Best of all Worlds Knife

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Wildwestmilford

Joined
Apr 7, 2007
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I am looking to put together the best of all worlds knife. It's going to be a big fixed blade (considering a 12" blade) that I want to be able to use and abuse. I do a lot of hunting and spend a lot of time in the woods and want to be able to count on it to chop, camp chores, and for protection if necessary. The guy building it for me has saw and file steel.
So what would features would you absolutely have to have? Blade style (would you even consider a tanto?), blade finish, etc.
 
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Welcome to the forums.

I am not a fan of tanto. Drop point works for me.
 
I want a big blade to be at least 1/4" thick and 1-1/4" wide, so it can be ground relatively thin and sharp but still have lots of strength.

I think a drop-point profile is the way to go with a big chopper like that, unless you do a lot of fighting and want a sharpened clip or swedge for back-slashes.

You're going to have a heck of a time doing most camp chores with a knife that big. Have your builder also make you a much smaller companion knife to match.
 
Wow that sucker is going to be heavy! If you want a chopper 1/4 inch thick drop point or a straight clip point is good. Have the blade convexed and the knife differentially hardened.
 
DEf. differentially hardened, the knifemaker suggested that. Cmon of COURSE I have a knife for small chores- spyderco rookie.
 
I think the knife you're looking for is already made, and at a pretty good price.

Himalayan Imports 12" Ang Khola - these things are as strong as hell, and very versatile.
 
I would suggest losing an inch or more off the blade. A thick knife that long will not get you smiling after a few minutes of chopping. Try something in the ten inch range and your arms will thank you for it. As to design features, look for a handle that is secure while chopping but one that will not put all the force of a chopping stroke into 1 small area. Things like rear hooks might look good on paper but when your pinky is raw and sore you will be trying to file it off in the woods! Also look at a handle shape or a guard that keeps your hand from moving foward towards the edge. Reasons for this should be pretty obvious. I like the handle to drop just a little from the line of the blade. Sorta like seeing a bend at the handle/blade junction. It improves the chopping abilities of even straight edged knives. If you can, hit as many knife stores or shows as you can to get a feel for what works for you. The more you handle knives the more you will learn. For point shapes I prefer a drop point style although I really can't fault any shape. They all have pluses and minuses. I know Ron Hood likes the tanto style as he uses the front almost as a second small knife by choking up on the blade. Also it usually provides for excellent piercing.
 
it sounds like you want a chopper, and for that i would get a good hatchet or tomahawk. but since you want a knife, i would suggest a full convex edge, since these are sharper and stronger than any other kind of edge that i have had experience with. they are also relatively easy to take care of.

you might want a recurve or a straight edge, depending on your own tastes and sharpening skills. i personally prefer a straight edge or one that has a slight belly along the entire length, i suppose i prefer those because they are easier to sharpen (it is tricky to sharpen the concave areas of a recurve without ruining a stone).

a spear point type of blade would offer you the most mass towards the front of the blade, but with a blade that large it might not make a real-world difference.
 
For a custom knife, his turn around time is very quick. Email David and see what he says, it cant hurt. I think when I placed my order and we worked out what I wanted, it had taken 2 weeks for the blade to be in my hand.

His kydex sheath's are also very very good, plus you can pick the steel you want, I went with A2.

Also, I would not go for a tanto blade, I went with a spear point, that has some belly for skinning, but like I said, if you draw it up, David can make it.
 
If I were constrained to a 12" bladed "best of all worlds knife," then the one feature that I absolutely could not live without is a caping knife in a piggyback sheath. Chopping is great, but the vast majority of my outdoor tasks request/require a smaller blade. Dressing a deer with a 12" blade would be a nightmare, and dressing small game and fish (most likely your only protein food source in a survival situation) would be near impossible. Give me a 3 inch blade with a nice pointy tip and a comfy, nonslip handle over a bowie any day.
And I absolutely despise tantos. I think there is a reason that tanto, in spanish, means stupid.
 
I am going to suggest the Scrap Yard "Dog Father"! Do a search here and you will see the specs and pics. One heck of a chopper and over .25" thick so is a serious prybar. Forward balanced weight like a khukri! I love mine. :)
 
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