Bushcrafter style knife question

[TheBigRedArcher]

Hey all:

A friend asked me to make him a "survival" knife for an upcoming trip to south america to do some backpacking. He asked that is be tough and able to accomplish camp chores from cutting to chopping. I am thinking 1095 high carbon and something in the line of what I would call a bushcrafter style. Being that I have never made a bushcrafter style... Are there limits to what can be called a bushcrafter? Length, width, thickness. Any comments are very welcome on this one as I am entering a new area.

TRBA

[Jim Jackson]

Your friend may want to check on regulations on knife specs for the countries that will be visited.  I was in peru in 05 and you wouldn't believe the attention my leatherman tool received going through entrance and exit checkpoints of the inca trail and even buried deep in my checked luggage at the airport. I'd advocate for ease of concealment also for those reasons.

[Gdpolk]

Bushcraft knives seem to be a highly personal choice that varies based on what actual tasks someone will be doing with their knives when "bushcrafting" and where they live.  

Some are happy with a small fixed blade like a Mora to simply carve, set traps, cut rope, and prepare meals.  Others want a massive tank of a knife like a BK9 or larger that they can chop down small trees with and baton through 6" logs without risk of damaging their blade.

For backpacking where I'll be building only small fires with wood no larger than my wrist size, I like a 4.5-5.5" blade for wood prep.  I do baton wood for fires but only if thats the only way to get to dry wood, otherwise I just find small sticks and tinder to start the fires with.  Honestly, on most established backpacking trails, my 5" fixed blade isn't necessary unless I'm on a wet winter hike but I like to have it for fire prep and carving.

Here is a thread that may help you see what others are using successfully and give you a starting point to talk to your friend about ideas:
 http://bushcraftusa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=61484

[srtben]

2 knives would be better than one.  
A small drop point for traps, cooking and other small tasks, and a larger one for chopping wood and brush.

[TheBigRedArcher]

Thanks for the input everyone. @ A. Kinslow... I will let him know about that, thanks for the heads up. last thing I want to happen is him winding up on that show locked up abroad.

TBRA