psychophipps

If you can carry and conceal the weight and bulk a pistol, I fail to see where a 1/8" thick and 1" wide flat piece of 6-8" steel with a maximum of 1" extra bulk in width and 1/2" of extra thickness for about half that length would be defined as "no way to comfortably carry it". Care to give us a rundown of your typical carry gear and clothing so we might be able to work something out for you?
As an example of how I think about things, I carry a Glock 17 full-size pistol. I see this firearm as also being about as long as I would prefer for a fixed SD blade, or about 7-1/4" O/A. I could go as high as an O/A length of 8-1/2" if I carried a full-size 1911 because then a well-designed sheath could be made to approximately match the carry of my pistol holster. This way I know with confidence that if a cover garment conceals my handgun length, it will conceal my fixed-blade knife as well.
Keep in mind that there is absolutely no reason at all that you can't get a good IWB sheath for a fixed-blade knife.

Trainer = Drone. *And I stand corrected. Thanks for the info, unloved.*

I firmly believe that every gun needs a good, solid knife for a backup. Even if you don't use it for fighting, the possible uses for rescue, first aid, etc are simply too prevalent to ignore. Fixed blades are stronger, easier and faster to deploy under the stress of the moment, and don't have to compromise in material strength, weight or ergonomics for a folding system. Yes, you might give up a bit in terms of compact carry (but probably not true concealability what with pocket clips and all), but the advantages are simply too big to completely discount them despite fixed blades not being the current flavor of the month.

EvilMonk

Thanks for the Heads Up!

I just grabbed a site with a good picture set. I'll avoid them in the future, thanks again!

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hankster

Yes, it was the Lum. It has a nice feel in the hand. I'm thinking of a kydex IWB sheath.

SamRudolph

My favorite self-defense knife is the fixed-blade Emerson La Griffe. They'll run you about $75, but you might have to look for a while to find one. They're a small fixed blade that is easy to conceal (I can hide one behind my work ID badge, easy to retain (You hold it with a finger through the big ring in the handle, making it difficult for someone to take it away from you- just make a fist), and easy to use with a minimum of training. Slash and run.

As far as folders go, my favorite is the Spyderco Delica. It's small enough to be useful for everyday tasks, but the wave- a hook on the blade that catches on your pocket as you pull the knife out, thus opening it, is easy to learn how to use and makes it open FAST. It's relatively inexpensive, about $55, has a good gripping surface. The lockback design is tough and reliable, and the blade won't close on you by surprise.

Both knives use top-of-the-line materials and both companies make knives with razor-sharp edges straight from the factory.

I will depart from the crowd and recommend against a Kershaw Leek for self-defense. It's a great knife for lots of things, but the blade is thin and designed for slicing, not self-defense. Because it's thin, the blade is more easily broken than the stouter Delica or the single-piece La Griffe.

psychophipps

I agree, SamRudolph. I would add the Endura to the list with the Delica but would also mention that anything bigger is largely a waste, IMO. Once you break the 3-3/4 to 4" mark for blades (fixed or folders) I think that you're just buying longer, not better as the extra length reduces it's maneuverability in tight spaces, it's basic utility in a pinch, and adds unnecessary weight.

One thing to watch out for with Spyderco is spending more for the super-fly, double-dong steels. VG10 is a fantastic steel with a great balance of edge strength, edge retention, and toughness while still being able to be sharpened with basic sharpening tools. Once you start getting into the gee-whiz steels you will probably need a diamond hone or other high-end sharpening system to keep the knife sharp. Yes, "CPM S30V blade with the added other bits" sounds more Gucci than "base model with VG10 blade" but it won't magically cut better for 99.9% of the tasks that you'll run into.

lazy

there's alot of Knife videos on Youtube.
Ck em out, They show how different ones open and close.& Handling knives. I learned the hard way .
your gonna have lots of different knives before it's over .
different moods, different knife,
different shoes, different knife,
there are good 20.00 knives and good 500.00 knives.
ck your laws on what you can carry.

heres my fav I carry now ,but i built a custom sheath. after slicing my finger , with this carry method.

YouTube - Kershaw Ripcord

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Glock 35 Glock 27
Marlin30-30
12ga
AR-7
22 Remmington Rifle
enuff knives to carry a different 1 everday

Diablo

My choice is the CQD Mark I Plain Edge Auto

Cool little video:
BlackHawk M.O.D. CQD Mark I Plain Edge AUTO

It's a tad big, but I knew it was for me the first time I saw one!

I have the plain edge auto (was hard to get since I'm not Mil, LEO, etc...) even though legal to own auto's in FL and carry if you have CWL. You can get a manual version as well as partially serrated blade and there is also the cheaper type-e which I think is only like $80, obviously made of cheaper materials.

I rarely see anyone talk about this knife in any of the forums I belong to. Don't know why, but I wouldn't think twice about buying it again if I lost it.

SamRudolph

I agree. I actually like VG10 more than any of the other steels Spyderco uses, though H1 has its uses.

EDIT: I notice I forgot to include where to buy these knives...

My two favorite dealers are newgraham.com and gpknives.com. I've ordered knives dozens of times from those companies, and they have outstanding customer service, outstanding prices, and good websites with a lot of variety and the ability to see what's in stock.

They also have a strong presence and customer response on the various knife forums.

http://www.newgraham.com
http://www.gpknives.com

psychophipps

My Spyderco Street Beat showed up yesterday for $144.63 shipped from Your Corner Store. Great service, amazing prices, e-mails at each stage of the process, and fast delivery. Couldn't have asked for more from an online retailer.

Honestly, my initial impression wasn't exactly stellar but this knife has been seriously growing on me since then. I'll probably post more this weekend, as I get a better feel for it.

Thanks for the heads up on this blade, unloved.

unloved

No problem. I don't think you'll be dissapointed. I love mine. Now if I can just manage to get my hands on one of the full tang, micarta scaled, Fred Perrins (5" blade, like Mr. Perrins Street Bowie) that Sal Glesser has been teasing us with...

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