Small fixed blade recommendation under 4

J_mcrane

J_mcrane

Joined
Dec 7, 2013
Messages
580
Ok, I'm looking for feedback here. I'm trying to find the perfect small fixed blade. I own a swamprat rodent solution. Great ergos and steel but too thick and heavy at .18. Owned a esee 3 but wanted more. Issues with scales too small and finger choir.

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I'm looking for a knife to take hiking/camping with belly enough for field dressing game as well as general outdoor related tasks.

Here are the parameters.

3.25-4.00 in length
Under 6 oz for total weight of knife
No large finger choil
No blade coating.
Higher end steels.
.15 or less.
Production or semi production
Under $300

Possible solutions:
Gso 3.5 (when released)
Fiddleback forge kephart
Carothers edc (when released)
Scrapyard scrapmax


What else is out there?what do you like?


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I like the Bark River gunny hunter for actually using when skinning game. As for EDC I'm currently carrying a sweet little Childress and Bark River Bravo EDC


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Check out some of the Spyderco Mule Teams...secondary market tho'..plenty of steel choices ..scales are not standard equip..
 
I think the enzo trapper fits those criteria. Not sure if it's your cup of tea. Blade is 3 7/8 in, weight depends on handle material, but I think it's under 6oz. No choil, no coating. Thickness I think is right at .15. Comes scandi or flat ground. Variety of steel choices, O1, M2, D2, N690, Elmax. Choice of handle of handle materials.
 
These are the knives I own that may fit your criteria. My favorites are the Mini-Aurora and UL-Bushcrafter, but if you are looking for something with a little more belly, maybe the Lil-Canadian or Fox River LT? The Northstar EDC is also a great general purpose knife...I'm obviously biased towards Barkies...

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I have to say Childress custom ! I don't have one but if I had more cash I would have many. He offers smaller fixed blades all the time and the designs always look decent if not perfect. I have also always liked the Bradford models but why not go custom for the money.
 
If you are not happy with what you have after studying before buying it then chances are you will not be happy whit anything we recommend. The trick is to go out and use it not just hold it and then say its no good.

Get a KA-BAR MKI and actually use it and then try to learn from it as to what you need next.
 
I personally don't like the Guardian because of the large choil. I have small hands, and choils aren't that comfortable in my hand, or useful for my purposes. If the handle is properly shaped (like the BRKT Mini-Aurora), a choil is redundant in my opinion. A choil also significantly raises the weight/(cutting length) ratio, which means you get less blade for the weight. The Guardian only has a 3" cutting edge, despite it's 3.5" blade...
 
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strategy9 said:
Arno Bernard
Kudu
Wasp
Jackal
Wolverine

All have minimal to no choil.
Click to expand...

I've been looking at Arno Bernard on KSF, and the Mammoth Molar handles look amazing! I've been hesitant to purchase one because I think that 3V would stand up to occasional batoning better than N690, but I really don't know. At least their choils eat halfway into the handle, resulting in longer cutting edges... Their sheaths are so ugly, though... didn't the distressed look go out with the 1990s?
 
RedCollie said:
These are the knives I own that may fit your criteria. My favorites are the Mini-Aurora and UL-Bushcrafter, but if you are looking for something with a little more belly, maybe the Lil-Canadian or Fox River LT? The Northstar EDC is also a great general purpose knife...I'm obviously biased towards Barkies...

x6PnAGul.jpg


HRkXnONl.jpg


LW57C2el.jpg
Click to expand...

Nice ones bud:D
 
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