Hi Glen,
This topic of knives really is a wide open opinion-fest, as just about everyone has a favourite style, steel type, shape, edge profile, handle design, sheath design, etc. There is no right answer. It’s a very personal decision as to what works best for you. Based on your needs, especially since you do not carry an axe, I think you would want to consider a robust, strong, full tang blade for batoning through wood.
Here is my 2 cents based on what works for me:
The knife I have been carrying for several years now on my belt, and which is my favourite, is the Falkniven F1. It’s a legendary knife too.
Its just a tad under 4 inches, drop point. I prefer drop points for many reasons.
http://www.fallkniven.com/en/shop/details/370/24/fixed-blades/survival-knives/f1l
The blade is 4mm thick on the spine, with a very strong point. The spine is sharply right angled so it will rip off a whopping ball of molten metal from a ferro rod (the F1 was designed as the Swedish air force pilot’s survival knife, so fire making function is part of its design). The standard model’s steel is laminated with a hard VG10 in the middle for edge holding (Rockwell 59), and a softer stainless on the outside for strength. I recommend this one. They also make it in a 3G steel, which is much harder at Rockwell 62, which IMO is too hard for a bush knife that you will want to be able to touch up easily.
It’s a perfect convex edge. A convex edge is very strong and holds an edge when sharpened right. If you don’t know how to sharpen a convex edge, there is a learning curve. Best way is to strop it on wet-dry 2000 grit sandpaper on an old mouse pad. You can google it on YT for many demonstrations on how to strop on sandpaper and a mouse pad. You finish by stropping it on a leather strop, with an optional intermediate step to strop it on a leather strop with honing compound. Once you get used to stropping (no oil, no water), it very quick and convenient to touch up an edge.
You can also work it hard on a series of grits of a sharpening stone to put a micro bevel on it, and then sharpen it in the more familiar style of sliding into the stone. I did that on my F1. I still strop it mostly, but in the bush I carry a little diamond sharpening stone, and touch it up by stroking into the stone along the micro bevel, and stropping it on my belt or on tree bark, or anything smooth but firm. This combination of both into the stone, and stropping, is very easy to maintain a super sharp edge with very little time and effort.
However a robust convex edge knife takes a little more skill than a scandi grind or gradual flat grind to carve very fine feathers for kindling, but you will get the hang of it. A convex blade is a much better wood splitter than a flat or scandi grind. The F1 is so robust you can also baton across the grain to cross cut wood without any fear of rolling the edge, or breaking the blade. The negative to the above listed advantages is that it does not have that very thin blade for fine carving work, but with skill you can work it.
The F1 comes with two sheath options: a classic snap-over leather sheath, which is what I have, and a top snap around plastic zytel sheath. Both of these sheaths have secondary securement, which is what you want for paddling in case you go for a swim, and or crawling over around and through blowdown, and bushwhacking. An open pouch sheath IMO is not secure when in a canoe and over water.
The handle is a very nice feeling thermorun rectangular shaped handle (thermorun is like a hard textured rubber). The rectangular cross section provides good blind feel for where the knife is, compared to a rounder handle where your muscles cannot feel what the blade angle is. The F1 handle is made to work in the dark, and in freezing cold, and when wet – they thought of everything for this little survival knife.
The negative for the F1 is that its on the small side, and is not shaped like a stabbing knife for bear (or people) protection. Being a little short, it will have limitations for baton splitting of larger diameter wood. But you take outer splits off first, or cut wood splitting wedges to baton with, and you are fine. Its not an issue for me because I carry an axe as standard kit. But I got the F1 to see me through should I lose my axe, and it’s a very nice fire prep knife anyways, especially with its full sharp spine for making micro shavings.
The F1’s tang is also extended as a steel pommel for hammering stuff.
I like the F1’s deep belly for versatile work, but its tip is still pointy enough for drilling holes.
The next size up in Falkniven’s survival and forest knife family is the S1, which has a 5 inch blade, which they call their “forest knife”. It does have a swedge end for stabbing. Its even more robust at 5mm thick. The rear spine is sharp right angled for ripping a ferro rod for fire making, and making fine shavings. I do not own the S1 and have never used it, but I lust after it as my next knife! Its bigger and heavier than the F1, and so far I just love my F1 so much that I am Ok to leave the S1 for another day. But as a bear weapon the S1 would be superior. Its also got more chopping ability that the F1, but I don’t chop (much) with my knife, again since I have my axe. But perhaps for your needs without an axe, the extra length and weight for chopping might be an advantage.
Have a look at Falkniven’s website.
http://www.fallkniven.com/en
For purchasing, I got mine from BushcraftCanada.com. I know that Harlan at Red Lake Outfitters also sells F1’s, and its one of his feature knives.
For fine carving, a thinner steel with a scandi grind, like many of the Mora’s, will do a better fine carving job. I love my Mora’s too, and take one in my kit as a second knife. I make all my bow drill and hand kits with my Mora’s. But for firecraft, shelters, tent pegs, bushcraft, emergency repairs, carving a new paddle, or new gunwale splints, etc, I would rely on my F1 first.
Best of luck with your choice.