I also like the USMC K-bar with the black/synthetic sheath. K-bars are also priced very reasonable and they are a great all around knife in my opinion.I would recommend something in a high carbon steel ! even if its just an old hickory butcher knife ! it will last for you! ive been batoning wood with mine a couple years and it spent its first 20 years in a kitchen butchering meat so its held up well over the years. My main knife i actually had made by a buddy in Idaho its in an O1 tool steel / 10.5 inch overall length / 3/16 blade thickness / walnut scales / full flat grind with a clip point / 5.25 inch blade length. Custom leather sheath with a ferro rod loop.