[TheForge] Damascus

[CHRIS KILPATRICK]

> >#5.:
> >         What is the criteria for the  "best " knife?


          The concept "best" knife assumes that knifes have only one use in
one environment by one person.  A surgeon's scalpel is a wonderful
instrument, but I would not want to have to make a shelter or clean and gut
an elk with it.  A camp knife does heavy work just fine, but I don't think I
wanna remove a splinter with it.
          As a novice smith, I wanted to make the perfect sword, and I
studied knives and swords and fighting techniques, as I grew to be more
accomplished I began to understand that there is no perfect, only perfect
for the user/environment/usage, and that each of these is more important
than the knife/sword itself.
          Eventually one comes to realize that the knife is a tool, and,
like your screwdriver, there are an infinite number of "right" designs,
depending on the job.



Just my thoughts,

Chris