the way to go for ya! If you want a big dog... Look at the Becker BK9 or BK7..
 
Last edited:
Wouldn't be afraid at all to use 1095 or 01 in a humid environment. I've used my RC-3 and a couple 01 customs regularly as fishing knives, and with a little care there's never been a problem. RC-6 would be a suggestion if you're looking for something close to the 7-inch range. I don't know of too many knives that size, as I rarely use anything that big. Just wanted to make the point that you shouldn't count high-carbon steels out just because of water. Especially if you go with a coated blade, that will help a lot.
 
A couple more makers to consider- Busse, Bark River and Fehrman.
Busse uses INFI, which is not technically a stainless, but is pretty darned close. For the ultimate hard-use, big-honkin' knife, stain-resistant, micarta-handled goodness- get a Battle Mistress. I triple dog dare you to break one.

My current favorite 7" knife is Bark River's Bravo 2. It's basically a nice, contemporized version of the KaBar. You can get it with pretty much any type of micarta handle you want. The steel is very tough, but it's A2, so it takes some maintenance if you don't want it to rust. Bark River has a ton of other knives that you might be interested in, they're well worth checking out.

Fehrman is similar to Busse, except they use 3V instead of INFI. 3V is very tough, but not as corrosion resistant as INFI.

If you want a 7" knife that is tough and CANNOT rust, check out Spyderco's Rock Salt. It has a FRN handle, but you could remove it and slap some micarta on pretty easily.
http://www.spydercollector.nl/upload/Amsterdammeet2008/SpydercoAdam2008_RockSalt.jpg

Good luck!
 
moonwilson said:
My current favorite 7" knife is Bark River's Bravo 2. It's basically a nice, contemporized version of the KaBar. You can get it with pretty much any type of micarta handle you want. The steel is very tough, but it's A2, so it takes some maintenance if you don't want it to rust. Bark River has a ton of other knives that you might be interested in, they're well worth checking out.
Click to expand...

totally agree.

the bravo-2 is a fine knife. great blade length, tons of handle options. A2 from my experience is fairly rust resistant with a minimal care.

also these things are scary sharp, and its not too hard to maintain.

my vote is for the bravo-2 :D
 
Yeah, high carbon steel shouldn't be a problem, especially if you're planning on using it often. You'll just have to care for it properly, which should really be done anyway despite the type of steel.
 
Wow thanks guys. There are some beautiful knives out there...such a hard decision! I really appreciate everyone's input - I have looked at just about every manufacturer/knife maker you have listed. Its a shame I can't feel them in my hand before buying, but I'm sure I won't be disappointed either way. Thanks again.
 
I got caught up the side of a mountain yesterday (yeah, for reference spring is a BAD time to try it. In like a lion is right. :eek:) and things were incredibly damp with melting snow and ice and rivers and crap everywhere. My RC-3 helped get me out safely (clearing dangerous obstructions that could have made me lose balance etc) and it got soaked in the process (it was also raining HARD). I had stripped the coating from my RC-3 and blued it, but the bluing had rubbed off during batoning. In spite of this the blade showed no signs of rust today, even on the edge and uncoated areas. 1095 takes a little extra care, but it's not going to turn into a pile of rust if it gets wet here and there. :)
 
I just got a BK2 and let me tell you...NUKE PROOF! 1/4" thick and weighs a pound 1095...MASSIVE!
 
j williams said:
RC4 is the way to go for ya! If you want a big dog... Look at the Becker BK9 or BK7..
Click to expand...
I agree 100% & if your dead set on micarta handles there are some great guys here that you could ship the knife to & have them make & install a set for you !!!!
 
Another quick question if you guys dont mind....how are Dark Ops blades? Do they have a good reputation for quality? I know they are more military/tactical, but the look of that shadow is gorgeous! Thanks
 
Busse makes a few knives that fit your size/handle requirements. :thumbup:


As far as durability goes, they are unmatched -- check out knifetests.com :p


Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
snwbrdr202 said:
Another quick question if you guys dont mind....how are Dark Ops blades? Do they have a good reputation for quality? I know they are more military/tactical, but the look of that shadow is gorgeous! Thanks
Click to expand...

No. Do not want. :barf: They have a very very BAD reputation for quality, their designs are ludicrous even for their supposedly tactical intentions, and their marketing is worse than Cold Steel's. :eek:

Thank you for asking before jumping on one of those! We'd hate to see you get stuck with one. :D
 
For what you're asking for, my first choice would be an RC-6. They are coated, so the 1095 isn't a problem. The edge is all that's really exposed, and so long as you use the knife, and don't just let it sit in a drawer, the edge will stay fine. I live in swamp land about 11 miles from the Atlantic ocean, mine hasn't rusted.

If you want a real, balls-to-the-wall do-all knife, check out the Busse NMSFNO at the Busse Company Store
nmsfnogreenblack777.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top