Hello everyone, I hope you have been doing well. This is Andrew and welcome to another
episode of Madman Review. We have already talked about folding knives in a previous episode,
so today we will look at fixed-blade knives. If you think about self-defense everyday
carry knives, you would think of folding knives. There are plenty of reasons why
people prefer these knives. They are light and compact. It fits in your pocket and you
can deploy it in a flash with little practice. However, this brings with itself some downsides.
For one, all those moving parts mean that they are prone to failure at some point in the future.
Every single mechanism you slap onto the blade, the more fragile it becomes.
If you want a knife that will not let you down, you want a fixed-blade knife.
It is easy to use. You just pull it out and use it on anything. Sure, the blades
are bulky, but that’s a small trade-off. If I have to compare these knives to guns,
I would say that folding knives are like semi-auto pistols purely because both are
compact and stylized nowadays. Fixed-blade knives are more like revolvers. They are big,
bulky, simple yet effective. They are heavier but can do more damage. Plus,
both are ridiculously easy to use and maintain. Another thing that fixed-blade knives have going
for them is the fact that it is legal in all jurisdictions. The same cannot be said for
folding knives. If size is a problem, there are plenty of EDC-friendly options out there.
But, maybe you just want a tough blade that can survive the outdoor bushcraft life. In that case,
fixed-blade knives win. Folding knives are too fragile to handle tough tasks outdoors.
Today, I will go over these knives and tell you why you should have them in your gear.
As always, the links to these knives are in the description below, so make sure to check it out.
Gerber StrongArm First on our list, we have
the Gerber Strongarm. It is the successor to the Gerber LMF II Infantry. Made in Portland, Oregon,
the Strongarm is a light, short, yet dependable knife. The 420 HC steel is 4.8 inches long,
and the overall length is 9.8 inches. You have the option to go for the serrated
edge or plain edge. The blade is coated in Cerakote black matte finish. With proper care,
it will last you for several years. Aesthetic-wise, it looks like your typical
military/survival knife, and it is exactly that. It is not trying to be anything else.
The overall ergonomics are excellent. It is glass-filled nylon with rubber textured overmold
so it molds into your hands a bit better. So, you can use this in all environments,
even with gloves. Overall, this is an excellent
knife. At its price point, it is hard to not recommend this. Give it a try.
ESEE Knives Izula-II The ESEE Izula got its name from an infamous South
American Ant. The knife is also well-known for its ability to be looking rather small and flimsy,
yet proves itself to be a very tough and capable knife. EESE released the Izula II soon after,
which has a slightly longer handle. The knife is about 6.75 inches long,
and the drop-point blade measures in at 2.75 inches. The blade is made from a single piece
of 1095 High Carbon steel. This is one of the best materials for survival knives
since it won’t chip or break easily. Sharpening it is a breeze and it has a very sleek edge.
The only downside is that it isn’t stainless steel, so it’s prone to rust. ESEE fixed this by
coating the blade in a textured powder coat. It might start to wear away after a while,
especially if you put the knife through some rough time. Keep the knife clean and sharpened should be
more than enough to keep it in top shape. The handle is pretty simple, but it doesn’t
have to be anything fancy. The handle comes in “naked”, skeletonized, or in canvas micarta scale.
Even without the additional material, the handle feels nice in your hand.
KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanion The KA-Bar Becket BK2 looks like one
of your typical sleek and slim knives, until you look at it from another angle. It is a chunky one,
but that does not mean it is a bad knife by any means.
The BK2 Companion is designed as a “working man’s tool” thanks to its form factor. It is hefty,
rugged, and is built for tough tasks. The blade is made from steel and powder coated with 1095
Cro-Van, with a factory edge of about 20 degrees. The blade itself is about 6.3mm thick. Despite its
form factor, it feels nice in your hands and is pretty well-balanced. The handle is simple, but
that is just part of the appeal. It is intended as a survival knife, and it looks the part.
You can use it to pry open doors, chop firewood, and hammer nails.
If you’re looking for a rugged knife that is built like a tank, this one's for you.
Morakniv Garberg Full Tang This 9-inch full-tang knife comes in
with 4 inches of cutting real estate. The blade is forged from Sandvik 14C28N steel, which is perfect
for situations where edge sharpness, stability, and corrosion resistance are important.
It handles wood shaving, carving, and spine scraping without breaking a sweat.
It’s a beautiful tool to have in your loadout. The blade is about
0.12 inches thick, however. So, just like the BK2 Campanion, so it won’t be
a good knife to slice anything finely. It can still do the job as a slicing knife,
but you end up with larger chunks of food. When it comes to grip, it comes with a basic
plastic handle with some textures for better grip. It won’t feel super snug in your hands,
but there’s nothing unpleasant about it either. Plus, the handle still works well with gloves.
Spyderco Ronin 2 Next up, we have the Spyderco Ronin 2,
which is based on the Yojimbo 2 that precedes it. At a glance, it looks like a flimsy knife,
thanks in part to the shape of the handle. The blade is almost 8 inches long with the stainless
steel blade about half that length. Despite its unusual shape, it still
does its job well. The Wharncliffe blade shape and its out-of-the-box sharpness
allow for precise cuts and slices. This is no surprise considering that they used Carpenter
CTS BD1N stainless steel that retains its edge beautifully and is also corrosion-resistant.
The handle is a skeletonized full tang wrapped in thin and textured black G-10 scales.
That, coupled with its shape, allows for a snug and comfortable grip. On top of that,
the profile of the blade is designed so that your hand won’t slip into the sharp edge.
CRKT SIWI The CRKT SiWi is an excellent budget
knife. We hear the term “survival” and “tactical” thrown around a lot when it comes to knives.
Most of them are just jargon and the knife fails to live up to those names. But the SiWi from CRKT
is different. It is a product birthed from a designer and a Special Forces operative.
First, the drop point blade is made from SK5 carbon steel, which holds its edge very
well. Plus, CRKT gave it a black coating for extra protection against corrosion.
The knife is about 7.5 inches long. The handle is made from fiberglass in G10
handle scales. As you can tell by the dents in the handle, it is meant to
fit your hand very snugly, even with gloves. Though small, it can stand up to plenty of abuse,
even with its 3-inch edge, thanks to its wide spine. Though, at 0.2 inches of blade girth,
you won’t be able to slice onions finely. Cold Steel SRK Survival Rescue
The SRK from Cold Steel stands for Survival Rescue Knife, and it is built for just that
purpose. In fact, the SRK is a standard issue for U.S. Navy Seals going through
basic underwater demolition/seal training. So, you know that they bring a lot to the table.
First, let’s talk about dimensions. The knife is about 13 inches long and its blade is measured
at 6 inches. At a glance, it does not look fancy. It looks pretty plain, but this isn’t designed to
look good. It is meant to be used in survival, rescue, and sometimes combat situations.
The blade is a basic clip point, made from carbon steel sharped into a plain, yet very fine edge.
It comes with a simple black coating. It holds up very well against abuse, which is expected,
thanks in part to the blade material. The handle is a thick kraton handle
wrapped around the tang. In other words, it’s a high-density rubber that is common
among survival knives. The textured handle allows for better grip even with gloves,
and the quillon ensures that your fingers stay on the handle.
Smith & Wesson 9in High Carbon Last but not least, we have the 9in High
Carbon from Smith & Wesson. Yes, they manufacture knives as well. It’s one of those knives that have
a plain look but punches above its weight in terms of price. So, what does it bring to the table?
For one, it is a dual-edge compound bevel blade. The blade is forged out of high carbon stainless
steel, which gives it excellent resistance against corrosion. It is also a full tang knife
and the tang is wrapped rubber with grooves and finger guards to enhance grip and safety.
The overall build quality is also excellent. The blade measures in at 9 inches, with the blade at
about 4.7 inches. It is intended to be a tactical self-defense knife, and it does look like one.
And there you have it. I’m certain that one of these knives will suit your needs. Let us know
what you think in the comment section below. Give us a like if you find this video helpful
and subscribe for more content like this. Thanks For watching and seeing you next time.