digger9523

In response to the main question though, possibly the best knife I've ever had the pleasure of using was this:

It's a Stuart Mitchell 'Secare'. He sent it down for me to trial. I flogged the sh@t out of it battoning a load of kindling, then used it to skin and butcher 2 Fallow prickets for the bushcraft magazine Mayday gathering.

Didn't sharpen it once while i had it, and although it wouldn't quite shave hairs when i sent it back, it was still sharp.

I've owned and used an Alan Wood/Ray Mears 'Woodlore' knife for the last 14 years. It's a bit like Triggers broom now! It's had 2 new handles and a new sheath.

They start off with Birdseye Maple i believe, my first re-scale was with Buffalo horn, and i filed in a vine pattern to the spine.. Was nice, but then i got this piece of Arizona Desert Ironwood, and i Had to do it again!

Mate of mine saw it and wanted me to make hime one like it. As Browndog picked up earlier, i recommended a good quality stainless steel.

So, i fumbled this thing together with some 154CM stainless, some more of that Ironwood, and some Bog Oak liners. 154CM was developed for use in jet engines in the early '70's