Camp/Backpacking Blades...

[Chris]

I have always believed that when camping/hiking, a knife is simply too valuable to count on just one.  Back in my Scouting days, it was  a Victorinox Swiss Army knife with various tools, a Cold Steel Mini-outdoorsman, and a bigger knife, similar to a KaBar.  When I was in The Army, it became Victorinox, Leatherman, and a Gerber Guardian on the web gear.  As I head back into Scouting with my son, I'm considering this machete from Ontario Knife Company.

http://www.knifestuff.com/ontario/large_knives/large_knives.htm

It's the fourth knife.  heavy enough for some serious work, but not overly large.  Good price, too.

[Perd Hapley]

If you're looking for a sawback machete, I can certainly recommend the Barteaux.  Their saws are highly effective.  A huge factor in this is the thin blade, which requires you to remove less material.  If you plan on using the saw, the handle will need to be customized by sawing off the handguard loop, leaving a nice guard sticking out in front, and a hook in the back.  Fits nicely in a plastic military sheath you can find at many surplus stores. 

http://www.machete.com/serv03.htm

[tokugawa]

Get a nice multi tool, one with a vicegrips.this is for repairs to gear, pulling splinters. Tape a scalpel blade to it. This your tool for working on your bod. Tape half  a hacksaw blade to it. This is for cutting metal. (these are used by holding in the vicegrips. ) Get a wire saw to cut wood. weighs nothing. Get a solid 4-6" knife, with a good non slip handle -this is to cook, cut misc. items, etc. A river rock will sharpen just fine , find a smooth hard stone. And if you want an hatchet --get a hudson bay axe. Lightweight and will do a hundred times the work of a hachet. A hachet is primarily a tool to split kindling. And an E-tool comes in handy also.
 I don't know if the Snow and Nealy axe company, Bangor Maine is still in biz., the woodsmen in my family swore by them.

[Perd Hapley]

A river rock will sharpen just fine , find a smooth hard stone.

There are scads of lightweight hones out there.  Much better than a stone, especially for a stainless or high-end blade. 

[Wasz]

I had a desert tan Swamp Rat Knife Works Camp Tramp.  Think 7.5 inch bowieish blade.  I cant remember the thickness of the spine, but their knives are pretty much unbreakable.  It was perfect for camp, large enough to batton through small kindling, but small enough to use for more standard knife chores. 

I lent/gave it to my buddy along with the kydex sheath I had made for it because he is a marine heading over to Iraq.  I told him to bring it back to me.  As long as he makes it back he can keep it though.

Man I loved that knife, but they changed the line of knives they make now and apparently I cant just order another one.  Oh well I guess its just a reason to buy new knife