Fixed blade or folder?

[Pierrebuiltknives]

Fixed blade if have to rely on it to do other things i can where i wouldn't rely on a folder if my life or health and safety depended on it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The weakest part of 99% of folders is the pivot. I have had many highend folding knives. I would take my 0.100 thick 2inch blade carter pattern neck knife any day over any folder you would give me.
No matter what lock bar or what type or mechanism they will start moving when you really need to start movibg them. Mechanical failure can lead to injury easliy.
Personally I would look at. Carothers knives. Probably the best heat treat on a semi production Knives around. Very very good field knives.

 

[Lionel Hutz]

I think a smaller fixed blade is the ideal field tool. I like a blade that isn't so long that it's unwieldy in close quarters (like cutting away a pant leg to cut strips of cloth for a tourniquet) but is long enough to stab scorpions (the tail flips up to sting at the blade) and solid enough to process wood for shelter work.

The best knife I've used is the Spartan Blades Phrike. As others in this thread have mentioned, it can be challenging to find a fixed blade that can be worn comfortably attached to your belt while wearing a backpack. The Phrike, in the nylon sheath (but not the kydex sheath), works well for backpacking and was the end of my search for a small fixed-blade to wear while backpacking. The Phrike is light enough that I never feel its weight, and its nylon sheath positions the knife handle so that it isn't in the way of the backpack waistbelt. Plus, I'm not above being a sucker for cool aesthetics, and the Phrike looks great. You can see in this pic that the flat dark earth with tan handle matches well with coyote brown gear.

View attachment 48378

 

[Flashmo]

Folder in my pocket and fixed in my pack.

Folder is great for everyday mundane things.

When you need a fixed, you need a fixed. Typically stronger, heavier, longer, thicker blade. Will take abuse better.

 

[Dobermann]

^^^ This! / What Flashmo said.

And I add a multitool, which I don't think of as a knife, but a tool with a back-up knife.

Hundreds of serviceable options for all three - just pick your blade profile, length, thickness, steel type, handle type, and you're done.

Not that that's a necessarily a quick process!