Small fixed blade for altoids tin survival kit

[sja2249]

Here I am with more questions...

I see a few custom fixed blade knives that are designed to fit in an altoids tin... often costing $50 or more. I see there are some production knives that are designed to fit in an altoids tin for a reasonable price, but the steel is *VERY* soft ( 52 on the Rockwell C scale ). I have seen a few places where people have made their own knives from hacksaw or sawzall blades... but I have no way to heat treat them. So...

Has anyone considered taking a mora knife, removing the handle and grinding the blade/handle to a length that will fit an altoids tin and a shape that will fit your hand? The overall length should be around 4.75". Some of the blade will end up being ground down to be a handle. I should be able to do this without ruining the heat treatment if I am careful and keep the steel cool. My brother has a low speed grinding wheel in a water bath that should work well for shaping. Does this sound reasonable?

I am loathe to ruin a perfectly good knife, but for some reason it's cheaper to do that than to buy a blade blank for the same knife. Any idea why that is?

I'm thinking about doing this to either a Mora Clipper or a Mora Classic #2. Any thoughts?

Sam

 

[brets-ftw]

Sounds like it'll work to me, though I'd wince as soon as the edge touched the wheel, no idea why the blanks are more expensive, and unless your planning to try and save the handle go with the clipper

 

[Gaspumps]

Buck Hartsook neck knife, S30V.

 

[Grease]

I'd be loathe to ruin a knife too... But what you're talking about isn't ruining it, just re-purposing it. Grinding a blade down into a handle shape isn't too difficult, so I'd say go for it. Just remember that you can always grind more - you can't ungrind

 

[sja2249]

Thanks. I'll have to poke around and see what I'm willing to... repurpose... I just wanted some feedback before I started. I'd hate to go through the effort and end up with an inferior end result.

Sam

 

[ron_m80]

I know you said Fixed blade. So please forgive me for this, theSAK Soldier in Alox fits beautifully against the edge of the tin, and is less than .5" wide. Why try to source a fixed blade that fits the constraint of the box, and lose the function that makes the fixed blade appealing? Plus the SAK gives you 3-4 more tools.

 

[whetrock]

Buck also makes a slightly less expensive version of the Hartsook called the smidgen that features a 420HC instead of the more expensive S30V. With that being said the Buck Hartsooks feature a handle that's a bit on the small side, however a Altoid tin knife is a compromise anyhow.

 

[Steely_Gunz]

Have you considered grinding one (carefully) out of an old file? There is a plethora of info on making "Po' boy" knives out of tempered and ground files. If you were very careful, you could end up with decent (and stout) little cutter that could also be used as a striker. I'm thinking something along the lines of a 2" blade and simply squaring off the shoulders at the tang before giving it a waxed nylon wrap for comfort. With a little luck, you'd have a stout knife big enough to slice, stout enough to open a can, you could strike a fire with it, and the waxed nylon thread grip (like you use in leather work) could be unwound for emergency fishing/trap/shelter building line. It's really strong stuff.

 

[Modoc ED]

I know you said Fixed blade. So please forgive me for this, theSAK Soldier in Alox fits beautifully against the edge of the tin, and is less than .5" wide. Why try to source a fixed blade that fits the constraint of the box, and lose the function that makes the fixed blade appealing? Plus the SAK gives you 3-4 more tools.

That's a good suggestion even though the OP asked for an opinion on a fixed blade knife. The folder gives whoever is using it a much longer blade/cutting surface that the small fixed blade that would fit in an Altoids tin. The SAK Soldier is a pretty tough knife. Step it up to a Victorinox Farmer and you gain a very decent saw with little width gain. MY .02¢

 

[snow and steel]

a small piece of hacksaw blade?

 

[lilknifekid]

Im actually really liking the Mora idea. If you screw it up your only out $10. I would say maybe use a stainless one since its going to be just sitting in a tin all the time. And I would add a secondary bevel because its not a wood carving/bushcrafting knife anymore, its a last ditch survival.

 

[sja2249]

I could go with a small folder, but I worry about the strength of most. There are some sturdy folders, but they take up a lot of room. I realize a fixed blade knife that small will be very much a compromise, but it will be strong enough to survive some abuse. As for a hacksaw blade knife... I worry about the hardness. I don't have the equipment necessary to heat treat the blade, and I believe the only part of a hacksaw blade that is hardened are the teeth. I have the same worry about ruining the heat treatment of an old file...

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'm definitely not completely married to the idea of cutting down a Mora. The more suggestions, the better.

Sam

 

[ron_m80]

I could go with a small folder, but I worry about the strength of most. There are some sturdy folders, but they take up a lot of room. I realize a fixed blade knife that small will be very much a compromise, but it will be strong enough to survive some abuse. As for a hacksaw blade knife... I worry about the hardness. I don't have the equipment necessary to heat treat the blade, and I believe the only part of a hacksaw blade that is hardened are the teeth. I have the same worry about ruining the heat treatment of an old file...

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'm definitely not completely married to the idea of cutting down a Mora. The more suggestions, the better.

Sam

Well those anxieties of material strength tend to go away with experience and use. I can be accused of saying the same thing once or twice in my life. It just has not held up to my experience. I was one of the 1/4" minimum fixed blade users, A Ka-Bar was as thin as I would go.

The SAK has a long history of performing. If you are unsure of it, buy one for around $25, use it always. If it breaks it didn't prove itself and you must find another. If it doesn't break during use, than you must concede that you are either not a hard user, or that hard use is a relative term that relates little to actual real life performance.

 

[powernoodle]

I could go with a small folder

This is probably not what you are after, but just note that a Victorinox Farmer (or similar) will fit, and gives you a saw blade in addition to a plain edge blade. But if maximum space efficiency is what you are after - and space is at a premium with an Altoids kit - I like your Mora idea.

 

[sja2249]

The farmer looks nice. I don't suppose they have one that is only the main blade and a saw?

 

[Grease]

The farmer looks nice. I don't suppose they have one that is only the main blade and a saw?

Spyderco makes a knife that has a mean serrated blade and a straight edged blade... It's probably too big of course, but that type of thing does exist.


Edit: Found it - it's called the Byrd Wings. They're a little bit pricier than a SAK though.... $30-ish. And definitely too big (4 3/4 inches long, closed.)