The ideal thickness for a camping knife is between 3/16 and 1/4 of an inch. It will become highly sturdy and able to endure damage from activities such as chopping wood, battening, or prying. While yet being flexible enough to be used for anything that requires your blade to be used on the surface below ground level. A blade should not flex when it is placed in its intended use. In fact, it should be sufficiently strong to prevent any bending whatsoever.