It’s amazing what one can do with a small blade when needed. In all honesty I prefer using a multi-tool over a knife for field dressing now. I used my surge to clean a bunch of rabbit a few weeks ago and was quite impressed. I can't wait to see how it will tackle a whitetail.

I find that as my skills with a knife improve the size of my EDC and field blades decrease. I don't want to brag, but I can do almost anything with a small knife at this point. I no longer EDC a folder as the surge blades are more than adequate for most jobs with a little patience. My LMF stays strapped to my TAC vest usually, and even my dedicated skinner gets strapped to my pack instead of my belt more and more. I still have my cold steel ultimate hunter as a backup blade, but even this is a fairly small folder.

Granted, Big knives still have their place, I won’t be selling my cold steel kukri machete anytime soon, But I still can drop a tree with the blade of my surge if ever the need arises.

It'll do just fine on big game. I watched an Idaho Wildlife officer field dress, cape and quarter a mature elk cow in the snow with his Wave. I didn't see where he was at any disadvantage compared to what I'd do with my "hunting" knife. If you know what you are doing, something sharp is all you need, and a big blade is actually a handicap most of the time. He did it all by himself too. Last time I field dressed a spike elk, I had two people helping me, and it took just about as long.

After all, you don't see or hear of many doctors these days performing surgery or coroners doing an autopsy with an 8" bowie or tanto blade.

I find that for general use anything longer than the width of my palm is too much knife. I always keep something big handy be it the LMF II or a machete...something that can chop and whack.

I hope when you say chop and whack you aren't referring to how you would field dress an animal? :0

LOL.

I'm no hunter. I have only the vaguest notion on how to dress an animal...only what I've read. Should I ever be forced to do it, I'm sure I'll screw it up big time.

My LMF has only ever chopped wood and whacked pegs into the ground. The pommel makes a dandy hammer.

You've really done it now Taurus!

Now our Canadian Gov't will be saving money by issuing old ammo boxes for knives.

I heard a radio interview a while back of the producer of 'The Unit', the tv show based upon delta force. In discussing yhe research that went into the development of the show, the producer indicated that, when the operators needed a knife for a mission, they went to the supermarket and bought one. Cheap, sharp, disposable. Not sure if this is accurate. Makes a certain amount of sense. Also makes all those combat knives that carry the delta/seal/sog label a marketing gimmick for exploitation of the wannabe market.

"...rub the blade along the gritty paint of the gun shroud..."

They may not like the wear and tear on the gun shrouds tho...

Taurus made a good point -- as your skill and experience increase, the size of the blade you need (or think you need) decreases.

To a certain extent, I would argue that's also true of the quality of the blade. A top-quality blade is superior in strength and sharpness, to be sure. But if you have worked with knives a lot, you have a sense of what kind of blade (even from the supermarket or dollar store or Sally Ann) will do a job, and how far you can push it.

For example: stainless kitchen knives are much more brittle than field knives, though they take a decent edge. They also tend to have a very thin tang, so they're weaker where the blade meets the handle. But kitchen knives can and do accomplish real work every day. You just don't use 'em as a prybar or machete. You adjust your technique to the blade in your hand. (And if you're wise you have something as a backup.)

The caveat of course is that the failure of a cheap blade, when being used hard, creates a real risk of injury. You really have to watch it.

Aside from that, it's actually a lot of fun (and a cheap hobby) to pick out cheap blades from second-hand stores and garage sales, and use them in the field. Or maybe that's just me :-)

My kitchen if full of expensive knives but one of my favorites I got from my grandpa. I have no idea how old it is. The tip was broken off about 20 years ago when it was being used to do something in the garage (I never did find out what). I re-ground it from a 10 inch knife to an 8 inch knife and it's never let me down since. Sometimes the older knives are the better knives.