Exactly what I am looking for. Found a D grip model on mammothgear.com for a tad under $63 (USD) which seemed like a good price so I ordered it. Thank you.

I could use a recommendation for a fixed blade knife.

I think Mora knives represent the best value, especially the laminated steel blades. Incredibly cheap, as well. Ragweed Forge has an extensive line.

Prefer quality over cheap. Are Mora Knives good quality in addition to being cheap? Any model recommendations?

Yes, Mora is very good quality. They're robust no-nonsense tools and look like it.

Sorry, no spesific model recommendation. Take whatever feels good to you - I don't think you can go wrong with a Mora. Sure, you can get a prettier knife and most certainly you can get a bigger knife if you like that sort of thing. But for a no-nonsense general purpose knife with around 4" blade, Mora is one of the best buys around.

If you scroll down here, you'll find the model 511, which I use. It fits perfectly into my hand, but your mileage may wary:
http://www.ragweedforge.com/SwedishKnifeCatalog.html
I'm a lousy sharpener but have high standards and ambitions, and this knife is the only knife I've ever manage to get anywhere near as sharp as I want to. Note that carbon steel blades do require some minimum maintenance to prevent rust. A stainless steel blade may be a better choice if you're looking for a stash-and-forget type of knife for your kit.

You will find almost as many recommendations for knives as the models available. Here are some of my recommendations. The Ontario Rat 7 in D2 steel plain edge (not serrated) is my current kit knife. Not too big, not too small, and the sheath has a pouch for a small survival kit (or fire making kit might be better in your scenario). Other knives I would recommend include the KA-Bar Becker knives, either the 7 or 9 (extra pouch on sheath as well). The Cold Steel Recon Scout, Trailmaster, or SRK also come to mind. I must admit mine are the old Carbon V blades and I cannot speak for the current production models but my Cold Steel Bushman is made of the same SK5 steel as the recon scout and trailmaster and it has taken a beating and is still going strong; also the SRK is made of the same AUS 8A steel that made their original tanto so tough.

Others to consider (I say consider only because I have no personal experience with them) that look promising: ontario Ranger series RD 6, 7 or 9 (available with orange handles and pouch on the sheath); the ontario ranger afghan got a good review in tactical knives as well; Gerber big rock camp knife; and for a good stainless option, the SOG Seal 2000 can be had with a nylon sheath with pouch (if you end up needing a shorter blade there is the seal pup).

As you might be able to tell I prefer a larger blade (I also tend to stick to production blades as custom and semi-custom are a little too pricey for me). In your scenario I would probably consider a shorter blade because it would ride more comfortably on the snowmobile (although that certainly wouldn't prevent me from trying to carry the rat 7). My thought being that with the knife on your person (instead of in your pack) and a fire making kit in the sheath pocket that even if you are separated from everything else you can still make an improvised shelter and a fire. You should consider whether a stainless blade is necessary or not. I wouldn't hesitate to use a carbon blade and bring along a tuff cloth to help protect it from the elements. You may want to be able to handle the knives before you buy. In the end it will be what you are most comfortable with. Nothing wrong with a buck 119 Special you can still buy at Wal-Mart. Standard disclaimer, no affiliations with any companies listed here, no kickbacks, etc. Also you might consider any safety issues on carrying the knife on your person while riding the snowmobile. Would like to know which blade you end up with and how you plan to carry it.

Thanks Mark.

I visited various knife forums and some knife reviews on youtube. From what I gathered stainless steel gives a more worry free blade but doesn't hold a good edge. I would imagine I want a knife that holds an edge so I added carbon steel to my criteria. With that choice made having a sheath that does not retain water is a must. One knife which I come across one just about every site I visted was the Recon Scout.

So I decided on the Cold Steel Recon Scout SK-5 Carbon Steel (39LRST). I found a source that has a few of these NIB and placed my order yesterday. As for where to stow it - I don't think I am comfortable carrying an instrument like that on my person and certainly not in my waist pack (at least while sledding). Falling off the machine or being moderately ejected to me screams safety issue. So for that reason I would plan to stow it in safe fashion away from my body most likely on the machine.

In that case CC, I would also suggest a large folder on your person. Or the multi tool. Or both. Did I mention I am a knife knutt . Seriously though, be sure you have one on your person. You could get separated from your pack or the snowmobile or both.

P.S. The Recon Scout is a good choice IMO. Let us know how it works out.

Thanks KK.

What recommendations do you have for a large folder? My current folder now is a Kershaw ATS 34 Model 1431. I have a leatherman mutli tool on my list which I can carry on my person. How long of blade does a folder have to have to be considered a larger folder?

Again many options and many opinions. Actually I like the looks of the Doug Ritter RSK Mk 1 (standard disclaimer here and for rest of post, no affiliations). Perfect blade shape for survival use, excellent review in tactical knives http://www.dougritter.com/tkmay2005.htm , and the CPM S30V is super tough. Plus there is a model with an orange handle available now. My current large folders include a Cold Steel large voyager, clip point, plain edge and a Columbia River large point guard, drop point, plain edge with zytel handles and LAWKS. There are many other options available from many different makers at many different price points. Stick to:

- A reputable maker
- Locking blade 3" to 4" min blade length - be careful of local laws here
- Clip, drop or spear point
- Preferrably no metal handles for cold weather (this cannot be avoided in some cases, as with the multi-tool)
- Plain (not serrated) blade
- No cheapies (they are under $10 for a reason)

That said your kershaw should work just fine for now. Hope this helps.

P.S. Just for the record I prefer a fixed blade. I had a hard time joining the "tactical knife" revolution that Benchmade and ernest emerson fueled in the 90s. I still have a hard time trusting folders for hard use because there are moving parts that can fail. But if the chips are down it beats rocks or fingernails. For that reason I EDC a victorinox boyscout huntsman. FWIW and YMMV.

I can understand the concern about a fixed blade. Rather frightening item to have on your belt in a snowmobile crash. Still, it's worth having some essentials in your pockets or attached to your person; that's all you can really be sure of. I guess that would be even more true if you were crossing frozen water on your tour.

A big Leatherman like the Core would give you strong pliers along with a couple of decent-sized blades and a passable saw. Also, these are unlikely to open up in a spill (yikes!). I like mine, despite its honking size; it's a real tool for real work.

Or, consider the big Victorinoxes with the locking main blade and big saw. (These are ultimately a first-rate saw with other useful attachments thrown in.) A light and effective tool in the field IMO.

My $0.02.