I have been using knives for over 4 decades now and making them for more than a couple as a hobby. I have a forge and the other equipment. I agree with most of the folks here and am glad to see some folks realize that the knife is a tool just like and other you use different types of screwdrivers for different screws why not thingk of knives that way as well?
Several years ago I was laid up after a serious illness and got bored and a good case of cabing fever during a long storm to boot. I had an idea for a simple project to break the boredom and get me back on my feet a bit. Instead of starting with a chunk of steel and going from scratch I wanted to see what I could do with a commonly avaialable knife and some low temp grinding and simple tools. A series of freakish coincidences put the knife I was looking for right in my hands. It started as a "Forge-Craft" cleaver. I cut the clip with a Dremel and cut-off wheel and the whole project took a couple of hours with breaks because i still wan't "healthy". Darned if it didn't turn out to be one of the handiest "camp knives" I've ever used. Pick one of the cleavers up at a garage sale or thrift store or buy it new if you must and give it a try. (Shown with a Gerber LST as a"lightweight kit")
