Of those two steels, I'd prefer S35VN. Much more resistant to rust. Much better edge retention with similar blade edge geometry and heat treat. Not a big difference in toughness. I have one 1095 blade, and while I don't have S35VN, my son has one, and I have two in it's close brother S30V. S30V holds a working edge for a good while, and is not difficult to sharpen, altho not as easy to sharpen as 1095. S35VN is supposed to hold a hair splitting sharp edge for longer than S30V. 1095 in the hands of a skilled maker will i'm sure produce a good knife, but there are many, many steels that have much more desirable characteristics. So, as stated earlier, S35VN would be the logical choice for me. Your use is similar to mine, and edge retention and relative ease of sharpening are top characteristics, with rust/stain resistance and toughness not nearly as important. I bet if you got a nice hunting knife in S35VN, with an edge angle of 20 degrees per side or (preferrably a little less), you would be very happy.
