Wiley Horne--So. Calif.
Thanks to all for a great discussion.

I'm a bit chastised about using my Puma as a planting tool. So will convert an old beater plough iron or two for the purpose--have half a box full of 'em.

After tightening up the Puma, I detailed the blades and it's doing great. But meantime the knife bug has done bit me, so I ordered a Case Seahorse despite not knowing what the heck 'Tru-sharp precision surgical steel' is, and asked to be notified when a particular Northfield trapper jack w/Wharncliffe second blade would be available--both from Smoky Mountain knife works.

Mulling over the original question about 'why double bevels?', it seems to me that these portable knives originated being used on farms, homesteads, and by hunters, and they were all doing certain key tasks where you don't want the knife climbing the work--like skinning animals, skinning green sticks to do stuff with the bark, plus they likely didn't have perfectly flat hones to keep flat metal flat. So, all in all, a stimulating thread! Thanks to all.

Wiley