When a Fixed Blade Knife Is Better for You Than a Folder (Dispelling Some Other Myths)
When a Fixed Blade Knife Is Better for You Than a Folder (Dispelling Some Other Myths)
It is the case that most people will likely carry a folding knife on the daily, simply out of convenience. Many of them are quite affordable and since the blade folds into the handle, you don’t need to carry a sheath. Be that as it may, there are many instances in which a fixed blade knife is actually the better choice, and there are even some who pejoratively refer to folding knives as “pre-broken”. So, let’s take a closer look at some scenarios in which a fixed blade knife is actually the better choice for you.
When You Need a More Robust Design
Say what you want about a fixed blade knife, but the flimsiest fixed blade is still more robust by its innate design than the best folder out there. A locking mechanism, as strong as it is, is still an instance of design complexity, and any instance of design complexity is an opportunity for failure. If you’re doing hard work with a knife, such as chopping or batoning wood, there is no better option than a fixed blade knife, and a fixed blade will prove more robust overall, anyway.
When You’re Doing Dirty Work
In recent years, folding knives, especially folding knives that have replaceable scalpel blades, have become increasingly popular for hunting. They are convenient, but the truth of the matter is that for any truly dirty job involving grease, grime, blood, muck, or grit of any sort, a fixed blade knife is a solidly better option.
The reason for this also has to do with the lock and pivot point. These areas are moving components that have inner recesses that can attract mud, grit, grease, dirt, and other debris. And when they get gummed up, they either fail to function as intended or fail to function outright. It is easier to clean a fixed blade knife, and on top of that, there are inherently no moving parts, making them the unequivocally better choice for dirty work.
When You Don’t Have Time to Clean the Complexities of a Folder
Also as a result of their complexity and their moving components, such as the locking mechanism and the pivot point, folding knives are inferior on the grounds that they need more care and attention in the form of routine cleaning. A fixed blade knife will also need to be cleaned and oiled, but since it utterly lacks any moving components, it will be infinitely easier to do so. Therefore, if you don’t have the time and attention to devote to properly caring for a folding knife, go with a fixed blade.
When You Want Easy, One Handed-Use
Don’t take this the wrong way. There are folding knives that can be deployed and even retracted entirely with one hand. It is also the case that with some knives, it is even reasonably easy to do so, with a fairly short learning curve.
Even so, the fastest push button automatic knife cannot be deployed as quickly as a fixed blade knife. The thing is already deployed. There’s nothing to flick open and no lock system to engage. So, while there are some good folders out there, it’s just not possible to eclipse the simplicity of a fixed blade.
Some Things You Might Also Have Assumed About a Fixed Blade Knife That Aren’t True
Now that we’ve covered some situations in which a fixed blade knife is clearly the better option, let’s take a closer look at some things you might be wrongly assuming about them.
- That they’re not good for EDC. There are some small fixed blades that are smaller and lighter than traditionally popular folders like the Buck 110 Folding Hunter. Options like the ESEE Izula and Candiru are light and carry easily and out of the way as well.
- That there isn’t a lot of flexibility in how you carry them. Let alone the fact that you could carry a neck knife or a boot knife, if your knife’s sheath is thermoplastic and comes with a perforated margin, you can rig it in a variety of different ways for more flexible carry.
- That they’re not affordable. There are some very expensive fixed blade knives, but there are also a lot of affordable options that are great for EDC.
- That a fixed blade knife is overkill. In some instances it might be, but there are small fixed blade knives that are just as effective, if not more effective, than folders for mundane, routine daily cutting tasks and chores.
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