I carry a GEC #23 and a Schrade USA 8OT every day:
I carry the 23 because it's a versatile knife for my lifestyle. I have a little tradition of taking an apple or mango and slicing it with my knife. My kids and I share the fruit as it's being sliced, so I'll slice off a piece and give it to a kid and slice off another and so on. Once all three kids are munching I get to eat whatever I can manage until they come back for more. It's a fun way for us to eat a snack, and it's convenient to do so at the park or beach or wherever we happen to be. The spey blade on the 23 is long enough to slice the fruit straight through without having to cut around it. It also stays clean because there's a full liner between it and the clip point, which gets used for my "dirty work". The spey is also wide enough to make a good spreader for making sandwiches when we're camping. The clip point is nice and sturdy. It has been used for everything from cutting rope and leather to cutting up nightcrawlers for fishing and has performed flawlessly in all situations I've put it in. The handle is large and long, so it fills my hand like I prefer. The 8OT gets carried for a couple reasons. My dad carried an 8OT back in the 70s, and it reminds me of him. I also like the spey blade for work where a smaller blade is preferred, I find that when I pull that knife out and open up the little spey blade I don't get much of a reaction from those around me. The sheepsfoot comes in handy for package opening or scraping. Between these two knives I feel like I have all my bases covered.
One of the great things about traditionals is that you don't need to spend a lot to get a good gentleman's knife. As a whole they're already pretty classy. If I were to carry one specifically for this it would be a Case peanut or a GEC #22 mini magnum.
When I'm buying a knife I look for one that will fill a particular need for me or fit in well with my other users. I strongly prefer blades that patina so I usually look for 1095, as I've had the best experience with that so far. I like to have a long blade and short blade on me as well as a straight blade and one with a belly. The stockman would fill all of these needs if I didn't use my knives for cutting up fruit as I've described above. That bonding with my children is important enough that it warrants the carrying of a second knife. The combination of stockman and trapper works well, though I'd like to see a quality three to three and a half inch sheepsfoot/caplifter knife made, as that would pair up nicely with my trapper and give me the added bonus of having a bottle opener. I prefer bone handles, though wood is good too. I don't typically like synthetics, though I have a soft spot for delrin. I also have knives that are used for specific jobs. For example, I have a yellow Case sodbuster that is used almost exclusively for yard work. I have a very small collection of Schrade Old Timers that don't get used regularly. I have one that never gets used, though I am looking to add a couple more to that group. Other than that all of my knives need to have a purpose or they get gifted or traded away.
I know that this is long winded, but you asked three questions that almost could have been three separate threads. I hope something in here has helped somehow.
