Of my knives today .. meaning knives I'm have some experience with already ... I think the rubber handled Buck Vanguard is my favorite. Mine sharpens up pretty well, holds and edge pretty well, and isn't slick when my hands are covered in blood.
I may have a replacement favorite but I haven't had a chance to use it yet. It's a Benchmade "Steep Country". It does not seem to be slick, either, and it is lighter yet.
In the past, my first favorite was a Buck General. If you've got the wrist strength to use it deftly, it is a great knife. The handle is slick when you get blood or fat on it. Very few people have the wrist strength to handle that much blade with precision and fatigue is dangerous.
The next / most recent past favorite before the Vanguard was a first generation Gerber LMF. It looks somewhat like what they market as the "Steadfast" now. The current LMF is a very different knife. 6 inch blade, pretty heavy. It sharpened nicely, held an edge fairly well, and the grip was not slick when bloody. I still use it in the kitchen "processing" meat and carry it in my bag in the truck at times. Oddly enough, it has taken to corroding .. deep etching of the steel and an odd rust. I've never had a stainless knife do that. It's not blood in the sheath, I've sunk it underwater for days, then run it through the washer twice.
Among folding knives, my favorite is the Gerber Magnum LST. It is pretty light, locks up reliably. I'm a fan of the Buck 110 but the regular one is too heavy for what it is. They once offered a version with a skeletonized titanium handle ... wish I had one.
I used to carry a saw some ... Wyoming Saw III, I think. The little one. I don't do that anymore deer hunting. Any parts I would have sawed loose, today I just peel the meat off of them and leave the bone in the field. It goes in my truck pack / bag when I'm elk hunting, however. I also carry a gerber pack-axe in that pack/bag.
Tom
