When and how do you carry fixed blades?

J

JTC

Joined
Dec 22, 2002
Messages
1,398
1st when: Whenever I go camping or fishing I never see anyone carrying any fixed blades. Even when I was in the National Guard and carried a Gerber MkII I got "Rambo" comments. I'm not talking about concealed carry or even for self defense just to use in a utility way. Should I just put it on and not worry about the sheeples? Do you guys notice other people wearing fixed blades alot?


2nd How: Whenever I do carry a fixed blade say for example a Seal 2000 on my pants belt I find in uncomfortable. It pulls on my pants and if I want to take it off I have to undo my belt and all that. If I put it on a military pistol belt it is much more comfortable and easy to take on and off. But then that gives me even more of a "Gung Ho" look. Is it something you just get used to or are there other ways I'm just not aware of?

Thanks for your input!

:) John Crites
 
In Italy it’s extremely difficult to see someone with a fixed blade on the belt, even when you go hiking or hunting. In the same way, during outdoor activities, I prefer to take my fixed blade (SRK or BK 9) in my rucksack and a SAK in my pocket.
The only exception is when I go scuba diving: almost every diver has a fixed blade strapped on the leg!
Bye
 
If I'm camping/fishing/hunting, I ALWAYS have a fixed blade on me. Usually something very UTILITARIAN looking (and in function :)) that will not scare too many sheeple. It's amazing how many people at the campground forget or just plain don't know to bring a "camp knife" or hatched. "Ummmm...dude... can I borrow your machete for a second? I need to chop some wood and uhhh... forgot mine at home."

Here in Texas, the blade length limit is 5.5 inches and it has to be single edged. I've never had a problem carrying my Kabar USMC or larger during deer season though and it's ALWAYS laying around the campsite somewhere. I remember many times walking into small town stores and restaurants with my knife and cammies on during deer season and no one blinked and eye. Now that I live in a more suburban area, I'll have an RTAK on my hip when Hunting but I have it on a military web-belt with Y style suspenders. I keep a canteen, compass, and a pouch of "possibles" on it and can drop my "gear" if I need to run into town for a few minutes or for the long drive home.

Typically, I'll carry something with a 3.5 to 4 inch blade (sometimes something smaller like a Simonich Cetan) as a utility knife and then have the Kabar, RTAK, and RCM laying around the campsite somewhere handy.

Back years ago when I did alarm installations, I carried a Buck 110 in a leather sheath on my hip. Some of the people in some of the banks and military buildings we worked in complained and my boss told me to carry it on my tool belt. Once it was on my tool belt, there was never another complaint. Odd how after I placed it on my tool belt it suddenly became "safer" and less offensive.
 
I carry a Gerber River Runner upside down on my turnout coat. It hangs upside down and is secured by tie wraps that go around the buckles of the coat. There is also a split ring at the top in case the tie wraps melt off.

I also get the "what the hell do you need that for" response. But trust me, If someone needs a knife...........Nuf said.
 
Hi John,

I carry a fixed blade on a daily basis. Most of the time this is my Jens Anso little fixed blade (blade length 2"), but I have some others that I carry too (David Boye Cobalt and Boker Bud Nealy). This raises some eyebrows every now and then, because we don´t have an ´outdoor´ culture here in the Netherlands.

I like little fixed blades for this reason; they don´t attract a lot of attention unless you use them in front of others. The fixed blades I carry, I carry in horizontal sheaths. This is, again, for better concealment and prevents unnecessary attention. Besides, this carry mode is more comfortable for me.

Regards,

Serge.
 
Busse Uncle MoFo strapped to my back every day......lol j/k!

Seriously, I do often carry a small fixed blade in a leather sheath on my right hip...its a wooden handled hunter. It looks more like a utility knife due to to the wood handle, rather than a weapon, and I think that goes a long way towards acceptance. Well...that and folks around here are used to seeing farmers and such with their fixed blade bucks on them.....

I think the reaction would be very different if I were to carry a something like a Busse in kydex.
 
I carry my Jens Anso Hybrid all over the place. It's never gotten so much as a second look, except in adoration. I also carry a Dozier K-1 in an inside the pants sheath from time to time. Last, but not least, I carry my Dozier K-4 when I’m doing work around the house, or am out on the trail.

If you really want to carry a fixed blade without hassle in an urban environment, here are a few suggestions.

1. Downsize the knife. The smaller the blade is, the better it blends in. And let’s face it. Most people seldom need a large blade from everyday work. A skilled knife user can often get away with a 2 to 3 inch blade.

2. Carry the knife horizontally. It’s comfortable and draws less attention than most vertical sheaths.

3. Make sure the knife is a real looker. Black tactical knives stick out like a sore thumb to sheeple. Classy looking knives appear more as jewelry than pig stickers. Think Damascus and/or natural handle materials.

4. Don’t tuck in your shirt. This is the easiest way around problems, in areas where concealed carry is okay. Out of sight, out of mind.

anso2.jpg
 
Hi Buzz,

I really like your knife... Jens seems to do well in the non-aggresive-looking-EDC-fixed-blade-department :) I´ll share my picture too; thanks for sharing yours.

jens_anso.jpg
 
I carry a small fixed blade as a daily carry. I've got one that is a Barry Dawson design, one made by his niece Lynn according to my general design, and one in process that I designed and that will be made by Phil Tham. The Barry Dawson knife is the largest at 5" OAL and the others measure between 4" and 4.5" OAL. The blades are between 1.5" to 2" long, but that's fine for everyday chores. By keeping them small, I tend to get comments about how cute they are rather than apprehensive looks.

The latest blade will be made from Damasteel in the "Infinity" pattern and will probably lack scales so you can see more of the pattern. I ordered some 5/32" stock so it should be thick enough to grip without scales. I'll make the final decision when I get the steel in. If the pattern is really fine and I think the blade will show enough of it to stand out, I might ask Phil to add thin scales of a light tan micarta or blue G10, but I'm really leaning toward the plain look.

One suggestion I'd make is that if you have a small fixed blade for EDC that is of high value, carry a cheap folder to loan out. I get requests to borrow my knife all the time and while I only loan a knife to those I trust, accidents can happen.
 
Jens be da' man when it comes to small urban utility fixed blades. He has a sense of style in his designs that is completely unlike the work of American knife makers. Jens has really turned his utility knives into an art form. He’s managed to remove all of the traditionally aggressive looking traits in some of his knife designs, and left very distinctive curves and shapes in their absence. Best of all, the knives are still fully functional. The grip on my Hybrid is much better than most small fixed blade handles I’ve held. He really has a flair for ergonomics. The blade is very wide and the hollow grind is very high and deep, so cutting ability is much better than many popular American designs. I’d equate the Hybrids’ cutting efficiency to maybe a Bob Dozier hollow ground blade.

I really didn’t expect too much from the RWL-34 based damasteel, but am pleasantly surprised by it’s performance. I wouldn’t put it up there with D2 or anything, but it’s very comparable to ATS-34 and 154CM blades I’ve used. When you add in the great Damascus pattern that’s been etched on, you have a very serviceable yet particularly handsome blade.

Jens also happens to be a rather extraordinary sheath maker. My horizontal Kydex sheath is perfectly crafted, and can even be adapted for a Tek-Lok if I so desire. My lizard skin covered leather vertical sheath is a functional work of art. It works great in the small of my back or simply dropped into my front jeans pocket. Between the two sheaths, I’ve always got a convenient and secure way of carrying the knife. If Jens weren’t already an established knife maker, he could easily garner a good reputation for his sheath making skills alone.

Jens also happens to be a great guy. He bent over backwards to make me a satisfied customer, to the point of making an unprompted overseas call just to let me know that an overseas shipping issue had been worked out. The guy is a saint in my book. I wouldn’t hesitate to order another knife from him.
 
Recently I've been doing a lot of hiking in the SF Bay Area. I always carry a fixed blade and I have never noticed anyone else I've encountered carrying one (and I always check). As Buzz suggested, horizontal carry is more discreet and comfortable than vertical. However, I do tuck my shirt (untucking might be considered concealment - which would be illegal for a fixed blade in CA - plus untucking makes it more difficult to access the knife, which defeats the purpose of carrying a blade for SD. Also, my knives aren't particularly pretty. When hiking, I typically carry a MOD Razorback with a mini Tek-Lok (not for utility) and a small folder (for utility). I usually wear a Camel-Bak fanny pack or a generic fanny pack with water bottles, both of which have heavy black belts. The Razorback, which is all black in its sheath and has almost a 4" blade, really does not stand out when worn horizontally on these belts.
 
The fixed blades I carry are all bigger than my folders. So, I carry fixed blades in winter (more concealable). Or it really depends on what I'm wearing.
 
I have spent most of my career as a knifenut focused on folders, so it is very strange that I now find myself regularly wearing three fixed blades. :eek:

ironfinger.jpg

Günter Böhlke Ironfinger (3-1/4" S90V blade with ironwood scales)
Worn in a horizontal hydex sheath just to the weak-side of my belt buckle for a quick strong-side draw. Even though it is in plain site, no one has even looked at it strangely yet. The wood scales make it elegant and unobtrusive when sheathed.

hideaway_curvy.jpg

Artemis Defense Systems HideAway Knife: Curvy (2" S30V blade)
Rides in a vertical kydex belt sheath on my weak-side hip. Most of the time it is under a vest. This entire knife is small enough to hide behind a playing card, so it doesn't attract much attention. And I can shoot, or even type, while "holding" it in my hand.

bitteroot.jpg

Rob Simonich Bitteroot (1.6" Talonite blade)
Carried in a minimal neck sheath, usually under my shirt. Even anti-knife people generally find this one "cute". :) Heck of a cutter, though.

--Bob Q
 
Here it is legal to carry a fixed blade, single edged, in the open, but there is not blade limit. I carry a fixed blade when its needed. I carry because I was sick of folders breaking and folding up on me. Either a neck or a 5 inch or less fixed blade does me well.
 
I'll clip an Arclite to my keychain. It doesn't seem to attract too much attention hanging from a beltloop. And that's in suburban SoCal.

Frank
 
Originally posted by Dcon67
Busse Uncle MoFo strapped to my back every day......lol j/k!
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with that! I carry a Panther strapped to my back...I've also carried a Brend Elimantor (on my back), a Lightfoot axe (shoulder harness), Mad Dog Operator (neck carry) and Bladerigger karambit (static cord...front pocket)...hopefully after this weekend i will be carrying an RJ Martin Kwaiken :)

The bottom line is that I would rather carry a fixed blade than a folder any day!

RL
 
Originally posted by bquinlan

hideaway_curvy.jpg

Artemis Defense Systems HideAway Knife: Curvy (2" S30V blade)
Rides in a vertical kydex belt sheath on my weak-side hip. Most of the time it is under a vest. This entire knife is small enough to hide behind a playing card, so it doesn't attract much attention. And I can shoot, or even type, while "holding" it in my hand.


--Bob Q
Click to expand...

Hi Bob,

So you're in Austin too! I'm just a little north of you near the Leander/Cedar Park border. I've got a HideAway straight on order. I ordered a Yurco pocket protection sheath with mine. I'm also talking to Phil Tham this weekend about a custom little fixed blade (4.5" OAL) made out of Damasteel.

Send me a PM if you ever want to hook up and talk knives. I'm mostly a fixed blade collector now, but I have a few folders around me. Mostly Spyderco stuff, but I also have a few nicer A.G. Russell knives and two custom Pat Crawford pieces.
 
Currently I carry my own D2 "bush baby" just over 6" oal in a pouch sheath which cover all but 3/4" of the handle. I wear it in the shop all the time - it is my work knife and therefore legal. No comments.

Doesnt cause any problems as no more weighty than a large folder.
 
I carry my Busse Assault Shaker in one of Leatherman's (Dwayne Puckett) horisontal sheaths - almost everywhere and almost everyday!
It blends in well with a black belt and I usually wear an untucked shirt or vest to cover it up (works for concealing my less than ideal waistline as well!:))
edc2.jpg
 
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