Your thoughts on pocket fixed-blade carry

i often carry something of a full sized fixed blade in a dangler sheath (scandinavian style with about a 3.75" blade). it really isn't a "pocket" blade, but sometimes it ends up there.

since i carry it on the dangler, it hangs loose and flops around when i get moving fast. sometimes when i am wearing it and feel a little jog coming on, i just tuck it into my front pocket or backpocket, depending on my pants. it sits there nicely with the handle sticking up for quick, easy access. i do the same thing when i want to avoid potentially bothering anyone (like in a store etc), and just drop my shirt over the handle.

you can see in this photo that its a pretty full sized knife:
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A note about the Hartsook being 1/2" too small.

Use the little lanyard at the back to hook onto your pincky finger.
You then have you pinky applying pressurre on the back of the knife and you have much more control over the small handle, it provides a contra to the knife when you hold it with you thumb and first finger.
Measure the lanyard till it is the correct length, you will have to play with it till you find the right lenght.

For a pocket fixed blade knife
I have a Barkie Mirco Slither, it is 4" with a 1 5/8th" blade.
The blade is quite deep so it is a good strong cutter.
It is a two finger grip, but the handle is big enough to be held easily
It disappears in to my pocket!
 
I've carried a Woods Walker quite a bit and it works great. 6" long. A good little knife.

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Some great ideas being generated here.

I too am a big fan of small pocket fixed blades. Here's 3 worth considering:

Top: Tom Krein TK1
Middle: Buck Hartsook
Bottom: Rob Simonich Bitteroot (Not too easy to find.)

Sorry about the poor focus. I forgot to hit my macro button; but you still get the idea. They all have kydex type sheaths.
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Wow, thanks for the great ideas and list of makers. I had no idea there were so many options out there! There also seems to be a wide variety of sized, from truly "micro" to "needs large pockets". Makers had several styles from wharncliffe, to drop point, to something more upswept with lots of belly. I like the styles of several, and will make up some cardboard models based on the dimensions to see what feels pocketable for me. It needs to be small enough I don't notice it, but large enough to actually be useful.

Those of you with 5" OAL knives or larger, do they get cumbersome in a front pocket, or do they disappear for you? I'm imagining something in the 4.5" to 5"-ish length, but definitely don't want to go too large.

Thanks again for the advice. If you have more thoughts on dimensions, please let me know. I'm also partial to thinner blades that get through apples and corregated cardboard without the spine binding.

Thanks!
 
Another mentiona small one,inexpensive,but real cool looking...The AG Russell Hunters Scalpel,re designed,it s a miniature version of the Deer Hunter & Bird & Trout,utilizes the Blackie Collins Thumbolt sheath set up,looks great in AUS-10 SS & $20 !
-Vince
 
Don Cowles makes some nice pocket carry fixed blades with sheathes:

The little stag knife is 5 5/8" OAL. The ironwood is 6 3/4" OAL.
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jackknife--if you could change the Hartsook, would you wish for more blade, or just a longer, slightly wider handle? Is the 1.9" blade enough?

Does anyone know the dimensions on the Krein TK1? Eyeballing it next to the scandi May in VCM3's pic, it looks like it might have the right dimensions. The handle looks a little "out there" but it looks like it would fit the hand well.

Also liking some of the Ingram micro knives I saw on his site, the wharncliffe expecially caught my eye.

Right now just trying to get a feeling for dimensions. The BRKT Trickle looks like just the right shape, but at under 4" might be a bit too small.
 
RobbW said:
jackknife--if you could change the Hartsook, would you wish for more blade, or just a longer, slightly wider handle? Is the 1.9" blade enough?
Click to expand...

I'd like a little more length to the handle. Another 1/2 inch would be nice. As far as the blade length goes, it's okay, and opens stuff just fine.

I also have been eyeing the Ingram knives shown here.

I think thats what I love about Mike Miller's knife, it's short wide little knife. I like a wider blade over the narrow one on the Buck, for general use. But the Buck does work better than I thought it would.

I see that Russell has brought back the hunters scalple. It looks interesting as well.

This is a very dangerous thread, opening up a whole new field for accumulation.:eek:
 
I ALWAYS have some sort of small fixed blade in my RF pocket as my main EDC. Of course, my Case Peanut lives there too, as does the itty bitty SAK for it's toothpick and tweezers.

I have a rotation of small FB's:
BRKT: Mini-Canadian, Blackwater boot, and a little larger but still carried... Journeyman, EDC Seax, TUSK
Small Craig Camerer hunter: W2 blade with carbon fiber handles/red liners

I've been partial to a small FB, easy to use and clean. Some can be pretty sheeple-friendly too.
 
jackknife said:
I'd like a little more length to the handle. Another 1/2 inch would be nice. As far as the blade length goes, it's okay, and opens stuff just fine.
Click to expand...

An extra 1/2" of handle would put the Hartsook at 4-3/4", with just under 2" of blade and 2-3/4" of handle. I may go ahead and purchase a Hartsook (4-1/4" AND a Hunter's Scalpel (4-3/4") as inexpensive fixed-blade knives I can use for a while to try out fixed-blade pocket carry. That will give me two different lengths for experimentation. If I find I like FB carry, I'd look for something nicer in the long run. The pocket Ingram and May knives all catch my eye. I bet the Krein is a real performer, too. It's style is a little less traditional, but I would consider it, especially if I could get it with a less pronounced bump on the choil. Thanks for the good advice on length.

Mongo said:
I ALWAYS have some sort of small fixed blade in my RF pocket as my main EDC. Of course, my Case Peanut lives there too, as does the itty bitty SAK for it's toothpick and tweezers.

I have a rotation of small FB's:
BRKT: Mini-Canadian, Blackwater boot, and a little larger but still carried... Journeyman, EDC Seax, TUSK
Small Craig Camerer hunter: W2 blade with carbon fiber handles/red liners
Click to expand...

Mongo, do you have any thoughts about fixed-blade blade thickness? Like you, I really like the thin blades of a Case Peanut. They cut like razors. I have two of them, and usually carry one every day. The blades are thin enough so that even when the edge gets dull, it still slice easily through food and corrugated cardboard. I like blades up to the thickness of a mini-trapper--after that, they get too thick for me to be useful in cutting. I bought a Queen single-blade copperhead. The blade was much too thick so I ended up thinning iit out quite a bit with my DMT stones. Now it works just fine. Out of your collection, which work best as pure slicers and cutters? Are any FB blades thin like you would find on a small to medium slipjoint?

Many thanks.
 
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RobbW said:
Does anyone know the dimensions on the Krein TK1? Eyeballing it next to the scandi May in VCM3's pic, it looks like it might have the right dimensions. The handle looks a little "out there" but it looks like it would fit the hand well.

Robb,
Here are the dimensions of the 3 I posted
TK-1,oal 5-3/8,2-1/4" bld.,handle 3" measured on the underside w/your fingers lay

The green Scandi May,"Cow Killer",6-1/8" oal,2-3/8" bld., 3-3/4" handle

Nat. Canvas May,"Bob White",6-3/8" oal,2-5/8" bld., 3-3/4" handle

All 3 feel pretty darn good in hand for small fixed blades
-Vince
Click to expand...
 
Robb, all of my FB's cut like demons. They are all convex edged, very sharp and efficient cutters... and absurdedly easy to maintain. Blade thickness doesn't seem to factor in.
 
Thanks for the replies. That Krein looks like it would be small enough after all. Good to know that about blade thickness. I'll be less concerned with that as a possible issue. Appreciate the quick replies. :cool:
 
You guys inspired me. I dragged out a little six inch Lynn Griffith, (some of you BFC old timers may remember him :D). Scotch-brite pad to take off a bit of the stonewash finish, a Busse store lanyard gizmo, and old back pocket sheath from Don Cowles (Cowles knife went to a new home long ago). I never have been able to get this little knife as sharp as I would like but I made some good progress on it today. Should work in the back pocket or the front.

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I've had to pocket a fixed-blade on rare occasion. Usually taking it somewhere rather than carrying for use. Always surpises how easily they fit in a jeans front pocket.
 
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