Fixed Blade Challenge October

[Sos24]

The Izula II seems to have that squared-off spine. I think the coating on mine is proving to be a hinderance for effective ferro rod striking.

The cerakote could be preventing a good strike

I would believe that.  Have you tried with the Garberg?

The Garberg and Kansbol work well.  I think Mora even specifies which of their knives have a good edge for striking because not all of them do.

[BPRoberts]

Day 29

Buck has a great solution to the double sheath issues from yesterday. Their Paklite set can be carried as a double or as singles by removing one screw.

[Pacu]

Day 28

Used the Becker 11 to open up a ZT 350 in Magnacut.

[nate j]

Yes. The Garberg, despite being stainless, is the best ferro rod striker I've yet found.

Garberg and Kansbol work well.  I think Mora even specifies which of their knives have a good edge for striking because not all of them do.

Right.  At one point, FX was blaming his ferro-rod striking technique.  I knew the Garberg was a good striker and a knife that he owned.  So, it seems like technique is fine.
 

[nate j]

Day 29

Bark River Bravo 1

This version features S35VN steel and Ghost Green Jade (natural; A+ for marketing) G10 slabs.  With kydex sheath.

[AzteCypher]

Day 29

The more I clean my office, the more I keep finding small boxes I forgot to recycle.  Also used the Instinct to remove some backing from a no sew adhesive.  The patch is for a costume my son will be wearing to school.

[Alan K.]

Day 29

Carried the Brisa Crafter again today.  I used it to cut open a 40-pound box of cat litter but didn't take a picture.

[Sos24]

Day 29
Cut some dog treats

[Farmer X]

It seems like technique is fine.

I hope so.

Day 30

For the final official day of the challenge, the thick and glossy piece of card stock met the Izula II. There was an action shot, but the phone camera smurfed it up (of course), so it wound up on the cutting-room floor.

This challenge went by pretty quickly. I won't be requesting the badge (as I doubled up on challenges this month), but I ain't done, either. I'll have final thoughts and a bonus photo for tomorrow.

[Alan K.]

Day 30

The Real Steel Furrier Harpoon for today. The flat sheath makes it easy to drop in a pocket and it is so light that I forget it's there. 

[nate j]

Day 30

I believe this Bradford G-Necker is the best EDC/pocket fixed blade I own.  This includes some popular models such as the Izula, though I don’t have a Bark River Essential.  It has a good usable edge and point, is slim and simple but comfortable, easy to clean, good steel choice (mine is Elmax but I believe they are now using NitroV), and has an excellent sheath (more on this below).

I’ve made (or reinforced) some interesting observations over the course of this challenge.  In no particular order:

1. A pocket fixed blade (with a proper sheath) is about on par with a folder that is OHO/2HC or 2HO/OHC in terms of speed and complexity in use, as it can generally be drawn with one hand but properly and safely returning to the sheath requires both hands.  Not as quick/efficient as a folder that is both OHO & OHC though.
2. I feel fortunate to live in a corner of the world where carrying knives (and firearms) is generally legal and accepted.  However, (illogical though it may be), fixed blades seem to get a different, more negative reaction than folders.  I only got one joking “Don’t stab me, bruh!”  But I was also guilty of swapping out my fixie for a folder when heading to events/locations where I anticipated it might be a problem.
3. The importance of a good sheath cannot be overstated.  I’m not generally a fan of sheaths for folders or MTs, but for a fixed blade they are obviously a necessity.  And a good one can be the difference between a knife that is a pleasure to carry and use, and one that is unsafe, uncomfortable, impractical, and or a PITA.

YMMV, but for me a good sheath means the following:
- Kydex or comparable material.  I don’t like leather sheaths for my carry blades, because I don’t want to have to worry about moisture and I want a sheath that the knife won’t cut through or penetrate, even if I fall on it.
- Holds the knife securely enough to pass the shake test with zero or very minimal rattle and without secondary retention; but not so tightly that it requires excessive force to draw.  I also find a thumb ramp or similar feature helpful in getting this balance right.
- Paracard grommets or equivalent
- Generally thin and flat shape so it fits well in pocket.
- Any belt clips, belt loops, firesteel loops, etc. that may exist should be able to be removed via screws.

Thanks for a fun challenge, awl, and special thanks to BPR for hosting!

[Sos24]

Day 30
For the last official day, I though I would post my favorites.  The Buck 113 didn’t make much if any of an appearance this challenge, but is a great knife.  The Darlington Edgecraft Sugar is a great knife, although on the larger side for me for edc.  The last three are my favorites for carrying. 

[Pacu]

Day 29

Use the Becker 11 to make a quick PB sandwich on the road.

[TexasAKM]

Day 28
(Mega late)

I am enjoying my roach belly knives lately,  this one is the new one.

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[TexasAKM]

Day 2
(Late)

I cut some cardboard to shim up a wobbly belt sander stand at work.

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[TexasAKM]

Day 30

I bought this in 1991, I believe.  I think they were on clearance from Cold Steel Special Projects.  An ATC Kukri. (All Terrain Chopper. )  This baby cuts. 

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[AzteCypher]

Day 30

I agree with Farmer X in that this challenge felt like it went by quickly.

Since I'm banging away on a keyboard all day, this challenge taught me what I like in a fixie while in an "office" environment.   I found out that I like something small enough that won't be obtrusive, with a comfortable sheath that I can horizontally carry, while not poking me while I'm sitting down.

From left to right, I started out with the Tonife Runer, made out of 8Cr14MoV steel with a fiberglass handle.  (I feel that whoever was in charge of naming the company and the knives, needs to learn about grammar and spelling.)  It's a sub $20 neck knife that wasn't bad at all.  It is small so I used the included paracord to make a lanyard for it so I could carry it more comfortably.  I wouldn't use it to hack my way through a jungle, but it handle everything I threw at it from an urban perspective.  I really like how small but handy this fixie was.  I would have no issue EDCing this one.

The one thing I didn't like was the clip.  It's too flimsy for my liking, but I have a different one on the way.  The sheath needed a bit of an adjustment from a hair dryer but it was fine after that.

Next I carried the Huaao Camping knife, made out of 8Cr13Mov steel with G10 handles.  This knife had more heft which I appreciated and felt like it could take more punishment than the Tonife Runer.  I really like the way it felt in my hand with the thickness and the heft.  Even though it's a sub $30 knife, it made me feel that it could skin a deer then baton some wood without missing a beat.

The one thing I didn't like about it was the sheath and the clip.  The sheath felt like it was too large for the size of the knife and the clip was too long.  Depending on the way I sat, either the sheath or the clip would dig into me.  I'm thinking of trying to 3D print a smaller sheath for it just to see how the carry would feel. 

The last fixie I carried was the SOG Instinct that I picked up from the Surprise GAW box.  The Instinct is a sub $40 knife made of 5CR15MOV steel with G10 handles.  This one feels like the best of both worlds, small and light, yet tough enough to handle almost anything. 

The one thing I don't like is, because of the way the clip screws into the sheath, my belt gets scratched when I put it on my belt or take it off.  I'm thinking I need to try a flatter screw or something of better quality, not completely sure yet.  I also don't care for the flat handle so I may either wrap it in paracord, or 3D print some scales for it just for smiles and grins.





Thanks to BPRoberts for hosting this fun challenge.  Because of this challenge, I'll be carrying a fixie more often.  See ya'll on another challenge soon!   

[Farmer X]

Day 31

It's now time for my thoughts on the knives used in this challenge. Somehow I don't think they would have wavered if I'd carried one for the entire 30 days, rather than three for ten days each.

The CRKT Civet is, in my opinion, the only one of the three suited for neck carry. And its sheath pretty well restricts you to that method unless modified. The blade has a nice profile, and I appreciate the two sections of jimping. But I prefer a four-finger grip on a fixed blade, and I'm not overly fond of the supplied scales, Those may be removed one day. Still, if you want a fixed blade that carries unobtrusively, you could do a lot worse than the Civet.

The Garberg is the first fixed blade I can recall purchasing. There are a few things about it that I'm not overly fond of: the floppy belt loop on the sheath, the lack of jimping on the spine, the overmolded handle, and the tiny lanyard hole. But the blade is what really counts. And the Garberg has a great blade. I can only imagine that a Garberg with a carbon steel blade would be amazing. I think I'm going to keep the Garberg around and maybe see about adding some jimping and a different handle.

The only strike I have against the Izula II is the coated blade. Maybe I'll file off a section of the coating to help with ferro rod striking. Other than the coating, this is the best fixed blade I've tried. I appreciate the removable scales and overall solid construction. As I've said before, it's a small fixed blade that has a big knife feel. And it turns out that I like the carabiner/split ring carry method. This one has worked its way up to regular at-home carry. It'll be a regular carrier after I've moved...I don't see Michigan un-smurfing their awkwardly worded statutes concerning fixed blades in the next 10.5 months.

I won't be requesting the badge this time around, but I'll repeat this challenge next time the gauntlet is thrown down. Hope to have y'awl join in for the next one!

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[Alan K.]

Day 31
Congratulations to all who finished this challenge.  Thanks to BPRoberts for hosting the challenge this time around.  I think there should be an October EDC fixed blade challenge every year, but I admit to being prejudiced in that regard.  I have seen many knives that I've added to my list for potential purchases in the future.  Here's a final photo of some of the knives I've carried this month.  These aren't necessarily my favorites; they're most of my favorites, but these are the knives that were still on my desk as of this afternoon when I wanted to take the picture.  Here's what I know about fixed blade knives for everyday carry:  your EDC fixie should be a substitute for a folding knife so it should be able to do any task you would normally do with a folding knife.  Some knives are easier to carry but harder to use and other knives are easy to use but harder to carry.  Essentially you don't want a knife that is too big or too small.  For me the golden ratio is around 7 inches, with more handle than blade. That generally translates to 4 inches of handle and 2&1/2 to 3 inches of blade so I can get a full hand grip.  A good sheath is a must.  It can't ride too high or it will poke me in my back fat when I sit and may chafe my side fat when I walk.  It can't ride too low or it will show under my untucked shirt and may flap against my leg.  Some companies make really good knives, but their sheaths don't seem to have been given much thought at all.  I prefer friendly looking knives that don't look like weapons.  I don't want to pull something out in the lunchroom that looks all tactical and stabby.

I have some suggestions for anyone thinking about EDCing a fixed blade knife if it's legal where you are.  There isn't one knife that will be perfect for everyone.  My favorite is the CRKT Hunt N' Fisch at around $80.  I also think most people would be well served with an ESEE Izula II which is going to be between $70ish to $100+ but is available in many different colors, skeletonized, or with Micarta handles.  I hate the plastic scabbards that ESEE provides though and had to buy a leather sheath for my Izula II.

For under $30 I highly recommend the Schrade Sharp Finger model 152OT. The original was the 152, while the new, Chinese made version is the 152OT. The Schrade has been around since 1973 and while the new model is made in China it's still pretty good.  Calling it the Sharp Finger was genius, because it really is like having a sharp finger, although, some people find the squarish handle shape uncomfortable.  Then there are the newer, relatively cheap knife companies such as Kizer, Civivi, and Swiss-Tech that you can get from Wal-Mart or Amazon and seem to be offering good quality and materials for the price.  I might have started there if I didn't already have a drawer full of knives.  The last thing I would recommend as a starting point would be the various custom or semi-custom knives that can cost hundreds of dollars.  That's just too much money to spend on proof of concept. You really don't want to blow $400 to find out you don't like carrying a fixed blade.  I'd much rather start out cheap and work my way up.

[Farmer X]

  with almost everything Alan said above, in particular the bit about manufacturers who provide a smurfty sheath to go with a great knife. I have come to appreciate the ESEE sheath now that I use the carabiner/split ring method, but that may not be to everyone's liking. And I believe that with persistence and a little bit of luck, one might be able to find a new old stock American-made Schrade 152OT blade blank. I might put that theory to the test. (I'm about 99% sure there was an Uncle Henry equivalent for those who like stainless steel and/or some of the best faux stag ever made.)

It may also be worth noting that I have a "magic triumvirate" of factors for future fixed blade purchases: full tang, good ol' carbon steel, and made in the USA or by a bladesmith. The more of those boxes a particular fixie checks, the more it interests me.

[BPRoberts]

Day 30 (Late)

Kind of embarrassing to miss the last day of my own challenge. Here's the Eldris carving a pumpkin. More tomorrow when it's not so late!

[Pacu]

Day 30.

Used the Becker 11 tonight to open some laffy taffy and a bag of Reeses ( for the trick or treaters  )

[Alan K.]

I am weak. 

I didn't even finish out the month before there was another fixie on its way to my house.  I ordered a White River M1 Backpacker in S35VN.  I've wanted to try one for a couple of years now and was made an offer I couldn't refuse.   
I might have to sell off a couple of other knives to make up for it though.

[AzteCypher]

Day 31

Used my Kershaw Bear Hunter II to start carving the pumpkins earlier today.

[Pacu]

This was a great challenge.    Thank you BP for getting this challenge together. 

I've been looking hard at Bark River, White River, and of course my ole stand by fix blade Esse line ups. I'm very much liking by Becker 11 i got solely for this challenge a month ago. The Becker Kephart has been calling my name for a bit .

[BPRoberts]

I carried a bunch of different knives this month, but I'll highlight the three that were my favorites:

1. CKRT Razel Compact Fixed: Columbia River Knife and Tool's Razel line is a series of knives with chisel style tips. They come in a variety of sizes, folder or fixed. I picked the Compact fixed since, in addition to the usual cleaver and chisel edges, it adds a small serrated edge at the top. Having two other edges means you can keep your main edge razor sharp, and use the other two for rough/stupid jobs. The serrated edge rips up cardboard, and the chisel handles scraping. That leaves the main edge for light food prep or precision jobs, and keeps it keen for them.

2. Buck Paklite 630 Hide: A lot of you love the Izula series, and I can see why. This Hide is the same size (skewing slightly more towards the handle than the Izula II), a similar shape, and has a skeletonized handle (with removable partial scales) similar to a lot of ESEE knives. I paracord wrapped mine, which I think makes it a lot comfier. I think this general size (6.5"-7")is the ideal for a medium EDC fixed blade. Enough knife to do real work, but small enough to carry light and easy. I was surprised that it was actually pocket carriable fairly comfortably.

3. Buck 117 Brahma: The Baby Special is an overlooked part of Buck's fixed blade lineup. It's a smidge smaller than the more popular 105, but keeps the traditional clip point from the 119. This was my favorite when I was willing to go belt carry. Absolutely fantastic pumpkin carver (and no slouch on food prep).

Honorable Mentions: The CRKT Minimalist line is the go to "my first pocket fixie" for good reason. They're cheap, reliable, and small enough to carry anywhere (including neck), and you can get them in about a million different blade shapes and colors. Most of them are a bit smaller than the general recommendation here, but I think it's better to go small than big for a first try, or if you're buying for someone else.

As others have stated, a good sheath is critical, especially for pocket carry. Leather looks nice, but Kydex is probably the better all around choice. Light, slim, and easy to wash. I liked that I could just pop my knife back in the sheath after a messy job and wash out the sheath in the sink later. Beware of companies who make GIANT sheaths for tiny knives. I don't know why a plastic sheath would ever be larger than the blade and handle combined, but someone must like them.

As far as carrying/using a fixed blade vs a folder: I agree with comments other people made that it's definitely less acceptable in "polite" society. I got a few comments this month. I mostly pocket carried, which is obviously a more concealable option. Overall, I think a folder is generally more convenient, if only because you can cram more knife into the same size space. If you want a ~3" blade with a comfortable handle you're looking at carrying at least 6, probably 7, inches of knife. Compared to a folder where you can get that in a 4" handle.

Thanks for riding along everyone. I'm hopping over to the Seeing Red challenge, but hopefully some of you will go all the way the other way with me in December and go MAD MAX with your most over the top folders/multis.

[Alan K.]

The CRKT Razel Compact definitely caught my eye. 

[BPRoberts]

You deserve one. 

[Farmer X]

As far as carrying/using a fixed blade vs a folder: I agree with comments other people made that it's definitely less acceptable in "polite" society.

Very true. I leave my fixed blades at home when I'm going out and about. But if I'm on my property, I have no qualms about carrying the Izula II. Nobody has said anything about it yet.

[Alan K.]

Here it is.    I ordered this White River M1 Backpacker in S35VN last week and it arrived today.  It arrived with the black paracord wrap but I can always order a set of G-10 slabs for it, or I may change the paracord for something more colorful.  I've wanted to try one for a couple of years now, and so far, I am not disappointed.  It falls within my golden ratio of 7 inches OAL with 3 inches of blade and 4 inches of handle, and although it comes with a plastic scabbard, it fits into the same leather sheaths as a Bradford Guardian or ESEE Izula II.  I am presently carrying it in the horizontal sheath from Bradford, just to the right of my belt buckle.