Home Forums Gear Knives and Blades The Search For The Perfect Knife...

Perhaps its because I've operated within a narrow band of mediocrity most all my life, I found out that, "it is best not to let the perfect be the enemy of the good"

ya!

GWB

Amen to that.

Thankful for it

If your knives are mediocre, i dont think I want to witness superb.

Making something that cuts is so easy, a caveman can do it.

For me perfect means something I can get shaving sharp very easy in field conditions. Over the years I've moved away from thick indestructible blades made from super steel to very thin simple carbon steel blades.

after some 60+ years of searching for that perfect knife, I find that its still elusive. I damn sure love the ones I have though.

Just my opinion but like all things knife design is a balance of all factors, blade design, blade length, thickness, grind, steel, edge retention, toughness, handle design and so on. I’ve have used in the past an Opinel No.8, a Svord peasant knife, a Mora, a Schrade 125OT and found them all perfect at the time. As long as I can sharpen them to a fine edge they have all performed well. Are they perfect, no but they can get the job done. The search continues.

Nick

I get closer year after year and the steel makers keep giving me more of what I want which means I need to redefine perfect.

I guess I should be happy that I keep moving to something better.

i had a custom skinning knife made works well on deer and elk , matter fact i am having another one like mine made for my son too.

Just my opinion, but I do not believe the "perfect" knife exists. Having had the opportunity to make
specked out knives for others and myself, I don't think the expression of (........ would be perfect) has
been achieved. There are much better than me makers out there but I doubt the perfect knife
has been made. Even if one were perfect for one person, it would not be for another.
A near perfect knife would be one that does the job at hand as well or better than expected.

If I were only allowed one knife, it would probably be a drop point with 3.5" cutting edge, comfortable
handle and a very good stain resistant steel. It would do some things very well and most anything in a pinch.

How did that knife work?
Really great!
Perfect!

Just my 2 cents.

I'm pretty sure it will be my next one. In the meantime, I like Tim's assessment.

. Amen

I don't think "perfect" exists in absolute terms but I'm pretty sure "better" exists which is why I keep buying more.

Often times, the job matters. A great general purpose tool is a compromise which may not be very good for any specific chore. Skinning? Gutting? Quartering? Processing / cutting steaks? Scraping hides? Batoning wood? Spreading butter? Etc! And the person it's for matters .. we vary in strength, dexterity, and experience. Sometimes a really good folder is ideal, other times a fixed blade is better. Usually I "need" 2 different knives if not more. .. and my needs have evolved over time.

this is the way I am headed......any recommendations as far as makers.....bob

Mike miller, he posted above, can fix you up.

Makes great knives.

Used one this season on 2 deer so far…

He’ll hollow grind 3/32” stock. Slicey dicey…

Never bought many custom knives. I've made a bunch with bought blades and forged some. That being the case, I like a Carbon steel Mora with a custom handle about as well as anything I've ever owned. If you factor in price of less than $20 for a Mora VS what something from a custom maker charges you see why I started doing my own. Make no mistake though, a maker earns every dollar and is getting very little for his labor. I just have always had more time than money.

I’ll never say anything about a guy that uses any kind of knife….

I’ll got plenty of inexpensive knives.

But i do like having custom knife made the way i want it.

I’ve got a couple drawers of knives i thought were going to be “the one”. 😂😂

That’s the fun of it.

No different than guys that like guns, whiskey, cigars, watches, etc…. A cheap one will do the same as an expensive one in most cases.

I got the itch way back and bought a custom Arkansas made Bob Dozier Yukon Pro Skinner in Bighorn sheep. I also bought a nice big Bowie from Fernham for about $500. They are both real nice but there isn't anything I could do with them that I can't do with a good machete or hatchet and a Mora for about $30 for both. I like them all but the older I get the more they are just tools, and I can treat a cheap tool rough if I need to.