Folding Blades

[Phaestos]

Hey everyone,

So after many years of carrying it, even prior to taking up bushcraft, I decided to do away with my survival tin and create a more useful, lightweight, and bushcraft-principle based kit that would operate as both a survival kit when needed, but also act as an EDC kit as well as a sort of go-to kit (There are matches in my fire pouch, but there are easier to reach ones in this kit, so I'll go for them. That sort of thing). This was based on the guidelines of Paul Kirtley's kit.

One of the main things being lumped out of the kit, along with tin, was my multitool. A Gerber Suspension I think. While a good, solid tool, it was just way too heavy. It seemed to constitute a good proportion of how much my whole EDC kit weighed, and all I really used was the pliers and knife. So I'm replacing that with a pair of lightweight needle-nosed pliers (already bought) and a folding knife. And that's what I need recommendations on. A 3" or less, non-locking folder (so as to be street-legal). I've heard good things about the Joker No. 74 folder, but am wondering what else I could look at.

Cheers,

 

[Man of Tanith]

Jokers are lovely edc blades.
So are svord mini peasents.

 

[Jared]

Victorinox SAK Farmer?

http://www.victorinox.com/ch/produc...nge-93-mm/Pioneer-Range-Alox-Farmer/0.8241.26

Blade, saw, awl/reamer, can & bottle openers (with flat screwdrivers)

£22 odd on Amazon.

 

[MartiniDave]

For me it's any of the victorinox that have a saw (the back of the saw is a good firesteel striker if you hold it right), or if I can justify the lock an opinel or my EKA.

Dave

 

[MartiniDave]

For me it's any of the victorinox that have a saw (the back of the saw is a good firesteel striker if you hold it right), or if I can justify the lock an opinel or my EKA.

Dave

 

[bilmo-p5]

+1 for SAK Alox Farmer.

 

[Uilleachan]

I've used a folding Loewen messer for very many years they're quite well made, findable in any fishermans chandlers,or on line from Germany. Almost all the fishing industry uses them in the fixed blade form, the folders are the most secure locking non locking knife I've found. Mine is in my car at Edinburgh airport as I'm off for a couple of days work with hand luggage, otherwise it would be in my suitcase coming with me to work. It won't stand up to I'll use but will stand up to all the routine tasks on a fishing boat, gutting to mending, carbon blade that takes an easy edge. I've no interest in the company.

Here's a link, there's a model with a 9 cm blade also, a google will get you the complete range, I prefer the plastic handle version in red

http://www.kehoemarine.ie/products/No.-1040.html

 

[Samon]

Svord peasant knives are super light weight, cheap and the steel is very high quality L6 carbon! I would get the mini if you aren't comfortable with shortening the standard sized model blade.

I have no issue with cutting away so for me one of my favourite pocket knvies that I trust is my modified Svord..



Failing that, sak! pick the one with the gadgets you want and you're away!

 

[HHazeldean]

I gotta say samon, that is a brilliant mod job there! Really like the look of that

 

[Samon]

I gotta say samon, that is a brilliant mod job there! Really like the look of that

Thank you

I know it's very pink and looks as though it should vibrate, but it is a great knife and very hard to lose in the green!

 

[HHazeldean]

I know it's very pink and looks as though it should vibrate

Hahaha I can see what you mean! Are you not tempted to wack a nice wooden handle on?

 

[Samon]

Hahaha I can see what you mean! Are you not tempted to wack a nice wooden handle on?

I've had one in original wood, one in custom walnut (made by hillhill) and yet I prefer plastic!

It's light, colourful and cleans easily. Perfect if one does not mind the vibrant pink! I like to think I'm beefcake so any pink accessories I wear have no effect on my burly exterior!

Here's the walnut version, incase you were curious..

 

[MartiniDave]

Samon,

I know where you can get a spork to match that knife mate

Seriously though, that's nice work there. I must get around to trying a peasant knife sometime.

Dave.

 

[HHazeldean]

Oooo that walnut is very nice! Like that one - although I can understand your point about the plastic. Personally I'd rather go for wood but that's just me eh! If you're not a fan of the walnut..?

 

[Samon]

Oooo that walnut is very nice! Like that one - although I can understand your point about the plastic. Personally I'd rather go for wood but that's just me eh! If you're not a fan of the walnut..?

I'd happily give you the walnut one but I no longer have it.. it was lost a few years back.

I have attempted to remake the walnut scales, but a mistake in grain/wood from a seller meant my hard work ended up snapping clean in half.. so I haven't bothered since to create new ones. I have however given the blade a pretty much full flat grind (removed the uneven grind lines) and thinned the scales since that pretty pink picture was taken!

 

[Uilleachan]

The thing about a street-legal knife is that it has to look unadulterated, sharpened to with in an inch of it's being etc, it's all about perception. So you want a plane jane that'll raise no questions. Quite a few Bobbies, and most of the public, are quite ignorant to the many reasons behind a person carrying a "pen knife". To most it's all about weapons. Street legal doesn't mean you won't be challenged or not have it confiscated if you are. All it takes is for someone to see you with it and report it, up my way a wee pen knife doesn't rase an eyebrow almost everyone has a penknife in their pocket, in Glasgow it's different, if reported it'll be a bunch of burley bobbies with anti stab vests and tazers that'll attend.

The Joker's are good, but the metal and hinge on the lowenmessers are better. Here's most of the range kindly brought together by a poster on the knifeforum;


http://www.knifeforums.com/forums/showtopic.php?tid/783327/

The 1047 is the standard with fishermen and therefore the most readily available in the UK. The 7328 is perhaps a better bushcrafty knife, you'd have to buy one from Germany though. I get on just fine with the former though, but I do fancy the latter.

Here's the range with prices in euros,

http://www.scharferladen.de/shop/MESSER-TOOLS-LICHT/Loewenmesser-Solingen:::22_225.html

the 1047 is around £22 to £25 from a fisherman's chandlers shop.

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

I'm a big fan of the EKA Swede 8.
Good solid no frills working knife.