I agree that there's no perfect knife, and for that reason I don't get worked up trying to search for the perfect design. So long as you've got one with a reasonable blade, that's a good start.

"I wonder if the fascination for knives that so many people feel is 'hard-wired' into our species. The knife is our oldest tool, and probably at least partially responsible for our success as a species."

That's a very interesting insight. I wonder if the survivors amongst our primitive ancestors were the ones who obtained a sharp blade (e.g. flint) and developed their blade-making skills. It makes good sense. The best hunters should have been successful at producing bigger families.

Pete #2