Schrade SCHF51 Frontier 10.9in Steel Full Tang Fixed Blade Knife with 5.1in Drop Point Blade and TPE Handle for Outdoor Survival, Camping and EDC

I was looking for a survival knife, with a secondary interest in bush-crafting. As a survival knife, I wanted something stout and unbreakable. Plenty of big, beefy survival knives out there, but the bush-crafting requirement somewhat limited the size of my choices. Sure, I could get those things in the Becker BK-2/22/32 series and the ESEE 5 knives, but I was looking for a reasonably priced alternative.This Schrade SCHF51 has been tested and reviewed by many on YouTube. With few reservations, it was generally praised for a tough, durable build and budget pricing. It has quality steel (1095), good balance, a comfortable and “grippy” handle, and appears built like the Becker and ESEE knives with that thick spine. Sounded like I'd found my knife. And I may have, had I been able to keep the two knives sent by Amazon.The first knife had a serious uneven grind issue: The sabre grind on one side of the blade was cut higher and ended approx. 1/8 inch higher on the spine than the other side. This resulted in an asymmetrical – and weaker - tip. This was a glaring defect and should have been flagged by quality control. I requested a replacement and received the second knife in about 4 days with zero hassle. Thank you Amazon.The second knife had an acceptable grind (hooray!) but I found “bubbles” under the factory-applied protective finish. Picking at one showed the bubbles were actually pits of rust! Closer inspection showed tentacles of rust traveling across the blade under the finish. I returned that one, too.One of the drawbacks to internet shopping is you don't get to inspect the item before you purchase. Such is the case here. In fairness and by all accounts, Schrade builds a solid product. And the stout design and price of this knife still appeal. The black TPE handle was very comfortable and the balance was spot-on for me. I still want one! So, I will continue to try to purchase one at a local brick and mortar retailer, but I'll be on the lookout for poor QC issues.Added Sept. 4, 2016: I wasn't able to find one at a retailer within 50 miles of my home, so I tried purchasing this knife again through Amazon. Thought maybe I'd luck out and get an acceptable one this time. Sadly, no: The third knife had a uneven grind that was worse than the first one. Giving up on this knife.Based on reviews on YouTube, I ordered a Schrade SCHF42 instead. 5-inch blade, recurve design that was what I expected. Proper grind, excellent quality and price. Lighter utility than the -51, but stout enough to carry as a primary blade. Very happy with this purchase. Schrade SCHF42 Frontier Full Tang Fixed Blade Knife with Leather Sheath

I first purchased the SCHF52 which is the 7 inch version of this knife and I love it, Its Heavy Duty, Sharp as heck, Super comfortable in my hands and Very affordable. After using it for several months I decided that As much as I like the SCHF52, it might be a bit too big to be my main knife, so I went ahead and bought the 5 inch SCHF51 knowing that it would be a good value, and it was.The 51 is made of the same nearly 1/4" thick blade stock made from 1095HC steel. It has a double hollow ground edge and is coated with PTFE. For those not familiar Teflon is the Dupont trade marked name for PTFE so this coating is like the non stick coating on a frying pan, not an oxide or powder coating. It is attractive as well as functional because it reduces friction when cutting making this stout knife feel like a much thinner blade when slicing. The Scales are made of Schrade's now signature pattern TPE. It feels perfect in your hands...soft but not squishy...controllable but not too grippy. Its Goldie Locks Perfect both wet and dry. I wish I could get these scales for some of my other knives. Being rubber though, I wish there was a way to buy replacements as this knife will surely last a lifetime as stout as it is. It would be great to be able to buy replacement TPE scales once these wear out. I guess I will make custom wood scales once these wear out, but that a long ways off.The blade shape is identical to the SCHF36 except it has an improved shaped handle that is more comfortable and also gives you more real estate for a chopping grip.To me this knife is a great substitute for a Becker BK2 knife for those that like a BK2 but have a Schrade budget. Although In many ways I think this knife is just as good and holds its own against the BK2. Its less than half the price, it is made of a quality steel, its about the same dimensions, and it has better scales and sheath. Lots of people might prefer the BK2 sheath over the nylon sheath of the Schrade, but many ppl also complain that the hard plastic sheath of the BK2 will dull a sharp edge, and the nylon Scrade sheath is pretty decent quality and also come with a fire steel. However if you are like most people you will end up buying or having a custom sheath made if you buy either one, I am guilty of this and had Custom Kydex sheaths made for both. Main difference is the Schrade is so affordable that if you get a custom sheath made , you will no doubt pay more for the sheath than the knife!