Fixed Blade Knives

[C-dub]

I have a few myself and other than an old bowie knife that is now legal the others would not be considered a fighting, self-defense, or general purpose knife. Well, maybe one, but it's too purty to carry. My bowie is big and heavy and in terrible condition and has been relegated to a general purpose tree branch trimmer and a couple other things a tough older knife is good for. Okay, I have two general purpose knives.

I've mentioned in a few other threads here and there I'm considering getting a new knife. I'm not a knife snob, but I like knives. I've mentioned that I've been considering a Cold Steel Tai Pan that is a double edged knive with a 7.5" blade. This looks like a great knife, but I'm not convinced. It doesn't show up on anyone's list of best of anything knives. Several others are now on my radar that also cost less. We've talked about folders. This got me curious to see what any of you folks carried in the fixed blade arena.

What fixed blade knife/knives do ya'll have?
Is it <=5.5" or >5.5"?
Do you carry it?
Openly or concealed?
What kind of sheath? (nylon, leather, kydex, ...)
Where on your body do you carry it?

[Jusme]

I have several fixed blade knives. I don't consider any of them to be the "be all and end all" I don't know if that exists.

I keep with me, most of the time, the following:


ESEE 5 Plain edge
https://eseeknives.com/knives/esee-knives/esee-5/

Big, beefy, all around great survival/bushcraft knife

ESEE Izula in a neck sheath
https://eseeknives.com/knives/esee-knives/izula/

small, lightweight, great for skinning small game, preparing food, and small camp chores

Buck Matt Would Go knife
https://www.knifecenter.com/item/BU0245 ... ta-handles

This is probably the closest thing I have to a self defense/fighting type knife

DPX HEST
https://www.knifecenter.com/item/RPDPHS ... dex-sheath

Also, a smaller knife but with a thicker blade than the Izula, If I could only have one knife, this would be it

Ontario SP-8 Machete. (I see that this has been discontinued, which is a shame, I really like this tool.)
https://www.knifecenter.com/item/ONSP8/ ... her-sheath

Great for chopping, clearing brush, and laerge game preparation, The squared off tip, is also useful at campsites, etc.

Each knife has it's own purpose, and I have different methods of carrying each one. ESEE 5 scout carry small of back, Izula on a lanyard around my neck, Matt Would Go knife scout carry, in front cross draw, DPX HEST, on my backpack shoulder strap horizontal, and the SP-8 attached to the MOLLE webbing on my get home bag backpack.

Each one is for a different purpose, and while they may have some overlapping capabilities, each one has unique uses. I am also a big believer in redundancy, in case of emergency/survival type circumstances Most of these stay with my get home bag, and depending on where I may be, if I have to leave my vehicle, and hoof it home, I can decide to take some or all of them, with me.

I have other fixed blade knives, at home, including my old K-Bar, hunting knife that I carried as a Boy Scout many moons ago. The leather sheath, rotted away, but I kept the knife. I have others, mostly skinning, and food preparation type knives, and some that were gifted, but are more show, than useful.

I'm anxious, to find out what others carry.


ETA: I forgot to list the type of sheaths, each knife is in the original, factory sheath, either kydex, or cordura/leather (Ontario SP-8) I have added, Tek-Loks to my ESEE 5, and Matt Would Go, to accommodate scout carry.

[ELB]

I have a collection of knives, both folders and fixed blades, some of them quite pricy, but in the end my favorite carrying-around-all-purpose knife is this one:
[ufl= Timer 162OT Boot Knife Full Tang Fixed Blade Knife[/url]

At $21 it pretty much had nearly everything I want in a useful knife: fixed blade, symmetrical spear-point, blade is fairly thick/strong, slim snagfree profile, handle is big enough for my hand to grip but not too big, and so cheap that I am not concerned when I use it to dig in the dirt or pry with or otherwise "abuse" it. The sheath is cheap so I replace it, and the whole thing is long enough to be useful but short enough it just rides around in my pocket.

It is supposed to be carbon steel and it does sharpen nicely, I'm sure it is imported from china, but for a fixed blade I don't worry about the "quality" of the source so much. For a folder that might get used for SD, I stick to known, high quality manufacturers that have strong locks, but for what is basically a flat piece of steel with a point and an edge I am not so worried about the quality of the manufacturer or the steel. If I was going to hike into the Amazon basin or deploy to Iraqistan, then I would get something with known quality of steel, temper, etc, but for everyday banging around this knife works for me.

[C-dub]

I have several fixed blade knives. I don't consider any of them to be the "be all and end all" I don't know if that exists.

I keep with me, most of the time, the following:


ESEE 5 Plain edge
https://eseeknives.com/knives/esee-knives/esee-5/

Big, beefy, all around great survival/bushcraft knife

Buck Matt Would Go knife
https://www.knifecenter.com/item/BU0245 ... ta-handles

This is probably the closest thing I have to a self defense/fighting type knife

Those two look like great knives. I like the history behind the Matt Would Go knife.

When you say they are with you most of the time, do you mean that you carry them attached to you somehow or they are in your vehicle or a bag that is with you most of the time?

[Jusme]

I have several fixed blade knives. I don't consider any of them to be the "be all and end all" I don't know if that exists.

I keep with me, most of the time, the following:


ESEE 5 Plain edge
https://eseeknives.com/knives/esee-knives/esee-5/

Big, beefy, all around great survival/bushcraft knife

Buck Matt Would Go knife
https://www.knifecenter.com/item/BU0245 ... ta-handles

This is probably the closest thing I have to a self defense/fighting type knife

Those two look like great knives. I like the history behind the Matt Would Go knife.

When you say they are with you most of the time, do you mean that you carry them attached to you somehow or they are in your vehicle or a bag that is with you most of the time?

They are with my get home bag in my truck. I will carry them on occasion, especially the Izula, DPX,, or the Matt would go knife.
I really like the balance and feel of the MWG, it is the most comfortable in my hand. The ESEE 5 is a little heavy for EDC in my opinion. I have had my ESEE knives for years, and took them on camp outs with my son's Boy Scout troop. They hold up well to hard use, and sharpen easily. For the price, I don't think I could find better quality knives. My son has the ESEE, Laser Strike, which I also really like, it has a 4" blade, but is a little thinner and lighter than the ESEE 5. ESEE knives come with an unconditional, lifetime warranty.

[C-dub]

I have a couple of fixed-blade knives at home - Cold Steel SRK I used in Iraq, a Gerber Mk II - but my EDC is a CRKT "Obake Skoshi" (small version of their Obake).

That's a wicked little bugger. And only 1.5 ounces!

[C-dub]

It's a mean little thing, yeah. It punched through and broke a hog's rib at the Weaponology class in OK last year with no damage to itself; it definitely passed the tests (no snagging, sufficient penetration and no breakage) and impressed everyone. Many of the knives in the below pic failed one or more of the tests:

The only knife I have in that group is the Kabar TDI. Mine is the large tanto serrated unlike the one shown there.

I was out for a ride today and stopped by Cabela's to look for a pair of pants and went to check out what they had for knives and they actually had that little CRKT "Obake Skoshi" for $45. I almost walked out with it too, although now I also see it on amazon for only $28. However, I'm curious about the holster it comes with. I've seen the video on how it is intended to be carried, but would like to know about its general retention and if it could be worn upside down hanging from around my neck underneath a shirt. Or in my case a hospital scrub top without risk of it falling out.

[bblhd672]

A quick inventory of my knives reveals that I only have one fixed blade, a Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Pro. Just ordered one of those CRKT "Obake Skoshi" knives.

[PUCKER]

It's a mean little thing, yeah. It punched through and broke a hog's rib at the Weaponology class in OK last year with no damage to itself; it definitely passed the tests (no snagging, sufficient penetration and no breakage) and impressed everyone. Many of the knives in the below pic failed one or more of the tests:

I remember that thread - it's probably my favorite thread on here!

How did the Benchmade (Infidel?) OTF do?

[C-dub]

I've seen the video on how it is intended to be carried, but would like to know about its general retention and if it could be worn upside down hanging from around my neck underneath a shirt.

That's how I carry it every day - I ignored all the waist-carry gadgets that came with it. Retention is very solid; I can only get it out when I want to, and it takes a fair tug to do so.

How did the Benchmade (Infidel?) OTF do?

It passed all the tests so the blade itself is good, but Ed said that he's not convinced yet of the long-term durability of its mechanism.

What mechanism? The holster? If that's not it, I don't get it. It's a fixed blade.

[PUCKER]

How did the Benchmade (Infidel?) OTF do?

It passed all the tests so the blade itself is good, but Ed said that he's not convinced yet of the long-term durability of its mechanism.

What mechanism? The holster? If that's not it, I don't get it. It's a fixed blade.
[/quote]


Andy: thank you I'm curious about it as well. I've got a Microtech Ultratech OTF as my daily. So far so good....SHARP, beyond sharp...great blade, very happy so far!

C-dub: I asked Andy about the Benchmade Infidel OTF (Out The Front switchblade) that is in the big picture of knives).