im looking for a new knife

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jason41987

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hey everyone.. im looking to buy a new knife.. i want something to use as an all purpose knife, for camping, outdoors, combat knife, utility... just a good, all purpose knife... and im looking for some recommendations

id like a knife i can take apart, maybe change grips, refinish, resharpen as i use it more and more, something i can maintain and keep sharp and useful for a very long time...

and lastly, it has to be fixed bladed

so.. recommendations?
 
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or how about this idea.. how about i use my skills and make a knife... well, i have everything i need to make everything but the blade myself... no grinder... so lets say i purchase a pre-made blade... then center drill a hole through a chunk of wood, mount it in my drill press and let it spin, then free-hand shape a grip using a rasp, using my drill press like a lathe, then i can cut it, chisel out a slit for the tang, and assemble my own knife

where would be a good source for blades?
 
Go to Jantz or Texas knifemeker supply or Knifekits and purchase a finished blade and the other materials/parts to complete the knife and assemble your own from a kit/parts.
 
I got a kit from knifekits and had a guy help me (well he did most of it) put it all together. Great experience.

If you want to get a decent, inexpensive, fixed blade knife I recommend the Mora knives. I have owned a couple and they are pretty decent little blades.
 
knifekits seems to have some cool stuff... a lot of folders as well, ill have to keep this website in mind.. really though, a lot of cool stuff, and im just looking for a good fixed utility knife i can use for any sort of task

for this type of task, what style of blade would you recommend? i was thinking maybe something with a bowie type shape to it

anyway, if making a knife grip is anything like making a sword grip... i could have a lot of fun with this
 
what do you guys think of the pattern welded blades?... are they good, or not worth the extra cost?
 
Probably not worth the investment until you know what to look for.
 
i know exactly what im looking for... a 7-8 inch bladed bowie type blade with a tang that allows me to have a stacked style handle... however, not the skinny little wire tang.. i dont trust those, there has to be a bit of meat to it

im thinking ill get a brass guard and pommel, stack the grip with pieces of black buffalo horn and figure out something to use for spacers to add a bit of contrast in between pieces of buffalo horn
 
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another option is for me to buy the tools i actually need to grind out a blade from a bar stock.... i do not own a grinder... perhaps i should get one, and some inexpensive bar stock to practice on?... for the grip i can use cheap pine to practice getting the right shapes down when cutting it out
 
aah.. thats true... id have to order the stuff online anyway.. so recommendations would help greatly, however, looking at pattern welded blades i cant really find a good 7-8 inch bladed bowie knife blade with the right kind of tang.. some either have the shape of the grip as part of the tang, restricting me to panel grips, or its just a piece of wire which i dont like, so i dont think i could go that route anyway
 
i know exactly what im looking for... a 7-8 inch bladed bowie type blade
Click to expand...

First off, a 7-8 inch blade is too big for anything other than a fighter. Your primary use will be as a camp/utility knife and anyone with any experience wouldn't pick a blade that big.

Second, you don't need a 7-8 inch blade for a fighter. "Want", perhaps, but you don't need a blade that big.

Third, a "bowie" is not the best camp/utility blade shape. Stick with a simple clip or drop point.

Fourth, you should stick with a straight forward performance carbon steel or modern "super" steel that you can sharpen and maintain instead of some fancy damascus. When you've built 3 or 4 knives look at damascus, but until then avert your eyes and stick with a working steel.

Fifth, stick with a simple full tang and scales starting out instead of trying to deal with a stack washer handle. It is much easier to get a satisfactory result as a beginner with slabs on tang.

Start off where you can produce a usable knife and work your way to the more elaborate instead of failing at a complicated piece.
 
or heres another idea... i get and make what i want for the simple fact that its what i want?
 
You can do that too. Here's the closest thing I can find at Knife Kits, but it's a 9" blade. Very close to what you want and with a full tang.

http://www.knifekits.com/vcom/product_info.php?cPath=2_286&products_id=1496

You may have to make what you want to get exactly the knife that you want. What kind of grinder can you afford? I started with a Grizzly Knife Grinder (about $450) and later moved up to a $2k variable speed Bader B3.
 
Valkman said:
You can do that too. Here's the closest thing I can find at Knife Kits, but it's a 9" blade. Very close to what you want and with a full tang.

http://www.knifekits.com/vcom/product_info.php?cPath=2_286&products_id=1496

You may have to make what you want to get exactly the knife that you want. What kind of grinder can you afford? I started with a Grizzly Knife Grinder (about $450) and later moved up to a $2k variable speed Bader B3.
Click to expand...
Knifekits is a good start. thank's for the link
 
I think this guy is just trolling. If he's not, I'll make the following recommendations:

1. If you have no or few tools, then making a knife from scratch or even a kit is going to be more expensive than buying a really nice knife. If you have the tools but little experience in woodworking, soldering, grinding and buffing, your chance to make a knife you'll be happy with is pretty slim.

2. If you really want a 7-8" bowie-style knife, I'd recommend a USMC utility knife, commonly referred to as a Ka-Bar. They are made by Ka-Bar and other companies; the current government contract is with Ontario Knives. You can buy one, depending on which company makes it and what features the knife has, for between $50-$100. That should satisfy the requirements you stated in your original post.
 
Bob,

It is surprisingly easy to assemble a kit knife with what most folks have in their household tool kit. They might have to add some sand paper and emory cloth, but no need for power tools at all as long as everything is pre-drilled.

No need to start out at the level RC did, although if someone is as good as he is more power to them.

Jason,

If you're not a beginner you can start at a level higher than I've assumed and end up with a result you'll like instead of being frustrated and dissatisfied. If you have tool and die or metal working or wood working experience you'll be able to do that. If not, what I'm advising is start simple and work your way up to what your wanting learning as you do so you can make everything you want.
 
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woodworking and basic metalworking are skills i have, i simply dont have the tools... a grinder would help greatly, of which i dont have one.. unfortunately, im moving halfway across the country soon and dont think i should be buying any tools i dont already have just yet

i was on texas knifemaker supply and found two blades that looked interesting to me, one was the rio grande bowie, the other was the short bowie.. and even the short bowie is bigger than most knives... but i tend to use a larger knife for outdoors.. makes cutting things like branches a lot easier

has anyone uses those blades mentioned from texas knifemaker supply?... on the knifekits website id be interested more in the "classic bowie" blade, however i was looking for carbon steel
 
hmm.. many of these knifes shown are quite small.. but i like something larger, more durable, something that can cut branches, be used as a wedge to split wood if needed... i already have a small knife i use for other tasks.. its a finnish puukko style.. and i like it a lot, its just not going to be able to handle the kind of abuse i need a knife to handle

come to think of it.. this little puukko style knife wasnt that expensive or high end.. and i would be willing to replace this as well
 
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You might find a more expensive knife, but you'll have trouble finding a petter one than your little finnish puukko.

Look through the other threads here on the forum and you'll find what most bushcrafters stick to. Bigger knives tend to BKTs and ESSE because of their renowned toughness.

Some of us own very expensive knives made by production companies and custom makers and we still like the Moras for field use.
 
my finnish puukko is just a cheaply made copy of one... i would like to make a really pretty one myself though... i like the way the blade works, and i think theyre perfect for hunting... i bought a cheap one just to see how id like the design, and i like the puukko a lot.. now its time for me to get one worth keeping, with a bowie for camping as well

ive always wanted to get into making knives from scratch including the blades as well.. however, i have nothing to properly heat treat a blade with, and nothing to shape one with either, thats why i was looking to purchase a high carbon steel blade, that way i can get the grip/handle part down and practice with blades later on when i get the right tools

and mikael.. i just want a larger knife for general purpose utility work for heavier tasks.. i wouldnt specifically do something to damage it unless it was my only option, and ive been in the situation before
 
Once you have a grinder heat treating is easy. Buy a couple of high-temp fire bricks, throw some wire around 'em to hold 'em together, drill out a chamber and another in the side for a MAPP gas torch and you're set. All you need then is a container of oil to quench in and a cheap Wal-Mart toaster oven to temper in.
 
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