Looking for a good knife and I need some opinions

[Knife Lady]

Some Buck knives are a great bang for your buck. I would recomend the short kabar if you are interested in a kabar. Easy to pack or carrry and it will get the job done. My edc is a buck lockback folder. SO I am very partial to the buck knives but there are better knives but in your price range a Kabar or a Buck are 2 very good choices. I would pay as much attention to the steel the knife is made out of also.

 

[.45 Dave]

Some Buck knives are a great bang for your buck. I would recomend the short kabar if you are interested in a kabar. Easy to pack or carrry and it will get the job done. My edc is a buck lockback folder. SO I am very partial to the buck knives but there are better knives but in your price range a Kabar or a Buck are 2 very good choices. I would pay as much attention to the steel the knife is made out of also.

Thank you! I am leaning now toward the Buck. It seems to be made out of 420HC which I understand is not the best steel but not the worst either and that Buck uses a process that makes it a better steel than others with that designation. The Kabar seems to be made of a DIN 1.411 which I have read is easily broken compared to other steels. Is that true? I would really appreciate your input as you seem to be THE expert on blades.
I am starting to think that maybe I should just wait until I can afford a really good knife for knife #1 and maybe just go with the Kershaw blur folder for knife #2. But I may get the Buck as a temporary knife until I amass some more money (and convince the wife it is a good investment!) What are your opinions please??

 

[KG1]

Thank you! I am leaning now toward the Buck. It seems to be made out of 420HC which I understand is not the best steel but not the worst either and that Buck uses a process that makes it a better steel than others with that designation. The Kabar seems to be made of a DIN 1.411 which I have read is easily broken compared to other steels. Is that true? I would really appreciate your input as you seem to be THE expert on blades.
I am starting to think that maybe I should just wait until I can afford a really good knife for knife #1 and maybe just go with the Kershaw blur folder for knife #2. But I may get the Buck as a temporary knife until I amass some more money (and convince the wife it is a good investment!) What are your opinions please??

Between the two i'd say go with the blur and make the investment to save up for a better quality bigger fixed blade. IMO

 

[Gator762]

I have had troubles sharpening the Buck 119's and 120's. I do think the 1095 in kabars are easier to sharpen. Both are good knives.

 

[nightjunio]

For me personaly i went with the cold steel espada blade. it is an awesome knife and beautiful to look at

 

[nightjunio]

where is the 1500 at and when can i go. i am new to indy and looking for places to find good weapons and blades

 

[snakeeye]

Knives

I have a Glock knife for SHTF, and I have a Gerber Gator for dressing deer. No regrets with either...

 

[grunt soldier]

where is the 1500 at and when can i go. i am new to indy and looking for places to find good weapons and blades

its the local gun show here and is pretty big. it comes about every 3-4 months i believe. you can google indianapolis 1500 gun and knife show and it will give you a schedule

 

[Lead Head]

My 2 cents.

Feel is very important like one of the other posters said. The Human hand is unique to the individual, like a fingerprint. Similar to how a handgun feels I would say.

One day you will pick up a fixed blade knife and go ahhhhhh.

Most knives see very little use anyway. Get what fits you and your needs and a Buck Knife is fine to start with. If you are still into the fixed blade thing a year later, upgrade.

Feel it, hold it, flip it, turn it, rotate it. Balance and feel. Balance and feel.

 

[.45 Dave]

My 2 cents.

Feel is very important like one of the other posters said. The Human hand is unique to the individual, like a fingerprint. Similar to how a handgun feels I would say.

One day you will pick up a fixed blade knife and go ahhhhhh.

Most knives see very little use anyway. Get what fits you and your needs and a Buck Knife is fine to start with. If you are still into the fixed blade thing a year later, upgrade.

Feel it, hold it, flip it, turn it, rotate it. Balance and feel. Balance and feel.

That is what I think I will do. Good advice. Good advice from everyone really.
This thread has really helped me decide and I hope maybe it will help someone else too that has been going round and round about what to get. Thanks to all!
I'll probably follow it up sometime later with a thread asking what is the best type of electric sharpener and non-electric sharpener to have. But I'd better get the knife first!

 

[Bradsknives]

That is what I think I will do. Good advice. Good advice from everyone really.
This thread has really helped me decide and I hope maybe it will help someone else too that has been going round and round about what to get. Thanks to all!
I'll probably follow it up sometime later with a thread asking what is the best type of electric sharpener and non-electric sharpener to have. But I'd better get the knife first!

To save you from the effort of having to start another thread: There are no electric sharpeners worth having or using. As far as non-electric sharpeners, I would go with the Tyler34 model made by Black owl Customs.

 

[jbombelli]

At your price point and other listed requirements, I would probably go with a Buck Nighthawk. They're decent knives for the money.


I would have no hesitation to buy another one if I didn't already have several Busse, Swamp Rat and Scrapyard blades.


One thing, though... the sheath that came with my Nighthawk sucks.

 

[cubby]

Belt Sander with 1'' X 30'' Sanding Belt

best eletric knife sharpener for under $50.

 

[schoolmaster]

You might take a look at a scandi style knife such as Mora. The larger ones are pretty tough knives, easy to sharpen, and well within your budget. I also like the Buck 110 folder for a hunting knife have had one for 40 years. With the money you save buying these two you can pick up a Bear and Sons 3 bladed stockman's pocket knife and have a very good combination of knives that will meet your cutting needs. A Lansky sharpening system will keep them all sharp.

 

[prowland]

I have the BK2 for a camp/SHTF knife I like the feel of it but I would go for a longer blade to do any serious chopping. The blade is 1/4" thick and feels like it could handle most I could throw at it.

That being said... I cut down a small tree and there were several chips on the blade. Maybe from a bad heat treatment or something else. I tried to contact them and never got a reply on my situation. I wont be purchasing another item from them because of it.

In your price range on the folder I would go with Kershaw. I love all the knives I have from them (5). The are loads sharper than any other cheaper knife I have bought in the past sans my swiss army knives.

 

[Shoots4Fun]

For knife 1, I'd expand my price only by a few dollars and get an Ontario RTAK II. it's a great knife for the money and it has no serrations.

I love mine and it has served me well.

For knife 2, I'd look at the Ontario RAT3. You can get one for under $60 and I have mine with the non-serrated blade. I had to wear in the sheath a bit when it was new but the knife is awesome and stays very sharp...(I don't have a picture of my RAT 3 but I found this on the web)

 

[ruger1800]

for 30 bucks you cant go wrong with a small mora and your choice of machete, imacasa or
tramontina, have used and severly abused these for years and their still ticking. a good machete is way better than the so called big choppers with 8 to 10 inch blades, after you use a 18 inch machete you will find out how useless big choppers are.

 

[Shoots4Fun]

for 30 bucks you cant go wrong with a small mora

Good suggestion on the Mora for knife 2. I definitely got mine for about $20 and it is a very terrific knife for the money.

 

[.45 Dave]

I'm really liking the Ka-bar Becker BK7. Looks good and not all that expensive either! Good steel! I also like the look of the Ontario RTAK II. I'm wondering if it my be too big for my needs, though. Great looking knife though and one that I may very well pick up later. Looks like a good chopper and smaller than a machete, which while nice to have, is rather inconvenient to carry around in the woods or hiking large distances. Also one heck of a SHTF knife if you just wanted to bluff your way out of a bad situation. Say what you will about a gun (which I carry everyday), a mean looking knife will often scare the hell out someone even better.

 

[cubby]

to me you are not being fully prepared by only having ONE type of knife, in this case, two fixed blades. example:

you go to the beach. no firearm (in most cases). on the way home (or at the beach, whatever) and need to stop at a store to grab something... you gonna strap that hog sticker to your thigh? take the time to drop a SHEATHED fixed blade into your trunks, in case you get into a knife fight? uh... no. if you have a large fixed blade and a medium folder, you can clip that folder and have a modicome of a weapon if so needed and allowed. if you have two medium to large fixed blade in your bag, or whatever, you have your choice: PITA or MPITA. quality folder? problem lessened.

just my thinking.

and yes i have packed huge blade around on my belt in the middle of metro areas. folder, while less "weapon" is far more handy.