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Why carry a fixed blade knife ?
- Thread starter FFK
- Start date
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Laurence,
Because the 2 pieces,blade & handle have to match exactly. Whatever you cut the blank with will take a certain amount of material with it. Even wire edm will
remove the wire diameter width(.004, .006, .010). then the 2 pieces will not match exactly. So each side's mating surface must be cut individually and that will leave a 3rd piece
of scrap. This process is for prototypes only. In production you would fine blank each piece and then finish crossectional angle with CNC.
Because the 2 pieces,blade & handle have to match exactly. Whatever you cut the blank with will take a certain amount of material with it. Even wire edm will
remove the wire diameter width(.004, .006, .010). then the 2 pieces will not match exactly. So each side's mating surface must be cut individually and that will leave a 3rd piece
of scrap. This process is for prototypes only. In production you would fine blank each piece and then finish crossectional angle with CNC.
When I use a fixed blade it's usually around the house so I don't run into legal issues and my primary is a thinned down victorinox paring knife probably a sub 15degree angle per side. It slices up cardboard better than my Opinel only downside is the blade is thinned down so much I don't feel safe prying open the glued down sides of cardboard boxes so I have to cut them. Other knives I just slide the blade under and twist both ways and it pops open the side of the box. That's about the extent of my prying unless you see me start popping off the plastic clips on a car body which takes a few pounds of pressure as well, than once I get it far enough I use a pair of needle nose pliers to pull it out.
So main reason for me is fixed blades a freaking cheap and can be practically disposable if you really wanted to. That victorinox paring knife was $3, an opinel or old hickory carbon steel knife will run you around $10. It's pretty hard not to have fun modifying such a cheap blade to suit your needs better.
So main reason for me is fixed blades a freaking cheap and can be practically disposable if you really wanted to. That victorinox paring knife was $3, an opinel or old hickory carbon steel knife will run you around $10. It's pretty hard not to have fun modifying such a cheap blade to suit your needs better.
I carry mostly folders now but I'm glad to have a few fixed blades in my collection, the coolest an Ontario SP-42.
When I was first getting into knives at 16, I only carried fixed blades and it took a long time to understand why I'd want a folder at all rather than a "real" knife on my belt instead.
I think if I could get away with it, I'd go back to carrying a fixed blade all the time, honestly. Maybe nothing as big as the SP-42, even with the relatively laid-back locals here that would raise a few eyebrows, but I do remember those early years fondly. That was before I had to go into such places as offices and regular working spaces too often. Worked in radio back then, no one really cared, even the customers I saw... We got a few zany people who wanted some pretty crazy commercials, too.
Personally I feel powerful with such a big folder in my pocket... Also a big hit with the ladies when I go out on the town... they NEVER ask if "that's a knife or I'm just happy to see them" so I can always answer honestly.
Personally I feel powerful with such a big folder in my pocket... Also a big hit with the ladies when I go out on the town... they NEVER ask if "that's a knife or I'm just happy to see them" so I can always answer honestly.
Lynx, sorry to hear you need to pocket a 9" folder to impress the ladies.
Sorry,
...I couldn't resist such an easy target. :foot:Big Mike
Lynx, sorry to hear you need to pocket a 9" folder to impress the ladies.
Sorry,
Big Mike
That's nothing. If my self-esteem is REALLY low, I pocket 9" folders open in special sheaths.
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2013
- Messages
- 1,195
If I could carry a fixed blade daily, I would just because they are easier to make and I like to make my own knives to carry...often leads to interesting discussions such as this one.
However, since an office environment isn't exactly where a person would normally carry a 4 to 6 inch fixed blade, I'm left to carry a number of folders that I do indeed like due to their convenience such as the Cold Steel Voyager that was mentioned by someone earlier, nice knife with a great locking system.
If I were to purchase a knife I'd go for an older BlackJack with 52100 steel, the convex grind on those blades are hard to beat and they seem to hold an edge forever...A2 in the new blades is very functional as well, but not as wear resistant in my opinion, I'm sure that will vary depending upon whom you ask.
I personally like D2 for knives I make myself, it takes a fine edge and is hard enough to keep it. The over all toughness of this steel means that the average Joe with no idea of how a knife should be sharpened won't have to worry about buying one every couple of years or so because he ground the snot out of it on the sharpener built into the back of his electric can opener.
However, since an office environment isn't exactly where a person would normally carry a 4 to 6 inch fixed blade, I'm left to carry a number of folders that I do indeed like due to their convenience such as the Cold Steel Voyager that was mentioned by someone earlier, nice knife with a great locking system.
If I were to purchase a knife I'd go for an older BlackJack with 52100 steel, the convex grind on those blades are hard to beat and they seem to hold an edge forever...A2 in the new blades is very functional as well, but not as wear resistant in my opinion, I'm sure that will vary depending upon whom you ask.
I personally like D2 for knives I make myself, it takes a fine edge and is hard enough to keep it. The over all toughness of this steel means that the average Joe with no idea of how a knife should be sharpened won't have to worry about buying one every couple of years or so because he ground the snot out of it on the sharpener built into the back of his electric can opener.
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2013
- Messages
- 32,479
Mike,
By your request we were talking about fixed blade knives. I've been a full time knife maker for about 15 plus years, when i or any other maker i know cuts a billet in half we get two pieces. The blade and handle on a fixed blade knife match perfectly because they are one in the same piece of steel.
Does anyone else here have any idea what mike is saying? I'm not trying to be rude here. anybody?
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2014
- Messages
- 647
Sometimes a fixed blade is easier for tasks its stronger than a folder if you need brute strength also, its ready to go just unsheath it. Sometimes its just easier for the user, but ultimately preference. I love to edc a fixed blade but still will have a folder with me.
My best guess is he's saying he cut's it in 2 pieces and makes sure it matches together like a puzzle so it becomes almost like a fixed blade. That's my best guess.
For cutting it out that I can understand what he saying more, he makes 3 pieces because if you have a block A--(cut)--B and it's 9in exactly and want a 9in piece of metal after cutting whatever he needs to cut afterwards it won't happen as the saw blade will be removing metal the same width as the saw blade. So there be a small variance even if he were to even use a bigger block and cut in the middle and try to join them together afterwards. So his solution is to have a A--C(cut to here, disposable piece)---B block, C being a dedicated area where he cuts to that point but leaves a chunk of metal so not to go in block B so blocks A & B are "perfect" and will fit together better. And these super tight tolerances when cut a certain way will create something that is almost like a fixed blade when put together if you have something secure them down as there will be almost zero play in theory. That is what I am guessing is going on.
Though I am kind of hoping I am not right because if I am I think this may be the knife's downfall because it would need some extremely tight tolerances to work as he desires in real world use. I fear dirt, grime, rust, etc would degrade the performance more so than practically any other common locking mechanism. And I question how the knife would hold up if I were to ever slightly damage it if were to put it to hard use with those tight tolerances it relies on.
Though this is the best guess at what he is saying, I am not 100% certain I fully understand what he is saying.
He's back to talking about his invention again, whose lock mechanism he is describing. That's all he's up to. All he's ever been up to, really.
This guy is so very advice resistant he'd make a great knife steel. 
On the other hand he is semi-refraining from taking about it directly and trying to learn more about steels as well as ergonomics. It might come across as a bit strange but these inventor types usually are so lets give him a break?
Inventor: I built this doodad and its the best thing since sliced bread!
Others: Nice but nobody needs it.
Inventor: %^!<#<~}469!)58!
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Inventor: Guys its the best thing since sliced bread.
On the other hand he is semi-refraining from taking about it directly and trying to learn more about steels as well as ergonomics. It might come across as a bit strange but these inventor types usually are so lets give him a break?
Inventor: I built this doodad and its the best thing since sliced bread!
Others: Nice but nobody needs it.
Inventor: %^!<#<~}469!)58!
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Inventor: Guys its the best thing since sliced bread.
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