It is just amazing that the West was ever won without "survival knives"!. From the museums I have gone to, from the displays I have seen, old timers did not chop trees down with knives, they used axes. And they used froes to create shakes.
I really doubt old timers were stupid enough to beat on the back of a knife, to split wood, something that "experts" today call battoning.
Genuine 1830 replica knives have been around since the 1830's, they are the Russell Green River knives. As a class the blades are thinner than so called "survival" knives and they work very well in the kitchen. I used a sheep skinner in the kitchen for about a decade, before I ground it down to nothing through sharpening.
I have this five inch Russell Hunter knife, it would make a very good kitchen knife. The six inch version, is a bit long.
For a modern knife, at a low price point, it is hard to beat a Mora
The stainless versions have 12C27 blades, and Mora makes a laminated steel version
These are just great knives for all the little cutting and trimming jobs that will occur, and they won't break your budget if you lose one.
