have a look at the big knife that Byrd posted in my size V.S calories post.i'll bet that there are not 100 people in the USA who know how to really use that knife,it's just not a whopping big blade but a tool kit.at least that's what struck me when i first saw it.i had never really thought about these old trapper and traders knives much before outside of their being large butcher and wood choppers.now looking at Byrd's knife it comes to me thats it's sort of a Leatherman of it's day.just off the top of my head i'll bet it's made to be held with the edge tword you for gutting a big animal without cutting into the stomach,spleen and so on.the point besides used for small work could be used to carve or "drill" holes in planks,the rocker shape to the blade for mincing by rocking the blade over meat or whatever and bearing down on the back of the blade.scraping hides come to mind as well as sharping the blade so the back section is more like a ax and the forward part kept very sharp for cutting meat.
scaling a fish should be easy too.maybe i don't know much about knives and their history and use as i just use mine for camp chores on canoe trips but thats what came to me looking at that new copy of a old "work horse" knife. any ideas????