Small Lightweight Stainless Fixed Blade for Fishing, Hunting, Backpacking

Spyderco Mule. I put Halpern grips on mine (20CV) and got the leather sheath. Kydex is also available.
 
seabil said:
Light and low cost - mora. Get one in non tactical color, very low fear factor.

I have thought of replacements for my Izulu 2, one that caught my eye is the Bradford guardian 3.5. I love the Izulu handle. One problem with small fixed blade knives is the handle most are too small or awkward to me. The 3.5 handle looks really similar to the Izulu 2, has great m390 steel, 4 ounces, low “Visual impact” horizontal sheath, just one problem - price. I have seen it below list but over your number. Do not have one yet, but can see picking one up.

A different take, that i do have, is the lionsteel m4, very nice small knife, m390, super sharp, light weight, but about 150.
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I own the Lionsteel M4 and it is my primary hunting knife here in Texas for deer and hogs. VERY underrated for the fit, finish, and the M390 steel. BUT, based on the criteria of the OP, the price is 50% higher than he would like and the knife is bulky when reading what he's looking for in a fixed blade.
 
billygoat162 said:
I was thinking about that. The Izula sheath is soft plastic, so sand/grit really gets wedged in there. I think Kydex and leather would be better. I was still honestly surprised by how much and how quickly it dulled the Izula though--while it takes a keen edge pretty easily, it feels like it's a bit on the soft side. I'm suspecting a harder blade would fare better.
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Kydex will work just like the plastic sheath and hold the debris. The better option is drilling a small drain hole as close to the bottom of the sheath as possible near the tip. You can drill just one side (just be careful which bit you use), or just drill all the way through. The right size hole will allow you to flush the sheath with water and get it cleaned out on a regular basis and won't affect the structural integrity of the sheath. An 1/8" hole is usually sufficient for sand and like debris. BUT, don't let me talk you out of getting a new knife. :D
 
GEC makes some very practical small fixed blades in 1095 steel for about $100. Just check the GEC dealers like Collectorknives for inventory.
 
Pomsbz said:
For $20 he may well have a point.
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I stand by it ; ) thx

there are SOME decent competitors in this area, but not much...
top of mind are the nordic/finnish - probably marttiini comes closest - check out the little classic for $20

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but personally if I was getting one from them, I'd go for the traditional curly birch wood like the artic circle but the price almost doubles... still a great value

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A little over on price but the RMJ Tactical sparrow is very corrosion resistant and comes with a phenomenal sheath.
 
dirc said:
I stand by it ; ) thx

there are SOME decent competitors in this area, but not much...
top of mind are the nordic/finnish - probably marttiini comes closest - check out the little classic for $20

timthumb.php


but personally if I was getting one from them, I'd go for the traditional curly birch wood like the artic circle but the price almost doubles... still a great value

timthumb.php
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I looked over their website. They have some interesting stuff across a pretty wide price range, including what looks like a couple of flipper tab knives. One thing I noticed is that they don't specify what type of stainless steel they use in most cases. It's a bit like Mora coming in "carbon" or "stainless". Is that a European thing?

Does anyone know what steels Marttiini is using?
 
yeah, kind of - knife companies in europe build their rep on the quality of the knives, and it's always been enough without mentioning steel types...
that's really only a thing that became popular in the last 30 years or so

marttiini is about a 91 year old knife company, & mora has been around since 1891...
that longevity is a testament to quality (imho)

with the cost of each so low, anyone serious about knives should own & use at least a few of them...
(same goes for opinel and a bunch of others but they're folders so don't really fit the thread)

oh, fwiw, marttiini carbon steel is 0.75% carbon and 3% chrome, and that's about all they give away on their website
the closest match -> prolly this http://zknives.com/knives/steels/thyrodur2762.shtml
 
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D dirc I agree. Never really liked Opinels, and have a couple Mora's. But as to what you said, it is one of the dominant reasons I buy the hell out of cheap Vic kitchen knives. Mora's are about like Vic kitchen knives to me..... they cut, but when I head for the outdoors, I am not going to carry a Vic kitchen knife, or generally a Mora simply because I like other stuff more. But they work.
 
A basic Mora would indeed be an option, as they are light. I often carry one baldric style: a long loop of paracord passed through the belt clip, a cord lock to regulate the length and I suspend the loop from right shoulder down to below my left armpit. Shift the loop down so the cord lock prevents the knife in its sheath from swinging forward and it stays under your armpit (thus, if you wear a jacket or photog-type vest, out of sight), shift the loop up (it runs free through the belt clip of the knife) and you can carry the knife more forward, like a neck knife. Easily accessible when you kneel down or when you have to get it from under your jacket in the rain. If it's in orange, very low fear factor as well.
Another option for a lightweight knife as the OP describes is the Hultafors OK4. Not very easy to get in the US it seems, but it is light, under 4 inches, strong (3 mm thick, SK5 steel), coated against rust, and has a very comfortable handle and sheath - hard plastic, drain hole, nylon belt loop for flexibility and it will sit below the hip belt of a backpack. Green/black but as it's short and utilitarian, also not scary. In my experience, the Hultafors knives are better slicers and retain their edges better than the basic Moras (including the heavy duty models).
If one wants to go one step 'nicer', and stainless, get a Mora Kansbol. If I remember well, you can keep the belt loop attached to your belt and lift the sheath out of it to stow it away wherever you want if you need to keep it out of sight.
Given the price range of all the above, no need to worry about losing or damaging them.
 
schwep said:
A basic Mora would indeed be an option, as they are light. I often carry one baldric style: a long loop of paracord passed through the belt clip, a cord lock to regulate the length and I suspend the loop from right shoulder down to below my left armpit. Shift the loop down so the cord lock prevents the knife in its sheath from swinging forward and it stays under your armpit (thus, if you wear a jacket or photog-type vest, out of sight), shift the loop up (it runs free through the belt clip of the knife) and you can carry the knife more forward, like a neck knife. Easily accessible when you kneel down or when you have to get it from under your jacket in the rain. If it's in orange, very low fear factor as well.
Another option for a lightweight knife as the OP describes is the Hultafors OK4. Not very easy to get in the US it seems, but it is light, under 4 inches, strong (3 mm thick, SK5 steel), coated against rust, and has a very comfortable handle and sheath - hard plastic, drain hole, nylon belt loop for flexibility and it will sit below the hip belt of a backpack. Green/black but as it's short and utilitarian, also not scary. In my experience, the Hultafors knives are better slicers and retain their edges better than the basic Moras (including the heavy duty models).
If one wants to go one step 'nicer', and stainless, get a Mora Kansbol. If I remember well, you can keep the belt loop attached to your belt and lift the sheath out of it to stow it away wherever you want if you need to keep it out of sight.
Given the price range of all the above, no need to worry about losing or damaging them.
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Amazon has the OK4 . At $64.00 I'd hardly compare it to any Mora, with Mora being the best value choice of the two. I don't see the upgrade difference in paying that price for what the Hultafors offers you that can't be had in a Mora for 1/3 the price. Same can be said for the Helle brand knives. I think they're beautiful and functional, but way overpriced. Essentially a Mora with a nice birch wood handle but 6 to 10 times the price of a Mora.
 
Hale Storm said:
Amazon has the OK4 . At $64.00 I'd hardly compare it to any Mora, with Mora being the best value choice of the two. I don't see the upgrade difference in paying that price for what the Hultafors offers you that can't be had in a Mora for 1/3 the price. Same can be said for the Helle brand knives. I think they're beautiful and functional, but way overpriced. Essentially a Mora with a nice birch wood handle but 6 to 10 times the price of a Mora.
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That's crazy expensive on Amazon. The OK4 is listed here in France/Western Europe with a large reputable knife shop for 23 euros (around 25 dollars?), at which point it is cheaper than a Bushcraft Black or a Kansbol, but about 8 to 10 euros more than a Mora Heavy Duty. I have the OK4 and a good handful of Mora Companions in stainless steel and carbon, including the HD, and the OK4 is better - deeper tang, better steel, better edge retention, keener grind, more comfortable handle. On the extreme budget end you can get a Hultafors Craftsman GH (with rubberized handle a la OK4), with an SK5 blade, for just 7 euros. Or a bit over 5 euros if the handle is just hard plastic.
US knives are expensive here, and apparently the same is true for some EU knives on your side of the Atlantic. Of course that does change the equation.
 
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