The only stainless knives I have at the present time are two sak's and a couple Case peanuts. I have not found the Case stainless to be near as bad as some would have you believe. I really think its about on par with my Victorinox tinker. It holds an edge good enough to get through a day of opening mail, the occasional plastic blister package, a box from UPS, amd breaking down a box for trash. If it gets used for food duty, like Karen and I will split something and it needs to be cut in half, I can wash it off in a nearby stream or water fountain. If it by chance does start getting a bit dull, then I take my belt half off and strop it. This will usually get it back. If I have to sharpen it, then there is a flat little diamond hone in my wallet and in five minutes or less Its good to go again.
I think too many people make too much over edge holding, wanting the next best thing to the mythical never dulling knife that will dress 150 deer without touch up. I will preffer a knife that may loose its razor edge a bit faster, but is easy to sharpen. I want a knife that with only a very small pocket hone and my belt, I can sharpen it anywhere I am in a few minutes. I have a queen country cousin sodbuster in D2, and to be frank, its a pain in the a-- to sharpen once it goes dull. On the other hand my Case soddie in CV holds a very good edge for a respectable amount of time, and is fast and easy to touch up. Guess witch one goes to the woods with me? I have a yellow handle CV Case peanut, but also have a nice India stag peanut with the "true sharp" stainless. I supose that if I did a side by side test, the CV peanut would win, but do I care? The stag peanut is such a nice piece of pocket jewlery and does what I want, so I don't care.
Gubby, I say go ahead and buy that trapper. Life is too short to worry about things of little consiquence. If it gets a bit dull once in a while just touch it up, that gives you an exuse to handle it more.
