Which one of these fixed blades would you edc?

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youknowwhatimsayin

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Jan 2, 2014
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Howdy y'all,
Some of you might think I'm crazy for edcing such big knives, but that's what I'm into. So out of these 4 which would you carry,

Buck 105
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Ka bar mark 1
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Buck vanguard
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Or ka bar USMC short with krayton handle.
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I can get each of these knives for fifty dollars shipped. I'll be using stock sheath that comes with them so keep that in mind. So, which one would you carry? I'm leaning towards the buck 105 cause it just looks nice. If you have a recommendation that comes in under $50 with a good sheath and handle feel free to let me know.
thanks again y'all.
 
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Had the Vanguard, was a pretty ok knife 20 years ago, not sure if made in China now, but back in the day was a decent cheap American made full tang fixed blade. I would probable spend another $100 and get a Bark River or Fallkniven, or Spyderco street beat though. I mean if you are gonna roll with a fb, get something decent, if not impressive (Bark River) right?

Or, find a friend that will sell you one of those knives I mentioned for $50. Maybe it's just me, but since I have a lil age on me (mid- 30's) I can't stomach buying any cheap tools. Unless they are good quality. Oh, I got it-

Buy 2.5 carbon steel Mora's. Great steel, easy to sharpen, and great knives.
 
Ka-bar USMC good steel tough never heard anything bad about it :) but the buck 105 will probably have better corrosion resistance at the cost of edge holding ability so depends on what you would rather have? The Ka-Bar mark 1 looks good to me so it would be in between the two Ka-bar to me. Try a mora fixed blade cheap but very adequate especially for the price range http://www.bladehq.com/item--Mora-of-Sweden-Classic-Number-3--20124 not very pretty but cheap and durable if all you want is utility i would go this route.
 
Im not sure if its quite your style, but I would recommend a condor bushlore with micarta handles. It is about 50-60 dollars (wood handled one is about 40-45) and is a great high carbon steel knife from El Salvador.
Out of the four options you provided, I would choose The Ka bar USMC, I have a similar Ka bar knife, and it has served me well for many years.
 
Ka-Bar USN Mk 1, your second listed. Leather sheath, leather handle. Does it all.

Zieg
 
I carry the 105 from time to time in a kydex sheath. its a sharp and pointy blade just the ticket. Also I carry a sog pentagon. depends on where im going and what barrio. btw in case your curios a barrio is your township not a slum. I went even bigger with the 119. but it prints too much.

the bigger the better. Id carry a chete if I could conceal its the law. must not show.

no mostras.

speaking of Im going deep into the jungle at the ruinas this weekend I like camping there.

joey in jungle
 
I'd go with either of the Bucks. I've got an old Vanguard that I just love the feel of in my hand, but if it matters to you, it is a little handle heavy- which some people like. I, personally like a bit more forward balance, but I still like that knife. The 105 is just a long time classic, and there's usually a reason for that.
 
Thanks guys you've been very helpful. What do you fellas think of the buck 119? Its between that the 105 or mk1. Keep in mind its edc.
 
Personally, I would strongly recommend AGAINST the short Kabar. I have one, and even though I don't have large hands, the knife is like a toy. The handle in particular is very small.

And now for the blade. The blade of the short Kabar is the same thickness as the full-sized version. And while that might sound like a good thing, it isn't. The reason being, the blade of the short version is a lot narrower that the full-sized version. That means there isn't enough width of blade between the edge and the fuller to provide a decent grind and a good useable edge. As a result, the knife has a very thick edge ground at a very steep angle. So steep in fact that it was virtually worthless as a cutting tool.

Basically, they used the same thickness of steel on a scaled-down version of the full-sized knife. And in my opinion and experience, the ergonomics just don't work.
 
It also depends on what you use the knife for. The ka-bar will be tougher with the 1095 steel. BUT, I'm a sucker for bucks. I'm getting a 113 ranger soon for edc. It's not too big to draw a lot of attention but still a strong fixed blade. Vanguards are sweet too. The 119 may be a little big for edc but it's a great knife. I ground the back of the gaurd down flush with the handle and it's much more comfortable to use
 
I have a vanguard. It is one of my favorite hunting knives. The rubber grip and the blade shape are great for skinning and processing deer.

I have had mine for a good 20 years anyway and it still goes on the belt or in the pack for every deer trip.
 
I'd take the Ontario SP6 or SP1 any day over the ones listed. http://www2.knifecenter.com/item/ONSP6/Ontario-8325-Spec-Plus-SP6-Fighting-Knife-Fixed-8-inch-Blade-Kraton-Handle-LeatherCordura-Sheath

If I could afford the extra $15 I'd get this no hesitation. Much tougher, easier to sharpen and will last into your kkids generation easily if taken care of. http://www2.knifecenter.com/item/ON8542/Ontario-Gen-II-SP42-Spec-Plus-7-inch-Carbon-Steel-Blade-Sheath

Note : they also make the above with a little over 8 inch blade for the same price. 5160 is tougher than any of the others listed by a decent margin and the models I linked to in 5160 aren't the quarter inch thick monsters still available for the same price if you think the extra weight and prying, chopping strength is needed. For general use I'd take the thinner ones as they are much better slicers and in 5160 still tough as heck.

also note: none of the Bucks above are made in China or anywhere other than the USA.

Joe
 
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Easy, the Buck!

Why you ask? The blades on the others are too long to legally carry them in Germany (max. 12cm = ~ 4.73 inches) ;)
 
The Buck 105 is my favorite among those choices. Classic "outdoors" style, a nice size, and without the miltarty-esque or Armyboy-wannabe overtones of the Ka-Bars. Don't get me wrong, I like Ka-Bars and own some but I wouldn't carry one on a daily basis. I can't imagine anything more pretentious than me wearing military gear around town. LOL.

Here's one to consider. About the same size as those on your list, but with 'better' steels and even lower prices. ATS-34 or D2 steel for $45. The best feature is the locking sheath, more safe and durable than the sheathes on your short-list.
http://www.agrussell.com/ag-russell-bird-and-trout/p/AGBThhh8A/
 
Depending on what it will be used for, if not hard core, do not overlook Russell Green River knives for EDC, checkout Track the Wolf, good old 1095, sharp and easy to sharpen.
 
youknowwhatimsayin said:
man that knife looks perfect! it's a lil pricy but Beckers are the bomb right? which do you guys prefer bk 17 or 16?
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Oh, beckers are definitely the bomb! The 16 and 17 have identical handles and sheaths. The only difference is the blade. The 16 has a flat ground blade with a drop point. The 17 is saber ground with a clip point. It all depends on your blade preference. I love clip points, so I went with the 17. The 16 seems to be the favored blade around here. I can guarantee that either one would be a fantastic choice! I only recommended it because it is only just barely over your budget, but very worthy of consideration. You can get them on amazon around $70, but you can find them on the exchange here for cheaper. No matter what you choose I hope it works out well for you man.
 
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