Most functionally versatile woods knife???

[Cpl Punishment]

My Booshway is an easy to carry all round tool !

Gee, that looks an awful lot like my HI AK Bowie!

 

[pitdog]

Gee, that looks an awful lot like my HI AK Bowie!

Does look similar eh, although quite a bit smaller.
I actually designed it with The TOPS Tracker and the Cariboo Mountain Man Nessmuk in mind though !

 

[Cpl Punishment]

Great minds stink alike.

 

[Shotgun]

I won't dispute that, nor do I think anyone else will. I was just trying to get opinions on what blade length would be the most versatile.

Even if you could only take one metal blade, I think it would be easier to take a longer blade and make a small secondary edge (say out of flint or obsidian) rather than take a smaller blade and make something larger out of stone or maybe even some kind of junk (scrap) metal.

Thanks for the continued input folks. I think it's good to brainstorm about these things from time to time. :thumbup:

Sorry, wasn't trying to be flippant.

I do think that a lot of people overlook the hatchet or hawk. The GB mini outperforms choppers of the same size and IMO is much easier to use for detail work. I've carved a figure 4 with it and made chicken fajitas with no complaints. The hawk is also one to consider because the head can be removed and used more efficiently than a big knife as well. The only reason my original answer was a machete is because the question was something for all evironments. In the jungle or where there's heavy brush, obviously a machete is what you want. But, I can also see the machete being a great tool for arctic survival. It can be used to dig a snow cave/trench or it can be used to cut blocks for an igloo. If you excluded those two environments, I would pick a hatchet/hawk over a knife.

 

[BigNate]

Interesting viewpoints.
I myself prefer a 5 to 6 inch blade for general all purpose use.
My thoughts about what to bring no matter what/where is still in the 5-6" regardless but it comes back to personal views due to experience.
I don't see myself hacking a trail through the jungle to survive. It seems like a lot of spent energy for little gain. If I found need to tip over something larger I may be wishing for a different tool but could baton my way through.
In the far north I'm not sure that a hawk wouldn't be best, but would again feel like a good knife would be more useful day to day, but I've not been in the arctic surviving either.
I really like my Shadow IV, and would like to get a Blind Horse Knives "Pathfinder".

 

[jw2n]

Hey Shotgun,

You are right on about the machete in the Artic. On my first trip to Alaska, which was for an Artic Warfare and Survival school, I was suprised that two machetes were standard issue for each 10 man team. I incorrectly believed they would be little used. I was wrong, they were extremely useful. Our instructor had a fit when one of the students carved a full size toilet out of snow during some downtime. We used them in the coldest temps of -60 f with no chipping or breakage. The majority of the wood we worked with was pine. They were also used, as you suggested, for snow shelter building.

 

[d762nato]

As I think about what I take into the woods in terms of a blade, first and foremost, I want to take the most capable and versatile knife I have. I know that choice somewhat depends on where I will be. So, for example, I might choose a small blade if I am in a very cold landscape with few trees. I might choose a larger (read as "chopper") knife if I am in a forest setting. But I don't know which one I would pick if I had to do it regardless of setting, and am therefore curious to know what size fixed blade you folks think would be the most functionally versatile knife if you had to take one without necessarily knowing where you might end up. Please do not consider things like weight, knife materials, grinds, designs, etc., but just the blade length only.

I know a single large knife is the only thing available in some cultures, and it seems that the folks in those cultures become very proficient in using the one edged tool they have. Yet other cultures seem to prefer something smaller such as an ulu, at least that is my understanding.

So what length do you folks feel would make the most functionally versatile woods knife and why???

How about a Busse Bwmle and a skelly or Sar-3 for your large and small pair combo in one sheath combined.