I want a knife to carry.

I want a knife to carry. I do NOT want a folding knife but I want a fixed blade knife. I want it to carry on me while I am in the woods. I want it for when I am rock climbing, fishing on the river, hunting and camping. Just a general all around use fix blade knife. I do not want something in stainless please and I want it with a leather sheath to hang on my belt. Cost is an issue but I have no problem paying good money if it is a good hi-quality knife.

I'd check into ESEE as well as Buck knives. Esee doesn't have leather, but their kydex is probably better than leather.
 
Blackjack Knives has several to choose from with stacked leather handles and tool steel blades. Prices are in the $100-$200 range.

I've also seen some Northwoods Knives in stacked leather. The quality is excellent and the prices are generally under $100. They use a variety of steels including D2, a semi-stainless steel.

Good luck in your search.

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There are also some Scandinavian knife companies who sometimes use carbon steel blades combined with stacked leather handles. Iisakki Järvenpää, for example, is from Finland and has several nice-looking models to choose from.
 
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You should also look at Bark River Knife and Tool, they have a pretty wide variety of A2 knives using both synthetic and natural handle materials. Choose one based on preferred size, style etc.
 

Personally, I'd want something smaller, lighter weight, and less expensive for a woods knife. But that is a beauty, and the quality is probably excellent. Here's a smaller fixed blade from them that I think is wonderful:
CanalStreetDropPoint.jpg


Here's a 1990s Marbles knife, made in the USA, from my collection. You might get lucky and find one of these around somewhere.
MarblesExpert.jpg


Queen has some beautiful and reasonably priced fixed blade knives in D2 steel also. Sadly, I don't own one yet.
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FYI, here is the fixed blade knife that I carry for hiking and backpacking. Definitely not as 'classy' or as traditional as what you seen to have in mind, but it's a great little knife, and it's also available in two larger sizes.

huntersscalpel.jpg
 
It seems like an ESEE 3 or 4 would fit well. If you don't like the plastic sheaths, a couple places sell a leather sheath separate.
 
In my mind, retention would be important for climbing, and on the river. If you want a leather sheath, then you'll want a strap. I have the Sharpshooter sheath from KSF for the ESEE 4, they made one for the 3 as well. It's the same style as the Bark River Bravo 1.
Sure, you can have a sheath made for any knife, but maybe there's one that comes with one with some level of retention. I have several leather sheaths that are just open at the top, and the knife sits deep in them, but if I were upside down on a rock wall, I might want a strap.
Just depends on the size knife you want, the type of blade(shape) and the type of edge, V or convex, for example.
ESEE offers the Izula(s), the 3&4's
Bark River has awesome convexed knives with very very sharp edges. But, if you are heavy handed, maybe you'll need something not so fine edged?

Do you want a black coated knife, or a more traditional look? Lots of guys strip their coatings off their carbon blades, and let the patina happen.
 
go to the custom makers for sale section Bill from Backwoodcustoms makes some of the best fixblades for very reasonable money
 
ESEE IZULA or Izula 2.....I have carried my Esee 3 for some time.... Any of these would be great
 
If you can tell us what size you're looking at, it'd help with recommendations. As a do-everthing, mid-sized knife the ESEE-4 and BK-2 are good places to start your search with.
 
I'm going to move this to our outdoor gear forum where the regulars there talk about these kinds of knives regularly.
 
It would be hard to beat something like an ESEE Izula II. I have carried one almost every day for over a year now, and it has proven itself to be a pretty good knife. It comes with a plastic sheath, but leather ones can be found without too much trouble. I like the plastic sheath myself as it fits well in the pocket of my pants.

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+1 for ESEE, just pick your size. The retention on the Izula stock sheath is very good. I think the 3 Mil still comes in a version with a jump sheath, that would work for rock climbing.
 
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