Recommend a Good Fixed Blade 3" for L.E. Carry

Along the lines of the Izula, the Eskabar and the Scrapivore, I would maybe look at a Becker Necker (which is more or less a Izula and a Becker mashup). Inexpensive, but well made.

My only issue with the Eskabar and Becker knives is that I really don't like the sheaths they come with. They aren't tek-lok or G-clip compatible so you have to spend a bunch on a new sheath to set it up really nice.

The Izula may be compatible with a tek lok if you get longer screws I think.

The stuff I was recommending is compatible. The CS PD offerings have a clip that is pretty sturdy to clip onto the belt and run the knife vertically.

Matt,
Whatever you decide on make sure to get a knife with partial serations. I have carried a knife for many years and never had to cut anyone yet but I have had several emergencies where I had to cut things.

Once my shirt got caught up in rappelling gear about 40 feet off the ground. Another time I saved a dog who got his leash wound up on something and was freaking out and choking. I have had to cut ropes, rubber hoses and nylon webbing and a regular straight edge is just not up to the task.

Straight -vs- Serrated

. . . and a regular straight edge is just not up to the task.

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You'll pardon me, I hope, if I disagree with you on that point.

In my experience (which includes working on a ship, with heavy lines and cordage), a properly sharpened plain-edge blade will handle whatever is put before it.

That's my mileage.

Yours may vary.

Don't take my word for it. See for yourself. Try cutting a thick rope with a sharp straight edge and then try cutting it with a knife that is serrated. Serations work like saw teeth and some material should be cut with a saw rather than a blade. It will make absolutly no difference in the knifes ability to be used as a weapon where the objective is to stab rather than cut the attacker. Small knives (under 6 inches or so) do not have enough mass to slash effectivly no matter what blade style you choose.

Owen, look at some of the rope cuttings people do with a straight sharp blade.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te0DCemZG3s with a 1.5 oz trapper
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...M390-VS-ZDP-189-Rope-Cutting-Informal-testing

If I remember right we've been through this before...

Straight edge vs free-hanging seatbelt






If you can "slice up" a free-hanging seat belt with a serrated or partially serrated 4" fixed. I'd like to see it.

conwict said:

I think making the knife accessible to the weak side hand could make it useful for gun retention...but I always wondered about that moniker. Our labels and semantics affect the way we view our tools and use them, and I don't know why you'd necessarily want to bring another weapon out if you're having trouble holding onto the one you already had out. It's preferable to have a less tool-centric mindset, seeing as there are ways to retain a pistol without using a separate tool.

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I, too, question the term "gun retention" knife. A fighting blade is an option, or an alternative weapon, not merely a gun-retention device. If an opponent has one or two hands on my handgun, the immediate need is to interdict his possession of the handgun, by whatever means necessary. If one of my hands to going to be reaching for a blade, that is one less hand available to keep or regain a grip on the handgun. There may be times that deploying the blade IS the correct response, of course, but we do not want to get into the proverbial hammer/nail way of thinking. (If your only tool is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a nail.... )

The reason to have a blade, or a spare handgun, for that matter, positioned for opposite-side access, seems to me more to provide accessibility options.

Speaking of semantics and mindset, why does "weak side" persist in our vocabulary? Unless there is paralysis, impingement, or other such physical handicap, why is one side weaker? When we train/work out, do we deliberately keep one side stunted and weak?

On the original topic, I used a Spyderco Ronin as my carry fixed-blade, between my uniform shirt and armor. Out of concern about my throat being "shrapped" in the event of a frontal bullet strike, however, I reverted to folders carried elsewhere, while I re-consider the options. I really do like having a fixed-blade with me, and do not want it on my duty belt.

I think a lot of people who have never done any testing misunderstand the cutting difference between a serrated and plain blade. In my home brew tests, a serrated blade cuts wet things such as rope and webbed material a little faster and easier than a plain edge, but a plain edge cuts smoother, and better if the material is dry IF the plain edge is CORRECTLY sharpened for the task. I can also say to those who think a plain edge is not up to the task for SD as a serrated, look at all the top quality kitchen and butcher knives, never will you see a pro use a serrated edge to cut meat. There are a few reasons for this. one being it is less efficient at it than a correctly sharpened plain edge. Serrated edges are better at cutting if the plain edge is dull, so many think that the serrated part of their edge is better because the plain part is dull or not correctly sharpened when they try to cut something on a day to day basis. I personally touch up my plain edges after every other use or so and they stay shaving sharp for years as opposed to how they used to when I let them get dull before a complete sharpening.

Izula with scales - 2.875"
Ka-Bar Eskabar- 3.25", i just ordered one. You can add scales.
Ka-Bar Becker Necker - 3.25"
swamp rat (i think MD13)
CRKT triumph neck knife 2.875"

K Bar TDI ive had mine for about 6 months and love it!

How hard is it to keep or put a good edge on serrations? I have never bought knives with serrations because of this.

The Eskabar is a Becker/ESEE hybrid design, not the Necker. The Necker is all Ethan.

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You know, I typeed Eskabar and had Eskabar on the mind. I know better! Particularly since I have a Necker about 10 feet from me right now

Consider the Cold Steel Mini-Tac line. They're all subhilt designs with g10 scales. Excellent retention. I just wish CS would do a true drop point. They're not super steel, just AUS8, but AUS8 is easy to keep deadly sharp. I've really liked both of mine, the Kiridashi and the Tanto. The Tanto is my offhand fixed blade. I wish it was a traditional blade style rather than an American Tanto.

I just wrote this review for the eskabar on another site. The eskabar has a 3-1/4" blade:

After looking at the size of all the different ESEE, i decided i want both a neck knife and the RC4. The RC4 will have to wait, so i ordered an Eskabar. I like the mix of the longer and thicker Ka-bar blade with Izula handle.

I ordered it from the Knife Connection. They had a competitive price of $39.95. I know i could have got it a few bucks cheaper at a couple of places, but i like the reviews of this place. They shipped it fast. Even with the friday hoilday i got it in less than 5 days.

Out of the box, its finish is perfect and the edge is very sharp. It slices paper effortlessly and i can do an easy S curve while slicing the paper. The sheath is nicer than i expected. I thought i would need to make my own kydex sheath, but all this sheath needs is a clip. I am debating on ordering the Ka-Bar TDI clip or making a kydex clip. It also came with 7 foot or so of black paracord like rope. I may wrap the handle with the black or OD green, or i might fit the Izula scales to it. I will handle it some and decide which.

Overall i am impressed with the rugged feel of the thickness (3/16) and the Becker drop point blade. I wish it had jimping (i might add some later). The handle is a little short, which is ok for a neck knife. I believe wrapping will help or scales will probably make it very comfy.

I will report back later after i has used it a while.



EDIT: All dressed up. Wrapped with black paracord and i thru together a kydex belt clip with chicago screws.