The 10 Best Fixed-Blade Knives Available
From cutting wood to skinning critters, these blades are tough enough to rough it.
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On September 19, 1827, a fight broke out on a Mississippi River sandbar. What started as a formal duel between two notable Louisiana families ended in a skirmish in which Jim Bowie, originally just a supporter on the sidelines, was shot and stabbed before drawing out a large knife and killing a man named Norris Wright. Bowie survived his injuries, took up the knife as his trademark weapon and became an American folk hero.
The fixed-blade knife has been steeped in hyperbole ever since. Large blades loom massive in pop culture — Rambo’s massive serrated spine knife and Crocodile Dundee’s giant clip-point are two notable examples. Such slabs of steel present a satisfying flash in front of a camera lens but don’t offer more in the way of utility. In fact, their unwieldiness probably makes them less adept at performing the simple, everyday tasks that a fixed blade is most commonly used for.
When used to its best purpose, a knife is a multipurpose tool. (Who really wants to be in a knife fight anyway? Bowie barely survived his first one). A sharp blade is near limitless in its functions, from filleting a freshly caught fish to making an emergency repair on a ripped tent.
Toward that end, this guide provides information on the ten best fixed blades for a variety of activities and applications. In it, we break down each model based on key features like length, weight, materials, price and more.
Best Fixed Blade Knife: Gerber Terracraft
BEST FIXED BLADE KNIFE
Gerber Terracraft
Specs
Blade Length | 4 inches |
Blade Material | S30V steel |
Handle Material | Micarta |
Total Length | 9.1 inches |
Weight | 6.4 ounces |
Pros
- As sturdy as it is ergonomic
- Well-balanced in design and materials
Cons
- Might seem somewhat thin for hard-use tasks
-
$220.00
(27% off)
The Terracraft debuted Gerber’s Reserve program, which consists of limited runs of pocket knives that are made in the USA with high-grade materials. It’s a fitting blade to kick off the program, given that it calls to mind classic American hunting and outdoor knives despite its modern materials, colors and angles.
The price (especially when it is on sale) is actually quite reasonable considering it uses high-grade S30V steel that balances knife steel properties better than cheaper blades can — and will hold up to years of heavy use (Gerber also backs it up with a limited lifetime warranty).
Best Small Fixed Blade: Benchmade Hidden Canyon
BEST SMALL FIXED BLADE
Benchmade Hidden Canyon
This knife is 6.3 inches long with a 2.67-inch blade and weighs just over three ounces, but it’s still large enough to be comfy in hand during use, thanks to an oversized guard that blends into the grip.
Specs
Blade Length | 2.67 inches |
Blade Material | CPM-S30V steel |
Handle Material | G10 or Dymondwood |
Total Length | 6.32 inches |
Weight | 3.53 ounces |
Pros
- Beautiful design and top-notch materials
- Feels substantial despite compactness
Cons
- Made for precision, not large tasks
- A premium build means a premium price
With a construction that emphasizes strength over pocketability, fixed-blade knives tend to be on the larger side of the spectrum. But you can still find models that strike that optimal balance between utility and portability, like Benchmade’s Hidden Canyon. What’s more, the Hidden Canyon uses premium-grade materials, including CPM-S30V stainless steel and either a G10 or Dymondwood handle. Those elements play a significant role in the price.
Amazon’s Favorite: ESEE-4
HIGHEST RATED ON AMAZON
ESEE-4
The ESEE-4 is well-balanced in size and weight, and is highly lauded amongst survivalists and the like. It features a fiberglass handle, carbon steel blade and a medium weight of eight ounces.
Specs
Blade Length | 4.5 inches |
Blade Material | Carbon steel |
Handle Material | Fiberglass |
Total Length | 8 inches |
Weight | 8 ounces |
Pros
- Trusted by amateurs and professionals alike
- Versatile design and size
Cons
- Distinctive look might not be for everyone
For outdoor usage, there’s nothing quite like an ESEE knife. In terms of looks, the 4 is a stunner: the carbon steel blade is an eye-catching OD Green, and the fiberglass handle is made to look like natural canvas. The knife is 9 inches long with a 4.5 inch blade and weighs 8 ounces on its own, and eleven with the sheath — it’s got enough weight to feel capable, without being too heavy.
Best Wood-Handled Fixed Blade: Helle Utvær
BEST WOOD HANDLED FIXED BLADE
Helle Utvær
Specs
Blade Length | 4 inches |
Blade Material | Sandvik 12C27 stainless steel |
Handle Material | Curly birch |
Total Length | 8.25 inches |
Weight | 5.64 ounces |
Pros
- Trusted Scandinavian-inspired design and materials
- Tang extends beyond handle for striking
Cons
- Handle feels a little slick
Norwegian brothers Steinar and Sigmund Helle founded their forge on a straightforward yet oft-ignored concept in the age of large-scale production: “Quality craftsmanship is best preserved by quality craftsmen.” That idea holds for Helle to this day and is displayed in the four-inch Utvær. Named for the group of islands where Norway meets the North Sea, this knife features a Sandvik 12C27 stainless steel blade and a gorgeous curly-birch handle.
Best Upgrade Fixed Blade: The James Brand The Hell Gap
BEST UPGRADE FIXED BLADE
The James Brand The Hell Gap
Specs
Blade Length | 3.8 inches |
Blade Material | Crucible S35VN steel |
Handle Material | Micarta |
Total Length | 7.8 inches |
Weight | 3.1 ounces |
Pros
- Spectacular minimalist design
- Excellent blade to handle ratio
Cons
- Expensive, even among premium fixed blades
The Hell Gap isn’t only one of our top choices for a fixed-blade knife, we named it one of the 10 best outdoor products of 2019. At 7.8 inches with a 3.8-inch drop-point, full-tang blade, it’s the perfect length, maintaining just the right amount of edge and belly for any campsite task, from cutting cord to slicing veggies. It’s neither tactical nor survival-oriented, but some combination of both (plus a dash of kitchen knife), and its Crucible S35VN steel offers better toughness (resistance to chipping) than the Terracraft’s S30V steel.
Best Bushcraft Fixed Blade: KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanian
BEST BUSHCRAFT FIXED BLADE
KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanion
Specs
Blade Length | 5.25 inches |
Blade Material | 1095 Cro-Van steel |
Handle Material | Grivory |
Total Length | 10.5 inches |
Weight | 16 ounces |
Pros
- Time-tested, fan-favorite pedigree
- Incredibly tough and capable
Cons
- Very heavy compared to other fixed blades
-
$124.00
(9% off)
The Becker BK2 Campanion tops our list of the best bushcraft blades thanks to its strength. It’s a workhorse, with a blade large and strong enough to take care of firewood processing and shelter construction. Its steel is 1095 Cro-Van, a carbon variant infused with chrome and vanadium carbides that help bolster its resistance to inevitable wear and tear. This knife isn’t all brawn though; its drop-point blade shape can take on tasks that require more finesse too.
Best for Your Desk: Craighill Desk Knife
Best Fixed Blade for Your Desk
Craighill Desk Knife
Specs
Blade Length | 1.63 inches |
Blade Material | Stainless steel |
Handle Material | Stainless steel |
Total Length | 5.25 inches |
Weight | 4.5 ounces |
Pros
- Gorgeous Japanese- and minimalist-inspired design
- Excellent for precision cutting tasks
Cons
- Not suitable for use outside the office
Craighill’s Desk Knife’s most apparent differentiator is that it’s a solid hunk of metal — no rubber or wood handle here. But that’s what makes it perfect for your desk — its form is tasteful instead of tactical; it’s not far off from a letter opener except in that it’s sharp enough to handle more than paper. The sharpened portion of the Desk Knife is only an inch or so long, but that’s plenty for routine office jobs like opening packages. In addition to the stainless steel pictured here, the Desk Knife is available in black ($75) and solid brass ($85).
Best Budget Fixed Blade: Morakniv Companion
BEST BUDGET FIXED BLADE
Morakniv Companion
Specs
Blade Length | 4.1 inches |
Blade Material | 12C27 stainless steel |
Handle Material | Rubber |
Total Length | 8.75 inches |
Weight | 4.1 ounces |
Pros
- Unrivaled price to quality ratio
- Highly reviewed and widely trusted
Cons
- Extremely low price might scare off some buyers
-
$22.00
(26% off)
Typically, a price tag as low as $20 is a red flag and a marker of equally low quality. But somehow Morakniv manages to eke by with a budget blade that holds its own. The Companion is as basic as a fixed-blade knife gets, but for many, that’s wholly adequate. It has a 12C27 stainless steel blade that’s highly resistant to corrosion and wear, which is ideal for new knife users who don’t want to fuss over maintenance. Quality is hard to come by at this price, which is why the Companion also cracked our list of the best bushcraft knives.
Best Neck Knife: CRKT Minimalist
BEST NECK KNIFE
CRKT Minimalist
Specs
Blade Length | 2.13 inches |
Blade Material | 5Cr15MoV |
Handle Material | Polished resin-infused fiber |
Total Length | 5.13 inches |
Weight | 1.6 ounces |
Pros
- Extremely discreet size and design
- Grip feels great despite small stature
Cons
- Too compact for big outdoor cutting jobs
-
$45.00
(22% off)
Neck knives are, as their name implies, knives that you wear around your neck with a piece of cord or chain. The benefits of doing so are quick access and discretion, among many others. Neck knives are almost always fixed blades and are typically very minimal, as is this aptly named model from CRKT. It comes with colorful polished resin handles and is available in a variety of blade shapes including a mini Bowie, cleaver, tanto, drop point and more.
Best for Fishing: Bubba Multi-Flex Interchangeable Blade Kit
BEST FIXED BLADE FOR FISHING
Bubba Multi-Flex Interchangeable Blade Kit
Specs
Blade Length | 7-9 inches |
Blade Material | Titanium-nitride-coated steel |
Handle Material | Non-slip synthetic |
Total Length | 13-15 inches |
Weight | Varies by blade |
Pros
- Interchangeable blades increase versatility
- Ideal for boaters and aquatic adventures
Cons
- Not as sturdy as models without interchangeable blades
The Bubba version of preparedness on the water is a knife that comes with four blades instead of one. All of the blade options in this kit are full-tang and lock securely into the handle with an easy-to-use system that’s bolstered by a magnetic insert. The handle becomes the core of this knife and provides plenty of utility with its grippy construction and a shape that includes oversized guards and a trigger-style finger hold.
What Makes a Fixed Blade?
Historically speaking, the original knives made by mankind dating back to long before recorded history were all fixed blades. In fact, folding knives weren’t even invented and developed until around the rise of the Roman Empire; and they weren’t normalized until less than a few hundred years ago. The difference between them, as you may have guessed, is that folding knives can actually fold in half for transport and storage, whereas fixed blades are, you guessed it, stuck (or fixed) in a single position.
When compared to everyday carry folding knives (and even multi-tools), fixed blades are often more sturdy, tough, durable and usually larger than their collapsible counterparts. The trade-off is that they’re less portable and pocketable, less convenient for everyday usage and even illegal to carry with you in certain places/circumstances (before you carry any knife, you should always bone up on the local and federal laws).
There’s no specific rule for what makes a fixed blade other than the fact that they do not have any folding/pivot point — they are always extended/deployed and ready for usage. For transport and wear, they also often come with a sheath, just as do swords and certain axes and hatchets. There are also a lot of sub-types of fixed blades, including Bowie, tanto, fighting knife, survival/bushcraft knife, neck knife, boot knife and more. While they may vary in size, purpose, etcetera, fixed blades are all non-folding, without exception.
Terms You Should Know
While, at first glance, a knife might seem like an utterly simple tool, there’s a lot more to them than meets the eye. If you want to ensure you’ve got the knowledge to pick our the right one, you may want to become a bit more versed in the vocabulary surrounding these time-tested tools. The terms below should set you off on the right foot.
Blade: The large, forward portion of a given knife used for cutting, stabbing, etc.
Bolster: The point between the blade and handle, usually where a knife should balance. Not all knives have bolsters, but they are very common among kitchen knives.
Butt: The back/bottom of the handle, sometimes equipped with other features like a glass-breaker tip or an integrated fire starter.
Edge: The sharp portion of the blade used to cut, usually stretching from the tip to the bolster.
Guard: Often positioned between the blade and handle, a guard usually extends wider than both and is used to protect the user and their fingers.
Handle: The back portion of a given knife. This is the part that a user holds.
Jimping: Often appearing on the spine (or back) of a blade, these are small notches cut, filed or machined into the lower back of a blade and are often used for additional grip and/or leverage and to prevent your hand from slipping up the blade.
Scales: The portion of a handle that surrounds the tang of a blade, sandwiching around it. These are the pieces that a user’s hand wraps around to grip. Some skeletonized knives do not have handle scales.
Serration: As appears on saws, this is a type of edge marked by tooth-like points and are typically used for quick slicing. Some knives have full serrations, others partial, and others still may have no serrations at all.
Steel: The metal alloy material out of which a knife blade and tang are crafted.
Tang: The part of a knife blade that extends into the handle, giving the blade strength and durability. Some knives have a full tang, some have a half, and others (like folding knives) might not have one at all.