Good, all-around design

Joined
Jan 23, 2011
Messages
4,399
Based on your experience, what is a good all-around design? A knife that can do a little bit of everything: food prep, wood working, fire prep, EDC tasks, self defense, whatever you can imagine. Please limit to one folder and one fixed blade.

For fixed, I choose the Cold Steel Peace Maker II. 5.5" blade, not too thick, slices OK, carves OK, carries OK, big enough for SD, full tang construction, easy to sharpen.
The one on the bottom
IMG-2022-01-22-15-25-02-465-2.jpg


Not sure about the folder, yet..
 
I was told that good design is not about how pretty your product looks but rather how well it works. This is true. A great looking product can have poor functionality. However, if you are designing something that does not work well, then it's not going to look good either.
 
Look up what things like the Mora Companion HD or the Mora Garberg for budget all-duty, as all these people are rec'ing Puukko knives of which these are very similar. I need more experience with fixed blades.
 
I'm going to offer a different perspective on this. I'm a Sparky by trade, and a town boy, who firmly believes that adventures are nasty, cold, wet things that make you late for dinner. My ideas of a good all 'round knife are based on needing to deal with the everyday frustrations of our pre-packaged society, and the fasteners that hold it together.

For a folding knife, my Alox Electrician is probably the best all around.

5G6WIaV.jpg



It can go from steel toes to dinner jackets in a lot less time than it takes me to clean up between the two.

For a fixed blade, again, I'm more focused on construction, demolitions, infrastructure, metalworking, and helping other people move houses. Very little use for a firewood harvesting knife in my life, and I usually have a 30 pound toolbox full of all the other stupid stuff along with me.

If I bought one off the shelf, it would probably be a "hacking knife", like the ones in this recent thread: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/tradesmens-hacking-knife-very-wtf.1766360/

Or, I could get off my chair and finish this one:

VvSXOpV.jpg
 
There are so many designs that could fit this. I mean if you want to get down to the basics, I think one could do fat worse than a classic Buck 110 folder. Sharp, well built, good point, etc. I mean, it was designed to be a folding hunting knife, was kind of THE biker knife when it came our half a century ago (not many bikers thinking about processing a deer), and has been a well regarded work/farm knife as well.

Wouldn't be my personal pick, but it's a solid choice.

Fixed blades open that door even more. I would say that out of my personal collection, the discontinued Zero Tolerance 0180. 4" blade of good steel. Large enough to do real work, small enough that you will actually pack it. Sharp enough to slice, thick enough to pry with, "tactical" enough to be a viable weapon.
 
For a folder, there were a lot more styles to consider. I was considering an SAK, but this post is really about the blade, not all the tools attached to it. My SAK blade is on the small side. In the end I chose the Svord Peasant knife. It's dead simple, easy to clean and I would not hesitate to use it for anything. 3.25" blade, L6 steel that takes a sharp edge with basic tools.

Mine has been reprofiled.
IMG-2022-02-26-08-25-12-146-2.jpg
 
Last edited:
Fixed:
CPK Field Knife
Esee 4/5
Benchmade Bushcrafter

Folders:
Hogue Ritter
BM Griptillian with thumbhole
Bugout
Gayle Bradley 2
 
The Buck 119 is the fixed blade. And a Case trapper is the folder. I own a good many knives, and can't think of a single thing I couldn't have done with one of those over the last 60 years. You could substitute the Buck 120 for the 119, and the Case large stockman for the trapper, I suppose.
 
Back
Top