There’s nothing better than a good EDC fixed blade knife for hard daily use. These knives are little more than pieces of high carbon steel and a handle. As such they tend to be incredibly durable for a variety of uses. Moreover, they are the preferred style of knife for tactical users that need to carry something for more than opening boxes. In this article I’ve compiled a list of knives useful for EDC carry, and tactical use. Keep reading for all the details.
I’ve always enjoyed a quality knife, and I’ve collected knives from Benchmade, Zero Tolerance, Syderco, and many others. Most of the everyday carry knives on this list have come from manufacturers that have a proven track record for creating quality blades, backed by great customer service. There’s also some great American made options here as well. Check out the full list of knives below.
7 Best EDC Fixed Blade Knives
- Benchmade SOCP Dagger
- Spyderco Ronin 2
- Toor Knives Serpent
- Gerber StrongArm
- Toor Knives Mullet
- KA-Bar Hellfire Fixed Blade Knife
- Boker AK-1 American Tanto
Most readers of this website will be familiar with various types of folding knives. You might even have read my article on my favorite folding knife. However, most readers probably won’t have carried many fixed blade knives on a daily basis.
There are several considerations for fixed blade knives that are much more important compared to folding knives or a neck knife. In the next section we’ll review some of the considerations you need to think through, before selecting your best EDC fixed blade knife.
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EDC Fixed Blade Knife Features
The first thing you need to consider when looking for your best EDC fixed blade knife, is your intended use. If you’re an outdoorsman, who spends a lot of time hunting and fishing, you’ll need a much different knife than an undercover police officer who needs a compact push dagger.
I would recommend considering the overall size of the knife first. If you have routine cutting tasks, then you don’t need a huge fixed blade tactical knife. If you’re hoping to use the knife for self defense, mounted on a plate carrier, then you should probably go with a little more blade length. If not, then you can choose a small fixed blade option.
The next most important knife consideration for EDC fixed blades is the sheath it comes with. Many sheathes are kydex, or some variant there of. There are some knives with a leather sheath, and some interesting synthetic materials options well. Most users will carry these knives belt mounted, which means you need a strong clip that will withstand the test of time.
Lastly, I would recommend checking out your local laws. Some places will make concealing a fixed blade knife of certain length, a crime. Oddly enough I work in just such a jurisdiction. Often times these laws only cover concealed knives, or certain knife designs, and have nothing to say about a plainly visible knife.
Make sure you have a good idea of what is legal in your area. I’m sure the judge will be less impressed with your cool acid washed Karambit, than you are. Now let’s get to the knife section.
7 Best EDC Fixed Blade Knives for Tactical Use
The knives in this section often come with various options. I’ve linked to versions I think would best suit most readers, but there are a lot of variations. I recommend following the links to see if there is a version that might fit your needs better.
I’ve also linked to companies like Amazon, and Optics Planet. I’m an affiliate with both companies which means that if you purchase from them, after clicking on the link, they send me a referral fee at no cost to you. None of these companies paid for any review here, and we appreciate the support. Now, let’s get to the first fixed blade knife.
Benchmade SOCP Dagger
The Benchmade SOCP Dagger (Amazon Affiliate Link) was invented by Greg Thompson, the mastermind behind the US Special Operations Commands, Special Operations Combatives Program. As you might imagine, this knife is clearly intended for self defense, and or offensive use for those in the military.
The knife is made of a high carbon 440C blade steel that is designed to maintain sharpness, and avoid corrosion, for long periods of time. The blade is 3.22 inches, with an overall length of 7.25 inches.
The SOCP dagger is cerakoted, which is a fairly durable coating. You should expect some scratching and wear marks with use. Check out this video for a quick review.
One of the best features of the SOCP dagger is the sheath, which Benchmade makes in house. This knife has a plastic sheath that fits inside MOLLE / PALS style webbing. The clip on the sheath holds it securely, even if it’s carried in a pocket or under a belt.
This knife is meant to be used as a dagger for personal protection, handled with the ring around your index finger for secure grip. I’m sure you could use it for more mundane tasks but that would not be its forte.
As of this writing you can purchase it for under $135 from Amazon, making it a good option with free shipping for Prime members. Next we’ll cover a great all around fixed blade knife, from one of my favorite OG knife companies.
Spyderco Ronin 2
The Spyderco Ronin 2 (Amazon Affiliate Link) is one of the best looking fixed blade EDC knives on this list. The Ronin features an interesting straight blade design called a Wharncliffe style. This perfectly straight edge allows for easy sharpening and cutting, as you can maintain the same pressure along the straight edge.
The knife is 7.84 inches overall, with a 4.08 inch blade length. The blade is made of a special alloy called
CTS BD1N. This stainless steel blade is designed to be very hard. It’s also very resistant to many different chemicals and acids, as well as marine environments. Check out this video for more information.
The handles are thin G10 scales, which I prefer, due to the grippy texture that can be cut into the material. You can also see the finger cuts on this comfortable handle. The Ronin 2 features a great mounting system on its plastic Boltaron sheath.
You can carry it vertically, or horizontally, as well as inside the waistband or outside the waistband. This gives you a lot of options to fit it into your EDC needs. If you plan on carrying this everyday, it’s important to be able to place the sheath where you have easy access.
As of this writing you can pick of the Spyderco Ronin 2 for less than $120 from Amazon, making it one of the best bargains on this list for everyday use. Next we’ll review a cool high end fixed blade EDC knife.
Toor Knives Serpent
The Toor Knives Serpent is a high end fighting knife. The Serpent is 8.25 inches overall, featuring a 3.75 inch tanto blade made of CPM 3V steel. This material is commonly seen in industrial use tool dies and industrial cutting instruments. Needless to say it is very hard, and wear resistant.
The handle is made of very grippy G10 scales cut in a serpent pattern. Moreover, it features an index finger ring that ensures your hand won’t slip over the blade, even if they are slippery or wet. Check this video out for more info.
The sheath is kydex and will accommodate several different mounting clips, allowing you to mount it on your belt for more traditional fixed blade everyday carry, or on something like a plate carrier.
I particularly like that this knife is a bit smaller than some of the others on this list. This means you can carry it and mount in more places without feeling like you’re carrying around a KABAR everywhere. Now for the bad news.
As of this writing this knife sells for right under $300. I can tell you that it’s made in the US and features a life time warranty. If you need a lightweight, compact EDC fighting knife, then this might be the last one you ever have to buy. Next, we’ll talk about one of the most economical options on this list of the best EDC fixed blade knives.
Gerber StrongArm Knife
The Gerber StrongArm knife is a do it all field knife. It’s a little larger in size, compared to the previous offerings, but it can still be carried everyday because of it’s interesting sheath options, and flexible belt loop. The StrongArm is 9.8 inches in length, with a full tang construction. This means that the metal portion of the knife extends the full length into the handle. A full tang is the strongest construction method for fixed blade knives.
The blade is 4.88 inches and is cerakoted. As you can see from the video below, you should expect some wear on the blade with this coating. The knife itself is made from 420 HC steel which is used in surgical instruments. Of note this steel is less hard than several other blades on this list.
That means that it is less likely to chip on the edges, but it won’t hold an edge as long as a harder metal would. Check out this video review below, for the verdict after 7 years of hard use.
The StrongArm can be carried vertically, drop leg style, or mounted to MOLLE surfaces. It can also be carried horizontally, as well. Because this knife is a little bigger, I think its better suited for someone who plans on doing a lot of cutting from day to day. It could also be mounted on the exterior of a bag for those that might want to carry it less frequently.
As of this writing the StrongArm can purchased from Amazon for right around $80, which is a great deal for a durable hard use knife. Next we’ll cover another cool knife from Toor.
Toor Knives Mullet
The Toor Knives Mullet is one of the most useful tactical EDC knives on this list. It’s a little larger in size, with an overall length of 8.5 inches, and a blade length of 4 inches. The knife features G10 scales, with large scallop style cuts for good grip. The steel is CMP 154 which is very tough, with high chip, and wear resistance. Check this video out for more info.
One of the best features about the Toor Knives Mullet, is the tungsten carbide breacher ball press fit into the tang of the knife. This allows you to shatter all types of glass, including automotive safety glass. I would recommend wearing long sleeves if you plan on doing that however. Otherwise you’ll cut the hell out of yourself.
Toor have also included a kydex knife sheath that can be carried vertically or horizontally on your belt line. I believe you have to purchase separate belt loops if you plan carrying it horizontally.
At the time of this writing you can purchase the Toor Mullet for about $190, which is a good deal from this high quality American knife manufacturer. Next we’re going to talk about an interesting option from one of the most well known knife companies.
KA-BAR Hellfire
The KA-Bar Hellfire fixed blade knife is perfectly sized for EDC carry. This knife is 7.25 inches in overall length, with a 3.5 inch blade. The knife itself is made of 1095 Cro-van which is a proprietary variant of 1095 high carbon steel, that KA-BAR favors. It’s been noted by knife manufacturers for high quality and the ability to hold a very sharp edge. Check out this video for more info.
The handle is made of Zytel, which is a tough nylon with several finger relief cuts, for a comfortable grip. The Hellfire also comes with a nice sheath, and standard belt clip.
One of my favorite features of this knife is actually part of the sheath. It has a locking mechanism that retains the knife until you press it forward to release the blade. This is a great option for those that have gear retention issues.
As of this writing you can purchase the Hellfire for about $105, which makes it one of the most economical choices on this list. Now, let’s get to the last option on this list of the 7 best EDC fixed blade knives.
Boker AK-1 American Tanto
The Boker AK-1 American Tanto is a knife I included on this list because it’s from a quality company, and it just looks good. This tanto bladed knife is built with clean lines and is a great sized for comfortable carry. Its overall length is 6.85 inches, with a 2.99 inch blade. This makes it one of the most compact options on this list and a great choice to remain discrete.
The blade is constructed of Bohler N690 steel. This steel is favored by European manufacturers for its high corrosion resistance and ability to hold an edge. It’s also very wear resistant, and is often found in demanding industrial applications like cutting tools. Here’s a quick video about the AK-1.
Like other knives on this list, the AK-1 features G10 handle scales, held on with two Torx screws. It comes with a kydex sheath and belt clip out of the box. Given the size of this knife I think this is a great option for someone who plans on carrying a fixed blade knife that isn’t the size of a small sword.
As of this writing this knife retails for about $129, which is a good price point for a great looking high quality EDC blade. Next we’ll cover a few of my final thoughts, and finish this article up.
Final Thoughts
There are a lot of great options on this list of the 7 best fixed blade EDC knives. As we discussed above, one of the primary considerations you need to ponder when buying one of these knives is the carry method and overall size.
For users that plan on carrying their fixed blade knife on a vest, or plate carrier, I think you would be best served with the Benchmade SOCP as your top choice for daily carry. It isn’t too expensive and the sheath is designed to fit in one row of MOLLE webbing. If you’re feeling a little more fancy, then go with the Toor Knives Serpent.
Both of these ring style knives are great for tactical EDC use. They allow you to grasp things, using both hands, while retaining the knife, using the ring.
For those that plan on carrying their knife for more routine tasks, like opening boxes, or cutting cord, then I think the Ronin 2, and the AK-1 would be ideal choices. They’re a compact size with nice clean straight edges, ideal for cutting.
As always I encourage you to look around for the knives that appeal to you most. Many of them come with different coatings, sheathes, or options such as engraving. If you have any comments or questions put them below and I’ll get you an answer. Don’t forget to join the email list below.
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