Affordable fixed blade (AFK)

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Pancake
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Affordable fixed blade (AFK)

#1

Post by Pancake »

So, long story short: I really wanted Cru-Wear Micarta Proficient, but after thinking about it, the price is going to be too high for me. I have my own midset about fixed blade and the price that I want to pay for it.

So, I am going to start this new topic, and hopefully I get some answers and thought from other forumites :spyder:

Instead of listing properties like blade lenght, steel etc. I am going to start like this:

Maximum price for this fixed should be 150-170 €. This is the main goal, to produce a quite affordable general use outdoor fixed blade.

Blade lenght: 4 inches ........Could go bigger, not so much smaller, but I have a feeling that 4 inch blade is right around the sweet spot. NO thumb ramp. NO CHOIL
Handle: 4,5 inch. Scales out of G10 or micarta. Again, for the lower price, scales would be just rounded, more like on Shaman, not fully contoured like on Proficient or Zoomer.
Sheath: kydex, I guess
Steel: I am open to stainless or non-stainless. Again, to keep price down, I would say something like AEB-L is a good candidate.
Grind: FFG or high saber grind. I guess high saber grind is a good compromise. Convex would be a bit too pricey IMO.


What would be competitions for this knife: Fallkiven F1

What do you guys think? Am I asking for too much? Or am I trying to re-invented a wheel and just look at competition?
In the pocket: Chaparral FRN, Native Chief, Police 4 K390, Pacific Salt SE, Manix 2 G10 REX45
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Wartstein
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Re: Affordable fixed blade (AFK)

#2

Post by Wartstein »

... Waterway ... ?!
Top three going by pocket-time (update March 24):
- EDC: Endura thin red line ffg combo edge (VG10); Wayne Goddard PE (4V), Endela SE (VG10)
-Mountains/outdoors: Pac.Salt 1 SE (H1), Salt 2 SE (LC200N), and also Wayne Goddard PE (4V)
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Pancake
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Re: Affordable fixed blade (AFK)

#3

Post by Pancake »

Wartstein wrote:
Mon Jun 15, 2020 12:43 am
... Waterway ... ?!
Handle is too thin fow my taste as a outdoor knife.
And yes, I have a Waterway, but it is not what I would call general outdoor knife. Its a good backpacking knife, but I have bit of a hard time baton it throu wood :D
In the pocket: Chaparral FRN, Native Chief, Police 4 K390, Pacific Salt SE, Manix 2 G10 REX45
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Cambertree
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Re: Affordable fixed blade (AFK)

#4

Post by Cambertree »

I like the idea of a value line of fixed blades.

What do you think of the Bow River? Not optimised enough for bushcrafty tasks?
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Stuart Ackerman
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Re: Affordable fixed blade (AFK)

#5

Post by Stuart Ackerman »

Pancake...do a sketch, even if it is rough... :)
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Pancake
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Re: Affordable fixed blade (AFK)

#6

Post by Pancake »

Cambertree wrote:
Mon Jun 15, 2020 1:45 am
I like the idea of a value line of fixed blades.

What do you think of the Bow River? Not optimised enough for bushcrafty tasks?
Bow River is very nice, but I think it was designed with different purpose. Its more of a hunting knife, or small hiking knife. Steel is ok, nothing wrong with 8cr in my eyes, but the handle is small for long term wood processing. It´s ok for food cutting and meat processing.
Stuart Ackerman wrote: Pancake...do a sketch, even if it is rough... :)
Maybe :D Problem is, that I am not going to come up with anything new that is not going to resemble Fallkniven F1, Andaltool Canadian Forest knife, Fiddleback Forge Buschcrafter or something similar :D
In the pocket: Chaparral FRN, Native Chief, Police 4 K390, Pacific Salt SE, Manix 2 G10 REX45
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Bloke
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Re: Affordable fixed blade (AFK)

#7

Post by Bloke »

Hey Pancake, you mentioned wood processing ... have a look at a Roselli Carpenter or Hunter.

Can’t say enough good things about either knife. :)
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tonijedi
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Re: Affordable fixed blade (AFK)

#8

Post by tonijedi »

I've asked for a smaller Aqua Salt in LC200N.
Overall dimensions similar to yours.
What's your desired blade thickness?
Aqua Salt and Waterway are thinner than the F1.
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Re: Affordable fixed blade (AFK)

#9

Post by Sumdumguy »

I know it doesn't match your requirements(nothing will), but I'd say to give the Street Beat a try. Really good knife.

Realistically, there isn't a Spyderco FB I can think of that would match your criteria. Closest is maybe a Mule Team?
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Pancake
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Re: Affordable fixed blade (AFK)

#10

Post by Pancake »

Bloke wrote:
Mon Jun 15, 2020 3:45 am
Hey Pancake, you mentioned wood processing ... have a look at a Roselli Carpenter or Hunter.

Can’t say enough good things about either knife. :)
Not sure if this knife has to be a scandi grind...scandi is good, but IMO too many manufacturers are using ridiculously thick stock with scandi.
Scandi should be at max 3.2 mm thick blade.

Mule team could work....there was some talk about making mule team knife as a standard production.

Modified Aqua Salt could work...
In the pocket: Chaparral FRN, Native Chief, Police 4 K390, Pacific Salt SE, Manix 2 G10 REX45
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Re: Affordable fixed blade (AFK)

#11

Post by Sumdumguy »

Oh shoot, how about the Junction? Aside from the wonky finger choil(which is actually nice), it's very close to what you are wanting. It's super cheap right now, I paid less than $100 for mine.

Edit: NVM, looks to be OOS everywhere.
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Re: Affordable fixed blade (AFK)

#12

Post by Naperville »

Knife Center has a TAB called, "Find It" that will help you sort through all of this data in minutes.
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Re: Affordable fixed blade (AFK)

#13

Post by Bloke »

Pancake wrote:
Mon Jun 15, 2020 4:50 am
Scandi should be at max 3.2 mm thick blade.
Agreed!

Should also hold a true zero grind. :)

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Re: Affordable fixed blade (AFK)

#14

Post by JuPaul »

I'd love to see a series of middle-of-the-road non-frn outdoors fixed blades from spyderco. G10 or micarta handles, in several lengths from 3"-6". Basically I want Phil Wilson designs: gentle trailing point blade design and neutral(ish) rounded handles. If cruwear makes them too expensive, then I'd be very happy with aeb-l or 52100 (or maybe even 14c28n after reading Larrin's article yesterday). The Bradford Guardians come to mind as reasonable equivalents in the $100-200 range. Spyderco was able to make the Hossom series with micarta and n690Co in this price range- let's see more!
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Re: Affordable fixed blade (AFK)

#15

Post by Skidoosh »

It depends if you are willing to do some work on it. I would check out Brisa, especially in Europe, Elmax, AEB-L, 80CRV2 in blank forms. I really like Lauri PT blades.

I would recommend looking around for a mule, PD#1 and put some micarta on it.
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Re: Affordable fixed blade (AFK)

#16

Post by Doc Dan »

Sounds like a job for a Moran. It is hand filling, the blade is just the length you asked for, and it stood up to military testing.
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Pancake
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Re: Affordable fixed blade (AFK)

#17

Post by Pancake »

Skidoosh wrote:
Tue Jun 16, 2020 7:33 am
It depends if you are willing to do some work on it. I would check out Brisa, especially in Europe, Elmax, AEB-L, 80CRV2 in blank forms. I really like Lauri PT blades.

I would recommend looking around for a mule, PD#1 and put some micarta on it.
There is no problem for me make a knife out of scratch, I done it and most likely I am going to made another knife in the summer.

But I would like to see AFK from Spyderco, something more towards wood use, with high saber grind, FFG, thick enough handle, some good steel like 52100 that will not break the bank.
Sounds like a job for a Moran. It is hand filling, the blade is just the length you asked for, and it stood up to military testing.
Hmm, never thought about that....
In the pocket: Chaparral FRN, Native Chief, Police 4 K390, Pacific Salt SE, Manix 2 G10 REX45
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Re: Affordable fixed blade (AFK)

#18

Post by kennethsime »

I like the idea of a Chinese-made bushcraft knife from Spyderco.

The Bow River seems like it's been popular enough a hunting + fishing knife, let's apply the same idea to the Proficient and end up with a $75 bushcraft knife. Bonus points if we can get a nicer steel than 8cr, but honestly it's not bad.
I'm happiest with Micarta and Tool Steel.

Top four in rotation: K390 + GCM PM2, ZCarta Shaman, Crucarta PM2, K390 + GCM Straight Spine Stretch.
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Re: Affordable fixed blade (AFK)

#19

Post by Pancake »

Image

I know, its boring and its bringing nothing new to the table.
But, I guess this desing should be boring, just a boring knife that you bring with you into the woods...... I might make one....
In the pocket: Chaparral FRN, Native Chief, Police 4 K390, Pacific Salt SE, Manix 2 G10 REX45
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Re: Affordable fixed blade (AFK)

#20

Post by tonijedi »

Pancake wrote:
Wed Jun 17, 2020 3:56 am
Image

I know, its boring and its bringing nothing new to the table.
But, I guess this desing should be boring, just a boring knife that you bring with you into the woods...... I might make one....
I like it.
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