Thread: Good, affordable, small knife

Originally Posted by No.3

The thing I don't like about the opinels and mercators is the lack of something stopping you from sliding up the knife if you have to plunge into something for whatever reason. That and the handles have virtually no grip once you have fat or blood on the hands.

I know people knock them, but for a fixed blade the Swedish Bahco's just... do. And keep doing it - the one I have in the kitchen is a prick to sharpen (I think it is on the harder side of their normal output) but once it is sharp it stay that way for a good amount of time. I have a green river for bigger jobs, a Duel sheath knife which is a lovely knife to use and a better profile for some jobs than the Bahco but for the majority of work the Bahco's are the way to go. As good as and cheaper to buy than the Victory equivalent that I used to use, put it that way.

For a folder, I have a couple of cheap Gerber knockoffs that are good, but it's getting very hard to find a decent profile (not too chunky) slim bladed folding knife with decent handles, a sturdy lock and a hinge mechanism that won't shit itself. A lot of the newer options have blades designed for restocking a machete factory I think!

I’ve got the Swiss bachos and just bought the newer $20 china one from farmlands.
I fully processed a fallow from start to finish with it on Sunday and they’re bloody good.
Had a few licks on a diamond steel twice through the whole job!