Safety Considerations for Fixed Blade Knives
Kids, hunters, fisherman, and most men alive love the feel of a good foldable or fixed blade knife. But what is best and is one really safer than the other? The answer is not as simple as it sounds in the beginning. The truth is, it that it depends. If you want a knife to carry in your pocket and pick your fingernails with a folding pocket knife will probably be ok but if you need something that you can gut a moose with you might want a fixed blade knife.
As for safety, both have their ups and downs and the chances are that at some time you learned these lessons in a similar fashion to the way a baby only touches a hot stove once. Folding knives can close on your fingers if you are not careful and fixed blade knives can slice a leg open if not carried properly. You must exercise caution when using either variety of knife and make sure that you are using the right knife for the job.
If you are planning to use a knife for anything more than light use a fixed blade knife is really the way to go. As handy and portable as pocket knifes are they are simply not as sturdy and rigid as a fixed blade knife.
So here are a couple of things to consider when purchasing a fixed blade knife.
I am going to assume that you have already determined the function you need to preform and it is ok if this is simply a general function. There are many very versatile knives out there.
You must consider the size of the knife. This can influence the legality, the portability and the function of the knife. Not to mention the safety aspects of having an oversized knife for an undersized function.
Look to see that the blade extends into the handle of the knife. This is one of the main benefits of a fixed blade knife and the reason that it is so much stronger than a folding knife.
Get a good sheath. The sheath can be as important as the knife itself because it will influence how accessible it is, how safely it is stored, how easy it will be to loose the knife, and whether or not the blade will be damaged during storage. Make sure that you are getting s sheath that matches the quality of your knife.
Slip guards or hand guards are important. Normal use of a knife can cause your hand to slip onto the blade. This should be avoided and can be avoided with proper hand guards that can keep your digits safe.
So, for hunting, fishing or any other activity that requires the use of a high quality tactical knife, a fixed blade knife is the way to go.
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