Good news, you’ve come to just the right place to find knives for sale, whatever you’re looking for. And speaking of what you’re looking for, since it’s Fixed Friday (some of you might call it Folder Friday) we figured we’d shed some light on the relative benefits of each.

We know that some of you won’t be swayed regardless of the points we draw, so we’ll keep this as objective as possible. Don’t expect this article to end with a slant one way or the other. We sell a lot of folding knives and fixed knives here at White Mountain Knives and we’re impartial - but each has relative advantages and disadvantages that the other lack.

So if you’ve come looking for a new knife, but you’re not sure whether you want to branch out with a new pocket knife or a toothpick for your belt, hopefully these pointers will help you decide.

Benefits of a fixed blade

-Models with a full tang are sturdier and able to handle harder tasks: Large fixed blades are the only knives that can serve as batons or choppers in camp. You can’t use a folder for hard use tasks like these.

-Handle ergonomics tend to be superior: Fixed blades *usually* have better handle ergonomics because they lack hollow handles, but this is not always the case.

-There are no moving parts: This is straightforward; fixed blades have no moving parts and so there is nothing to break (see below), fall apart, go missing, or get gummed up with dirt or oil.

-There’s nothing to break (except the blade or tang itself): Fixed blades can chip, their tips can break, and when stressed at a riser, they can snap (some also snap at the shoulder when stressed excessively). However, as a general rule, there is nothing to break on a fixed blade.

-Useful for survival and camp tasks, and some hunting work: Fixed blades are ideal as camp knives, survival knives, and hunting knives where any chore more difficult than skinning is required. Some folders make serviceable skinners but most hunters will still reach for a good fixed knife.

Drawbacks of a fixed blade

-Fixed blades are heavier and bulkier, and generally require a sheath to be stored safely: You can’t carry most fixed blades with the same ease as some folders.

-Most fixed blades cannot be concealed as easily: Because most fixed blades take up more space, they can’t be easily concealed.

Benefits of a folding knife

-Folding knives are more discrete: Anyone who wants to have a little knife in their pocket for utility would do well with a folder.

-Folding knives require no sheath to carry, and often have pocket clips and other methods to easily carry them: Folders are generally superior when it comes to the versatility you can practice in how you carry them.

-Folding knives can be lighter and more convenient: Most folders are lighter than fixed blades.

-Perfect for EDC: Because of all of the above points, folders are preferred by many knife owners for the user experience associated with EDC.

Drawbacks of a folding knife

-Folding knives lack the structural integrity of fixed blades: Some best modern foling knives for sale have excellent locks and superb quality construction, but that still only takes them up to a point. No matter how you look at it, the best folders still don’t have the structural integrity of a knife made from the same steel, with the same heat treatment, provided they have a full tang.

-If a folder’s lock fails, it can be dangerous: If a folder’s lock fails, it can result in fairly dangerous situations.

-Moving parts can fail: If any other moving parts fail, you won’t be able to operate the knife, or keep it locked open or closed.

-Moving parts accumulate debris and dirt: Even with proper care, the moving parts of a folding knife will accumulate dirt, sand, dust and other debris, which can abrade the internal components over time.

As you can see, there is no quick answer to the question, and there are some situations in which a fixed blade would serve you an advantage and vice versa. That’s why many people who collect knives have more than one different style in their collections. Pocket knives are generally folders for their ease of carriage, survival knives are usually fixed because they are best suited to that hard use, and so on and so forth.

Regardless of what you’re looking for, take some quality time to get familiar with our assortment of brands before making off with your next purchase. In there, you will find highlights from Buck, Gerber, Cold Steel, Victorinox, Spyderco, Benchmade and many others. Our selection of knives for sale can’t be topped, and if you’re looking for something you don’t see, make sure you send us a message at WhiteMountainKnives@gmail.com - we may be able to find it for you.