Noa's fixed blade challenge

[Noa Isumi]

It's time for another 30 day challenge this time is going to be fixed blades. Since I do not have any major trips or projects planned I'll have to find a way to incorporate one into my daily life.

To try and make this interesting added to my EDC will not be a good quality knife but rather 2$ counterfeit of a Cold Steel Urban-Pal. This diminutive little push knife has a 1.5 inch serrated blade and a simple rubber grip.

This is not my first round of having a push knife in my EDC. I used to actually wear a small no-name tanto blade in a custom sheath that layed along my belt buckle regularly.  Some of you may remember that knife in my early posts and challenges. And as always I will be swapping in other blades randomly as well.

So let's get this started.
First task opening the mail. What did we receive today? Some old books on CD. Yes I know most of these books are over a hundred years old and I can get them free sourced. Sometimes it's just easier to pay a few bucks and buy a whole collection then hunt down individual volumes,. This is  especially true if you don't have an individual book in mind and just a topic in general.

[Poncho65]

Will be following

[Noa Isumi]

Day2: Sandwich

Todays cutting is an Arbys classic roast beef for my dog. It cut quite well using a pinch grip on the rubber, the tang gives extra reach for the blade.

The "Colo Steel" logo is visable in the pic. Yep Colo not Cold and both Os have the same spot on the top showing it isnt a mis-formed D.

[Noa Isumi]

Day3
More food prep, filleting a chicken brest. Though ragged due to the serriations this little knife cut quite well. At first i tried sawing, then I realized I could use a sweeping cut like a skinner or bird&trout.
Pic is next to one I did with the boning knife.
Too bad I forgot to take a pic of everything on the grill.

[Noa Isumi]

Day 4
How I am carrying this one has changed a couple times.
On day one I just had it in my pocket. On day two and three I took the Swiss army knife and Maglite off my necklace and wore it as a neck knife. Today I reassembled my necklace carrying it clipped to the dangler on my wallet.
All of these have worked well.


Edit

So minor update
I have lashed it to the backside of an UncleMikes flashlight/baton ring for a police duty belt that I have used to smap my keys to for 15+yrs. It rides comfortably inside my belt so only the top rubber if the handle is exposed.

[Dean51]

Seeing it next to the maglight puts the size into perspective for me.
 

[Poncho65]

Great pics Noa Not my type of knife but hey a knife is a knife You have already accomplished some good tasks with it

[Noa Isumi]

Day 5
June 6
In honor of the D-Day anniversery todays pic will be militatia. 

The Plum1917 was the 5th and final bolo produced for the US Army in WW1. It would serve as a heavy chopper for specialized rolls with just a few in each unit. So many were produced the old stock was again issued to troops (mostly Pacific theatre) in WW2 from 41-early43 when they were replaced with machetes.

Other Items on the table:
Korean War messanger bag (NOS)
Mosin-Nagant 91/39 (1938 manufacture)
Mosin accessories, bayonet, ammo
E-Tool 1969 (German?)
US airbore weapon case (late 1970s)
East German shelter half/poncho in rain camo (the table cloth)
Pistol belt (from a Coleman canteen)

Ok so none of this mis-matched mess would be period/locaton appropriate but anachronism aside it was a fun photo to do.

[Noa Isumi]

Day6
So today I decided to do a cut test. In particular I decided to use the push knife as intended on a cardboard target. The result is 5 layers of penetration and skinned knuckles.
This highlights an inherent problem with the design. When you punch even with light force this type of knife torques in your grip causing the shoulder of the blade to impact the back of your knuckle.
Very few manufacturers bother to smooth out the tang or that back shoulder. I already knew this cheap one was sharp as a cheese grater, but I've seen expensive ones just as bad.
All that said this is a "get off me" knife for when you already have lost the fight. Busted Knuckles probably aren't your biggest concern compaired to a busted head.

Please note that cut doesn't look near as bad in the pic as it did in real life. It hasn't really started bleeding, I took about a 1/4in slice out of the top of my finger. But I knew this would happen and have had much worse from these. The worst one I've had skinned both knuckles and inbetwene the fingers on ether side of the tang

[ThePeacent]

Day6
So today I decided to do a cut test. In particular I decided to use the push knife as intended on a cardboard target. The result is 5 layers of penetration and skinned knuckles.
This highlights an inherent problem with the design. When you punch even with light force this type of knife torques in your grip causing the shoulder of the blade to impact the back of your knuckle.
Very few manufacturers bother to smooth out the tang or that back shoulder. I already knew this cheap one was sharp as a cheese grater, but I've seen expensive ones just as bad.
All that said this is a "get off me" knife for when you already have lost the fight. Busted Knuckles probably aren't your biggest concern compaired to a busted head.

Please note that cut doesn't look near as bad in the pic as it did in real life. It hasn't really started bleeding, I took about a 1/4in slice out of the top of my finger. But I knew this would happen and have had much worse from these. The worst one I've had skinned both knuckles and inbetwene the fingers on ether side of the tang

  yeah cheap push knives do that. I have had a few with design issues, all were crappy cheap blades. 
The only one I know for sure that is extremely comfortable in the palm, fingers and has nice corners is the real deal, that is, the Cold Steel 

[Noa Isumi]

Day7
Cardboard cutting....FAIL
Anyone who's seen my 30 days cutting this single cardboard is daily task for me, and I do it every challenge. This is the first time I have ever had truly fail in cutting this stuff no matter how cheap it may be. As you can see it didn't really cut so much as it ripped. I could honestly get cleaner cut folding and tearing it.

[LoopCutter]

cute little knife, but not really a cutter, designed for poking, plunging and twisting.

But, then to be fair, I got hung up in post cutting a roast beef sandwich for the dog.  What did the dog do to upset you.  That isn't actually roast beef, and then the bread is not the best for dog's diet either.   

Your challenge is a tough one, carrying a fix blade for 30 days has my respect.  All the best.

[Noa Isumi]

Day8
Carrying a fixed blade was a lot easier when I lived in the country. Now that I'm in an urban environment I have to be a bit more careful lest I offend someone.
It used to be nothing for me to walk around with a Buck on my hip. The only time I ever got looks was when I walked into a gas station with a Cold Steel kukri machete on a drop leg.
All that said; I regularly carry a 4in RCF Hunter on my days off and my Glock 81 is always in my edc backpack.
Truth is I'm probably going to switch out to that RCF Hunter here in a few days

As for the sandwich: yeah I know junk food generally isn't good for them but a half a plain sandwich as an occasional treat is ok. ( provided you avoid certain foods and sauces that are actually harmful or poisonous)

[Noa Isumi]

Day9

[Poncho65]

Been meaning to keep up with this better been so busy the last while Great pics Noa

[Noa Isumi]

Day10...oops put 9 origonaly

Ok so today is more kitchen prep. Today I am using the RCF. The 1/4in thick blade is a bit chunky for fine slicing but the hollowgrind helps.

Unfortunetly I am still experimenting with this little grill, havent used a Lodge Sportsman in years. Too many coals last time, not enough this time. I got the franks and chops done (barely) but the chicken had to be baked. It is odd downsizing from my old pit to a cast iron hibachi like I used 15-20y ago. Mabey next week I will get it right.

I will proabably finish out the month switching back and forth between this and the glock knife.

[Noa Isumi]

Day11
A size comparison.
Vic Trekker, RCF Hunter, Glock81 Field knife, LM ST300

The RCF is 1/4in thick D2 with Micarta and a hollow grind. It came with the leather pouch and the kydex one was the 1st Kydex I did a couple years ago. I like the high ride and teclock on the kydex, but it is a bit tacticool; so if I cant cover it I use the leather one.

The Glock is the field knife varient of the sawback AUG bayonet. From what I understand the rear lug is still there, they just press a cap over it. This one rides in my edc bag.

[styx]

nice to see you're still going strong

[Noa Isumi]

Day12
Today I was wearing the RCF in the Kydex. One thing that I'd like to point out is that this knife is actually just small enough for me pocket carry too. And that's one of the beauties of the way I have two kayaks setup with a tek-lok. I can pop it off my belt and just drop it in my pocket when I need to have it concealed, like at work.
This works with any pants that have reasonable pockets. On pants with the short trouser cut pockets such as Dickies the top inch of the handle sticks up.
You may also notice I have to knife flipped edge forward instead of back, this is just to make sure it stands upright in my pocket rather than tip back and have the handle exposed.

[Noa Isumi]

Stupid voice type
"The kydex" became a pair of boats

"And that's one of the beauties of the way I have two kayaks setup with a tek-lok"

 

[Noa Isumi]

Day13

[Noa Isumi]

Day14

[Noa Isumi]

Day15
Cutting down a cheap yoga mat to use as a pad under the guest kennel/crate to keep it from scratching the floor.


Edit:
I didn't realize just how bad the color was in this photo. No flash and the only light source is a LED mock Edison bulb. We all know the Glock fde and that yoga mat is supposed to be a fluorescent Green

[Poncho65]

More great pics and uses Noa

[Noa Isumi]

Day16
Starting to organise...barely make a dent.

Pics
Before
After
After
After

Its a start

[ThePeacent]

Day16
Starting to organise...barely make a dent.

Pics
Before
After
After
After

Its a start

very cool start!!
Regarding the last pic, may I ask you a few questions about the collection?    Ignore them if you don't have time or patience 

Show content

- Is that a Lighting OTF that I see sandwiched between the orange and wooden handled folder? 
- And the one with "camo inlays" on the bottom box? It has the glass breaker of Microtechs but doesn't look like one to my eyes 
- All to the bottom right, next to the blue stiletto, is that an Emerson?
- on top there is a Gerber mini box and an orange folder, does that foder have a "wave hook"? 
- on the far right there appears to be a Svord folder, a Piranha multitool and a small KaBar neck knife, 

you have interesting pieces there!   

[Noa Isumi]

I need to get more boxes and something for my fixed blades. Right now I have a lot of coppies and counterfits which is kind of amusing. I actualy need to seperate the real from the fakes. I have no clue how many knives I actualy have here let alone in storage with my shop equipment. I know MrPinchy, Gerber Bolt Action, and some swords are there.

1&2 the "lightning otf" and the camo "microtech" are both low quality knockoffs(compleatly diffrent but we'll use knockoff). All the knives in those 2 compartments are autos; except that orange handled 2blade hacksaw

3 the Emmerson is a counterfeit of a Comander 1 and is actualy really good quality. As far as a build grade I would say it is as good as the Kershaw production models.(I have a cqc6k) I got this as part of a bulk lot in '02 and cant find another or who made it. It has no markings other than "made in china"

4 the orange folder has a double guard flipper. It is one of TacForce's little spear point rescue knives.

5 yes that is a piranha, svord peasant in black plastic, and MTech mini-Kbar neck knife(dont buy knives drunk kids)
I got the piranha intending to remove the blade and have a cheap TSA safe multi, but never did.


Edit:
Well I think I just found the limit of the springs in the camo otf. It went out and is not just derailed but compleatly dead. Actualy thinking about it the locks should still engage even if the drive springs are messed up. This will be intresting to take apart and see what happened. That is what I bought it for in the first place, to see the guts of a DAOTF.
 

[Noa Isumi]

I need to correct myself on the "emmerson" clone;

 That grip is diffrent. I remember looking it up years ago and thinking it was a dead ringer for one of the comanders varients, now I look them up again and nothing looks the same.
Of course its too late to edit again.
 

[Noa Isumi]

Day17
The RCF is just decoration.
What we are really looking at is the guts of that OTF

So the locks and their springs are fine.
The drive springs are still on the yoke and plate assembly.
And the tang pins look fine
It looks like the front yoke is worn & damaged(pic3+4), but when re-assembled it works again.
In the end the assembly screws loosend up enough to where the dammaged front yoke wasnt engaging. This is a known issue on cheap OTFs since the screws wear on the zinc/potmetal frames till they strip out over time.
These DAs are all about ballance so everything was off.

[ThePeacent]

wow! I didn't expect such a long and thorough reply, thanks Noa! The autos seem cheap especially camo one  when you've had enough knives just by looks you review them sometimes 
The Tac Force,  well, it's a Tac Force 

the Emerson has the famous 50/50 blade but the handle is a dead giveaway regarding its authenticity