EDC tactical/work knife

Pocket Widgy and a Benchmade Griptilian.

I am big fan of the TRC Knives TR12-S. His knives are all handmade and the quality is exceptional. I want to say I paid $70 shipped for my TR12-S. He posts knives now and then on Bladeforums but you can order direct from him as well. He will use different blade steels and handle materials if you don't like the standards. He posted one a while back in RWL-34 with blue carbon fiber a while back I wish I had the money to pick up. Mine is 12C27 with textured black/grey G10. Nice sheaths too.

A bad picture of mine:


Direct link:
http://www.trcknives.com/gbr/page/tr-12-s-69

How about a blade from Jantz Supply?

http://www.knifemaking.com/category-s/66.htm

The blades on the page linked above are available in 1095, D2, 440C and other steels, depending on the pattern. Leave it without scales and round off the corners and edges of the tang, make or buy a Kydex sheath, and you're ready for pocket carry. Thin scales could work, also, but I've been very happy with a 1/8" scale-less blade that has had the tang "dehorned."

Most factory knives -- and many custom blades as well -- are just too thick through the handle for comfortable pocket carry, where legal. Belt carry would draw too much attention, at least in my case. I've carried the larger knife -- made of 440C in Japan, and purchased as a naked blade -- for at least 8 years. I added the CRKT Ringer3 not long ago. A tiny neck knife like the Ringer, or a Buck Hartsook or Smidgen, can be surreptitiously drawn and used to cut something with almost the entire knife inside the hand. It's even lower profile than the small SAK and easier to draw when seated.



All my best,
Dirty Bob

hso said:

OTHO, Blind Horse might have something.
Regardless, knives aren't well suited to prying.

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Two true statements. Blind Horse has a very affordable line of well-designed knives, and I've heard good things about them.

The answer to wanting to pry, for me, has been to buy pry bars. They're really inexpensive -- even good ones! -- and will tolerate much more prying action than a knife. They're also MUCH SAFER for prying than a knife, especially if the knife blade snaps and pieces fly.

You can get pry bars in all shapes and sizes. I plan to put a pair of pouches on a
machete sheath, for a small pry bar and a small file. Turns it into a "tool kit" of sorts.

All my best,
Dirty Bob

"Is that 80 Euro? Considerably more than $70 US!"

Hm, I didn't even look at the prices on the site. I paid $70 US when he posted a batch on BF. For the money, I have not found a better knife.

mora swiss cost 16$ been using for 20 years, hamer digs on back of blade,lamenated steel 3inches wood handle

Looking at your price limit, have you looked into the nicer Scandinavian knives? Ragnar at ragweedforge.com carries quite a selection, and he's great to deal with. I particularly like the Helle knives from Norway, but he also has knives from Sweden and Finland. You can get a lot of knife for $50-100, including even a double knife set (with one combo sheath) by Iisakki Järvenpää, for just $99, with 5" and the 3 1/4" puukkos, in carbon steel. I think stainless is $10 less.

Scandinavian knives are users, and their designs, handle shapes, blade steel and grind, and sheath designs are practical and functional, with a beauty all their own.

Regards,
Dirty Bob

Dunno if there's a reason they haven't been mentioned and I'm just out of the loop or what, but I've been very impressed with the durability and dependability of my zero tolerance knives. And they can be had around your price too!

skizyx365 said:

mora swiss cost 16$ been using for 20 years, hamer digs on back of blade,lamenated steel 3inches wood handle

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I wouldn't use a laminated Scandinavian blade for batoning or hammering (although I consider batoning OK, but I will not use a hammer on a knife). They're more vulnerable to lateral stresses and could de-laminate if stressed enough. Better a regular, non-laminated Mora, puukko, or leuku for batoning.

Regards,
Dirty Bob

Looking for a quality fixed blade between 3-4 inch blade. Must be quality steel somewhere around 154cm hardness would be ideal. Knife will be batoned and used as a prybar sometimes.

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Well, first of all, 154CM can be heat treated to different levels of hardness. Second, assuming we're talking the typical 59-61Rc hardness that 154CM is heat treated to for most applications, I think you're going the wrong direction. Unless you're willing to go to a much tougher carbon steel like 10xx series, O-1, or 5160; I'd go with a softer heat treat to reduce the chipping and breaking on a knife you intend to pry with. Third, regardless of steel and heat treat, I would look at blades that are designed for prying and hard use.

Here are some places to start:

For harder heat treat all in one:
Boker Plus Cop Tool
CRKT Graham Ringed Razel
CRKT Graham Stubby Pocket Razel

For Softer heat treat heavier prying use:
CRKT McGowan MAK-1 I like this option quite a bit because it's a lower carbon stainless with a softer heat treat for better use as a prying tool.

At those prices, I'd carry one of those tools on the belt for prying, heavy chopping, and other abusive tasks. I'd add a high quality folder clipped to the pocket for EDC cutting tasks.

Last, if you want a do it all knife that's a knife I'd ditch the stainless steel requirement, and go to a hard use carbon steel fixed blade: The knives listed below have traditional points that will still break if you aren't careful when prying, but will be far tougher than almost any stainless steel blade heat treated to the same hardness.

Ethan Becker is the man who popularized the so-called "sharpened prybar" concept of a survival knife, so why not start there:
BK&T ESEE KA-BAR Neck Knife
Becker BK-16

Then there are the ESEE knives:
Izula and Izula II in your choice of blade and handle colors
ESEE 3 - Great all around fixed blade, also available in several colors.

Last, and certainly not least, there's Ontario Knife Company:
RAT-3 which was in production before a schism lead to the ESEE knives
Ranger Falcon - Made from super tough 5160 carbon steel.

Hope that helps.

So sorry, didn't see you put fixed blade in there. I wouldn't have recommended a folder!

For a fixed blade that can take some abuse I'd recommend a Breed all the way, spend the money, it's worth it. Other options are Gerber Profile, or a Esee3/4, Becker BK16.

Good one, have an esee 3 that I have used for just about everything, It's a stout blade, just oil it when your done using it.

Go here and look around:http://www.barkriverknives.com/index/. Check the Search and Rescue section

Jim