Street Beat vs Bill Moran

[tvenuto]

I was thinking about picking up a smaller fixed blade. Not for anything too extreme, but for times when I know I'll need a knife for general tasks and don't want to go opening and closing repeatedly. I've been looking at both the Street Beat and the Bill Morans, and stat-wise, they seem similar: FFG, VG-10, Bowie, 3.5". The Morans seem to be available for about half the price, and other than handle material, I don't quite see why. Anyone have or handle both of them? Any opinions? I know I'll be happy with either, but I was just wondering if there was any reason I should look further at the Street Beat.

[SolidState]

The Morans are rat-tail tang and the street beat is Full Skeletonized tang. I also believe the street beat is 4mm thick and the moran is 3 mm or thinner. Both are great knives, and the Moran has a few blade shapes available.

Personally, I'd go Street Beat. The ergonomics are superb, not that the Moran's aren't great.

[Pneumothorax]

I don't have a Moran, though I hear people love them. I do have a Streetbeat and even though I think it is more MBC designated, it is a great small knife. I will use it for fishing the next time I go. I really like the big finger choil for when Im cleaning since wet hands and fish guts = slippery. I think it will do quite well for that. And IMHO, you cannot compare the looks - the Streetbeat is very cool.

[Blerv]

Don't forget micarta vs FRN with Kraton inserts.

[The Deacon]

Both are excellent knives and either will work as a general purpose knife. Street Beat is more upscale because of the contoured Micarta handle, if that's important. Moran has the more comfortable handle for prolonged use, if that's important, and it's also the better slicer. Street Beat would probably be better for self defense.

[JD Spydo]

Both are good but Solidstate said it best. I would take a full tang over the Moran any day of the week with one exception>> and that would be if you could find a Temperance 1 model. I love both of mine so well that it doesn't even bother me that's it's not a full tang model.

But again I'll side in with Solidstate and what he said>> I would go with the STreetBeat if my choice were narrowed down to those 2 models. But don't overlook a Temp 1 if you can find one. It's been one of the most versatile, all purpose fixed blades I've ever owned. I've used both of mine ( PE & SE) for so many cutting chores I couldn't even begin to name them.

But the STreetBEat is one you just can't go wrong with at all. Other than the blade being a bit shorter than I personally like I can't find any fault with it at all.

[The Deacon]

Size comparison may be of some help...

[Train]

Bill Moran is a great knife. I prefer upswept to drop point, though I have got both anyway. What not to like!

[Mr Blonde]

Also, with a nice compact (custom) kydex sheath, the streetbeat is a more compact package for EDC. I love 'em both but they both excell in areas already mentioned by my fellow forumites. The Moran (my favorite is the droppoint model) is the better general utility slicer, the Streetbeat certainly has more MBC appeal if that's a consideration.

[tvenuto]

I should have known better than to open this can of worms. Now I need: 2xMoran (different blade shapes), 1xStreetBeat, 1xTemperance1! :p

In seriousness, thanks all for the pics and opinions. One of the most interesting things about the pic comparison is that I didn't notice the absence of the lanyard hole in the Moran previously, but when sitting next to the SB, I suddenly wish it had one. Seems like both are solid choices, I just have to decide whether classiness, the choil, the lanyard hole, and slightly better concealability are worth the higher price tag.

[VashHash]

I have one of the original morans with the mirror polish and leather sheaths and i find it to be quite a nice knife to carry in the open. I don't have a street beat but i find it to be a nice knife in it's own right. I'd held one a few times but never purchased it yet i think it would look very nice in a similar leather sheath like the moran originally came with. Personally for a small fixed blade i would probably stick with the moran unless you're really worried about SD