Kutenaymtn..... First of all thanks for your excellent posts. I've probably learn as much from your posts as I have from any others. Sorry to post a knife question here but didn't know if you read the Knife forum.

What Knifes, axes or other edged tools do you reccommend and find most useful.......Thanks..........DJ

I have used a very wide variety in both mountain and marine environments and my tastes have changed over the years.

For axes, the Grandfors Bruks axes from Sweden are absolutely the best I have ever used, but, they are quite expensive and can be easily damaged by rust and misuse. If, you do a lot of wood cutting, they are super, but, there are better choices for splitting. I also like to keep one of those Estwing all steel axes in the cab of my truck because they are very rust resistant; thye are too hard on the hands due to vibration for extensive chopping, but, o.k. for quick jobs. You can mitigate the unpleasant vibration by wrapping the metal part of the helve (handle) with several layers of vinyl electricians tape, this really works, btw.

For production knives, I use Cold Steel Carbon V knives and friends use Fjallkniven knives from Sweden, these work better than anything else I have tried and if they rust, so what, they clean up easily. I have some very beautiful custom knives from various exotic steels, but, my most used custom knife is a simple custom made here by a retired mine machinist from O1 tool steel. I have tried 154cm, ats34, various 440s and none of them hold an edge to my satisfaction, to me, handsome is as handsome does.

I am very fond of my Leatherman "Wave" and use it for hunting and "making meat" constantly.This tool,a good, 3" drop point knife, a Wyoming Saw with both blades and my Grandfors hatchet are basicly it for all of my hunting trips and I add a larger axe and good, heavy Swede saw for longer sojourns.

I am very seriously considering getting one of those Scott Cook knives, the smaller Owyhee as I have found that a person can easily skin and bone-out a bull Elk with one good knife; the problem is that too many knives are not made by hunters. One other point, is too keep your eye open for the Puma knives made in the '50s and '60s, these are the carbon steel ones and they will take a super edge and hold it. You often see used ones at gunshows for only a few bucks, they're woth buying.