When is a short fixed blade better than a large/sturdy folder for bushcraft/survival?

Yes, the type of sheath/carry method for some of the fixed blades would be interesting to see.
 
RX-79G said:
No. This is like saying that it doesn't matter if you're trying to hit a target at 200 yards with a pistol or a rifle. They might be equally mechanically accurate, but one tool is significantly easier for a human to use.

CRKT2385_1005.png

vs.
58AL_m.jpg
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Depends on the human [video=youtube_share;r1jx1TOzxrE]http://youtu.be/r1jx1TOzxrE[/video]
 
stabman said:
Cold Steel shows cutting through sheet metal with folders.
Stabbing car doors, cutting through garage doors, etc.

Some of my friends have used folders that weren't even that expensive to cut through sheet metal of various thicknesses...they didn't have internet "experts" to tell them it wouldn't work.
So, in short, you lose.:)

Care to try again? ;)
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Say what you will, stabby, but when I get done picking up the knife I intend to stake my life on, the only moving part will be me.
 
B34NS said:
Depends on the human [video=youtube_share;r1jx1TOzxrE]http://youtu.be/r1jx1TOzxrE[/video]
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Is your best argument for using a tool that requires more skill showing a video of a one in six billion professional revolver shooter?

I can personally hit a man sized target at 200 yards with a pistol. I know that I can do it faster, easier and more precisely with a rifle. The knife equivalent is pretty obvious.
 
RX-79G said:
Is your best argument for using a tool that requires more skill showing a video of a one in six billion professional revolver shooter?

I can personally hit a man sized target at 200 yards with a pistol. I know that I can do it faster, easier and more precisely with a rifle. The knife equivalent is pretty obvious.
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To relate that to your original post, the pistol is millions times better at carrying comfort.
 
bld522 said:
I'll just leave this here.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/289315-Hello-everyone

Try that with a folder. :rolleyes:
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I love the addition of the rolleyes. It adds a smug air to a post that seems to attempt to say that rolling a vehicle down a steep hill that the driver willfully attempted to challenge is relevant to a discussion about EDC knives. It would seem that excursions specifically seeking off-road driving might be outside the "every day", and would be pointedly prepared for, wouldn't it?
 
RBid said:
I love the addition of the rolleyes. It adds a smug air to a post that seems to attempt to say that rolling a vehicle down a steep hill that the driver willfully attempted to challenge is relevant to a discussion about EDC knives. It would seem that excursions specifically seeking off-road driving might be outside the "every day", and would be pointedly prepared for, wouldn't it?
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Yes, the smug eye-roll was a nice snarky touch. :D

But I can be smug too...I don't have to worry about rolling jeeps because I take the bus.
Thus I am better for the environment than all the troglodytes who pollute the atmosphere with their greedy, planet-killing personal transport death machines. ;)

How's that for smug? :)
 
n7titan said:
To relate that to your original post, the pistol is millions times better at carrying comfort.
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If you want to relate it to my original post in that way; a rifle with a short barrel, short sight radius and short stock is not as easy to fire accurately as a full size rifle with a folding stock.
 
RX-79G said:
Is your best argument for using a tool that requires more skill showing a video of a one in six billion professional revolver shooter?

I can personally hit a man sized target at 200 yards with a pistol. I know that I can do it faster, easier and more precisely with a rifle. The knife equivalent is pretty obvious.
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Nope. So when is a small knife better than a folder? Anytime someone's more comfortable with one than a folder. Monkey's the one who said there were a separate set of the laws of physics for folders. That guy practiced more than the other billion and it shows. And he even missed a few. Practice doesn't make perfect, but it sure allows one to adapt to new situations quickly. Which in those hands a sharpened tuna can lid would do the same job just as easy. I thought bushcrafters believed knowledge weighs nothing.
 
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B34NS said:
Nope. So when is a small knife better than a folder? Anytime someone's more comfortable with one than a folder. Monkey's the one who said there were a separate set of the laws of physics for folders. That guy practiced more than the other billion and it shows. And he even missed a few. Practice doesn't make perfect, but it sure allows one to adapt to new situations quickly. Which in those hands a sharpened tuna can lid would do the same job just as easy. I thought bushcrafters believed knowledge weighs nothing.
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And, we're done. There's no arguing with that sort of statement.
 
B34NS said:
Jeff Randall feels the same.

http://indefinitelywild.gizmodo.com/how-survival-knives-are-designed-and-manufactured-1577108102
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I don't think you understood the article if that's what you're getting from it. Here's the whole quote:
JR: Making a knife in the true sense of the word is easy; a lid off a tuna can will cut and slice just fine. But, making a knife that's comfortable to hold in your hand and use for long periods of time can sometimes take some work.
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Randall isn't a fan of crazy designs or special steels, but he is saying that having a proper handle and ergonomics are the most important features to a good knife. You seem to be arguing that he is wrong - that the most important feature is not having a folding joint and that everything else is skill.

The point I was making, which seems to agree with what Randall is saying, is that a hand filling 4.5" handle and 3.5" blade is superior to a 3" flat handle with a 2.5" blade when you're actually trying to do some knife work. Your argument doesn't jive with Randall's at all.
 
aside from "depends on the person", there's a couple of things in the OP question to isolate in order to answer...
1) a short blade vs a large one and 2) a fixed blade vs a folder

Answering #1: if you are skinning or doing any precision tasks, a smaller blade means better control
Answering #2: when decide to put the blade through tasks it wasn't necessarily designed for (ie chopping & prying), a fixed blade will take more abuse (assuming the same steel and blade thickness) without worry of lock failure or pivot issues. same goes for cleaning... fixed blades don't have to worry about mud and dirt compromising the functionality (aside from rust)
 
When in a survival situation you want to mitigate risk as much as possible. Having a fixed blade will reduce the risk of failure because of less working parts. Folders tend to build up debris, require grease/oil to work properly, and with the high end steel they're more difficult to sharpen without proper tools to sharpen. Although, I have used my leather belt to strop when I didn't have a sharpener (which works for immediate cutting, not really for long term)

99% of people on this forum will carry both, but if I had to choose I'd go with a fixed blade assuming you had the choice prior to going into the brush. It is true that you can make anything work, Bone knives work great, razor sharp, and have been used for thousands of years, but I'd rather have a good fixed blade.

Just my opinion.
 
drrickso said:
aside from "depends on the person", there's a couple of things in the OP question to isolate in order to answer...
1) a short blade vs a large one and 2) a fixed blade vs a folder

Answering #1: if you are skinning or doing any precision tasks, a smaller blade means better control
Answering #2: when decide to put the blade through tasks it wasn't necessarily designed for (ie chopping & prying), a fixed blade will take more abuse (assuming the same steel and blade thickness) without worry of lock failure or pivot issues. same goes for cleaning... fixed blades don't have to worry about mud and dirt compromising the functionality (aside from rust)
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The OP is also talking about a smaller handle vs. a larger one. A great skinning knife may have a small blade, but not a tiny handle.

I submit that neither a 2.5" fixed blade or a 4" folder are going to be much good at chopping. Neither has much mass.
 
B34NS said:
Nope. So when is a small knife better than a folder? Anytime someone's more comfortable with one than a folder. Monkey's the one who said there were a separate set of the laws of physics for folders. That guy practiced more than the other billion and it shows. And he even missed a few. Practice doesn't make perfect, but it sure allows one to adapt to new situations quickly. Which in those hands a sharpened tuna can lid would do the same job just as easy. I thought bushcrafters believed knowledge weighs nothing.
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If you think that's one I claimed your reading comprehension needs some work. Physics are physics, regardless of your skillset. In fact, a big part of the skills we're discussing is understanding the inherent limitations of the equipment you have. Given my hand size, I'll take a larger folder that won't cause me undue fatigue or discomfort in use, over a diminutive fixed blade that will. No amount of skill will give the fixed blade a larger handle and I'd rather have the weaknesses inherent to a folder than a fixed blade that I cannot use for an extended period of time.
 
I proper fixed blade is always better than any number of folders you want to take in the woods with you. I only know of one folder that has a chance of surviving a true bushcraft outing.
 
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