I'm not a knife aficionado in the sense of salivating over a brand name, or this, that or the other fancy feature of a blade. However, over many years in Africa I came to appreciate simplicity, strength, versatility and toughness in a knife. We treated our blades hard there. They were "rode hard and put away wet", to use a Texas phrase, and sometimes broke under brutally hard treatment, or were lost in the heat of the moment. If a knife could last under that kind of wear and tear, it was valued. You'll also understand that folding knives seldom withstood such treatment: fixed-blade knives offered greater strength, and were thus preferred. I've written about those experiences in earlier articles:
Wilderness & survival tools - price versus quality
Useful information for knife novices
I recently came across a small knife on Amazon that, after testing, measures up to my African expectations. It's the "Duratech Compact Fixed Blade Knife". (Click this and any other image for a larger view.)
It's a small knife, designed for neck wear, or perhaps sideways on a belt for inconspicuous carry, or even pocket use. It's only 6" long overall, with a 3" blade (short enough to be legal almost everywhere - check your state's knife laws to be sure). Despite that, it's very ergonomic. I usually don't like small knives, because they're difficult for me to handle (I have large hands - I wear size 2XL gloves). Nevertheless, this knife doesn't present that problem, thanks to a very well-shaped handle of just the right length and diameter to grasp easily.
The blade is the proper thickness, too, able to stand up to hard use (including batoning smaller logs - I know, I've tried). It's very sharp, and retains its edge well. (It cuts tough meat like it wasn't there, better than most steak knives.) If you want the ultimate concealment knife, the wood grips are attached using Torx screws, so (with the right screwdriver) you can remove them and grasp only the bare full-length tang if you wish (I'd wrap it in something like gaffer tape or skateboard tape, if I were you). The knife is also light enough (only 2½ ounces) to carry around your neck, underneath your shirt. You won't notice it's there.
To carry it on your belt, you can superglue a belt/pocket clip to the sheath, or have a leather sheath made. For pocket carry, the existing sheath is fine, and the knife is small enough to make that possible despite being a fixed-blade unit.
What really surprised me is the value for money this knife offers. It's only $11.99! I wouldn't complain at having to pay double that cost or more, because the utility it offers is worth that to me: but at that price, it's an absolute steal. Having bought one to try it, I promptly ordered half-a-dozen more. They'll go into my "lend or give to friends in need" stash, and one will be in my wife's handbag.
I think this may be the best-value-for-money everyday carry knife I've come across in a long time. It has all the strength of a fixed-blade, but is no larger than many folding knives, and the price is unbeatable. Highly recommended.
(No, I'm not being compensated by Duratech in cash or in kind for recommending their knife. I just think this is a screaming good deal, and I'd like my friends to know about it.)
Peter
While I've bought cheap chinese stuff before (spare tool kits for each vehicle, as one example), I'm a little more picky about knives. It looks good, I like the profile and dimensions, but just can't see getting a chinesium knife when I have some many other options. YMMV
ReplyDeleteOver time I have observed that the initial offering of chinese made products will be awesome. They seem to have a good understanding of when the 'hook' has been set and the original quality turns to crap. I have a list of products I have observed this pattern with. Costco & walmart are where most examples come from. Also Amazon.
DeleteI like knives a little more high end than this one but it's got nice lines. I have an Eldris that's somewhat in this category. It's a neat little knife that came razor sharp from the factory.
ReplyDeleteYou don't need superglue or a custom sheath for belt carry. There are lots of companies that make a variety of belt-clips that will attach to the rivets holding that sheath together. A SpyderCo G-clip would probably fit this perfectly.
ReplyDeleteHey Peter;
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestion, when I order something from Amazon, I will add it to the order ;)
I've never seen the utility of carrying a knife that was too expensive to use for fear of damaging it. I EDC a spring assisted folder that is along the same vein as this knife. I don't generally like anything hanging around my neck, but I added the knife to my TO GET list on Amazon. Maybe with a pocket clip it will work for pocket carry.
ReplyDeleteOne is on it's way. Thanks for the heads up Peter.
ReplyDeleteI see buddy glen has posted about this little knife. He admits he has 0 experience with it, but feels qualified to comment anyway.
ReplyDeleteI was going to order one as a backup/ giveaway. Now I'll get 2 since glen doesn't like it
Your recommendations have been good, and as cheap as this is, I've bought one to try out.
ReplyDeleteMy knives have usually been more expensive, but I try for quality, useabiluty, and durability.
My EDC folder is a Benchmade Barrage, and my fixed blade hunter is an old Cold Steel Master Hunter with a non-slip rubber handle.
Both are old friends.
John in Indy
Those holes on the side of the sheath could accommodate a belt clip or tech lock.
ReplyDeleteInteresting...
ReplyDeleteLiked what I saw and, of course, trust Peters reccos without hesitation. I ordered two from Amazon today, one for me and one for the granddaughter. She already as a very loud storm whistle on a lanyard, so her neck area is getting crowded. That storm whistle took care of me some decades ago in the Sierra Nevada above Reno when I was enjoying the view and noticed a full-size grizzly some 40 feet from me. My truck was locked but my storm whistle was around my neck. In fact, I had only recently started wearing in in the woods. I put my hands over my ears, the whistle in my mouth and blew hard as I could. that poor bear levitated out of the area and may still be running after all these years. This was the one and only time I ever used it in a situation. I still wear it in the woods and in chancy neighborhoods. You just never know.
ReplyDeleteA surprising amount of people treat knives like sacred objects.
ReplyDeleteSold knives for the last 8 years. Given that we sold vastly more cheap knives than EU or US made knives and we had less problems with the blades of the cheaper knives than with more expensive knives I can, from my point of view, say, that all the chest thumping about US/EU vs. Chinesium quality is just that: chest thumping.
That is not an endorsement of the Chinese industry. It's not their fault so many western companies sell shite or charge premium prices for not so premium quality.
If a knife has a 440c blade, by far the most common steel for all but the cheapest blades, it does not matter where it was produced.
Mine showed up this morning. Comfortable in the hand, a good enge out of the box, yup, it's from china, so's any knife I can afford that is worth carrying around that won't cause me to have fits when I lose it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up.
And I'm sure you buy absolutely nothing that has Chinese components or materials in it, right? No cell phone, no car or truck, no electronics or power tools? And frankly I'd happily donate to the CCP over the uniparty of America hating pedophiles that run this country. At least the CCP is nationalistic! But that's beside the point, which is that you're a silly, ignorantly hypocritical, concern trolling ankle biter. Get out of the basement sometime, pal.
ReplyDeletePeter
ReplyDeleteI share your view on folders and fixed blades. My everyday tool is a small fixed blade knife. It’s a utility tool that does everything from opening mail to pruning trees to butchering. 3” blade is big enough to be useful and small enough to avoid frightening the folks in town.
We gave our boys Mora fixed blades as their first knives. Safer and stronger than a folder. Good quality tool that they use a lot on the homestead.
I also have a victorinox basic swiss army knife and a pair of needle nose pliers as EDC. Handy when you don’t want to run back to the shed to get tools for small jobs.
Knives, axes, chainsaws, trucks, and smoke poles are just tools and ought be used as such. Buy the quality you need for the expected use case and then do proper maintenance. That will take you a long way in the back country.
Thanks for pointing out a good option to help the less fortunate should need arise.
That's a darn attractive little knife, Peter. Most of my cheap knife needs are handled by very functional (and even cheaper) Mora knives, but this would certainly look nicer on my hip.
ReplyDeleteThanks