If you had to choose one knife to do all the chores for camp, hunting, crafting and defense, what style blade would you choose and how long woud it be?
Oh wow! Ouch!
Ummm.....
Probably something along the lines of a 5" spear point blade, fully flat ground about 1-½" from the edge to the spine & 1/8" thick.
G10 or Micarta handle, probably blaze orange.
Pretty much identical to this, but with an orange grip.....
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/robtattoo/camper.jpg)
Nice knife! I really like it Rob.
Very subjective question as everyone has a preferred blade design and there is no "one" perfect knife for all things cutting... but if I have to only have one. I would go with something similar to what Rob posted. A boning type blade that was thin enough to filet the backstraps off and stiff enough to get some tougher stuff done. Here is my go to knive made by Ray Rogers out of D2. Simple design that is comfortable in the hand with a stabbing grip or underhand gutting grip. While also being light enough to choke up on for some finess work with the tip. This one has seen a lot of venison both in the field and on the chopping block.
(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh205/bushbow/IMG_0172.jpg)
notice the 2 above do not have much flash, simple tool. Just subtle differences. I prefer a very pronounced finger groove behind the choil for control. No guard . handle material is optional for me...I actually like all metal. Bobby is right ,it's personal ...but look at what the people that use a knife A Lot use...4-6 inch drop /spear point.
Here's 2 Shane Taylor knives . Too fancy but my favorite general shape and design.
(http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy259/elizipper/DSCF2621.jpg)
IMHO THE BEST KNIFE IS THE ONE YOU HAVE IN YOUR HAND WHEN THE EMERGENCY ARRIVES. FOR ALL-AROUND USE, I CARRY A SPEAR POINT SMALL BOWIE, 1/8TH IN. THICK AND A SIX INCH BLADE. I KEEP IT RAZOR SHARP.
If I could only have one and I could choose,I'd choose a Kukri with 12" blade. People in Napal have been using them for just these things for centuries. You can do everything from chop wood like a hatchet, skin and butcher game, peel veggies and take a baddies head off with one.
I can't do it with one knife...I need two. I have a plain gerber fixed blade (3-4") that holds a good edge and a cheapie Rapala filet knife. I use both on big game and just the filet on fish.
Oh..and I have one of Asbell little knives in my quiver between the foam and the hood for "stuff". Heck I field dressed a deer last year with that little knife...because I was to lazy to walk back to camp! You don't need much. A friend of my dads forgot his knife on one hunt and he used a broadhead. I haven't tried that yet but I might!
Ever since these guys got me hooked on this knife stuff I've been making just one more good knife for myself and then I'm done. After I make it I want to use it but then I end up giving away my last one. So I'm thinking I'll never find the "perfect" one at this rate.
Probably the bigger the better.
You know how the saying goes - you can do little things with a big knife, but you can't do big things with a little knife.
Even though I have several custem hunting knives to dress game with, my "stock" USMC Kabar has been my "go-to" "do-everything" knife for the past 25 yrs.... I have used the heck out of it and it does everything I've ever needed. I may get a big custom one of these days and retire it but I really like the way it works in my hand and would hate to leave it sitting in a box.
My Kbar retired when I hung up the uniform-still a Marine
I have a buff horn handled kukri from the PI that is a great everything blade. I also have one I made, and I made the scales out of scrap wood from my bow's riser. It hangs on my belt on very hunt as she is very sharp and so handy.
3inch blade with a nice curved blade