Small, pocketable fixed blades for the woods

tknife

tknife

Joined
Mar 18, 1999
Messages
9,966
Does anyone routinely carry a fixed blade with a 3" or smaller blade with them? Most of the shorts and pants I wear hiking have a narrow pocket on the side that I like to carry a small knife in. Usually it has been either my NWA Stinger or a Becker EsKabar. I find them extremely handy and use them for all kinds of cutting while a full sized knife stays tucked in my pack. I finally pulled the trigger on a BHK Bushbaby after wanting one for a long time, can't wait to try it out. (I chose the Scandi version since I've been leaning toward those lately) Anyway, just wondering if anyone else finds a lot of use in smaller blades. Also anyone with a Bushbaby, how do ya like it?
 
Hey T,
I had a bush baby. Its a great carver and comfy in the hand but heavy and bulky for the pocket, unless you get the thin scales on it. I often carry a Gossman PSK with micarta scales or a Koster WSS knife which is one of my favorites in terms of versatility, portability and utility.
 
Hmm yeah I was wondering if it might be a little heavy to carry in my pocket. Can't have my pants coming down on one side :D I've seen folks wearing them as neck knives, but I never could get used to wearing even a really light knife like that.
 
I have a Michael Morris Pocket Filer knife as my EDC.

It has a 2.5" blade so it is compliant wherever I go.

I LOVE it.

-Stan
 
my favorite pocket blade is the izula 2. I have a bush baby and it's a great knife also. maybe a tad on the big side for pocket carry but I suppose that is subjective.
 
I routinely carry a small FB just about everywhere for normal EDC uses. But yes, I do have a small FB that I use primarily for hiking & camping carry. It's a BRK mini-Fox River. I've used it for a year or so now and it's been a good choice for me. Work in the warehouse or around the home place is usually a BRK Little Creek or an Izula 2 or soon, a BK11 (in the mail). Fancier stuff gets a BRK City Knife.
 
I really like short-ish blades. I have an Izula which is a great little knife (second version looks even better to me, but it wasn't out when I bought mine). Currently my favorite short knife is a Koster Woodlore PSK (wrapped in hemp chord, (got the idea while looking at Mr. Marchands fantastic knives!)). It's very comfortable to carry. Hope to find one with handles on it some day!
I have seen pics of the bush baby, very good and functional looking knife. Curious to hear how it handles once you have it.

To me it is extremly important that the handle size stays large (long). I don't care much for 3 finger knives or short handles.

Best regards,

l.

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Yes, one of my favorite knives for years has been the Schrade Sharpfinger. It is generally small enough to not get in the way until needed, but large enough to do most chores I need a knife for. Schrade went under in 2004, but a million or more were made between 1974 and 2004, so they are still plentiful in every condition from used to new in the box. I can still buy them as often as I want (I also research and collect the pattern) for about the same price as their last MSRP eight years ago (excluding the more uncommon variants). The 2004 catalog price was $37.95.
 
I have big paws so I am limited in the size of small knives I can carry. I only have three "small" fixed blades that I carry. Two Gossmans, one UNK and one micro Kephart. I also have the small Hackman Tapio Wirkalla (got the big one, about the size of the Cold Steel Sisu, too, and yep, got a Sisu). My Wirkalla was well used when I got it, and is carried as a neck knife. Perfect for carry, I'm getting Scott Gossman to make a similar sheath for my UNK. I carry all three in the pocket sometimes.

These aren't my pics or my knives...

small Hackman Tapio Wirkall
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One of Scott's pics, mine is 440C, fat natural micarta scales
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Couldn't find any pics of a micro Kephart, looks like I need to post some pics! Mine is A2 with cocobolo scales. Probably my favorite to carry of all three.
 
Yep I carry an Izula 2 a lot though lately I've been gravitating toward a medium thin stock knife. Time will tell but I may go back to the Izzy in the summer.
 
I carry an Izula usually everywhere I go. I got a small Condor for Chrsitmas, too. I have neck carried that on and off since then, it's been my most used (small) fixed blade in that time. Very discrete.
 
The ML in the middle on this pic is probably my favourite pocket blade, slightly too heavy for a Necker !

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I recently got a neat Alan Davis misery whip edc knife. I have been toting it around in a two slot hip pocket sheath that it shares with a Vic Spirit multitool. It is pretty handy for the light duty stuff.
 
The Bark River Mini Canadian. Super sharp and a sheath by Azwelke here on the forum.
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I much prefer to keep my Leatherman Juice S2 for my every day knife and pocket knife when hiking. The tools on it are minimal in that it doesn't have everything and the kitchen sink and its smaller in size than any full size Leatherman yet still big enough to be sturdy (unlike their tiny squirts) and it has enough tools to tackle most minor repairs. The full size scissors are perfect for cutting gauze and moleskin too for trail use.

I also keep a fixed blade for a sturdy larger edge when needed. I've gone through several of these and now have a Koster BushMaster to fill this niche.
 
I had this idea of a small fixed blade to carry and was deciding between these 3 customs and a DR paring knife. I traded the Koyote on the right (great knife, tho) and will probably trade or sell the Koster in the middle. The one on the left is the one I carry... a Mentor's Scandi from JK Knives (John Keidasch). He's awesome to deal with. Great experience and a great blade!

(I bought the other 2 on the secondary market, so haven't dealt with Koster or Koyote directly).

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Here's a crappy pic I took the other day. Somehow my reflection and the light make the bevel look weird, but at least it's out in the woods! lol
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Here's the cheapo that got beat out
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