If you could only take one...

[Axxe55]

A good general purpose knife relegated as being a knife for all jobs, will need to balance all of it's qualities and features.

It will be a fine line to balance a knife capable of chopping and splitting wood, to one that can also field dress and clean a squirrel or rabbit to a fish that you caught.

Blade and spine thickness, and overall length need to be taken into consideration as well.

Now the thread title is "if you could only take one" but how many of us are without a pocketknife in our pockets? If I had to guess, probably very few. So it's quite possible to even maybe end up with two knives. If that be the case, a person could relegate many of the smaller concerns to the pocketknife, like whittling kindling, field dressing a small animal or filleting a fish. And having a heavier and stouter knife for the heavy work, or even choosing a machete, tomahawk, or small hatchet.

 

[TheDan]

I also bought an estwing tomahawk because how can I really compare without a lil hands on testing. It's the only one I don't own except as a hatchet or axe. Hard to quantify value but the tomahawks are potential range weapons and that adds some x factor.

Tomahawks made for throwing are poor axes and terrible knives. YMMV of course...

For me the best backpack blade set is a big 10in knife like the above for splitting wood, chopping branches, and cleaving bone, and smaller knife like the Mora you mentioned, and a saw. Just a regular hand saw.

Funny anecdote... I have this fancy folding camping saw, but when I went to Alaska I of course forgot to pack it. We were in Seward the day before we were going to get dropped off in the middle of nowhere, and I needed a saw. Found a hardware store and bought just basic hand saw. Forgetting that camping saw was the best mistake I ever made. Yeah the hand saw is kinda big, but it weighs nothing and is flat. I just strapped it to my pack and didn't even know it was there. Bucking a log is so much nicer with a saw than an axe, and the saw is much easier to carry.

 

[Byrd666]

Many, many years ago, most likely a few decades ago, I saw and handled what I thought was my perfect survival/woodsman knife. From what I remember, the knife part was about six or eight inches long and a handle of about four or so inches. And it was pretty heavy. I would guess that it was a minimum of a 12 ga., and maybe even a 10 ga. steel. The blade was a black color with what I later learned was a drop point, with a saw toothed spine and a leather ring type handle. It had some sort of hand guard at the blade end but, I don't remember if it was brass or stainless steel. I do remember that the guy said it was a one-off and price on it was well out my reach.

 

[baboon]

I have a current USMC knife/bayonet made by Onterio that is pretty stout

 

[popo22]

If I am only going to be able to carry "ONE" knife (I always have several for different job's), it's going to be a large blade. I carry kukri's for chopping (when I don't have a saw or axe/hatchet). I usually carry a large "Bowie" style knife when it has to pull multiple-duty (preferably with a 12" blade). It is more versatile than the kukri and can chop/baton if needed.

 

[308nato]

I have a GI issue 1946 Ligitimus Collins machete that I would
carry.

 

[rpwilson]

I think it depends on where your survival situation takes place, as if you are in the woods, a hand axe would make more sense than if you are on the coast in grass land, where a knife/machete would lead to more uses

 

[Glenn B]

KA-BAR USMC Fighting/Utility Knife, or it could be an Army one or their Single Mark KA-BAR - all the same knife just different engraving on them. I like them a lot. They are good for cutting/slashing, good for stabbing, good for hacking things and take a lot of beating without breaking.

Then again, I might take along my Argentine Short Sword instead because it has many of the same qualities and is a bit longer.

Tough choice but for now, I suppose I'd have to pick the Ka-Bar if for no other reason than the few of them I own were all made in Olean, NY USA.

 

[TheDan]

Argentine Short Sword

oooh, I like that

 

[Glenn B]

oooh, I like that

Got it at an online Hessney.com auction. It has not been sharpened which as I understand ups the value some. Never knew anyone but the Roamans used short swords, learn something new all the time.

 

[TheDan]

Got it at an online Hessney.com auction. It has not been sharpened which as I understand ups the value some. Never knew anyone but the Roamans used short swords, learn something new all the time.

Short swords were popular even up into the 18th century. Many naval cutlasses were quite short, as were artillery swords. The French even called their artillery sword a gladius like the ancient Roman ones...

1831 French artillery gladius

I really like the design of that Argentine Short Sword, however. It's more of a messer of falchion style. I don't really have any need for a double edged knife. A flat back is more useful.

 

[Glenn B]

Short swords were popular even up into the 18th century. Many naval cutlasses were quite short, as were artillery swords. The French even called their artillery sword a gladius like the ancient Roman ones...

1831 French artillery gladius

I really like the design of that Argentine Short Sword, however. It's more of a messer of falchion style. I don't really have any need for a double edged knife. A flat back is more useful.

Nice

 

[Sam7sf]

The cold steel trail hawk has been in my collection for many years. Hiking in Oregon to being in my truck with my etool right now. It’s light, good steel, and the back has a flat so it doubles as an actual building tool.

 

[mountainbull]

Other
Any gauge shot gun, single shot, break open.
Easy to load and maintain

 

[TxMongrel]

other. I have a Mel Parry Blade. pretty happy with it, holding up well.

 

[Hoji]

INFI Busse NFMD. All the chopping power of an axe, the brush clearing of a machete, will do everything you need to field process game, and you seriously have to try hard to get them dull.