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Best All-Around Blade? Fallkniven F1z Review

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Swedish design and Japanese manufacture come together in a knife that is simple, precise, and adaptable to almost any situation. This could be the one knife you need.

fallkniven-f1z

Let us imagine you need to choose one blade to take with you into the backcountry and you don’t know what you will be doing. Make a shelter? Hike to a hidden gorge and make a fire? Hoof it through the bush? You just don’t know.

And here is one more requirement: It needs to cost less than $150. What’s your knife?

If you have an answer, you have a knife that can do just about anything. The problem is that many “jack of all trades” knives are good at a bunch of things but not great at anything.

For me, there is one knife that stands out above the rest for versatility and performance: the Fallkniven F1z.

Fallkniven: Swedish Design, Japanese Manufacture

For those that are unfamiliar with Fallkniven, it is a Swedish company that designs knives in Europe and has them made in Japan. The result is classic Scandinavian utility with impeccable Japanese bladecraft.

The brand uses good-to-excellent steels, VG10 and 3G. These knives also have exceptional handle designs that are simple and functional with plenty of grip.

fallkniven-f1z-handle

Most importantly, they have convex grinds (a grind that tapers to the edge, but curves out instead of in, like a hollow grind) that result in amazing edge stability and sharpness.

fallkniven-f1z-blade

The F1z is a cheaper version of the F1, dropping the leather sheath in favor of a molded (but not form-fitting) Zytel sheath.

This cuts the weight of the whole package, but because it is not a form-fitted sheath it adds a bit of rattle and requires a snap to keep the knife in place.

The sheath is a weak point, but honestly, the blade is outstanding enough that you shelling out a few bucks for an aftermarket sheath isn’t a bad idea (I recommend Bayou Custom Sheathes – great work, good prices).

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Review: Fallkniven F1z

The knife itself is pure cutting magic. With a blade just under 4 inches, you have plenty of room to do real, backwoods chores – hacking, prying, and chopping.

But with a generous handle and convex grind, you also have the capacity to slice and cut with precision. I wouldn’t call it a paring knife, but you can do a lot of different work with the F1z.

fallkiven-f1z-review

If you are looking for a good, mid-priced, do-everything knife that can hang on your belt for outdoor chores or backcountry work, you’d be hard-pressed to find something better than the Fallkniven F1z.

Fallkniven F1z

  • Price: $125-$142 retail, occasionally $119 through Mass Drop
  • Steel: VG10 with 3G as a step-up option
  • Blade Length: 3.8 inches
  • Overall Length: 8.3 inches
  • Weight: 6 ounces
  • Made in Japan, designed in Sweden
  • Link: Product Page/Further Review

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