Recommendations on Small Game Knife

Buck Ergohunter Waterfowler Pro, $55 on ebay.

Buck 102 Woodsman.

Budget in mind? An inexpensive Mora, Marttiini, Buck all do the job just fine. And from their you can get as fancy as you want.

Personally I choose my Marttiini Lynx or Skinner to get the job done on small game. Otherwise my Rapala fillet knife depending on the cut.

I never used anything on ducks or small game that I didn't use to gut deer and hogs in the field. For the last 25 years it's been a favorite Gerber Gator Serrator. It's light, ergonomic, tough, slip free, and holds a heck of an edge. Why have a special knife for this game or that when one works? I do have favorite skinners, a cleaver, such as that for butchering, but as a field knife goes, my old Gerber ain't broke. Heck, I've even filleted fish with it when I didn't have a filet knife with me.

Methinks folks make too big a deal out of hunting knives. I mean, yeah, there's the cheap junk, but there's stuff like Bucks and Gerbers that are great for an affordable price. It's a chunk of steel. It'll hold a good edge or it won't. It'll hold up or it won't. What i've got now has held up for a while now and I use my knives a lot.

I have one knife that retails now days for nearly 200 bucks, or the last time i checked it out. It was a Christmas present from my now departed father in 1975, a Case Kodiak. i't kiinda big, a good skinner, pretty knife, but its edge is delicate. All in all, I prefer my Gerber skinner I got about 8 years ago at Wallyworld for 20 bucks. Don't get quite as sharp (have shaved my face with that Case), but it holds an edge better as it's a more robust edge.

It's funny, when I read these knife threads, EVERYONE has a favorite and EVERYONE loves to bash this or that known brand as being junk or junk now days, or whatever. Whatever. I have what I like. I do kinda miss my old Schrade carbon steel sheath knife I had as a kid, went off to college, all the moves, don't know where that knife went. It was a great general purpose knife and skinner. Everything now days is made of stainless. There weren't a thing wrong with a decent grade of carbon steel IMHO.

Oh, I got this one stolen, but I had a fantastic little 6 dollar stainless Fiskars hunting knife for a time. I miss that one, too. It was cheap, no braggin' knife, but it sure had and edge to it and was really light on the belt.

Oh, don't buy anything with "Winchester" or "Smith and Wesson" brand on it. Gun companies import cheap Chinese crap and you buy the brand. I do like that cleaver that came with the Smith and Wesson set, but they could take the knives back. I got it as a Christmas present. I guess it's the thought that counts. Okay, that's MY knife bash for this thread.

The Knives of Alaska Alpha Wolf might be something to look at. They offer it in several handle materials. I have the OD green with synthetic handles. Hard to tell from the photo's, but it is a pretty small lightweight knife. Haven't blooded mine yet, but is what I'm carrying for deer this year.

One of the features I really like is the well designed leather sheath that holds the knife at a slight cant instead of sraight down. I forget it is there. Makes a good trout fishing knife too.

http://www.knivesofalaska.com/store.asp?c=8

http://www.knivesofalaska.com/item.asp?id=2&r=store.asp?c=8

And to agree with MCgunner, you don't have to spend $100 for a knife unless you just want to. One of these Mora Knives selling for $15 will be as good or better than many selling for $100+. But there is nothing wrong with doing it with a little style either.

http://www.smkw.com/webapp/eCommerce/prodlist.jsp?SearchText=mora knives&Mode=Text&range=13

MCgunner said:

Oh, don't buy anything with "Winchester" or "Smith and Wesson" brand on it. Gun companies import cheap Chinese crap and you buy the brand.

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True to a point. I DO own an S&W folder I carry regularly. For a cheap knife ($20ish), it has been excellent over the years. I beat it up, give it a new edge, and it's back to work. So, it's fair to say with the imported "brand name" knives, it's a matter of luck - I got lucky, I know.

How about fixed vs folder? I've read that folders are not full tang, and a pain to clean fur, blood, and fat out of.

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To be honest I generally carry a folder inside a pocket and out of sight. The good ones are strong enough even though not as strong as a full tang fixed blade. That matters in a survival knife that may be called on to do things better suited to a pry bar than a knife. Not really an issue with dressing game. Cleaning it takes a little more time, but I've never felt it was a huge issue.

Lately I have grown to appreciate a small fixed blade though. I don't have to put my dirty wet hands inside my pocket to retrieve it. Don't have to open it before using it or close it when finished. Just drop it back in the sheath when finished. While not real classy the Mora knives I refered to in my previous post are very functional for this. If I lose one I'm out $15. They are the sharpest and easiest to sharpen knives I own.

I like knives, any knives. Then again, I like Leatherman tools too. I've used Buck, Case, Gerber, Swiss Army, Smith & Wesson, Marttini (from Finland), and Benchmade. Everyone of those knives cut perfectly well.

One day my daughter let me use her custom made Don Lewellyn knife (made by a THR member).

Geno

I like a folder with a relatively long spey blade for cleaning small game and birds. A Case Slim Trapper to be specific.

I have used one of these for almost 50 years on everything from small game to dressing out deer in the field. Have never felt the need for anything else. The gut hook has seen more use takin' out knots in rope and shoelaces than pulling guts, but it still comes in handy on those days the birds are gettin' warm and the truck is still a long ways away.The long thin blade works well for dressing deer, especially when removing the vent.

Gerber, Puma or buck . In that order have used 'em all. They all work great and hold an edge. My favorite? Gerber.

Quote:
Originally Posted by MCgunner View Post
Oh, don't buy anything with "Winchester" or "Smith and Wesson" brand on it. Gun companies import cheap Chinese crap and you buy the brand.

Click to expand...

True to a point. I DO own an S&W folder I carry regularly. For a cheap knife ($20ish), it has been excellent over the years. I beat it up, give it a new edge, and it's back to work. So, it's fair to say with the imported "brand name" knives, it's a matter of luck - I got lucky, I know.

Click to expand...

Just base this on that set I got for Christmas a few years back from my SIL. It comes with a skinner/gut hook and a little boning knife along with a cleaver. The cleaver is way useful, but the skinner/gut hook is crappy. The little boning knife would be useful if the thing would keep a decent edge. Oh well, you got the luck, I didn't. LOL

For small game and birds, I use a pocket knife with a gut hook. Works great. But for pheasants and grouse I usually don't use the knife. I stand on the the wings and pull them apart by the legs. That leaves the breat and wings which I either twist off or clip off with a game scissors. A knife works too and you can cut the legs off as well. If I want the whole bird I need the gut hook.

I've been scouring gun shows and bought a couple off of eBay. The old sharp finger series by Schrade. Sold under old timer also. Functional, American made and easy to sharpen. Just keep them oiled!!!

I prefer a decent folder. I go with the type that has a pocket clip. I find the pocket clip handier to attach to an exterior pocket or bib or suspender. I like a good belt knife with.a.fixwd blade too but too often ita buried under my hunting bibs or waders. Usually a Gerber. Kershaw. Or Buck.

Buck 102. nuff said

I bought a large Case Trapper this year. I got tired of carrying around the big fixed blade and lost my little spyderco. This is my new favorite knife. No wonder it is a classic. I field dressed, skinned and quartered a deer this year and was very impressed. From there the wife and mother-in-law take over in the kitchen. But I am much happier now that I have a knife that fits in my pocket. It gets the job done for me.

For small game specifically, a larger knife will just be in your way. I've been a fan of Case knives for decades and would recommend a locking folder.

The only problem recently is they don't ship with the edge they used to. Put some work into a sharp edge before you try to use it. But brother will they hold that edge.

When I was young getting into hunting, it seemed like the knife to have was a Buck 110. When I finally got one I thought it was the greatest knife ever. Years later, I still find a Buck 110 more than satisfactory for the purpose. My son used a Buck 112 (bottom) I gave him as a gift on his first Buck last year. It did a fine job also. They're American made and very affordable to boot.

I've used my barlows(usually cheap TSC Schrades) for dressing everything from squirrels to deer,but anymore, for small game, I use a pair of harbor freight heavy duty shears(the ones with the red handles and "wire" notch). They do what I need and my knives stay sharp for other stuff. Nothing in my experiance dulls a knife quite like squirrels.