Rbruce:
I tend to buy knives that have some usefulness or beauty of construction to them, and I don't torture test them.
I have seen some of Cold Steel's advertisements for the strength of thier products and I for one am not impressed. The ability to pound a knife into a tree and hang "X" number of pounds on the handle really has no practical benefit for me. If I want to pry something (Except for snorkeling, where a combination knife, pry bar for mussels would be practical.), it is going to be with a pry bar or some type of lever. If I am going to pound something, it is going to be with a hammer, rock, hard wood, or scrap metal.
The knives I buy most frequently have to be able to cut well and sharpen easily. I prefer carbon steel blades because I have always been able to put a nice edge on them in less time, with less sophisticated sharpeners than with stainless blades blades.
The one brand of knives that I definitly stay away from is Kershaw, because so many of my friends have had the tips snap off with very little effort.
Bountyhunter