Its driving me crazy to be without one - I've almost never been without one before about 6-months ago when I sold most of them to fund some optics for an AR (and a subsequent AR).
I really want a BUSSE Game Warden (as I've previously stated), but I'm looking at a budget crunch right now and need something cheaper. My Randall RAT3 was just a touch too big and I really want an Ontario RAT3 in D2 to be honest, but they don't seem to make one with a plain edge that I can find anywhere (and I'm not looking for a combo or serrated edge blade for SD).
I really admire Bill Coye's work, but again, just a touch out of budget with deer season upon me and my boys wanting to hunt as well (I've spent some money on feeders/cams/etc... this year that I didn't have planned, so my knife budget went out the window and $200+ knives will have to wait).
So I'm looking at smaller-blade options (and one or two larger skinnier options) in cheaper steels such as 1095 high carbon.
My only requirements are that it is high-quality for what it is, has a full-tang (no pretty-handled knives with zero support in the handle), and I like the scaled-handles that I can replace - though not absolutely important if the quality thing is there.
I'm partial to canvas/linen micarta and G10 since this knife will be more utilitarian/Self-defense than anything, but good textured wood and fancier handles don't bother me too much (as long as they grip and are functional).
I'm not a big fan of some of the softer stainless steels (I've got AUS8 knives and some of the other 440 variants, etc... 154CM is cool and I like what Bill Coye has done by tempering the crap out of his stainless blades, but I don't trust most other knife makers to do the same unless there's word out there that their knives are holding up as tough). I'd prefer D2 or if necessary, 1095 high-carbon or some other hard steel (I can take care of carbon steel in the elements).
I want a blade that will hold its edge, should I break this knife out for something like skinning a deer (yes, I know that I shouldn't use my SD knife for utilitarian stuff, but I would like to and still have a half-way sharp knife to stab a bad-guy if he's coming at me and I need to use it for that).
Something like this:
http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=RCIZULAB
with these handles:
http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=RCIZULAHANDLE
Essentially:
I like Randall Adventure Knives (now I guess they're ESEE since they got done fighting with Ontario) and the Izula is a good size (and now that they make handles for it, I feel better about carrying it as an EDC knife and not just a NECKer). I still think these guys and TOPS are over-priced for 1095, but at this point, they're in my budget and they offer American-made knives that have been proven in several tests and that's good enough until I can pick up a Bill Coye, Tom Krein, or some INFI.
I keep coming back to this one though:
http://www.topsknives.com/product_info.php?cPath=1&products_id=114&osCsid=f93g5u0sdjm7nbvsq48jjds176
I've heard good things about the Scalpal, but it is a full 7" long (yet skinny as can be, and still 1/4" thick in the spine - its beefy enough for carry).
This one is one of my favorites (TOPS MIL-SPIE3):
http://www.topsknives.com/product_info.php?cPath=1&products_id=282&osCsid=f93g5u0sdjm7nbvsq48jjds176
Its a little more expensive than the others, but its a bad knife and apparently a favorite among folks who know about it. It is a full 8" long though which again gets into that "too long" territory for me to carry comfortably, but it is definitely calling to me and I did carry the RAT3 for a while (though not super-comfortably).
Anyone know of any cool knife-makers out there that offer something similar around the $100 range?
Appreciate any advice ahead of time.
I really want a BUSSE Game Warden (as I've previously stated), but I'm looking at a budget crunch right now and need something cheaper. My Randall RAT3 was just a touch too big and I really want an Ontario RAT3 in D2 to be honest, but they don't seem to make one with a plain edge that I can find anywhere (and I'm not looking for a combo or serrated edge blade for SD).
I really admire Bill Coye's work, but again, just a touch out of budget with deer season upon me and my boys wanting to hunt as well (I've spent some money on feeders/cams/etc... this year that I didn't have planned, so my knife budget went out the window and $200+ knives will have to wait).
So I'm looking at smaller-blade options (and one or two larger skinnier options) in cheaper steels such as 1095 high carbon.
My only requirements are that it is high-quality for what it is, has a full-tang (no pretty-handled knives with zero support in the handle), and I like the scaled-handles that I can replace - though not absolutely important if the quality thing is there.
I'm partial to canvas/linen micarta and G10 since this knife will be more utilitarian/Self-defense than anything, but good textured wood and fancier handles don't bother me too much (as long as they grip and are functional).
I'm not a big fan of some of the softer stainless steels (I've got AUS8 knives and some of the other 440 variants, etc... 154CM is cool and I like what Bill Coye has done by tempering the crap out of his stainless blades, but I don't trust most other knife makers to do the same unless there's word out there that their knives are holding up as tough). I'd prefer D2 or if necessary, 1095 high-carbon or some other hard steel (I can take care of carbon steel in the elements).
I want a blade that will hold its edge, should I break this knife out for something like skinning a deer (yes, I know that I shouldn't use my SD knife for utilitarian stuff, but I would like to and still have a half-way sharp knife to stab a bad-guy if he's coming at me and I need to use it for that).
Something like this:
http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=RCIZULAB
with these handles:
http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=RCIZULAHANDLE
Essentially:
I like Randall Adventure Knives (now I guess they're ESEE since they got done fighting with Ontario) and the Izula is a good size (and now that they make handles for it, I feel better about carrying it as an EDC knife and not just a NECKer). I still think these guys and TOPS are over-priced for 1095, but at this point, they're in my budget and they offer American-made knives that have been proven in several tests and that's good enough until I can pick up a Bill Coye, Tom Krein, or some INFI.
I keep coming back to this one though:
http://www.topsknives.com/product_info.php?cPath=1&products_id=114&osCsid=f93g5u0sdjm7nbvsq48jjds176
I've heard good things about the Scalpal, but it is a full 7" long (yet skinny as can be, and still 1/4" thick in the spine - its beefy enough for carry).
This one is one of my favorites (TOPS MIL-SPIE3):
http://www.topsknives.com/product_info.php?cPath=1&products_id=282&osCsid=f93g5u0sdjm7nbvsq48jjds176
Its a little more expensive than the others, but its a bad knife and apparently a favorite among folks who know about it. It is a full 8" long though which again gets into that "too long" territory for me to carry comfortably, but it is definitely calling to me and I did carry the RAT3 for a while (though not super-comfortably).
Anyone know of any cool knife-makers out there that offer something similar around the $100 range?
Appreciate any advice ahead of time.
