Looking For a New Fixed Blade

[RedneckRampage]

I'm looking for a nice, good quality, US made, small fixed blade, somewhere around 3.5". I'd prefer it to be "tactical".

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[John Gault]

I'm looking for a nice, good quality, US made, small fixed blade, somewhere around 3.5". I'd prefer it to be "tactical".

These guys are all that. I've got one in the 5" + blade and 1/4" thick, it's a bit too much for anthing but serious work but I woulldn't have any reservations about getting one in the 3-4 inch range with 1/8" blade.
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[GRUNDEL]

I don't know if they are really all that tactical (maybe more Survival/Bush/EDC) but I have had really great luck with the ESEE knives. I have an ESEE-3, ESEE-6, and carry the IZULLA-II every day at work. I use, and what some would consider abuse these knifes. They seem hold up great and keep a good edge.

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[mattg521]

Check out the Benchmade Nimravus cub. Brilliant balance, handling and indexing. Great knife, made in Oregon City. You will find no better customer service including what they call lifesharp. You mail it in they mail it back you pay both ways. Since you are in PDX you can drop off in person and they mail it back to you for free!

 

[Will_Power]

You guys got any suggestions on where to buy an ESEE locally in NW Oregon?

 

[John Gault]

You guys got any suggestions on where to buy an ESEE locally in NW Oregon?

Haven't ran into any local. I used "the-knife-connection" for both my purchases and they were very personal on the phone (to triple confirm inventory) and delivery was very fast for standard USPS type delivery. Pricing was as good as I found anywhere else and better than a lot of places that were closer in proximety.

 

[GRUNDEL]

You guys got any suggestions on where to buy an ESEE locally in NW Oregon?

Looking at their website the closest dealers with store fronts are in Washington ( Elma & Bellevue). If I remember right I picked all mine up off eBay an saved a little money. I will say I have never been overly impressed with the ESEE Sheaths & Belt Clips, so now I try to find the cheapest deal I can (no extras) and buy or build aftermarket Kydex sheaths for them. There are also some companies that make some high quality custom leather sheaths but you will pay for them.

 

[FourTeeFive]

Hard to beat any of the Busse spinoffs, such as the Swamp Rat or Scrap Yard knives:

Swamp Rat Knife Works

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[FateOne]

Northwoods Knives (the brick and mortar for Knifes Ship Free Dot Com) in Hillsboro carries ESEE as well as a large selection of other high end knives. Not tactical, but the Kershaw Skyline fixed blades available from Cabela's are quite nice. Cabela's currently has an exclusive but you can also find them from Kershawguy either on his website or fleabay.

I've alternated carrying one of those and an ESEE Izula II. You'll have to have a kydex sheath made if that is what you want. The ESEE comes with a perfectly good molded plastic and the Skyline with a leather sheath.

The Izula II comes with micarta handles that can be removed. The original Izula is 1/4 inch shorter has handles you can buy separately. Either work nice wrapped in paracord. The Skyline handles can be removed but you will have to heat the bolts to loosen the loc-tite. Kershaw sold knives without handles and a stonewash finish at their factory sale and someone may have one for sale.

 

[FateOne]

There are some great deals out there right now on the ZT 0121 since it has been discontinued. It is all tactical. It is a bit heavy but I backpocket carried one for awhile. They are as tactical as you get and locally made. They were a collaboration between KAI-Kershaw-ZT and Strider knives and are almost like a fixed blade 0300. They may be a bit heavy for what you are looking for but you can't beat thick quality steel with a great grind and sturdy G10 handles. The only upgrade I would make is ditch the hoofy belt clip on the Kydex and pick up a Tek Lok.

The molded sheaths on the ESEE Izulas are serviceable but not great. The larger knives have Kydex. I've never had a problem. The molle loks are the same that Benchmade ships for attaching their knives to gear. With the optional molle back and Tactical Tailor malice clips they are great for attaching to a pack. Otherwise, ditch and get a Bladetek tek lok like for all other Kydex knife sheaths.

 

[CatCow]

Gerber has a few OK models, but I have no idea where they are made. LMF II and Guardian Backup are the ones I have from them(and an ancient and very worn woodland camo Guardian II). Spyderco and Benchmade have some nice models, although I've never tried their fixed blades, I love their folders. Chris Reeve has some nice ones, had an Aviator long ago but sold it(wanted a larger model and never got around to getting another one), the Green Beret model looks pretty nice - but they are spendy. I think the next fixed blade I try will probably be an ESEE, but I haven't decided which one yet.