New to knives

[steelfingers]

Looking for a good all purpose knife. Something you can baton and use to skin in a pinch. I know that I will get nailed by the knife people (I deserve that) but can't find a good all purpose THE ONE KNIFE I WOULD TAKE knife. I have looked on youtube and elsewhere but most are just pushing their own knives or that of their sponsors knives.

 

[dennishoddy]

Looking for a good all purpose knife. Something you can baton and use to skin in a pinch. I know that I will get nailed by the knife people (I deserve that) but can't find a good all purpose THE ONE KNIFE I WOULD TAKE knife. I have looked on youtube and elsewhere but most are just pushing their own knives or that of their sponsors knives.

We do have some folks that are into knives here pretty seriously that can answer your question.

For ME, I don't have one knife that can do everything well. I can use just about any knife to do anything, but doing it well is the key. A fillet knife will clean fish better than a bayonet, but the bayonet is certainly capable of cleaning a fish.

My 6" Buck Hunter will skin an elk, but a McCrosky elk skinner will do it better.

Left my hunting knife at home once and had to field dress a deer with a 2 1/2" folder. That was a chore, but it got the job done.

Good luck in your search.

 

[otis147]

batonned my ESEE 3 more than once. plenty tough, 1/8" thick, great slicer. pair it with a bigger knife or machete, and all your bases are covered.

 

[steelfingers]

I have several knives that I use for different things. For deer, fillet knife for fish, and inbetweeners for gp. But if I had to grab one, that's what I have been thinking about.

 

[otis147]

my "one knife" is a junglas. chop, slice, baton... plenty of room on the sheath to lash a small survival kit to. or a $9 tramontina machete.

 

[R3DLINE]

 

[randallss7]

call me old school but for an all purpose folder I would go with a Buck 110 type or even a locking sod buster both are great shapes for all around use. I would never baton a folding knife personally.

For a fixed blade which I think would make a much better single carry all purpose knife I would go with something like the Bench Made or Spyder CO bushcraft models or any other of 1/2 dozen brands, they are really almost the same as there hunting models, A good quality steel 4 inch or so blade, flat grind, these knives will do everything you mentioned and fairly well, but may be large for EDC.

honestly picking one knife might drive me crazy, I carry, every day, a fixed blade on my belt and a Sod Buster in my pocket, a leatherman wave in my truck and a 9 1/2" fixed blade in my tool pouch for heavy use, made from d2 tool steel. Some are my own makes, some are purchased knives.

 

[COZICAN]

I don't have a ESEE-3 but if I were to pick an all purpose knife that would be my choice. I should have recommended the ESEE-5 as I have a brand new one I would like to part with.

 

[donner]

Looking for a good all purpose knife. Something you can baton and use to skin in a pinch. I know that I will get nailed by the knife people (I deserve that) but can't find a good all purpose THE ONE KNIFE I WOULD TAKE knife. I have looked on youtube and elsewhere but most are just pushing their own knives or that of their sponsors knives.

View attachment 51420

The first issue, as many have alluded to, is do you want fixed or a folder?

If you're batoning then most will push you towards a fixed blade. If you want a knife that you CAN baton with, but wont unless absolutely necessary then you've got more option, but batoning can be hard on a folder and ruin the locking mechanism if you're not careful.

That said, the cold steels get great reviews for the strength of their locking system. Here is a good video about what it can withstand (though it's a bit over the top at times)

R3DLINE posted a picture of the tanto version, but there are also a spear point and clip point version, and three sizes (4 inch, 3 inch and micro) if you need something more or less portable.

 

[otis147]

if you want a folder you can baton, look at the svord peasant's knife. awesome friction folder, L6 steel takes a crazy edge, under 20$