Guys:

I like knives in general.

If money were no object, there are a lot of knives I would buy just for the design to hang on the walls of my house.

My criteria for working knives is that they do the job for which I pull them out to do.

My every day knife which I keep clipped to my left hand shirt pocket is an inexpensive Field and Stream liner lock that so far is holding its edge very well and so far it has done everything I have needed to do. Its main qualification for its place on my person is the 3" long blade which is maximum allowable length for pocket carry in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Cost $5.00.

I would rather carry a very nice liner lock Gerber folder (Standard fingernail opening type folder.) with leather case I own but the blade is 3 1/16" and I don't want it to end up as a confiscated "weapon" in some police impound room. Cost (Gift) $30.00.

My favorite sheath knife is a 40+ year old Craftsman with a carbon steel blade which can cut like a razor and is very easy to resharpen with a fine carbodunm stone and a knife steel. Price (Way back than.) maybe $15.00.

I recently bought a Hungarian made Kalishnakov bayonet with metal sheath that has an integrated wire cutter because the blade is made out of carbon steel (Which I like because of the ease of sharpening.). For serious carry where I would anticipate heavy abusive work, this is the knife I would take with me if I had to chose one. Cost about $25.00.

I have a Swiss bayonet with an 11" stainless steel blade which I wouldn't even try to sharpen the edges on because I think it would be way too much work. I would like to make a hiking stick like the end of a rifle with lugs and steel rod attached to the top of the stick so that I could attach and remove the bayonet . It would make a nice thrusting spear good for pushing unwelcome guests out of your tent, spearing a fish, keeping certain animals at bay, and toasting marshmallows. Cost, about $20.00.

If you have the bucks, play with them as it suits you, but remember, you are never going to put as much use to your knives as someone who lives and works in the wild with knives. The kind of survival situation I am liable to encounter is easily served with my daily $5.00 linerlock. If I go into the woods for hiking or hunting, I would feel good with my $15.00 Craftsman. If I were to go into an extended wilderness trip where hacking and some brute force were necessary, I would take the $25.00 Kalishnakov bayonet, a machete, and an axe.

If something works, it is adequete, and price should not be the final determining factor.

Good luck on whatever you choose.

Bountyhunter