Small fixed blades - underrated and underutilized for edc.

I like that new one.

Horsewright said:
Got a new one my own self. The smaller one is the one being retired. Both are 26C3 high carbon steel at 64RC. Both are also handled in sheep-horn:

yHV1jW8.jpg


B3KQzWb.jpg


MjtNwjJ.jpg
Click to expand...
 
I remember a couple of years ago when some YouTuber was saying how useless small " fixed blades " were when you can have more blade in a knife that folds and just about everyone who commented agreed with them.
Everyone except me because I don't need a lot of blade so the point is completely lost on me.
I like small belt knives and they're the only kind of one handed knife for me.
 
Dug up some more personal small fixed blade examples:

7SpvZE7l.jpg

Left hand column from the top: Blind Horse knives, LT Wright Frontier First, Bark River Mini Canadian, Busse Combat Game Warden, T.M. Hunt Hogua.
Right hand column from the top: LT Wright Patriot, ESEE CR 2.5, Smith & Sons Bandit, Busse Combat Magnum Bear Cub, Black Roc Knives Small Bushcrafter.
All of these are currently leather hip carry.

J5c2SsRl.jpg

Left hand column from top: Fehrman Knives Necker, TOPS Knives Ferret, Survive!Knives Necker, TOPS Knives MSK 2.5, Fletcher Knives Pro 6.5, ESEE Knives Izula 2.
Right hand column from the top: Blind Horse Knives Frontier Valley, D.W. Childress necker, Blind Horse Knives Brumby Lite, TOPS Knives Baja 3.0, Jarret Flemming Skinner, ESEE Knives Izula.
These are a mix of kydex/plastic and leather carry.
 
Hurrul Hurrul I really like the fact that you listed the names/models of your knives. So many don't. If something catches my eye that I am not familiar with and like the looks of, I want to know what it is. Of those, the LT Wright Patriot is on my consideration list. I own a number of those already, the factory stuff.
 
22-rimfire said:
Hurrul Hurrul I really like the fact that you listed the names/models of your knives. So many don't. If something catches my eye that I am not familiar with and like the looks of, I want to know what it is. Of those, the LT Wright Patriot is on my consideration list. I own a number of those already, the factory stuff.
Click to expand...
Good pt. Will edit my earlier post when I am on my laptop :thumbsup:
 
22-rimfire said:
Hurrul Hurrul I really like the fact that you listed the names/models of your knives. So many don't. If something catches my eye that I am not familiar with and like the looks of, I want to know what it is. Of those, the LT Wright Patriot is on my consideration list. I own a number of those already, the factory stuff.
Click to expand...
I have a Patriot, it's a nice little EDC type knife but the handle is perhaps a drop small for true comfort in the hand. I also wish it had a lanyard hole.
 
22-rimfire said:
Hurrul Hurrul I really like the fact that you listed the names/models of your knives. So many don't. If something catches my eye that I am not familiar with and like the looks of, I want to know what it is. Of those, the LT Wright Patriot is on my consideration list. I own a number of those already, the factory stuff.
Click to expand...
Me as well - if it's intriguing to me, just knowing the name of the maker at least, is helpful. Like wise I want to be helpful to others on this forum.

I believe from some of your past posts, you like spear shaped (more dramatic drop point) blade profiles. The Patriot has that and is why I picked one up. I have over time, come to prefer knives with less and less belly and more spine drop to the tip.

As noted by Pomsbz in post #194, the handle is a bit of a squeeze for big hands. I can fit my smallish to medium hands in a four finger grip, but I lucked out with my Patriot in that it was a one off with really thick liners and it made the handle pretty fat and easier to hold onto.

Still I would pick up another, even with a thinner handle. DLT has some in AEB-L steel and I have grown more intrigued by this steel in the last year and a half.
 
The two I'm abusing today. Please excuse the crappy background, I needed something flat :p

Top is an Enzo/Brisa Trapper 115 in 12C27 with the full flat grind. Not a DIY blade blank this time, this one was purchased with the G10 scales already on there - had to sand it to my liking though, as the relatively blocky shape with ~120° edges hurt my hand. Now it's fully rounded over on both the back and front and fits my hand like a glove. I've batoned this thing through a whole bunch of hard wood and used it for a whole lot of firemaking and food prep...

Bottom is my latest budget toy - an FH41. I know they're not very well regarded in this forum due to Ganzo's history of ripping off designs, but this one is a winner in my eyes. Very thin behind the edge OOTB, well executed flipper and lockup, and very comfortable in hand.

MWawHKe.jpg



Why a fixed blade in addition to the folder? That's pretty easy - I like a fixed blade for food prep and woodworking. That means lunch or a walk through the woods and a bit of whittling during my lunch break, I'll usually be using the fixed. The folder is used more as a utility knife - single cut to open a package, remove a ziptie, clean a 3D print, trim heatshrink...
 
bemymonkey said:
... Enzo/Brisa Trapper 115 in 12C27 with the full flat grind. Not a DIY blade blank this time, this one was purchased with the G10 scales already on there - had to sand it to my liking though, as the relatively blocky shape with ~120° edges hurt my hand. Now it's fully rounded over on both the back and front and fits my hand like a glove. I've batoned this thing through a whole bunch of hard wood and used it for a whole lot of firemaking and food prep...

Bottom is my latest budget toy - an FH41. I know they're not very well regarded in this forum due to Ganzo's history of ripping off designs, but this one is a winner in my eyes. Very thin behind the edge OOTB, well executed flipper and lockup, and very comfortable in hand. ...
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing on the Enzo. I've looked at a few of their fixed blades but haven't pulled the trigger.

Coincidentally, I did some sanding on my FH41. Like some of their other knives, the inner scale edges benefited from chamfering. Unfortunately, the blade edge gets a little close to the scale edge when closed. While chamfering those scale edges made the knife more comfortable in hand, now it's easier to get a fingertip on the blade edge when closed.
 
Whoops, I actually posted this in the wrong thread (was going for the fixed blade folder combo thread) - but I guess the Enzo fits here as well - I actually carry in my front right jeans pocket when I'm not feeling a folder, so I'd still count it as "small". Otherwise it just gets stashed in an inner jacket pocket.


I'd wholeheartedly recommend all the Trapper 95 and 115s if you like a full flat grind or scandi. The Elmax versions are a particular treat, because you can grind them SUPER thin behind the edge with minimal risk of chipping. The 95 in Elmax pictured below goes through wood like a rabid beaver...

Size comparison with the Trapper 95 in Elmax and N690:
04OThXC.jpg


And again in the pocket sheaths I use for them:
0CTNIPE.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top