Hunting knives

[wolverine_173]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kL0CB9Ycqn8
here are the different sizes that are popular

 

[Ankeny]

I use a Randall...

You have good taste. I use a Marbles Woodcrafter from before WWII because of the good old carbon steel. I stopped using it because it belonged to my father. The older Master Hunter from Cold Steel is good if you like carbon steel. I also have an older high end Kershaw that is easy to get sharp as a razor, but it doesn't hold an edge well. I mostly use Puma knives with the nod going to my 30 year old folding Game Warden. Ed Fowler is a local maker and his knoves are solid if you want something custom. His Pronghorn knife is really nice.

 

[letsgohunt1]

Buck 102U. Go fixed blade for sure. easier to clean and handle. btw im not caping elk etc.

 

[T.R.]

My favorite is Schrade mode 154UH. This is also known as the Golden Spike. Current knives are built overseas but quality is same as when Schrade was based within USA. I bought one for my nephew when he graduated from high school and we've hunted together a number of times. His import does the job same as my older model.

Check eBay and amazon for best value pricing.

TR

 

[MCgunner]

I had a carbon steel Schrade sheath knife when I was in high school that was wonderful. Lost it in all the moves from college, to college, new houses, etc. It had the old school leather washer grip on it.

I also have an older high end Kershaw that is easy to get sharp as a razor, but it doesn't hold an edge well

I have a Case Kodiak Hunter, about a 175 dollar knife now days, was given to me by my dad for Christmas in the 70s. One can shave his face with that knife, but it don't hold an edge for squat. Great skinner, but one cut on a hog's hide and it's dull. My Gerbers get arm shaving sharp and hold the edge well. They're much more affordable than the Case. The Case was a gift from my late father, a pretty knife with stag grip and brass furniture, but it's a keep sake, never use it. It's a 6" knife which is a might larger than I prefer, anyway.

I can't understand spending big bucks on a knife when affordable ones do the job. But, then, I have bought knives to use, not for the snob appeal. Over the years, I've settled on Gerber and Buck as great knives for the money.

I may look around for something carbon steel, though. That Schrade had a great edge that held up well. It was easy to sharpen, but held its edge well. Bucks are so friggin' hard, takes a while to get an edge on 'em, but they do get sharp and hold the edge due to their hardness.

Just some rambling observations by a non-knife guy on the tools of the hunt.

 

[wolverine_173]

I ended up wanting to buy about 6 knives I liked then decided instead of having 6 I should maybe have 2 or 3 nicer knives

 

[Steel Talon]

Pretty much a Buck loyalist for over 50 years.
Still have my original purchases.

Buck 119 My first "big Game " hunting knife
Buck 110 my first folder hunting knife
Buck Wrangler (Lg stockman) Long list of pocket knives But when this Large model arrived it became my daily carry.
Buck Vanguard given to me as a gift in the early 90's My favorite hunting knife....

 

[wolverine_173]

my dad always used a buck 110

 

[ricebasher302]

My all-time favorite elk knife is the discontinued Benchmade Rant drop-point in D2. It's just the right size for elk an moose. The handle and blafegeometry are nearly perfect for the type of field work I do.

Deer? I use several. Buck 110, Mora or Marttini, Browning Independence in 154CM.

 

[gspn]

i have a Buck 110 (fixed blade) and a few different folding blades depending on which gear bag I have with me.

Folders are more convenient to carry…but I hate cleaning them. Lots of meat and tissue gets down in the knife.

I don't use anything fancy…buck, gerber, stuff like that. I process several whitetail deer a year with those knives…it just doesn't take anything special. Keep 'em sharp and they'll last til you lose them.

I have no experience butchering larger animals…can't help you with knife needs for those.

 

[Liberty1776]

Mora's a great knife. I personally use an old Western bird hunter knife that was found in a garbage dump 'cause the pommel fell off. I epoxied on an antler knob and the knife still is shaving sharp and guts deer just fine 50+ years later. I have many others but this one always goes with me...

 

[Zeke/PA]

Many moons ago, a local supplier to the FFL's in the area had a card of 10 Queen's Cutlery folders on display at $4.50 /knife , sheath included.
I bought the entire card, kept one, gave one to my Dad and sold the rest.
I've carried the knife in the Deer woods ever since and used it extensively on many deer kills. The stainless blades are capable of shaving sharp edges and the knife is well constructed.

 

[Barry the Bear]

Condor Hudson Bay Knife does it for me.

 

[Caliche Kid]

Dressing and butchering

I have tried lots of knives on hundreds of deer and big game. The Cold Steel Master Hunter will do most anything. I usually find myself using a Mora these days because the blade is not too wide and corners easily. I have worn out two of these. Actually, most any knife will work. It's the hand that makes the difference. If your cutting pelvis or sternum with a knife, stop. You will eventually get cut. There's no need. Also, on larger than deer big game, don't under estimate a good tomahawk. They can really make things easy.

 

[MCgunner]

Cutting the sternum is no problem on a whitetail with a serrated edge, why I like the Gerber Gator Serrator. Have only cut myself once in 62 years with a knife on game, that was a duck when I was about 15 years of age and really didn't know what I was doing.

I have saws for the pelvis.

 

[brainwake]

I also use a saw for the pelvis and taking the lower leg off...and sometimes the head or horns.

I picked up a new obsession for Swedish hand-forged axes this year, so next season my father-in-law was going to show me how to use them for butchering.

 

[short barrel]

Randall #1 for me. It will do the tiny chores plus the big ones.

Most folks don't like to carry them because they are so expensive, but I figure if I don't carry and use mine, someone else eventually will.

 

[PlumRotten]

The best to skin a fish

Jackhawk 9000

 

[Sav .250]

I don`t use a knife for "hunting" but I do use one to gut, skin, etc.
A Buck 110,folding.

 

[Tophernj]

I have not hunted before but will be this year.

I will be bringing my Kershaw Blur for general usage and either my Shawn Knowles' Bantam or one that I made with Shawn. Most likely I'll bring both.

C

 

[brainwake]

I have a 30 year old Buck 110 that I got as a boy scout. All these posts for the 110 make me want to carry it this year and finally get some blood on it. Well...I suppose it has had some fish blood before. But I think I might just give a carry in the field this year.

Funny story...when I went to the Army and checked in for basic training I had my knife with me. Of course I had to check it in until I left BT, but the guy taking stuff was like "Damn, what are you gonna do with this?"...and I was like..."hum....this IS the Army right?" I kind of felt like a proud redneck that day...

 

[Andrew Leigh]

Without stirring up the pot I often see hunting knife threads and I am never too sure what constitutes a hunting knife.

For some I see it would be pretty much any knife that accompanies one of a hunt. For most it appears to be predominately a knife for skinning an butchering. Obviously nobody (unless you are Rambo) actually uses a knife to hunt with.

So by hunting knife could I assume we are invariably talking of on of many variants of a drop point skinner type blade perhaps furnished with a gut hook in either fixed or folding blade configuration?

I ask this out of real curiosity and interest as I may well begin collecting some knives soon. I have a Gerber drop point skinner, I have an EDC folder that would skin without a problem. I look at knives some call hunting knives and doubt if I could ever skin with that blade shape.

I would classify a hunting knife as;
One that is carried on my person during a hunt.
It's use would be to slit a throat, and to eviscerate the animal in the field.
If necessary it could be used to quarter the animal.
It would be used for skinning.
It could function as knife to butcher with but I would have specialist knives for that, specifically a decent deboning knife.

Is that about it for you boys too?

 

[buck460XVR]

Without stirring up the pot I often see hunting knife threads and I am never too sure what constitutes a hunting knife.

For some I see it would be pretty much any knife that accompanies one of a hunt. For most it appears to be predominately a knife for skinning an butchering. Obviously nobody (unless you are Rambo) actually uses a knife to hunt with.

So by hunting knife could I assume we are invariably talking of on of many variants of a drop point skinner type blade perhaps furnished with a gut hook in either fixed or folding blade configuration?

I ask this out of real curiosity and interest as I may well begin collecting some knives soon. I have a Gerber drop point skinner, I have an EDC folder that would skin without a problem. I look at knives some call hunting knives and doubt if I could ever skin with that blade shape.

I would classify a hunting knife as;
One that is carried on my person during a hunt.
It's use would be to slit a throat, and to eviscerate the animal in the field.
If necessary it could be used to quarter the animal.
It would be used for skinning.
It could function as knife to butcher with but I would have specialist knives for that, specifically a decent deboning knife.

Is that about it for you boys too?

This makes me wonder how much confusion there is when someone asks about hunting boots? Are they boots one wears when hunting or are they boots one uses to kill animals with....hmmmmm.

Then there's hunting clothes.

 

[illinoisburt]

Andrew - I think for the most part you are correct. When people say hunting knife in this context they mean a knife carried while hunting for the purpose of field dressing animals, mostly big game or birds (waterfowl or pheasants). Generally any 3 to 5 inch knife with a somewhat solid standard shaped blade, either fixed or folder, works fine so long as it is sharp. Personally I like the older camillus western hunters - not terrible expensive, take and hold a good edge, and rubber handle has good grip when wet.

Knives are particular to their usage. Many years ago I did seasonal work in meat packing (pork picnic boning). We used nothing but extremely sharp (literal razor blade) carbon steel bladed boning knives. No idea of the brand, but the blades started out over 18 inches long and were constantly ground down in the sharpening room. We got them on the picnic lines once they were down to the basic shape of a 6 or 7 inch filet knife, 1/8" thick with strong slightly flexible spine. I use similar boning knives today for butchering deer and cutting up our summer hog roasts. Works wonders for breaking down animals and separating muscle groups, but would be a terrible choice for gutting or skinning.

Cannot guess the number of birds (mostly chickens) cut up over the years, but definitely thousands. Short stout blades about the size and shape of a paring knife work really well for this. Use the edge for cutting the skin and meat, point for splitting the breast bone and back.

Hunting with a knife? Well I've seen video of people doing it, but never in person and frankly don't feel like trying. Seems like its all hog hunting with dogs. Knives tend to be something BIG and SOLID - think crocodile dundee. Suspect that is the only time any of those type knives have ever been put to real use, and man is that a limited market. What is everyone else doing with them? Who knows...

 

[josiewales]

Buck 119 or 110. Love those knives!