PC2K,

Tell us what you like and don't like about your F1. I am thinking of getting one. I have a Cold Steel Master Hunter in Carbon V. The F1 looks like a smaller version with the tang sticking out the back.

I was fixated on my Cold Steel True Flight Thrower but after some extended carving (sore hands) I realized the Master Hunter is a lot more comfortable.

Thanks!

The only problem you have, is picking WHICH Randall Made knife to carry.

Go with the best.

Here are some options:
Grohmann #3 Boat knife, light, sturdy and large enough for most needs. 4in blade.
Frost's Mora, light, sharp and cheap, like just over $10. The sheath is junky though. Blade is 4in.
My first choice is a Stewart Marsh handmade bushcraft knife. Super sharp, heavy duty and a piece of art. Sheath is excellent also. The blade is about 4.5 in.
I own 4 Randall knives and they are beautiful, I see them a great military knives when you may need to use it as a weapon. The 5in models I have are still what I consider too large for fieldcraft/bushcraft.
I love my Stewart Marsh knife. PM me and I can send you his email, it you are interested. Cheers

I've decided on the Cold Steel Master Hunter and for cost reasons. I'm setting up another BOB for the other vehicle and costwise this is the chosen knife. On the current BOB is a Cold Steel Trail Hawk, I intend to add of of them to the next BOB as well
http://www.coldsteel.com/trailhawk.html

Buy from a quality name, and you get quality products.

Asking this question is akin to insulting a man's knife. I'd rather insult his wife, it's safer in this modern era.

I'm curious (and new around these parts)... Whenever I see discussions of fixed-blade knifes for survival or to throw into the BOB bag, I seldom see the ol' traditonal KaBar mentioned.
I know the design is some 60+ years old and there are much better knives out there, but if one is going to mention Cold Steel (which seem somewhat "rough" to me), isn't the KaBar also noteworthy? Forgive my igorance, not a knife-a-holic, "insert any other disclaimer here". Just wondering what the negatives are.

i like the F1 handle, it gives loads of grip, but is sstill very comfortable. I have handled the CS master hunter and the handle just doesn't feels as good.

What i like and at the same time dislike is the thickness. The thickness insures you can not brake the blade with normal use. But makes the blade a bit thick for some jobs.

I'm really not picky with knifes, as long as it feels good and i trust it.

Re Kabar. Short version is blade shape and ergonomics. Survival/bushcraft knives really need to have a spearpoint. Versitility is very much a consideration. Clip pointed blades are far less versatile. Modern shaped low slip handles are far safer to grip and are markedly less tiring to use over an extended period of time. Having said that if I needed a knife to use as a spear, against large animals such as lion, a Kabar ain't a bad choice. One other point:- in many jurisdiction's it is not legal to carry and in some cases possess a mil-spec knife. A Kabar is very definatly mil-spec.

I think that a knife is a very personal choice. One that might be a choice between life and death. Having utter faith in your choice is vital, for the confidence value if nothing else. What suits one may not suit another. If it feels right, it is right. I happen to prefer a CS Master Hunter. I have very large hands so a big grip is important to me. I require a knife that is semi-indestructable in use because I might (God forbid!) have to use it as a prybar. A thick spine is, in my opinion, an advantage if a spot of batoning is needed. It's carbon steel. Makes it a doddle to sharpen. Ok, so it ain't rust proofed. I can live with that. I just have to be carefull about applying silicon grease to it and making sure that it's put away dry. I am not suggesting of course that my choice is in anyway better than, or inferior to anyone else's choice. Your choices might be limited by Law, availablility or price. The ultimate thing to remember is that any knife beats having no knife.

What do you use your Trail Hawk for? I have one that I cut the handle down to the length of a hammer. We have used it for throwing. We found we had better luck by taking the screw out and letting the head fall of once in a while. The screw was ripping a grove in the wood handle.

I tried splitting wood with it. The shape of the head makes splitting difficult. The Master Hunter split wood easier.