Looking for opinions on fixed blade knives
Here's the scoop- after tax time subsides and before the summer really kicks off I would like to purchase a nice fixed blade knife. While I don't really want to spend an arm and a leg, I would like something that holds a decent edge and will take a little abuse without breaking. Would like something that would do duty as a camp/hunting/tactical blade. Would like to keep the cost below about $150 if possible. I embrace technology so something modern with composite handles or a polymer sheath would be preferred over something with a wooden handle and leather scabbard. First hand opinions are preferred and don't be afraid to post pictures if you have them. Thanks in advance.
Avoid All stainless steel
Stainless steel is too soft and doesn't hold it's edge under field conditions. Stainless doesn't mean "rust proof" it means "rust resistant" in that you still have to care for and oil the blade. Stainless is great for cutlery, not so much for carry blades.
As for an all in one knife, I've gotta say that it's a hard choice. You can't do tactical with a good field blade simply because it will be pretty heavy. In order to cut mustard with me a blade has to be capable of chopping a 2 inch branch without losing it's edge, or making my arm fall off. Not a lot of blades qualify in this respect.
Consider though, anything a small blade can do a large blade can do, but not the reverse. Sure it's unweildy to cut a cord with a large knife, but it's not impossible, but it IS impossible to use a small blade to chop a branch or defeat brush.
And I've got to give a great big "hell yeah" to Tops knives, compared to the other knives made of similar materials they are the most cost effective without being all fancy. I've never had a TOPS knife that didn't make me happy.
I'm not especially fond of bowie style blades, because I consider the tip too weak. For a field blade I consider 1/4 inch tool steel to be optimal. I don't know why it always happens, but I always end up needing to pry something loose and a 1/4 inch tool steel blade takes the punishment without bending or snapping. All that being said, I do own a bowie!
Something about knive collecting and use is as alluring as gun collecting, all kinds for all kinds of applications.
Oh, "tool steel" is the steel described in the 1xxx (1 thousand) series of steels. It's higher in carbon and therefore more rigid, it's also harder than stainless steel.
There's this ridiculously insane test that a a blade has to go through for the maker to be considered a bladesmith, bending to 90 degrees and return without breaking, chopping up some 2x4's and still being able to shave hair off your arm, etc... to be able to do both of these things, a bladesmith has to balance the steel and temper/harden it with obsessive skill - the kind of skill you gain by years of practice.
Most/many blades you'll buy today are pattern blades, that is they are cut on a water table from a sheet of stock, then CNC milled and ground to shape and painted/scaled. This includes TOPS, ESEE, and others. A lot of knives are made in china/taiwan/japan and most of them are a variety of stainless steel, TOPS outright admits their folders are chinese made (to their specs), but I don't consider folders to be serious field knives.
Cold Steel and Spyderco have a somewhat harder stainless steel they use (spyderco is harder) and spyderco almost exclusively uses hollow ground blades which are sharper, but slightly weaker than a V ground blade. Cold steel used to put out an insanely sharp and hard Tanto, all edges mirror polished right out of the box to be able to shave your arm. They don't do that anymore, don't know why. But they are both still stainless steel and therefore softer than tool steel.
Kabar knives are a good buy, I buy from www.tomarskabars.com and find their prices are the lowest. I'm also a fan of Becker knives (Ethan Becker was an outdoorsman who co-wrote "The Joy of Cooking") because they're simple, 1/4 inch tool steel and they chop all day long. The Companion is a GREAT knife for well under 100 bucks. They don't make the Brute anymore, but I have one, wish they did!
So, to summarize - avoid stainless. 1/4 inch (some 3/16 inch is workable in larger knives), don't pay for a name - pay for the steel. Otherwise you'll end up with a safe-queen knife that you are afraid to mar.
