Small fixed blades - underrated and underutilized for edc.

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A small fixed blade that has a 4" handle and 3.5" blade still equals a 7.5" knife hanging on my side.
But I can carry a folder with a 4" handle and a 3.5" blade that equals a 4" knife on my side.

The only reason that I would carry a small fixed blade is for cutting up disgusting or bloody or stinky stuff, just because it's easier to clean.
But most frame-locks are very easy to clean as well.

I never really carried a small fixed blade, like you thinking a folder was the answer. I decided to carry a small fixed blade for a week or so and, now almost always have one on me because they just work better for the things I normally do. On the flip side, I've moved away from large folders to various slip joints which are great for normal things that require some finesse. That sowbelly has been a real surprise of general usefulness.

Now, I don't use an oversized folder to open mail or peel fruit and, I don't struggle with a folder when I have something tougher to do since the fixed blade is so much better.

:thumbsup:
 
I'd love to carry one of my fixed smaller blades as EDC. My issue is the knife laws. I fixed blade knife will unfortunately always be considered as more offensive and hence risk of legal actions. I live in Sweden.

If you aren't being a nuisance and causing trouble, why would law enforcement care about a small fixed blade versus a large folder?

I think my SAK was technically illegal in the UK but, using it with lunch on a bench somewhere never caused me any trouble, not even a question. Of course I was sober, reasonably groomed, and I wasn't causing a disturbance eating my lunch or snack out in public.
 
If you aren't being a nuisance and causing trouble, why would law enforcement care about a small fixed blade versus a large folder?

I think my SAK was technically illegal in the UK but, using it with lunch on a bench somewhere never caused me any trouble, not even a question. Of course I was sober, reasonably groomed, and I wasn't causing a disturbance eating my lunch or snack out in public.
They won't even care about large fixed blade if you need it and are not causing a trouble.
I carried Recon Tanto on my tool belt while I was construction worker, nobody ever bothered me about it.
 
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I rotate between these 3, top is a kellam wolverine with a horizontal kydex sheath I had made for it...
Middle is an esee izula that I neck or pocket carry, I made the neck lanyard break away by folding the ends over and wrapping them in a piece of bike inner tube.
The bottom is a home made job, pounded out of a chunk of coil spring. Stitched the sheath too, I know it's an ugly setup but they get the job done. Carried in a jacket pocket or on a dangler attached to my belt and tucked in a pocket.
 
Well I’m not waving around with my knives nor causing trouble. But as an engineer sitting behind desk dressed in suit I will have quite some explanation to do if I for some reason get visited. I’d bet you could get around that a lot easier if you actually work as a carpenter or similar.
 
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Also the Swedish knife law is not as definite as one would expect. What is ok is purely connected to the occasion where the knife is in use/carried. I for sure would be questioned if they found a fixed blade in my laptop case.

I’m not arguing the logic. I just want to make sure I can continue to afford collecting knives ;)
 
Also the Swedish knife law is not as definite as one would expect. What is ok is purely connected to the occasion where the knife is in use/carried. I for sure would be questioned if they found a fixed blade in my laptop case.

I’m not arguing the logic. I just want to make sure I can continue to afford collecting knives ;)
I see what you want to say.

Also I guess the knife itself plays huge role too. If you have a boxcutter, regular folder or small plain looking fixed blade and you tell them you use it to open stuff or something like that it would probably be OK.

But if you had double edged knife with brass knuckle guard on the handle - I doubt there's any job which would justify it.

Plain looking knife will be way better than some overly designed crazy tactical blade.

At the other hand there is nothing wrong if you just collect your knives and enjoy them that way :D

Sometimes I go few days without using my EDC knife at all. And at other occassions it really saves the day, I even used it to fix my car, backpack, and once to make holes on my jeans so I can use a string to tie them close since my zipper failed (I'm not either fat or obese so I have no idea why it happened lol).
 
About 3 years ago I started to edc a small fixed blade and I’m totally hooked. Pros for me are speed of use, silent draw (got sick of people recoiling when my frame lock folder “clicked” open), and one less thing in my pocket.

I’ve tried multiple configurations and my favorite so far is a Fiddleback Forge Runt (5.5” OAL, 2” blade) in a cross draw sheath. A Horsewright Gordo is on my short list.
 
About 3 years ago I started to edc a small fixed blade and I’m totally hooked. Pros for me are speed of use, silent draw (got sick of people recoiling when my frame lock folder “clicked” open), and one less thing in my pocket.

I’ve tried multiple configurations and my favorite so far is a Fiddleback Forge Runt (5.5” OAL, 2” blade) in a cross draw sheath. A Horsewright Gordo is on my short list.
I need to look at the Runt. For me 7.5" OAL is about as long as I would be willing to do for regular carry. I tried a larger knife and felt rather uncomfortable even though for the most part nobody seemed to even notice. I am about to start experimenting a bit. I have a number of Dozier's that would work as well as other small knives. I sort of try something and it works and I get in a rut not even considering other options. But I have a new Arno Bernard Squirrel that I think I would like a lot if I carried it. I got it to have something "a little nicer" than the current one I carry regularly (Condor Compact Kephart). The fact of the matter is that I have a number of higher dollar knives that I know would work for regular carry. The cost of a knife does not determine whether I carry it although I can honestly say I treat the $400-$600 fixed blades a bit nicer than than $50-$100 ones.

Another good aspect of the small edc fixed blade is that they are often less expensive than their larger cousins by the same maker or manufacturer.

A number of years ago I argued why carry a fixed blade here and risk the attention one might bring to you. I carried folders exclusively except in the woods. But I found nobody really pays much attention anyway. Only bad guys and law enforcement pay attention. That said, if I worked in a traditional urban office and never ventured outside as part of my job, I doubt I would consider seriously a fixed blade.
 
I never really carried a small fixed blade, like you thinking a folder was the answer. I decided to carry a small fixed blade for a week or so and, now almost always have one on me because they just work better for the things I normally do. On the flip side, I've moved away from large folders to various slip joints which are great for normal things that require some finesse. That sowbelly has been a real surprise of general usefulness.

Now, I don't use an oversized folder to open mail or peel fruit and, I don't struggle with a folder when I have something tougher to do since the fixed blade is so much better.

:thumbsup:
It's not like I've never carried a fixed blade as an EDC...
I had done it for years as a soldier and many years more as a civilian.
I've carried vertical, horizontal, canted, under the armpit, around the neck, on the vest, in the boot, on the outside of the lower leg, cross-draw, small of the back, behind the neck (don't ask :(), leather, nylon, kydex, plastic, even wood.
It's fun, but I really can't help feeling like my inner child is just playing Tarzan.

The tiny ones are definitely easier to carry everywhere everyday than larger fixed-blades, but a folder with the same sized blade is still going to be more compact...
A 2" fixed blade with a 2" handle is still bigger than a 2" folder with a 2.5" handle (4" total vs 2.5" total).

Now if you have a job that requires you to cut stuff like every 1 to 10 minutes, all day long (like a chicken processing plant), then yeah, carry a fixed blade.


BTW, thank you for those cowboy pics. I love them.
But some of those sheathes and scabbards seem bigger and bulkier than my Glock 43 holster!
 
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Out of all the past "Who carries a Small Fixed Blade??" threads I have read.. This one seems to be the most informative!! Thanks All!! :thumbsup:
John
 
It's not like I've never carried a fixed blade as an EDC...
I had done it for years as a soldier and many years more as a civilian.
I've carried vertical, horizontal, canted, under the armpit, around the neck, on the vest, in the boot, on the outside of the lower leg, cross-draw, small of the back, behind the neck (don't ask :(), leather, nylon, kydex, plastic, even wood.
It's fun, but I really can't help feeling like my inner child is just playing Tarzan.

The tiny ones are definitely easier to carry everywhere everyday than larger fixed-blades, but a folder with the same sized blade is still going to be more compact...
A 2" fixed blade with a 2" handle is still bigger than a 2" folder with a 2.5" handle (4" total vs 2.5" total).

Now if you have a job that requires you to cut stuff like every 1 to 10 minutes, all day long (like a chicken processing plant), then yeah, carry a fixed blade.


BTW, thank you for those cowboy pics. I love them.
But some of those sheathes and scabbards seem bigger and bulkier than my Glock 43 holster!


Aw heck no! Glock 43 holster:

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Beltless sheath, attaches to the belt loops so can be worn with or without a belt:

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Glock 43:

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Horizontal knife sheath:

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Gordo sheath, bottle feeding a leppy (orphan) calf:

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EMP on the other side:

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Course a guy could always go small and just have a slide for the 3" Kimber:

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Those leather frindges....I don't know about those...:confused:


Not just for deco. Several practical purposes. And sure as heck keep your legs warm when its chilly:

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This is young Miss Emma, she's in some of the other pics. She wanted to learn how to make her own pair of leggings. So she came up to the shop and did odd jobs and and cleaned up till she had paid for her leggings. I then showed her how to make them. She did them all except a little bit of the leg fringe I cut cause its tricky getting the angle right and also the wife did some of the fancy stitching. Otherwise Emma built these:

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Trickiest pair ever and the most complicated project we've ever done were these bear hide woolies with double (pink and turquoise) fringe thats been twisted. When Cara told me she wanted twisted fringe I told her I would show HER how to do it. I wasn't gonna do that!

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Good call on my part. She had the woolies for a couple of years until she'd decided she did want to twist the fringe:

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Each individual fringe had to be wetted with a sponge and then the corresponding fringes had to be twisted together and then pinned to dry.

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Took her 5.5 hours per leg. Total of 11 hours to twist the fringe. Now thats some crazy fringe:

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But she was happy:

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But we digress:

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Sometimes a new puppy will chew on a customer's sheath. Ya'd think that'd be self corrective behavior if ya start on the blade end:

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Aw heck no! Glock 43 holster:

Js6wIa6.jpg


Beltless sheath, attaches to the belt loops so can be worn with or without a belt:

GQ9v84u.jpg


Glock 43:

c9GImhA.jpg


Horizontal knife sheath:

JhG8wPw.jpg


Gordo sheath, bottle feeding a leppy (orphan) calf:

mOmZe2y.jpg


EMP on the other side:

EUJIG0C.jpg


uOGs6BY.jpg


Course a guy could always go small and just have a slide for the 3" Kimber:

9AsZkx5.jpg

nice sheaths. could you do one for a balisong?
 
Fallkniven F1 pro works for me.
Just checked it out - it is similar form factor as my Drop Forged Hunter :D
Similar size, weight and shape, same thickness but different grind. Also different steel and different finish.
F1 pro most likley has more comfortable handle because of the kraton, while Forged Hunter is just one chunk of 52100.

Good taste! :D
 
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