Knives For Hunting

[41magsnub]

I use a gerber gator. It cuts as well as anything else I use and if it is lost or damaged it is not remotely bank breaking to replace it:

For the breast bone, pelvis, and if it comes up quartering a critter I use a T-handle saw. I inherited the one I use and have no idea what make it is, but it is pretty similar to this from cabelas though not as fancy:

 

[Cosmoline]

Give me a puukko for game and an opinel for fish.

 

[EricTheBarbarian]

i like my kabar for a hunting knife. believe it or not, my girlfriend bought it for me for christmas 2 yrs ago. skinned dozens of animals including my deer and three of my friends deer this past year. holds a real good edge and have only needed to sharpen it once. However, I dont like to try to cut bone with it because bone really can dull up a knife. I dont know if anyone else has done this, but once you get to the butchering stage of your deer, a milwaukee sawzall does a great job cutting through rib bones and hip bones. sawzall isnt really a knife but its got a blade. id be interested to hear what knife people prefer to hunt with on those knife and dog hog hunts

 

[retrieverman]

I love this thread! I am a "knife guy" and have more than a dozen "skinning" knives that I have accumulated in 25 years of deer hunting, but I am still searching for the "perfect" one. My current favorite "skinning" knife is a Knives of Alaska Magnum Ulu, and I just bought it last year and have tried it out on 15 deer and 4 hogs. So far, I am quite impressed. My other knives that I carry in my pack are a Cold Steel Outdoorsman and a Spyderco Impala.

My current pocket knife if choice is an Emerson CQC-11SBT.

 

[Regolith]

Hi All,

Since we are on the topic, I would appreciate the group's opinion on the (new?) Steens hunting knife by Leatherman. I am from Oregon, and new to hunting, and am looking for a knife that would be appropriate for use on game up to Elk in size. As I currently have no suitable tool, I'll be making a purchase in the next month or so. I'm afraid the knife looks a bit "gimmicky", although I have no experience with "hunting" knives, or this design, so it is hard for me to develop an informed opinion. I have owned and used an Original Leatherman and a Leatherman Wave in the past, and I have been very pleased with the design and function of both.

Thanks guys!

I've never had one, but it looks like it will work well for what you intend to use it for. Its made out of extremely good steel (S30V) which will hold an edge, which is important when processing an animal. Also, Leatherman makes good tools, so I don't doubt its quality.

 

[learningman]

My favorite knife is a CRYT. It holds a great edge and splits the brisket on a muley with no problem. I also carry the pack saw from Cabelas(X-Mas gift). Two years ago I recieved as a B-Day present the three knife set from Knives of Alaska. They are absolutely great knives but I find that the three pack is just to bulky to carry on the hip. It has the cleaver, skinner, and cub, plus a small stone for keeping the edge. I have brought it along in my pack though, and they have proven to me that they would be worth the money.

 

[45crittergitter]

I don't use folding knives if I can help it, due to all the crap you have to clean out of the inside when you're done. I have to give a +1 to the Sharpfinger, though it's a bit small for my taste, except it's an outstanding skinner. My current preference is a Dozier in D2 steel, which is outstanding. I think mine is the "Pro Guide" or something like that. I also love the Benchmades, especially in D2, but have only used the folders, and not for cleaning game.

 

[black bear]

Years ago I was invited to join a German hunting club in the Catskills, which had access to huge woods and was managed for quality deer. The members hunted from hotchsits and performed the "last meal" ceremony in the deer they got, all very proper and traditional Teutonic customs.

To "fit" in I dusted off my Mannlicher style Mauser 30-06 rifle and bought a White Hunter II Puma knife.

Here is it.



Best


Black Bear

 

[Pigspitter]

I use a sharpfinger and a german steel straight razor for the detail work.

 

[black bear]

Another of my fancy blades, a Colt 1851 (one of 1200)



Cheers
Black Bear

 

[dmazur]

I like this 3 inch I got from AG Russel. ATS-34 blade / Micarta scales / Nickel silver guard. Works well and stays sharp.

 

[Navy joe]

I will carry most anything from a SAK to a Khukri in the woods. Never have too many knives. I carry this one hunting as well as dressing up.

 

[redneck]

There's some really nice knives posted in this thread. I'm just getting started at hunting, and haven't done much field dressing or butchering yet, but I make knives and have sold a fair number of knives to hunters.
Last year I used a 3-1/2" drop point blade I'd made with D2, that had paduak wood scales. It would still shave after field dressing and boning out one deer. Didn't use it for any heavy work on bones though. Gave it to the guy I was hunting with when we were done.
This year I've got a blade started to make myself a small clip point knife with a tapered handle. Its actually adapted from a kitchen knife pattern I came up with that has been pretty popular. It will be 440C, and I plan on using linen micarta for the handle. A little bit easier maintenance than carbon steel and wood.Should turn out similar to this guy:

And this afternoon I messed around and forged a 3" drop point blade out of some O1 drill rod. I have some whitetail crowns sitting around and may use one of them for a handle. It will be more for passing around the campfire if I have time to finish it

 

[redneck]

Here's one you guys might find interesting. A guy sent me a whitetail shed and asked if I could make a knfie for him. After some head scratching I came up with this:

I should have put a quarter or something in the picture for size reference. Its almost a miniature. Blade was maybe 2" long, with an overall length of maybe 5 or 6 inches. The antler is maybe a 1/2" to 5/8" in diameter. I'm glad the guy asked me to do it, it was a fun challenge. Still have about 3 inches of horn left in case I decide to take up miniatures sometime too

 

[Smokey Joe]

Problem with really nice kife...

as I see it is, that you're reluctant to use it for anything that might mess it up too much, or damage it. Thereby rendering that knife useless as what it was meant to be: A tool.

FWIW I have the same problem with "presentation grade" firearms--you dast not take them out in the field and use their fine qualities as they were designed.

So I've never had anything fancier, myself, than a SAK for pocket use or a Buck 110 on the belt, or a Ka-Bar, or a plain Rapala for filleting fish, even though I know there are far nicer knives out there, and with better steel.

I'd love to have a knife of really fine steel, that was MEANT to be USED, and after 50 years, shows every nick and stain. And still holds a razor edge. Oh, and doesn't cost a mint--that factor alone puts a knife into the "museum piece" category for me. Probably I'm SOL.

 

[pete f]

Google Bark River mini canadian. its all you need for field dressing deer. consider it a hunters scapel.

 

[Browning]

Problem With A Really Nice Knife Is....

Smokey Joe : Problem with really nice knife as I see it is, that you're reluctant to use it for anything that might mess it up too much, or damage it. Thereby rendering that knife useless as what it was meant to be: A tool.

FWIW I have the same problem with "presentation grade" firearms--you dast not take them out in the field and use their fine qualities as they were designed.

So I've never had anything fancier, myself, than a SAK for pocket use or a Buck 110 on the belt, or a Ka-Bar, or a plain Rapala for filleting fish, even though I know there are far nicer knives out there, and with better steel.

I'd love to have a knife of really fine steel, that was MEANT to be USED, and after 50 years, shows every nick and stain. And still holds a razor edge. Oh, and doesn't cost a mint--that factor alone puts a knife into the "museum piece" category for me. Probably I'm SOL.

Yeah, I know exactly what you mean.

That's why I usually stick to knives from in between $10 and $100 with most being somewhere in between $30 and $75, that way I'll actually use them but they're still well made with some quality materials being used in it's construction.

I've got a really nice looking AL Mar Mini Bowie that cost my wife a pretty penny, problem is that I'm afraid to use it as it looks to good and I'm afraid of scratching it. Lately I've gotten into Scandinavian blades that fit that bill pretty well. There's another thread on Mora and Puukko knives in the hunting section that has some links.

I've gotten some from here that fit that description real well.

http://www.kellamknives.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_33_59_61

http://www.ragweedforge.com/HelleCatalog.html

 

[Smokey Joe]

Thanx!!

Pete F & Browning--Thx for the suggestions & links! Mebbe I'm NOT SOL!

 

[skinewmexico]

Dave McCroskey custom - great discouts for NRA members, etc. Holds an edge like you wouldn't believe. A little over $100 at the time......

 

[black bear]

I resisted gut hook for years, but finally I got a MUELA knive that show me what the gut hook is all about.



Black Bear

 

[sm]

Due to schedule and all, I did not get to go Deer Hunting per se'.

Small game, and lots and lots of bird hunting, and "woodscraft skills" where game was taken for food. More or less living off the land.

Case Trapper, Mini Trapper, Barehead Trapper my Main "hunting" knives.
Chrome Vanadium blades.
Case Mako Shark, as this knife fit my hands real well.
Case Bird & Trout.

Old Hickory, Paring knives were always / still are a huge tool for when I am hunting or in the woods. [other Old Hickory, still the paring just does too much for its size].

Oh I have had and used Custom Carbon Steel knives, fixed and folders, handles vary from Genuine Ivory with 18k yellow gold accents, to Ironwood, Zebra wood and Stag...

Bokers with Rosewood handles of Soligen Steel carried a lot.

Just...something about that Case, Yellow Handled CV Trapper knife ...

 

[starpuss]

i find the best knife to skin deer's is the one with the guthook in the pic (this knive was make in the uk from my plans)

 

[brasskeeper]

The knives I have used over the years to field dress deer have been a folding gerber gator, old kabar folding two blade hunter, a remington fixed blade, a old german knife with a six inch blade I bought off of ebay.

The remington was the worst, it will not hold an edge. The other three are great knives. The only problem with the german fixed blade is the length and shape of the blade, a 6" blade is to long to use in the chest cavity and the tip curves up which makes easy to stick your self. The german holds the best edge of all four knives.

I'm currently loooking for a carbon steel 4" fixed blade and untill I find the one I want I will stick with the gerber gator or the kabar folding hunter.

 

[H&Hhunter]

MAN!

There is some nice cutlery out there. I'm glad that I am not the only one who enjoys fine knives.