Fishing

Never Leave the Truck Without It: My Favorite Fly Fishing EDC Knife

The Fallkniven F1 Pro fixed blade knife originally made for the Swedish Air Force. My time guiding in Alaska taught me that this durable and versatile knife is perfect for fly fishing and the outdoors.

Ken Baldwin

They become classics because of their quality.
They become classics because of their quality. / photo by Ken Baldwin

Is a fixed blade knife really a necessity for fly fishing? Probably not. A good pocket knife will do just fine in most situations. And yet, I make it a regular habit of carrying a fixed blade when I'm fly fishing, or in the woods. I do it for two reasons. The first being pure pleasure, I'm a knife junkie, I love a good knife, and a fixed blade when done right can be a convergence of tool meets art. I get extreme pleasure from that. The second is, from guiding in Alaska for twenty years, where a fixed blade was needed, it became part of the uniform.

An Upgrade in My Fly Fishing EDC

In 2015 I purchased the Fallkniven F1 Pro fixed blade knife. It was more than I wanted to spend for a knife, but my guiding season had just ended and I had some extra money in my pocket. I remember the first time I held the F1 Pro in my hand thinking "this thing is a surgical instrument." It was so clean and precise in its lines and design. The grip felt great with no slippage, with an excellent stainless steel finger guard.

Deserving of a Quality Knife

I was beat up from a long season and felt like I earned the right to treat myself to a quality knife. The knife I had was fine, but remember, I have a knife problem, it's hard for me to say no and this F1 Pro that was resting in the palm of my hand was a thing of precision and beauty. So I pulled the trigger and in the 9 years I've owned it, I have not regretted the purchase. It is my workhorse knife and I feel good about it every time I put it on my hip.

A Survival Knife Made For the Swedish Air Force

Fallkniven worked closely with pilots of the Swedish Air Force to develop the original F1 Survival Pilot's knife. It was officially adopted by its Air Force in 1995. In 2010 Fallkniven set out to make an improved iteration of the F1 by making several key upgrades, and calling it the F1 Pro.

The Fallkniven F1 Pro: A Cut Above



First, the F1 Pro's blade would be made from laminated CoS steel, known for its superior toughness and edge retention compared to the VG10 steel in the original F1. Then they made the blade thicker, increasing overall strength and making it more capable for heavy-duty tasks. Safety is enhanced with a stainless steel finger guard, instead of the F1's rubber-made guard. Let me just say, a fixed blade knife not having a finger guard is a deal breaker for me. Between fish slime, cold numb fingers, and blood, there are too many opportunities for your hand to slip from the grip onto the blade. Just thinking about that gives me the chills.

The handle has been enlarged for a more comfortable and secure grip, "for users with larger hands". I have medium to small hands and find the handle fits just fine. These improvements collectively make the F1 Pro a more robust, capable, and user-friendly knife and improve upon the core design principles that made the F1 a classic.

A Sheath Story: Why I Went Custom

I don't have a lot to say about the Fallkniven F1 Pro sheath. Everything I've read on the sheath was positive, and it seems to be a very good design. I still have it somewhere in the garage, but I replaced it with a custom leather canted cross draw sheath. I didn't like my knife sheath hanging down from my belt when I guided. It got in the way and things would get hung up on it. I found a cross draw easier to get access to my blade when I needed it, and easier to put the blade back. It's a preference I still have.

A fly fishing guide carrying a firearm and a Fallkniven F1 Pro knife on the river.
A custom canted sheath makes for easier access. / photo provided by 1371 Productions

I purchased the sheath 8 years ago and it's been beaten to heck, soaked and neglected, and still works like a charm. I treat it once a year with leather balm and that's about it. For the quality you get, the custom leather sheath wasn't that expensive, and leather is one of those things that seems to get better as it ages.

Why Carry a Fixed Blade for Fly Fishing?

A fixed blade knife isn't a "necessity" for fly fishing. It is a great knife for camping, hunting, bushcrafting, or if you like to be in the woods and away from the trails. I carry it when I fly fish because I enjoy using a quality fixed blade knife, and the F1 is not a big and cumbersome knife that gets in the way, especially if I use a canted sheath. It is easier and more efficient than a pocket knife, and when those times arise where only a fixed blade knife will work, you won't be looked at with a side eye anymore for carrying a fixed blade. KB

Read Next:

The Fly Fishing Trip of a Lifetime-An Ultimate Alaska Adventure

The tundra of Alaska photographed from the sky
photo provided by Fish and Float Alaska

Experience an Epic Adventure of Fly Fishing, Bear Viewing, and Rafting in Alaska - Part 2

A large Alaskan brown bear with a salmon in its mouth
photo by Ken Baldwin

“The gods do not deduct from man’s allotted span the hours spent in fishing.” - Herbert Hoover

Published
Ken Baldwin
KEN BALDWIN

Ken Baldwin's career in fishing and the outdoors started twenty-two years ago. For twenty of those years he guided anglers in remote Alaska. Along with his work as a guide, he created a TV show called Season on the Edge, which aired on NBC Sports, worked on the nature documentary Our Planet 2, for Netflix, specialized in photographing the Alaskan brown bear, and has published his photographs and writing in several magazines. Ken Baldwin is a graduate from the University of Washington.

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