There can be only one - but maybe with a new twist...

[TwoFlowersLuggage]

I'm sure similar questions to this have been asked previously, but I'm hoping to give it a slightly different twist:

You can only own and/or carry ONE personal knife for the REST OF YOUR LIFE. What would that knife be? Remember, you get this one knife and no others - ever. You can choose to carry it, or simply keep it safe and carry nothing. What you do with the knife and how you use it is completely up to you - but you get only this one. If you wear it out, then that's it, you can't replace it. It can be any knife available for sale in the world - cost doesn't matter - it does not have to be a knife you can currently afford. It can be old or modern, folding or fixed, tiny or huge, 1 blade or 42 blades.

What would you choose and why? (queue the Jeopardy music)

I'm not going to give my answer yet - mostly because I'm not sure what to choose - but I will...

[KnifeSlinger#81]

Easy, schrade cut 8813. I’d carry it every day.

[Railsplitter]

I would have to go with the knife that I've carried more than any other knife since I started collecting and that would be this Queen Railsplitter. It's robust enough to take on heavier tasks if necessary while still being comfortable in my pocket, it has three useful blades, and I like the D2 steel.

My second choice would be one of my GEC Churchills.

[royal0014]

This question has been asked more than once around here ....

Me; I have difficulty choosing one knife for a day . . . .

One knife for life ? Just shoot me ........

[garddogg56]

two dot Buck 112

[bdev]

Camillus C4.

[tallguy606]

My Case large copperlock.

[philco]

This question has been asked more than once around here ....

Me; I have difficulty choosing one knife for a day . . . .

One knife for life ? Just shoot me ........

Mercy sakes Chris, you are too funny!

[TwoFlowersLuggage]

I'm having a hard time deciding. Part of me thinks it should be a modern knife with modern steel so that it will have the best of modern design, engineering and materials. But the other part of me wants to choose a traditional knife with a design that has already proved it can last 100+ years. Yet another part says that a fixed blade knife makes much more sense because there is more steel for strength and longevity and it would be able to handle any job. Then the small, greedy part says "Fool! Pick the most valuable, diamond encrusted jewelry knife, sell it and be knifeless, but wealthy!" A wealthy man can hire people to cut things for him...

[Quick Steel]

One knife alone, for life.

One knife:

[FRJ]

Well, I got this 716 back in January of 91 and we have put on some miles together.
I couldn't leave it behind. 4 1/2".

[jerryd6818]

Only one?

[Mumbleypeg]

I choose to think the entire premise is absurd!

Ken

[tongueriver]

I would not always answer this the same way, and of course the premise is flawed but I surprised myself for this morning's answer, and by saying "garden variety black phenolic handle late issued BUCK 121, but with the old-style flap-over sheath." Odd, considering some of what I own.
As for reasoning, this knife will do everything from picking out a sliver to completely processing an African elephant. It will keep an edge very well and it is possible for me to put that edge on it with a little difficulty. It has no weird profiles to snag anything, such as clothing or deer guts, or to stymie sharpening with compound grinds and extreme curves. It excels in the kitchen for all but veggie prep. The handle, especially when roughed-up slightly, has good ergonomics for the hand and will last forever. The guard is adequately protective but not overdone. The bird-head pommel allows quick-draw. The aforementioned sheath allows easy access but excellent protection from loss. The price is right. The steel is hard enough to facilitate the aforementioned pluses and will also last a long time. The stainless feature provides low maintenance, does not flavor or discolor food, and does not have the bitter odor of 1095. All of these features are repeated in the other members of that BUCK line-up, the 120, 119, 118, 105 and 102. The only disadvantage, and it does not apply to me, is its visibility and large presence during carry. That's all.

[Mr. Chips]

Well, I got this 716 back in January of 91 and we have put on some miles together.
I couldn't leave it behind. 4 1/2".

I have one just like that which is my go to hunting knife.
I got it in the early 90s and have disassembled a couple or three moose and a LOT of deer with it.

A friend helped me get my last moose out with a multi wheeled ATV rig. He was really impressed with the performance of that knife, and so I got him one like it.

We moved shortly thereafter, to a part of BC that doesn't, sadly, have nearly as good moose hunting. Better deer hunting though, so the knife still gets a workout every year.

[FRJ]

Thanks, Mr. Chips, it's good to hear someone else has one. How is the lock up on your and your friends knife?

I gave one to my son. He loves it and the action on his is fine.
I have heard that Camillus had some trouble with the locks.
Mine is a real favorite.

[Edgewise]

My Puma 965 from 1973 of course. It can do anything any knife can do. Photo from cuttingedge.com

Either that or my Bark River Boone with stacked leather. I'll choose when the time comes . I think this photo is from knivesshipfree.

[Old Hunter]

Tough to pick, but thinking through my work, various outdoors activities to include hunting and fishing I would chose a Buck 110 (any of these of mine would suffice). The need to pocket it during work would necessitate having the folding feature, but I still want strength for the bigger chores. OH

[kootenay joe]

Quick Steel, your Spivey knife looks very stout and capable, the tip is stout for penetrating and the 2 tier saw teeth look like they can really cut through wood or bone.
I have never seen this knife before or heard of "Spivey". Can you tell us a bit bout this rare ? knife ?
kj

[Quick Steel]

Spivey made two cross country horseback rides years ago. Wrote a good book about it. He even got permission from each state attorney general to carry his gun. After his first ride he wanted to lighten his pack . So he made the Sabertooth to combine knife, ax, and saw. The knife blade is more effective than the typical hatchet. The saw teeth are awesome.

I chose it for my one and only knife because if we were, according to the premise, to have only one lifetime knife then I figure the balloon has gone up. In other words, due to some apocalyptic event its time to take to the woods or mountains. Thus this knife would prove more of a necessity than a pocket knife. I no longer have the book but I remember he consulted with a well known custom knife maker as to which steel to use. The only thing I can recall now is that it was the same steel used in the construction of Army tanks.

I believe the knife still sells for a bit over $300 and is a huge value imo.

[kootenay joe]

Is it a full custom made by Spivey ? or a knife made for Spivey ?
kj

[Quick Steel]

Spivey made them himself. Just found more info on Amazon. He wrote a Kindle book for collectors. The steel is 4140 Chromolly. The steel was suggested to him by Bo Randall. He used a variety of handle materials, mostly many types of woods.

[Quick Steel]

I recommend the several YouTube videos about him, Jefferson Spivey, and his knife. One of them is when he appeared on Who Can You Trust?, the old quiz program. I see that there is a production model, which is what I have, and which did not use the hand made wooden handles. This is the less expensive model and the details of its production are not known by me.

[OLDE CUTLER]

Camillus C4.

Camillus C4.jpg

After careful consideration, I will agree. Camillus C4.

[Quick Steel]

Golly OC, that is a beauty.