Survival/Bushcraft/Work Fixed Blade

Any reason you haven't checked out the DPx HEST II and HEFT knives?

After those, the TOPS B.O.B. or the Swamp Rats are what I'd go with.
 
EChoil said:
Any reason you haven't checked out the DPx HEST II and HEFT knives?

After those, the TOPS B.O.B. or the Swamp Rats are what I'd go with.
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Don't like shapes, handles, or gimmicky features with the DPx. I really like the Survive Knives but can't find them in stock anywhere. My list is now the ESEE 6, 5, Swamp Rat RMD, or the GSO.
 
zazoola said:
Don't like shapes, handles, or gimmicky features with the DPx. I really like the Survive Knives but can't find them in stock anywhere. My list is now the ESEE 6, 5, Swamp Rat RMD, or the GSO.
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It's been mentioned a couple of times but have you considered the Becker BK16? Squirrels like 'em...

20130907_ac_0001_zpsfae6f794.jpg


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Beckerhead #42
 
zazoola said:
My list is now the ESEE 6, 5, Swamp Rat RMD, or the GSO.
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I would skip the ESEE 5 unless you plan to cut through an aircraft fuselage. It's kind of cool, but at a full 16 oz. and with 1/4" blade stock it really is a sharpened pry bar of a knife. I still think the 4 or 6 are hard to beat for the $$$. I wouldn't mind having a Ratmandu or GSO, but they are both more expensive, not immediately available, and don't come with sheaths, (unless you get lucky and find a good package deal on the exchange). Not really trying to sway you, in the end just get what you like the most. If you get one and change your mind about it, all of them should be easy to sell and get most or all of your money back.
 
zazoola said:
Don't like shapes, handles, or gimmicky features with the DPx. I really like the Survive Knives but can't find them in stock anywhere. My list is now the ESEE 6, 5, Swamp Rat RMD, or the GSO.
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I have owned the Esee 5 and 6, and currently have the GSO 6 as my go to knife. I would recommend the ESEE 6 over the ESEE 5 (The 5 is just a straight up beast), but you may want to consider the Ontario RAT 7, which as you may already know, was ESEE when they operated as RAT Cutlery and manufactured by Ontario. Same basic knife as the ESEE 6, but somewhat less expensive. The only reservation is ESEE's bomb proof warranty, which may justify the extra cost for the ESEE 6. It took me quite a while to acquire my GSO, but it really was worth the wait. Just keep scanning the Exchange here on the forum, and a GSO 5, 5.1, or 6 may pop up. Never owned a Swamp rat, or any busse or busse kin, but I never hear bad things about them. If you're looking for recommendations from your short list, I would say pull the trigger on the ESEE 6. Relatively inexpensive, great warranty, rowen manufacturing / heat treating is top notch, easy to maintain, good sheath system, and they have a full contingent of knife shapes and sizes to help you spend your money. Most everything I just stated is probably true of the Ratmandu, but as never owning one, I can't state it as fact. I will also add that I do not own an ESEE 5 or 6. The blocky handles were not to my liking, and I don't really care for the feel of aftermarket G10 scales. Still great knives, just didn't fit my hand enough for prolonged use. Good Luck.
 
Thanks Munzer! If getting the GSO or the Swamp Rat takes too long i'll probably just buy the 6.
 
Let me tempt you a little.......



Just look at that Ratmandu goodness! You wouldn't regret it.......
 
I've found a fondness for the narrower knives. Mora has made me more than happy outside. I love my Helle knives as well. Think Mora but nicer. I don't have any Fallkniven knives, but have never heard a bad thing about them. Everyone swears Bark Rivers are amazing as well, so I have to go with them on that too.

Still would say a Mora (and a ton of extra cash) or a nice Helle.
 
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Haha wow that looks beautiful, maybe I should rethink that one. Is it worth the price of buying a sheath and the wait?
 
jimh0220 said:
I've found a fondness for the narrower knives. Mora has made me more than happy outside. I love my Helle knives as well. Think Mora but nicer. I don't have any Fallkniven knives, but have never heard a bad thing about them. Everyone swears Bark Rivers are amazing as well, so I have to go with them on that too.

Still would say a Mora (and a ton of extra cash) or a nice Helle.
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I also like narrower knives, and that's why I have a Mora on it's way.
 
zazoola said:
Haha wow that looks beautiful, maybe I should rethink that one. Is it worth the price of buying a sheath and the wait?
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Absolutely.

Just pick one up off the exchange here! No wait, and prices are usually reasonable. Tons of sheath makers have Ratmandus on hand and some even have sheaths made up already.

If you check around, you won't have to wait.... And the price will be agreeable to you. If you need more info, send me a message or an email. And NO, you can't have mine! It most definitely is not for sale.
 
AntDog said:
Absolutely.

Just pick one up off the exchange here! No wait, and prices are usually reasonable. Tons of sheath makers have Ratmandus on hand and some even have sheaths made up already.

If you check around, you won't have to wait.... And the price will be agreeable to you. If you need more info, send me a message or an email. And NO, you can't have mine! It most definitely is not for sale.
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Haha no worries, I'm not going to buy yours, but how often do they pop up on the exchange?
 
My "playing in the woods" knives currently are a BHK Essiac, TOPS BOB, TOPS Dragonfly, Bravo 1 (A2) and a GSO 4.1 3V. Any of them are up to what you have described (except maybe for prying with the Dragonfly - it's made of 1/8" stock). Here are my personal observations:

Bravo: Bulletproof, super tough and super sharp. I've heard stories about BR's HT issues, but never personally experienced it. I know Mike Stewart and he will make good if you get a bad one. One of my Bravos had the so called "too thin" edge, but I never had a problem with it. As an experiment (I've always wondered ,"what If someone did this") I put a secondary flat bevel on it and that thing cuts like a laser. I've split more pieces of hickory and red oak than I can count (we heat with wood) with it and had zero chipping. I hated the square corners on the handle and the ramp, so Mr Belt Sander and I had a conversation about that. Now it is as perfect of a knife as I've ever owned. (But kinda heavy).

My other Bravo I (A2) is stock except that I also de-ramped it and knocked the sharp corners off of the handle. It performs just like the one mentioned above.

Dragonfly: If you're gonna use it as a knife (and not a prybar) this is about perfect for a lightweight yet capable blade. I have done some heavy batonning with it, but would not make a habit of it. Sheath sucks. This thing is as sharp as anything I own and slices meat beautifully.

BOB: A Dragonfly for people who chop rocks and pry stuff with their knives. Very sharp, very strong, very capable with one of the best handles I've ever used on a factory knife. Only real drawback is that it is also kinda heavy.

GSO 4.1 Near perfection. Light, sharp, tough. Perfectly balanced and very light in the hand. The very best handle I've ever experienced on a factory knife. More than adequately sharp, but not quite as good my other knives. I'm still working on perfecting the edge. I fully expect to get it up to speed.

BHK Essiac: Flat ground 5/32 O1 perfection that cuts like a laser and (with a few mods to the handle) fits my hand perfectly. Super knife. Slightly heavier than the GSO, slightly lighter than the Bravo.

I hope that this helps....
 
Gimmicky or not, the DPX Blades have great handles and work very well.
But you cannot go wrong with the Laser Strike. Comfy handle and good kydex sheath from the get-go, no additional spending needed
 
Brommeland said:
My "playing in the woods" knives currently are a BHK Essiac, TOPS BOB, TOPS Dragonfly, Bravo 1 (A2) and a GSO 4.1 3V. Any of them are up to what you have described (except maybe for prying with the Dragonfly - it's made of 1/8" stock). Here are my personal observations:

Bravo: Bulletproof, super tough and super sharp. I've heard stories about BR's HT issues, but never personally experienced it. I know Mike Stewart and he will make good if you get a bad one. One of my Bravos had the so called "too thin" edge, but I never had a problem with it. As an experiment (I've always wondered ,"what If someone did this") I put a secondary flat bevel on it and that thing cuts like a laser. I've split more pieces of hickory and red oak than I can count (we heat with wood) with it and had zero chipping. I hated the square corners on the handle and the ramp, so Mr Belt Sander and I had a conversation about that. Now it is as perfect of a knife as I've ever owned. (But kinda heavy).

My other Bravo I (A2) is stock except that I also de-ramped it and knocked the sharp corners off of the handle. It performs just like the one mentioned above.

Dragonfly: If you're gonna use it as a knife (and not a prybar) this is about perfect for a lightweight yet capable blade. I have done some heavy batonning with it, but would not make a habit of it. Sheath sucks. This thing is as sharp as anything I own and slices meat beautifully.

BOB: A Dragonfly for people who chop rocks and pry stuff with their knives. Very sharp, very strong, very capable with one of the best handles I've ever used on a factory knife. Only real drawback is that it is also kinda heavy.

GSO 4.1 Near perfection. Light, sharp, tough. Perfectly balanced and very light in the hand. The very best handle I've ever experienced on a factory knife. More than adequately sharp, but not quite as good my other knives. I'm still working on perfecting the edge. I fully expect to get it up to speed.

BHK Essiac: Flat ground 5/32 O1 perfection that cuts like a laser and (with a few mods to the handle) fits my hand perfectly. Super knife. Slightly heavier than the GSO, slightly lighter than the Bravo.

I hope that this helps....
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Yeah I liked the Dragonfly but I hated the sheath which ended that for me. All the weird problems and customization needed for the Bravo 1 kinda makes it useless for me also. Bhk looks interesting, and I would get the GSO if I could find it anywhere. Thanks for the info!
 
zazoola said:
Hello everyone, I'm trying to make a knife decision here. Yep. We all know how easy that is.
Moving right along, I will list things I will be using it for. I'll be doing quite a bit of bushcraft type stuff, trap making, carving, chopping, shelter building, batoning and other such stuff. I'll probably use it on the farm also, so it will be cutting twine, doing mild prying and probably cutting some flesh also. My budget is 180$. Here's the list with my thoughts.

Bark River Bravo 1: I like the shape, look, and the sheath. But I've heard that the edge is too thin, ramp sucks, and that HT is messed up. I like the warranty also.

Fallkniven F1: I like the performance and functionality of the design, and rave reviews by everyone. Don't like the sheath, looks or warranty. Also is a bit small for my tastes. Prefer a blade around 4-5 inches.

Fallkniven S1: Same likes as F1, and its the right size, but I don't like the blade shape or the sheath, and the VG-10 chipping issue bothers me.

Tops BOB: I like the price, and the scandi like grind. Don't like the sheath or the firesteel.
The warranty also doesn't seem as good.

Tops Dragonfly: Like the blade, grind and thickness, but I hate the sheath.

ESEE 4, 5, 6: Don't really know much about these, but I like the shapes, looks, sheath and warranty. I don't like the handles though.

Ontario: Don't know much about these other than being similar to ESEE.

Swamp Rat: I like the knives, but them not coming with a sheath and the waiting time is what turns me off a little.

I think that's about it, please feel free to recommend knives that aren't on this list also.
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Not sure if someone mentioned this yet, but you can buy an ESEE knife of your choice (4 seems most appropriate for you, purely based on your size preference. I prefer the 3) and put aftermarket TKC (the knife connection) handles on it...I have a set on my ESEE 3 and I love them. Great knives, outstanding warranty...Under your budget too!
 
DPx HEFT 4 - I like it a lot...but, except for the handle, I like the ESEE 4 better. Either would be solid choices that would serve you well.
Ratmandu - a definite winner, IMO. The last order I placed with the custom shop was here in 3 weeks...I hardly noticed that I was waiting. I've got another order pending - I hope it's just as fast, but I'm not counting on it. As far as the exchange, or other 2nd hand sources - just be aware that a lot of people price high enough to make waiting for a new one worthwhile. Sometimes there are good deals, but they tend to go quickly.
BRKT Bravo 1 - you can get it without the ramp, you can remove it yourself, or BRKT will remove it for you. Worth considering
Ontario - I have no experience with their products in your desired size range. I've got an RD7 - the handle sucks until it gets filed down. I like it...but I'd recommend BK or ESEE.

Not mentioned, but worth considering. Kabar's Becker line. In your size range, the BK16 is very popular (for good reason). Next size up would be the 10 or 2/22 - sort of love 'em or hate 'em models
 
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