My "best" knife is my Case CV trapper.
Its thin blades take and hold a superb edge, making it a really good slicer. It feels nice in my hand, and rides well in my pocket. It's seen me through many camping trips and outdoor excursions, while still being perfectly suited for office duty. I like having two blades, too, so that I can keep one razor sharp (spey blade, for food, skinning, and other delicate work), and put a utility edge on the other (clip blade, for cutting rope & cardboard, whittling, opening the mail, making a fuzz stick to build my campfire, carving my initials into a picnic table, etc.). On top of all that, it's the perfect size for me. I find that my other slipjoints, like stockmen and canoes, are a little to small for my hands, and the blades are a little shorter than I'd like. Even a stockman that is the same closed length (4.25") has a master blade that's a tad small for my liking. I even prefer it over my state-of-the-art tacticals (although my 710 or CQC-10 are never far behind), because of its aesthetic value and sheer usefulness. Sometimes I don't want to use a big, black tactical knife, especially in front of non-knuts. And, sometimes a 4" blade that's .125" thick is a little more than I need -- I'll use a fixed blade for many of those larger tasks.
Peace.
Alex.
