Fixed Blades - what do you folks have or carry?

[Simple Man]

Three of my favorites;

Swamp Rat Howling Rat, G2
Dan Brdlik Custom
Bark River Clip Point Skinner

Not shown but ordered and anxiously awaiting the Scrap Yard SOD

[rocketbomb]

Do does anyone like Ontario Rat models or now RAT Cutlery? I like their TAK-1 models and the RAT-5 also.

I'm thinking of grabbing a RAT-5 soon. :) I had a TAK-1 in D2 and it was a good knife. I think the next RAT I get will be in 1095 carbon.

Having handled both RAT Cutlery and Ontario versions, the RAT is vastly superior in fit and finish. The handles are much, much more comfortable. The sheaths RC makes are very nice as well.

I own an RC-3, and it's a great little knife. It is nice for throwing in the pack on hikes, it's very light but tough enough to handle anything you'd do with a knife of that size, and probably then some more.

These are my most used woods-walking knives. SAK Farmer, and a couple customs from a Nebraska maker named Bryan Breeden. Both O1 tool steel, micarta handles.

[JT]

Outdoors I usually take at least one of my Puukko's, and then a :spyder: or two.
Then again, I always have a :spyder: or two on me.

But for whittling and camp chores I usually end up using my Finnish Rangers knife, A Leuku, or my Roselli or Marttiini Puukko. (pics to follow, if anyone interested :) )

I suggest all you outdoors lovers to try out a Puukko. The sabre grind with a single bevel, without a microbevel just bites to wood so effectively.
the word puukko is Finnish, and comes from it's intented purpose, puu=tree, and the -kko is like verb ending of some sorty, I don't know how to translate it very well..

[KaliGman]

Lately, I have been carrying an Emerson Fixed Blade Karambit in the inside pocket of my suit jacket quite a bit. Chad's MPT is carried "off duty" a time or two. My Rock Salt has not seen any carry since my move to Ohio. I've been very busy at work.

Oh, by the way, most of the chores associated with moving are over so...I'm back :D .

[J.B]

My main carry fixed blades are Boker Subcom FB (+ Subcom FB black gun kote) !!! Emerson La Griffe !!! and BM Instigator. Others to carry in urban environnment are Swick, Spot Micarta, Ronin, Boker Bud Nealy Specialist Paracord, Blackhawk Kalista, CRKT Carcajou and BM Resistor. My other fixed blades like Fällkniven F1, Blackhawk Crucible FX, Cold Steel SRK (Carbon V), UWK (Carbon V) and Mini Bushman, Becker BK-7 (0170-6C (Carbon V)) and Lainhart Combat Utility (ATS-34) would rather be carried outdoors.

JB

[java]

My EDCCs (Everyday camp carries) are these two work horses



The Forester handles any big chore you can name or throw at it. The TOPS Skinat handles all the kitchenwork. I tried carrying an Extrema Ratio Fulcrum for mid use and kitchen chores but the blade thickness and edge angles sent the taters n' carrots flying around the campsite when chopping the veggies for Bambi stew. I also always carry my Danbo D2 necker...and what would Java be without his trusty old G10 Rookie tucked away somewhere?????

The Perrin Street Bowie makes a usefull camp knife as well and I have several that I have carried and used. I also use the Java three finger mini and some of my other home brewed FBs in camp as well as several the Vox knives shown below.....





Though not a camp knife, one of my favorite FBs is the Koji Hara Integral shown below.




Thanks for the interesting thread, David. :D


j

[snuffaluff]

Here's one my grandpa gave me years ago.





When I do go camping/hunting, I always take this.





sorry for the blurry pics :o

[asfaltpiloot]

I have a Pilot's Survival Knife and a Gerber Big Rock.
But i don't carry fixed blades a lot.

[Agent Starling]

I own some of Spyderco's FB's like the Caspian Salt, Spot, Swick, Ronin...and hope to get a Kumo in the forseeable future. :D

Agent Starling

[Jimd]

Do does anyone like Ontario Rat models or now RAT Cutlery? I like their TAK-1 models and the RAT-5 also.

I'm thinking of grabbing a RAT-5 soon. :) I had a TAK-1 in D2 and it was a good knife. I think the next RAT I get will be in 1095 carbon.

I have a TAK with a 4-inch blade as well as an RTAK.
The TAK is great, just the perfect size for many cutting chores. They're durable and not so pretty that you're afraid to use them.

The RTAK is a gargantuan knife, it's almost like carrying a sword! Even larger than I'd expected. If you want to chop down small trees, this is the ticket.

I also have a Strider HT Tanto that I dearly love. It's basically a sharpened pry-bar in the mid-size range, outstanding knife. Very sharp.

Another that I have was made by Jens Jorgen Schiermer from Denmark; it's a hunting knife with 4-inch blade and green canvas micarta scales. Great knife!

[Fred Sanford]

snuffaluff,

The one your grandpa gave you looks like a Buck 119 Special? True?

Regardless, really like it.

---------------------------

Also, (TKC) TheKnifeCollector, that blue one you show in your third picture down by "Ohare Knives" is just beautiful. What would say a ball park price on a knife like that? That is just a beauty in my eyes.

[type00rev]

Here are some of my fixed blades. I say some, as I have a couple on order.

TKC....very nice collection of fixed blades. How do you like the giraffe bone on your Charles May? I'm thinking about getting some for my MT02 Mule. Also, what scales are those on the TK2? That pattern is killer.

[Marion David Poff]

Fixed Blades, that is my briar patch.

I like products from a bunch of the better companies....

Ontario Knives makes the really great RAT designs, I don't have any of them, but my brother and best friend have the RTAK II, RAT 7, and TAK. I have played with them all, and have used the RTAK II a good bit. I think the RAT 7 is really great, a great outdoor compromise tool (compromise tool = a tool that does both big and small knife chores, without being big or small.) But I don't go for the compromise tool that much..... I prefer the big and small, a set. I think the RTAK II and RAT 3 would be an absolutely knock-out combination. One small hang-up, I would like the RTAK II if it were a bit thicker, not much, but a bit, as it is, it doesn't quite make me feel 100%, but that is emotion, not intellect. I think it is plenty thick in actuality, but there is always that thing in the back of my head.

And that is probably because I use a real brute, a custom from Bill Siegle, of my design, an early design, but I like it. Of course, it would double as a boat anchor, but it takes a baton like a champ.

If you are looking for a Spyderco to take into the woods, I would recommend the discontinued Perrin Street Bowie, thin, sharp, a fine point.... All good stuff.

After that, it is all about use, you know, like what is your purpose?

If one wants to be prepared for self defense, I think the CRKT Williams Hissatsu is out of the park. The concept has had a gaffe or two, namely with some of the marketing, but in terms of a knife that is carryable slash concealable, easy to access and has a form that supports the task, that knife is way too good.

If you want a neck knife, I think the Buck Hartsook has the title. I would go into more, but I may be releasing an article about it, so, mums the word for now.

I prefer a fixed blade to a folder almost as a rule, don't get me wrong, I have folders that I really like, and I carry them daily, but my first love is fixed blades. But not every great fixed blade is offered with a great sheath. So, if you really like a knife, sometimes you have to buy an aftermarket sheath.

TOPS makes great knives, though their designs can be an acquired taste, that some never acquire.

SOG is probably one of the real players in the fixed blade market, as they were making a number of good fixed blades, when other companies were less interested in fixed blades. That and the military theme....

Cold Steel has a real hit on their hand, with their new steel, 4116 Krupp. It is not a whiz-bang super steel, but it is still pretty super. Basically, it seems Krupp, decided to take the 420 series of steel, and analyzed ways to add just a little bit, to make a big difference. I have a Finn Bear, and I really like it, it takes a wicked, wicked edge, and it don't hold it like a high end Crucible something or other, but for the price point, it does a really great job. And of course, Cold Steel's knives in Carbon V (52100) are legendary. Though the handles they match up with that steel tend to be less than complementary. Matt Lamey has been known to take a Cold Steel Trailmaster, and re-work it, to create a really amazing knife.

I think that the strength of the Spyderco Fixed Blade line up, is it's diversity. Spyderco has offered Fixed Blades for some many different tasks. I am really impressed. But, then again, I have been for years.

[Marion David Poff]

Bill Siegle Custom, of my design.

http://img258.imagevenue.com/img.php?im ... _433lo.jpg

Spyderco Perrin Street Bowie

http://img169.imagevenue.com/img.php?im ... _976lo.jpg

[Fred Sanford]

Well I've been eyeing and lurking over at the RAT Cutlery forum over at Bladeforums. I had an Ontario TAK-1 in D2 and loved it. I regretted selling it like many others. Now that there is this legal thing going on between Ontario and RAT Cutlery I decided to purchase a RAT RC-4 (Nothing to do with Ontario Knives).

I ordered from Knifeworks.com and can't wait to get it. It will be my new hike knife. :)

Here's a pic for those that don't know (it's not my own pic).

[araneae]

I recently got an AG Russell Woodswalker, cute little guy:
http://www.agrussell.com/a-g-russell-wo ... h/p/AGPRS/
will make a nice little whittler, and food knife.

I have a Frosts Mora in Carbon steel that I use around the yard. I also have a few Schrades that are older than I am. One is a Schrade Walden H-15, the other a Craftsman brand made by Schrade. Both are 1095 carbon steel and will take a wicked edge. Oh, I also have a beat up Schrade Old Timer sharpfinger.

Can't forget the 52100 Mule and the little mentioned Vagabond...

[Michael Cook]

I just acquired my third Bark River Knife.
I had a PSK in Birds Eye Maple and an Aurora in Curly Maple. The one I just picked up is called an EDC Seax and is in Desert Ironwood.

I posted these knives before here but why not give them another show:

:spyder: Wow, that burst PRS is very sexy. PRS isn't using brazilian rosewood any more so don't sell it! :spyder:

[TheKnifeCollector]

TKC....very nice collection of fixed blades. How do you like the giraffe bone on your Charles May? I'm thinking about getting some for my MT02 Mule. Also, what scales are those on the TK2? That pattern is killer.

I LOVE the scales on my Fireant. The xales on my Krein TK2 are mark Nelson Markarta.

[TheKnifeCollector]

I have added a Bil Buxton Damascus Hunter, with ironwood handles. And I forgot to post my Tommy Gann knife.

[Axlis]

I just acquired my third Bark River Knife.
I had a PSK in Birds Eye Maple and an Aurora in Curly Maple. The one I just picked up is called an EDC Seax and is in Desert Ironwood.

I posted these knives before here but why not give them another show:

Man, that PRS is super sweet!