What fixed blade are you carrying today?

[Aloha]

I like small knives and that also includes fixed blades.  That is a wonderful looking little fella. 

[David]

Very interesting fixie.     What's the size?

5 15/16" OAL.  Blade is 2 3/8"

I like small knives and that also includes fixed blades.  That is a wonderful looking little fella. 

I've developed an interest is small fixed blades several years ago. Havent pursued it to hard. Horsewright has several models I've wanted to try for some time so finally just decided to go for it.        

[Aloha]

Thats a good size.  Little fixed blades for me are to my mind paring knives.  I don't alway need a large chef knife.  I have three paring knives I used constantly in my kitchen.  The same is true for my feed blades.  My GEC, Izula, and Mora classic are so good in what they do and can do.  I was cutting up an old futon mattress the other day for the garbage can.  I reached for my BM mini griptilian then switched gears and reached from my Izula. 

There is something for me in using a fixed blade.  Having a small fixed blade at the ready is great.  I'm sure that Horsewright will be called upon often and it will be quite enjoyable to use. 

[Alan K.]

I finally got a full flap sheath to try with the DPX HEST II!  After tearing a shirt and gouging a hole in a couch cushion I had to either find a full flap sheath to cover the ridiculously sharp pry tool at the end of the HEST handle or I would have to make the permanent modification of grinding off the pry tool.  So the HEST pretty much sat in storage for the last 2 years.  This 9 inch long sheath of unknown origin, with no markings, is about a half inch too long, but otherwise a perfect fit, and it covers the pry tool so it won't inflict any more damage to my shirts or the upholstery.  I would suggest an older Buck 105 or 118 sheath would probably do the job but I don't have one to try out.  I had been looking for a Buck 103 sheath but now I think they may be too big.  Again, I don't have one to try out.  If anyone has a HEST or HEST II and the older full flap Buck sheaths I'm sure a lot of folks would like to know if they fit.

[Aloha]

 

Good it'll get some carry without worry of damaging anything.  I enjoy the knife but that pry thing is odd.

[Alan K.]

  I love the HEST and hated that I couldn't carry it.  The flap sheath is a little slower than the Loveless style hunter sheath I was using, but it is safer.  I can't really imagine a use for the pry tool. It's just a extraneous doodad for marketing I guess.

[Aloha]

I think the pry doodad is exactly as you suggest. 

I've beat the tar out of mine.  I think Zoid may have also beat the tar out of it and the fella before him did too.  Its a helluva knife.  I liked it as soon as I saw them and when I got it we bonded right a way. 

[Alan K.]

It's a very comfortable knife in my hand.

[nate j]

I can't really imagine a use for the pry tool. It's just a extraneous doodad for marketing I guess.

I thought you had established that it was a tactical couch ripper?

[Alan K.]

 

[Farmer X]

Cool fixie! I assume those handles are G-10? Of course it would be discontinued...

[Aloha]

I have the Micarta one FX.  Disco'd huh? 

[Alan K.]

I think it is G-10.  The DPX Gear H.E.S.T. has been made by 3 or 4 different companies now, both U.S. and abroad.  It's all very messy and confusing, but the HEST is still available new and used in one form or another.  I only bought the HEST II by Lionsteel in Italy because I found it at a really good price. 

[Farmer X]

When I searched Knife Center's site for the HEST, the one page for it said that it is indeed discontinued. I believe that was for the Italian-made one.

[Alan K.]

Carrying the HEST for the last week, since getting the flap sheath. I am very happy with it now.  I should have made the effort to find the flap sheath long ago as I feel I've lost time that I could have been carrying the HEST which may be my new favorite knife.  I hate the rough coating on the ESEEs and TOPs knives and the HEST doesn't have that. The DPX HEST II by Lionsteel is chemical blued like a gun and the finish is smooth so it doesn't slow your cuts the way the rough coated knives do.  The HESTs by other manufacturers may be finished differently, I don't know.  The sheath is definitely a half inch or maybe even three quarters of an inch too long but I lack the skill to shorten it myself and not have it look like the crumpled end of a crashed car.

[Aloha]

Hmm, I don't have the skill to suggest a actual fix but I am happy you are enjoying carrying your HEST.  It really is a great knife.  Is the steel 1095?  I guess I could have looked it up  . 

 

[Alan K.]

The DPX HEST II by Lionsteel is not 1095 and it is not gun blued, unless the TiCN PVD coating is the same as gun bluing. Not sure the composition of HEST by other manufacturers.

http://knifenewsroom.com/2018/07/dpx-hest-ii-assault/

"This knife is a TiCN PVD coated 3.15” drop point made from Niolox tool steel with a flat grind. It has an astronomical HRC rating of 61 and a blade thickness of 0.19”. On the spine of the blade is bottle opener, and the substantial jimping doubles as wire strippers."

https://knifebasics.com/detailed-niolox-steel-review/?expand_article=1

"Niolox steel is stainless steel with tool properties like D2 steel and Sleipner steel, it is produced by Lohmann. It features a unique composition that contains Niobium which gives it excellent wear-resistant properties."

[Aloha]

  Gosh I'm feeling a bit jealous.  That sounds amazing. 

I knowingly got my HEST wit ha sheath that had been modified and for me was unusable.  I bought the De Santis sheath and was confused on how I carry it.  I tried but I was not a good sheath for me and I lost a screw trying to configure it.  You can see the silver one.  hahaha. 

I made the leather sheath from an old purse.  Its down and dirty but its great.  My measurements were off so its wider than I anticipated.  I purposely made the belt loop long because of the pry end.  I use a dangler with this sheath and drop it just below my belt. 

Its been a great knife.  I worked on my edge to get it just ridiculously sharp.  As you can see it has had a working life.  There is no quit in this knife.  I have a mini ferro rod in the handle with those cotton things that have accelerant in them. 

[Aloha]

Heres my sheath.  The knife is held firmly and deep enough to never worry about it coming out.

[Alan K.]

  I think your hand made sheath out of an old purse was a brilliant solution, and it looks pretty good too.

[Farmer X]

So much HEST goodness!

[Alan K.]

It looks like the DeSantis sheath is meant to attach to MOLLE webbing such as on a load bearing vest or on a pack strap and meant to be hung handle down.  I don't know about you but most of my regular clothing isn't equipped with MOLLE webbing.
 

[Aloha]

Mine either.  I was hoping to mod it to work which is how I lost the screw  .  I thought the kydex would work with a leather backer, it didn't.  I am not out much and would still like to figure how to use it.  In the mean time I made that leather sheath for it.  Lesson learned, not everything is moddable at least by me.   

[David]

Heres my sheath.  The knife is held firmly and deep enough to never worry about it coming out.

 

[Aloha]

GEC today. 

[Alan K.]

Beautiful! I love the patina on that knife.

[Aloha]

Thank you, its taken on wonderful coloration due to kitchen duty.  Its pretty fun to use as well.   

[Farmer X]

 

[Alan K.]

4th Aug. '23
Carrying the Lionsteel H1 that I got last month during the Dean51 challenge.  It really is a bad idea to get a new knife during a challenge that you can't use as part of the challenge, but this came up at a price I couldn't refuse.  This is the green Micarta handled version.  So far I am really liking this knife.  The only way it could be better is if they measured my hand and made the knife custom to fit.  Out of the box though it comes pretty close.  Definitely ticks some boxes for me. It is the right size and doesn't look all fighty and tactical.  Amazon calls it a karambit style knife because it has the ring at the end of the handle but it really has nothing to do with a karambit.

I put a short lanyard on my Izula II so I could slip my little finger in the lanyard loop to assist in withdrawing it from its sheath and to aid in retention.  Simply put, the H1 doesn't need the lanyard because of the built in loop.  It is a very comfortable carry in the leather, horizontal sheath that it comes with and the M390 blade is wicked sharp. Here's an older pic of the Izula II so you can see the short lanyard.  It may also bear comparison for the similar size and the fact that I also carry the Izula II in a horizontal sheath.

[Aloha]

Very nice.  That loop at the end actually looks good.  A different approach than the Izula with more function.  M390  .