OT: Source for decent knives?

I

Ian Rawlings

Guest

• Aug 22, 2006

• #1

Wotcher all, I'm in the market for some decent knives, a short sheath
knife (say 4 inches) and a 12-inch parang of similar type to the
following;

http://www.surplusandoutdoors.com/ishop/877/shopscr1350.html

The problem I'm having is finding one that I can be sure is of any
use. The parang on the above link has a rubber handle, unknown metal
blade and you're probably paying £20 extra just because it says
"special forces" on it.

Most sites I've found stock decorative knives, made of stainless
steel, or have handles that are rivetted on the handle surface (causes
blisters) or are made of rubber/rope etc. There's some quite
ludicrous sites out there with masses of daft knives that look nice
but seem to be inferior quality, quite why there's such a market in
trinket knives I don't know.

For both the parang and the short sheath knife I want a wooden handle
that has the blade's tang going all the way through and rivetted on
the end. The metal should be hardened at least, not stainless steel.
I don't want compasses and fishing kits built into the handle, they
just weaken it. The short knife needs a mostly straight cutting edge
without decorative curves that make it hard to sharpen.

For the "we'll all be murdered in our beds" brigade, these are to go
in the pinz/lane clearance toolkit in the back of the truck, not for
strapping to my side and striding around the high street or bolting to
the dash in full view.

--
Blast off and strike the evil Bydo empire!

 

D

Dave R

Guest

• Aug 22, 2006

• #2

Ian Rawlings wrote:
> Wotcher all, I'm in the market for some decent knives, a short sheath
> knife (say 4 inches) and a 12-inch parang of similar type to the
> following;
>
> http://www.surplusandoutdoors.com/ishop/877/shopscr1350.html
>
> The problem I'm having is finding one that I can be sure is of any
> use. The parang on the above link has a rubber handle, unknown metal
> blade and you're probably paying £20 extra just because it says
> "special forces" on it.
>
> Most sites I've found stock decorative knives, made of stainless
> steel, or have handles that are rivetted on the handle surface (causes
> blisters) or are made of rubber/rope etc. There's some quite
> ludicrous sites out there with masses of daft knives that look nice
> but seem to be inferior quality, quite why there's such a market in
> trinket knives I don't know.
>
> For both the parang and the short sheath knife I want a wooden handle
> that has the blade's tang going all the way through and rivetted on
> the end. The metal should be hardened at least, not stainless steel.
> I don't want compasses and fishing kits built into the handle, they
> just weaken it. The short knife needs a mostly straight cutting edge
> without decorative curves that make it hard to sharpen.
>
> For the "we'll all be murdered in our beds" brigade, these are to go
> in the pinz/lane clearance toolkit in the back of the truck, not for
> strapping to my side and striding around the high street or bolting to
> the dash in full view.
>
> --
> Blast off and strike the evil Bydo empire!


I can thoroughly recommend the Gerber range, not the cheapest things in
the world but by far the best in my opioion, i've worked in the marine
industry for many years, and quite a bit of it on the water. They've
never let me down and have always been replaced because of being lost
as opposed to corrosion or breakage.

Dave

 

A

aghasee

Guest

• Aug 22, 2006

• #3

On Tue, 22 Aug 2006 09:23:00 +0100, Ian Rawlings <[email protected]>
wrote:

> Wotcher all, I'm in the market for some decent knives, a short sheath
> knife (say 4 inches) and a 12-inch parang of similar type to the
> following;

The Glock Field Knife 78 is a good all-round knife, although it probably
is a bit long (some 11 inches overall)
http://www.glock.com/knives.htm
The blade is high-grade steel (not stainless, if you don't take proper
care for it, it will rust), the handle is made from the polymer stuff
Glock uses for their gun frames. Very strong!
I use one and it does the job. Paid some 50 Euros for it incl. VAT and
P/P, so it's relatively cheap.

 

W

William Tasso

Guest

• Aug 22, 2006

• #4

On Tue, 22 Aug 2006 09:23:00 +0100, Ian Rawlings <[email protected]>
wrote:

> Wotcher all, I'm in the market for some decent knives, a short sheath
> knife (say 4 inches) and a 12-inch parang of similar type to the
> following;
>
> http://www.surplusandoutdoors.com/ishop/877/shopscr1350.html
>
> The problem I'm having is finding one that I can be sure is of any
> use.

yep - I've never bought any knife online/mail-order, nor am I likely to.
Choosing a knife is a similar process to choosing a guitar. Amongst other
things, the individual unit has to 'feel right'.

> ...
> There's some quite
> ludicrous sites out there with masses of daft knives that look nice
> but seem to be inferior quality, quite why there's such a market in
> trinket knives I don't know.

schoolyard bling?

> For both the parang and the short sheath knife I want a wooden handle
> that has the blade's tang going all the way through and rivetted on
> the end.

The handles made of leather are very comfortable and wear well.

> The metal should be hardened at least, not stainless steel.

Good luck - seems every knife maker has become infatuated with shiny
blades.


--
William Tasso

Land Rover - 110 V8
Discovery - V8

 

W

William Tasso

Guest

• Aug 22, 2006

• #5

On Tue, 22 Aug 2006 11:03:18 +0100, William Tasso <[email protected]>
wrote:

> ...
> Good luck - seems every knife maker has become infatuated with shiny
> blades.

Meant to add: have you tried your local huntin' fishin' shootin' shop?

--
William Tasso

Land Rover - 110 V8
Discovery - V8

 

B

beamendsltd

Guest

• Aug 22, 2006

• #6

In message <[email protected]>
"William Tasso" <[email protected]> wrote:

> On Tue, 22 Aug 2006 09:23:00 +0100, Ian Rawlings <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> > Wotcher all, I'm in the market for some decent knives, a short sheath
> > knife (say 4 inches) and a 12-inch parang of similar type to the
> > following;
> >
> > http://www.surplusandoutdoors.com/ishop/877/shopscr1350.html
> >
> > The problem I'm having is finding one that I can be sure is of any
> > use.
>
> yep - I've never bought any knife online/mail-order, nor am I likely to.
> Choosing a knife is a similar process to choosing a guitar. Amongst other
> things, the individual unit has to 'feel right'.
>
> > ...
> > There's some quite
> > ludicrous sites out there with masses of daft knives that look nice
> > but seem to be inferior quality, quite why there's such a market in
> > trinket knives I don't know.
>
> schoolyard bling?
>
> > For both the parang and the short sheath knife I want a wooden handle
> > that has the blade's tang going all the way through and rivetted on
> > the end.
>
> The handles made of leather are very comfortable and wear well.
>
> > The metal should be hardened at least, not stainless steel.
>
> Good luck - seems every knife maker has become infatuated with shiny
> blades.
>
>

Apparently you local Police Station will have quite a few they
don't know what to do with ;-)

Richard
--
www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk [email protected]
RISC-OS - Where have all the good guys gone?
Lib Dems - Townies keeping comedy alive

 

W

William Tasso

Guest

• Aug 22, 2006

• #7

On Tue, 22 Aug 2006 11:06:17 +0100, beamendsltd
<[email protected]> wrote:

> In message <[email protected]>
> "William Tasso" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> ...
>> seems every knife maker has become infatuated with shiny
>> blades.
>>
>>
>
> Apparently you local Police Station will have quite a few they
> don't know what to do with ;-)

aye - and any reports of confiscated knives found to be already coated in
finger printing dust are mere media fabrication.

--
William Tasso

Land Rover - 110 V8
Discovery - V8

 

I

Ian Rawlings

Guest

• Aug 22, 2006

• #8

On 2006-08-22, beamendsltd <[email protected]> wrote:

> Apparently you local Police Station will have quite a few they
> don't know what to do with ;-)

I'd have thought the only ones handed in would be rusty old bayonets
or ornamental gurkha knives, decent ones would be actually in use!

Mind you Lee could set up a lucrative sideline in flogging trinket
knives on the side ;-)

--
Blast off and strike the evil Bydo empire!

 

I

Ian Rawlings

Guest

• Aug 22, 2006

• #9

On 2006-08-22, William Tasso <[email protected]> wrote:

> Meant to add: have you tried your local huntin' fishin' shootin' shop?

Not yet, given that nothing's local to me, I have to find one first!
Anyone got any good ones in the Dorset/Somerset/Wiltshire area?

--
Blast off and strike the evil Bydo empire!

 

A

Austin Shackles

Guest

• Aug 22, 2006

• #10

On or around Tue, 22 Aug 2006 11:04:17 +0100, "William Tasso"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>On Tue, 22 Aug 2006 11:03:18 +0100, William Tasso <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>
>> ...
>> Good luck - seems every knife maker has become infatuated with shiny
>> blades.
>
>Meant to add: have you tried your local huntin' fishin' shootin' shop?

mind, modern stainless steel is a bloody sight better than it used to be.

still prefer a plain steel blade though. well, not too plain - hardened,
obv.

It used to be said that land rover spring leaves were a nice bit of steel
for making knife blades from. never actually finished the one I started
making, so I can't vouch for that.

--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"Something there is that doesn't love a wall."
Robert Frost (1874-1963)

 

S

Smudge

Guest

• Aug 22, 2006

• #11

Try http://www.raymears.com/ , a whole range of cutting tools in his
online store including the famous Woodlore Knife. If anyone knows their
knives, I guess he does. Pricey though...

 

W

William Tasso

Guest

• Aug 22, 2006

• #12

On Tue, 22 Aug 2006 12:40:08 +0100, Smudge
<[email protected]> wrote:

> Try http://www.raymears.com/ , a whole range of cutting tools in his
> online store including the famous Woodlore Knife.

Famous?

> If anyone knows their
> knives, I guess he does. Pricey though...

No kidding - Price: £235.00 (inc VAT) & out of stock too! but you can
sign up to the waiting list.

Marketing driven demand at its finest
--
William Tasso

Land Rover - 110 V8
Discovery - V8

 

S

Smudge

Guest

• Aug 22, 2006

• #13

Famous 'cos he's always recommending it in his programs (well he would
wouldn't he!)
Hand forged by one guy is the last I read, hence the waiting list and
the price. There are some other nice blades on the site though...

 

I

Ian Rawlings

Guest

• Aug 22, 2006

• #14

On 2006-08-22, Smudge <[email protected]> wrote:

> There are some other nice blades on the site though...

You can get better from army surplus stores, but still not what I'm
after though.

--
Blast off and strike the evil Bydo empire!

 

I

Ian Rawlings

Guest

• Aug 22, 2006

• #15

On 2006-08-22, William Tasso <[email protected]> wrote:

> Marketing driven demand at its finest

Yeah, side-facing rivets in a wooden handle don't float my boat! The
rest of the knives aren't what I'm after either, rubber handles etc.

I'd already decided on a Gransfors axe in another store, I quite like
their double-headed competition throwing axe but I don't think I'll go
for it ;-)

--
Blast off and strike the evil Bydo empire!

 

I

Ian Rawlings

Guest

• Aug 22, 2006

• #16

On 2006-08-22, Ian Rawlings <[email protected]> wrote:

> Wotcher all, I'm in the market for some decent knives, a short sheath
> knife (say 4 inches) and a 12-inch parang

This is looking more like it, will try to find how to get them in the
UK.

http://www.ragweedforge.com/SwedishKnifeCatalog.html

--
Blast off and strike the evil Bydo empire!

 

A

AJH

Guest

• Aug 22, 2006

• #17

On Tue, 22 Aug 2006 09:23:00 +0100, Ian Rawlings
<[email protected]> wrote:

> these are to go
>in the pinz/lane clearance toolkit in the back of the truck,

In which case I'd suggest a secondhand elwell hedge laying billhook, a
large folding pull saw (gomboy) and one of the smaller opinels.

Here's one I prepared earlier:

www.loampitsfarm.co.uk/temp/cuttingkit.jpg

AJH

 

I

Ian Rawlings

Guest

• Aug 22, 2006

• #18

On 2006-08-22, AJH <[email protected]> wrote:

> Here's one I prepared earlier:

I've got the saws, including a bowsaw and a surprisingly useful
"pocket chainsaw" which works much better than I'd hoped.

What advantages does the billhook have over a more conventional
machete?

--
Blast off and strike the evil Bydo empire!

 

A

AJH

Guest

• Aug 22, 2006

• #19

On Tue, 22 Aug 2006 14:49:01 +0100, Ian Rawlings
<[email protected]> wrote:

>What advantages does the billhook have over a more conventional
>machete?

Shorter, better control of the cut because of the hook, less likely to
glance off and the ability to move things with it.

AJH

 

A

Austin Shackles

Guest

• Aug 22, 2006

• #20

On or around Tue, 22 Aug 2006 14:01:11 +0100, Ian Rawlings
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>Yeah, side-facing rivets in a wooden handle don't float my boat! The
>rest of the knives aren't what I'm after either, rubber handles etc.

depends on how they're done, though. If done properly the whole thing is
smooth, and it's still probably the best way of actually getting the handle
to stay on.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
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