Fixed blade EDC

[benben]

My most commonly-carried edc fixie is this LT Wright Frontier Valley in A2. It’s about 3, similar to the Bradford Guardian 3.



The stock JRE sheath is really nice, but I picked up an aftermarket horizontal carry sheath from Delta Knife + Sheath that is even less conspicuous

I also have a 2.5” version, the Frontier First. This one is a little small for me, I usually carry it if I haven’t had time to sharpen the big brother.



The SPK Shark is a cool option, this one is Cruwear.



I don’t particularly love the stock kydex sheath, so I don’t carry as often. Just sticks out too much. I’d really like to pickup a leather pocket sheath for it to be less conspicuous.

Bark River has a number of EDC offerings, like the PSK Salty mentioned above. Here’s the one I carry most often, the North a country EDC:



It’s about 3.5”, maybe 3.25”. I usually end up carrying it scout in the small of the back, which is a little less than ideal but sure works.

I think the key for me, living in an urban area, is concealability. Because of that, I think a 3” blade and no more than 6.5” overall is pretty ideal, and a good sheath that helps you conceal is essential. I’d like to try some of the others mentioned here in this thread.

A Frontier Valley in Cru-wear sounds about perfect, how do you like A2 steel?

[Makunochimaster]

Morakniv Eldris )

[RugerNurse]

Morakniv Eldris )

Wish it was a full flat grind. That would be sweet

[RugerNurse]

I’ve been curious about the Frontier Valley as well, doesn’t have a huge guard and I don’t know much about A2 steel but it always looks so nice

[RugerNurse]

Looks like I’m debating between the White River backpacker with the G10 scales, Bradford Guardian 3.5, or the ESEE Xancudo

[kennethsime]

A Frontier Valley in Cru-wear sounds about perfect, how do you like A2 steel?

Agreed for sure on the Cruwear front! They've done a few in 3V and I think even in Magnacut, but A2 is their bread + butter.

I haven't used AEB-L yet, but I think it's pretty similar. Both steels prioritize toughness over wear resistance, so you might have to sharpen them a but more often that you're used to. I don't mind, it's pretty easy stuff to work with. On the plus side, I haven't rolled an edge yet, and it helps keeps the cost of the knives down as it's a lot cheaper than CPM steel.

I did manage to break off a tip when I was using my Small Workhorse (a very similar model to the Frontier valley - almost indistinguishable) as a chisel on a framing project. That was a bad idea, but it did hold up pretty well for about an hour.

[chronovore]

Part of me still has an itch to carry a fixed blade but I haven’t found the right one yet. I thought I liked the White River backpacker model but the front part was too skinny for my pointer finger, made out feel wobbly if cutting hard...

I wanted to like the Backpacker but similar issue. It just didn't mate up right for my hand. (Same with their Caper.) The more robust Guardian 3 is another one that just doesn't fit my hand nicely.

The Guardian 3.5 though is supremely comfortable in my hand. Of course, it is larger and the nice round handle that makes it so comfortable to use also bumps up the EDC real estate. The blade is also a bit thicker than I normally like for EDC, so I just went all in on the tanto version. I don't care for either stock sheath choice and it seems I'm not alone in that. (I carry mine in aftermarket Kydex from Armatus.) Here it is next to a Dragonfly for reference.

The Rainier Fastpak is excellent for a small fixed blade. I think it was designed with ultra-light hiking in mind. It runs Elmax and can be had naked or with different colors of Micarta. (I've only used it with scales and the ergonomics are good for the size.) It comes with a nice sheath. Here is mine next to a Skaha II for reference.

The recently released Vosteed Mink is a great little budget fixed blade in Nitro-V and Micarta. The stock sheath is good to go. I only have a standalone pic handy but it's fairly compact.

[RugerNurse]

White River small game knife looks nice too

[RugerNurse]

Part of me still has an itch to carry a fixed blade but I haven’t found the right one yet. I thought I liked the White River backpacker model but the front part was too skinny for my pointer finger, made out feel wobbly if cutting hard...

The Guardian 3.5 though is supremely comfortable in my hand. Of course, it is larger and the nice round handle that makes it so comfortable to use also bumps up the EDC real estate. The blade is also a bit thicker than I normally like for EDC, so I just went all in on the tanto version. I don't care for either stock sheath choice and it seems I'm not alone in that. (I carry mine in aftermarket Kydex from Armatus.) Here it is next to a Dragonfly for reference.

The guardian is very comfortable, I tried a model from Amazon. Is it possible to put it on the belt comfortably?

[TomAiello]

The guardian is very comfortable, I tried a model from Amazon. Is it possible to put it on the belt comfortably?

I wear my Guardian(s) horizontally just left of my belt buckle, with the handle facing in toward midline (so that I can draw an resheath easily with my right hand). After trying a whole ton of different carrying methods for a small fixed blade, this is my preference for about 90% of them. The only other way I carry EDC fixed blades is a good pocket sheath (the Creely Mako pocket sheath is awesome) in my right cargo pocket.

[TkoK83Spy]

Guardian 3 Wharnie for the win!!

[RugerNurse]

Guardian 3 Wharnie for the win!!

That choil makes my finger hurt. I would be paranoid it would slide forward

[JSumm]

That choil makes my finger hurt. I would be paranoid it would slide forward

I actually held one at Blade Show a couple of years ago and like a goof ball nicked myself pretty good right infront of the owner. It was coincidental, but the following year they introduced the Guardian 3.2 that added a guard on the finger choil. Mucho better! The owner Brad said that the added guard was his wife's idea.

[TkoK83Spy]

I've used it many times at work in the warehouse for over the course of 3-4 years and never had any issues. Most of the time you're performing pull cuts vs push cuts, so lack of a guard really isn't a problem. A lot of the time I'd be wearing cut resistant gloves as well. Great little workhorse though!

[RugerNurse]

Anyone used the Rainer Knives Fastpak?

[chronovore]

The guardian is very comfortable, I tried a model from Amazon. Is it possible to put it on the belt comfortably?

Yes. I strongly recommend picking up the Armatus sheath for it.

Anyone used the Rainer Knives Fastpak?

Did you see mine and the little blurb I wrote about it above? It's a fantastic little knife.

[RugerNurse]

Did you see mine and the little blurb I wrote about it above? It's a fantastic little knife.

Oops, forgot you posted that. Been a long week at work, just a bit tired
I saw the White River backpacker is now in Magnacut so I’m intrigued again bit the other strong contender is the Fastpak. Just hope the handle would fit my hand for the Fastpak. How thin is the stock?

[TomAiello]

This thread is killing me. I'm discovering a bunch of new small EDC fixed blades I'm going to have to try out.

[TomAiello]

Guardian 3 Wharnie for the win!!

Do you find the 'tab' on the g-clip digs in at all? I found it uncomfortable in vehicles, and build a spandex strap that I use instead.

[TkoK83Spy]

Guardian 3 Wharnie for the win!!

Do you find the 'tab' on the g-clip digs in at all? I found it uncomfortable in vehicles, and build a spandex strap that I use instead.

Yes! Sometimes when crouching and opening packages I could feel it digging into my groin area, or sitting on the forklift and leaning forward a bit. Not a problem when sitting/slouching or working on your feet though.