While it is true that most people who carry a knife daily just for general EDC carry a folding knife, there is a growing number of people that are interested in fixed blade knives for the same purposes.
It’s hard to beat the convenience, accessibility, and discretion of a folder, but there are some serious advantages offered by fixed blade knives that just can’t be overlooked. Let’s give some of these the spotlight.
Toughness and Reliability Due to Fewer Failure Points
While folders might be convenient, it is also true that any instance of design complexity is an opportunity for failure, and folders are rife with these.
Fixed blade knives suffer no such shortcoming, and those that are fans of them are quick to point out that folders are “pre-broken”. Fixed blades have no locks that can fail or pivot mechanisms that can get stuck. Not to take sides here (folders can still be great) but there’s just no comparison between the toughness of a fixed blade as compared to a folder.
Less Maintenance
Folders require considerably more maintenance than fixed blade knives, holding steel constant (that is, two knives, a fixed and a folder with the same steel, would require equal maintenance on that front only).
But, because of the design complexity of a folder, you need to do a lot more cleaning and preventative maintenance to keep both the pivot mechanism and the lock clean. If you don’t, the action of the knife will get gritty, will deteriorate faster, and the performance of the knife overall will suffer.
Plus, it takes longer to clean out the space between the scales of a folder than it does to clean a fixed blade knife, even if you don’t consider the extra maintenance you will need to do with the pivot and lock.
Deployment Is Better
This is a bit glib, but we mean that deployment is faster with a fixed blade knife because there is no deployment. You just draw the knife. That is invariably faster than any folder, even an auto.
Carry Versatility
You might think that a folder offers greater versatility with respect to how you carry the knife but that is definitely not true, at least necessarily.
Folders are meant (generally) to be carried either free in a pocket, or else clipped to a pocket or clipped to something like a MOLLE slot.
With a fixed blade knife, you can static-line carry in a pocket, lash the sheath to a pack, shoulder carry, cross-draw or scout carry, neck carry, boot carry, or carry on your belt in any of a variety of configurations. There is a remarkable deal of versatility here with fixed blade knives.
Concealment Is Not As Bad As You Think
Lastly, with small fixed blade knives like the ESEE Candiru and Izula, the Excalibur Bird and Trout, or the Toros Bear Claw, you might be surprised to find just how easy it is to carry a fixed blade discretely.
There is this pervasive myth among those who prefer folding knives that fixed blades are bulky bulky behemoths that are impossible to carry comfortably, let alone conceal. This is just not the case, and there are some ultralight fixed blades out there that carry like a dream and which are so slim and light, you could forget they’re even on you,that is until you need them.
Explore EDC Fixed Blade Knives at River’s Edge Cutlery
Thinking you might give fixed blade EDC carry a go in the near future? Check out some of the fixed blade knives for sale over at River’s Edge Cutlery. They carry a wide variety of models from some of the top brands in the industry, and if you have any questions or need a recommendation, their customer service team can help you out.
For more information about Demko Knives and Pro-Tech Knives Please visit: River’s Edge Cutlery.
