18th Century Wilderness Survival. Then and Now. The Knife.

I could quite easily have become a knife collector, I have a thing about knives. I have owned quite a few modern knives over the years, but none of them ever shaped up to my expectations. I learnt very early on that knives are individual things, and they have specific uses. There is in my opinion no such thing as an all round knife that can take the place of hatchet and knife.
I like a big knife for a hunting knife, but I don't like heavy knives. Throwing knives are great fun, but they are for throwing and do not perform well on other jobs. A hunting knife is for dispatching, skinning and butchering. In an emergency it may even be needed for hunting and defence.
A short blade can be good for skinning, but it does not have the length to reach an animals heart. Longer blades if heavy can be clumsy for skinning and butchering, but with practice a lighter blade can be used efficiently. As a professional meat hunter I always carried more than one knife, and I still do.
No matter where you are or the climate your working in the main object is to dispatch the animal as quickly as possible and to field dress it as cleanly and quickly as possible. One wrong stroke with a blade can dull it against bone, and that is when the second knife comes out so you can carry on.

The author's hunting knife and sheath. A large butcher knife but light.

Author's legging knife, light and simple construction.

Clasp knives are also good to carry as a spare knife.

Another simple large but light period butcher knife. This one cost the author seven dollars at a flea market.

A period whet stone to keep those blades sharp.