Your perfect fixed blade

Ivan Campos

Ivan Campos

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Apr 4, 1999
Messages
2,502
Going a little more specific than Marthinus´thread, I´d like to hear from you what makes a perfect fixed blade on the following areas:

Blade size, shape and materials:

Handle construction, size, shape and materials

sheath construction and materials.

Also, I´d like to know the reason of your choices.
 
A perfect fixed blade huh? Well...... Im actually looking to buy a fixed blade soon so we'll see if theres anything with what im looking for...

- 4 Inch or so blade, no shorter than 3 or longer than 5
- I would love G10 handles, but I also like a "grippy" micarta
- A nice kydex sheath for under-arm carry, with some paracord of course
- A nice touch would be a "darker colored" blade such as black

I am looking at the up-coming swamp rat "Howling Rat LM" but also concidering tha ontario rat-3. Any other knives that fit my criteria??
 
i'll take an Ed Fowler 52100 hand forged sheep horn handled skinner for the paltry sum of $1,750 american pesos.
no, maybe a becker bk7. 1095 like a good butcher blade.
i like blade designs such as the tanto or wharncliff because they are very easy to grind from stock and are easy to sharpen. these blade shapes do a very good job of cutting up animals and boxes and just about everything.
of course the best knife is the one you choose to use all the time.
buzz
 
my advice , the rat knives are well made by real american cutlers who have been making knives for a century. go for the ontario rat. great price and super knives. if you don't like it sell it to me.
i have a modified ontario fighter ground to a tanto blade shape. this knife is a workhorse. i also have and use the RTAK a monster whopper chopper.
look over the ontario knives. you'll find something you like.
buzz
 
Please, no one get short with me for saying this, But im really enjoying my buck 192, The vangurad with cocobola handles. Thats a great little knife, And bucks 420HC kinda reminds me of Muela's 440C.
 
Well, the two fixers I used to carry regularly (I sold one recently) are both Columbia River pieces. First, and I will replace it soon is the Polkowski/Kasper companion. Great ergonomic handle, with super balance and blade length just right. My ONLY gripe about that knife is the blade thickness is a little less than I'd like to see for a medium to heavy duty EDC.
Second is the small Corkum First Strike. Reminds me of a Japanese style sgian dubh. Just a small, stout, do anything kind of knife. Great grip and easy to manipulate. And, because of their sheath configurations, I would set both knives for a tip up carry, and then hook the clip inside my coat over the sleeve hole. If the clip is tight, it will grab and bunch up the cloth inside the sleeve and not pull out when you raise your arm. Kind of embarrasing to have your covert piece fall out of your coat, y'know?
 
Blade: I like small to medium knives for day to day use, so a 3" or 4" blade is good. Shape: don't need a skinner (although I have a Dozier Yukon Pro Skinner but it has a slight drop point and is good for utility use), don't really need clip points, I just usually pick drop points. Material is usually D2, even though I'm not a hard user I like to have a knife that will hold an edge. 440C has been working just fine for my EDC and I probably don't need D2 but I just want it.

Handle: I prefer scales on a full tang. I like to see bolts even if they're not needed. Micarta and G-10 are pretty much all I choose because I like the durability and stability, and I like the different colors they come in. The best shape for me is the rounded handle with a slight swell in the middle, like Tom Krein's TK-3 or Dozier's Yukon Pro Skinner.

Sheath: I like 2-piece kydex because of durability and they can be made smaller than a leather sheath. They are better for retaining the knife as well. I prefer 2-piece to the folded over kydex just because it looks better to me.
 
Wow, good question... the last three knives that have found their way into my collection are a Helle Eggen, a Marble's Campcraft and a Roselli Carpenter. And my F1 is never far away. So I'd say, about a 4" drop-point in a good high carbon steel, full tang, replaceable handle scales so you could choose between looks (exotic wood or micarta) and grip (Kraton or Thermorun panels), lanyard hole, and a leather sheath with a plastic insert. As for steel I could also live with D2 or VG10. I like high carbon steel for its ease of sharpening, toughness (compared to stainless ) and its edge-holding properties. D2 is semi-stainless, and VG10 comes closer to high carbon in edge-holding as any stainless I've used. As for grip, I can live with about anything provided it is suitably hand-filling and contoured so you can determine the edge alignment without looking (as in, when field dressing big game). I like stacked leather (Marble's), Kraton (Cold Steel), Thermorun (F1), wood (Helle) and micarta (Marble's, Dozier). As for sheath, I like the look and feel of leather, but appreciate the utility of Kydex/Concealex -- Normark's Concealex sheath for my F1 comes as close to ideal as I could ask for.
 
My perfect fixed blade already exists... well, almost.

Gene Ingrams #6 drop point is just about perfect.
http://geneingramknives.blademakers.com/Knife_Info_Style_B.asp?Ref_Num=1215

The only changes I would make are:

A2 instead of D2 (personal preference. I know its chevy vs. ford but I have a couple in A2 already and its become my favorite non-stainless steel).
no thumb grooves on the spine ( I'm sure some would find them functional, I just like a cleaner look and smoother lines).

Chris
 
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 inch drop point; D2 steel, stag scales; minimum amount of file work or serrations on the spine; hollow stainless pins; lanyard hole.
Ingram SLK II works for me. Bill.
 
No worries about the thread Ivan.

If we can swop ideas and everyone gives theyre opinion and reapects others opinions I am fine.

I actually have a fixed blade issued during Apartheid rule to our military forces. I will post a photo tomorrow and if anyone can help me with the identification of it I will be happy!
 
The one I use most is a Busse BAIII (Badger Attack 3), after I had the butt ground off and polished by another knifemaker. This one has a small clip point, about 4", gripable canvas micarta handle, 3/16" thick and fully flat ground.
 
My 2 favorites are the Fallkniven TK1 (3G) and my new custom Phil Wilson Silver Peak (CPM 10V). Spectacular knives and steels. Hold an edge like none other I've had the pleasure of working with ... They take abuse and keep on asking for more.

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Form defines function.
So it would only be proper to first state the exact definition for any one perfect fixed blade, through its primary and then secondary purpose of consideration for application.
 
Blade size, shape and materials: 5.5-7in. long, clip or spear point, .20+ thick. 440c,vg10 sv30,5160,1095 (I could care less, if its heat treated right the perfomance will be too close to call). A slight drop or cant between the blade and the handle.

Handle construction, size, shape and materials: Full tang or as near as possible. At least 5in. long. Micarta, Krayton/"wunder gummi", or Strider wrapped cord.

Sheath construction and materials: Leather or nylon with a protective insert. It should give enough drop to put the butt at or below my belt-line to clear my other gear. An added plus would allow it to be carried high ride as well. The older strider sheaths were great.

I've used quite a few knives over the last few years but they all seem to share some of the things above. My favorite of all time is my Simonch Raven Combat. I have never used a better knife. Others that fit in are Fallkniven A1, Peltonen Sissi knife, Strider MT-L, Dawson Victory, Chris Reeve Projects 1&2, Nkonka (make it 6in with a beefier tip an I'm all over it), Busse NO, SFNO and my newest addition an M6 from Swamp Rat
 
Perfect medium to heavy: Benchmade Snody 14150SBT with nylon sheath.

Perfect light to medium weight: Benchmade Nimravus 140SBKSN (sand colored G10 scales)

- Stretch
 
Slightly modernized version of a Moran Airman with a 6 inch W2 blade. Wood handle, wood lined leather covered sheath
 
Ivan Campos said:
Going a little more specific than Marthinus´thread, I´d like to hear from you what makes a perfect fixed blade on the following areas:

Blade size, shape and materials:

Handle construction, size, shape and materials

sheath construction and materials.

Also, I´d like to know the reason of your choices.
Click to expand...

Blade size, 3-4"; shape, convex grind, wharncliffe profile.

Material - hi-carbon stainless.

Handle construction - full tang, 4" handle, good and grippy, maybe a rough finish G-10 or a rough micarta. I like a slightly contoured handle which is simple and wide enough for a full grip. Good hardwood is fine also, I like stainless or brass pins, a little mosaic to touch up the handle. A small bottom guard is good too, preferable stainless. I also like a lanyard hole with a nice, very knotty lanyard about 4" long.

Sheath - leather or kydex, horizontal preferably, or a dangler, doesn't matter to me unless it is an SD knife, then I want horizontal.

Hope this helps.

Andy
 
My perfect FB, for EDC at least (isn't that the point?) is an SLCC with a Buy Brown (thanks dave) kydex.

Lots of blade, but a short OAL thanks to the smallest USEFULL handle. Great grip and the hole makes it super easy to go from forward to reverse grip and back again. I'm crazy about the thing, and never even notice it's on me til I want it. (SOB carry)
 
A couple of years ago I settled on a Fehrman Peacemaker for an all round utility knife, and have never regretted it. The handle ergonomics and safety are better than many others, and the sturdy kydex sheath fits like a glove.

My second choice would be a similar sized Busse.

Many people rave about Doziers but I don't like the small guards and slick handles on them.
 
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