Suggest a Hunting/Camp Knife for Me...Please..

Status
Not open for further replies.
N

Nalapombu

Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2003
Messages
153
Location
Spring, TEXAS....USA
Hey all,

It won't be too much longer and hig hunting season will be in down here is Southern Florida. I need to start getting my stuff together so I can concentrate on getting ready with my Recurve and Longbow. One thing I need is a knife.

The knife I would like would be able to field dress a hog, either small or BIG and do double duty as a camp type knife for general chores. I would like a blade of maybe 4 to 6 inches. Now comes the hard part, the price, I can't spend what I would like to on a knife. Naturally I would LOVE to get someone to make me a sweet knife exactly how I wanted it, but I can't. My price limit is probably $75.

I have looked quite a bit on a lot of knife sites for ideas and I have seen too many I like to mention here. Problem is that I want every one I see.

So there you have it. That's about all the info I can think of that might help you to make a recommendation for me.

What hunting knife would you suggest I take a look at? Is there one that you have or use that has worked well and you would like to recommend it?

Let me know what you think.

Thanks for your time and help.

Nala
 
I use a Mora Clipper. They are inexpensive, extremely sharp, and have a grip that does not get slippery when you have bloody hands. I have boxes of knives that I have accumulated over the years, but have found none that serve my purposes better than the Mora. Here's a link. For 12 bucks, I don't think there is a better value out there.

http://www.bensbackwoods.com/servlet/Detail?no=494
 
Visit WallyWorld - look for the Buck 119 'Special'. It is ideal for your application - and was $34 at my local PRC-mart. The knife is made in the USA, while the sheath is an import. Great value!

Stainz
 
MORA, MORA, MORA.

Sharpest knives you can buy IMO and you can get them from Ragweed forger for under 20 bucks. I like the Craftsman series, I have a stainless, a carbon, and the tri-flex. They make them with hunter orange handles as well as camo and other colors.

The clippers, as recommended above, have a nice rubber insert in the handle. I don't have one of those but I'll bet they're really nice and sharp.

They really know their knives in Scandanavia. Moras are made in Sweden.

For $75 you can get one of each and have money left over. The sheaths are pretty weak though. You may need to buy or make a nice leather sheath. I have seen generic leather sheaths at Meijer, Wal-Mart, or other big box stores for $10 bucks.
 
Last edited:
THE SECRET IS OUT..., MORA !. Ragweed forge is the place, and I carry the small #2 with the 3" blade for a patch knife and a skinning knife. The 6" #3 is a great butcher knife or big camp knife, but I rarely use it compared to the little one, the little one works for most camp chores!!

Laminated carbon steel and brother are they ever sharp!

I noticed many years ago that when I carried knives, expensive knives ($50.00 + ) they tended to jump right out of the sheath and took a walk in the woods, never to be seen again. So I opted for the "cheap" Moras, as I figured their loss wouldn't be so bad. OK so I found they ain't "cheap" knives, they are strong and sharp..., and for some reason I've never lost one.

LD
 
Yes indeed. I also have the laminated number 1 and it is just simply scary sharp. However, without a guard of any sort, I have am a little afraid to put that one to hard use...if you slip it's going to be bad.

The Clippers and the Craftsman series have fully modern molder handles that are safe.

Here are some pictures and three sheaths I've made.

Craftsmen

P1010497.jpg

P1010492.jpg

These are the Clippers recommended above.

Mora3Small.jpg

Here's my number 1 with the sheath I made for it.

P1010495.jpg

And these are the classic style including the number 1. You can see how close your fingers get to the edge and that edge is sharp!!!

mora.jpg
 
Last edited:
Ka-Bar Bowie would probably probably fit the bill, Buck Special is a good knife too.
 
I'd suggest that anything over 6" is gonna be simply too big to be practical. In fact, I'd tend to limit myself to 3-4" blades for general hunting and camp use. Any larger than that and the size of the blade begins to be a drawback, not an advantage, in every-day use, and especially when dressing out an animal.

A small to medium sized SHARP blade is what's really needed. Bowies and the like are NOT very good hunting knives. The Buck 103 skinner wouldn't be a bad choice. Especially when combined with a small folder...

J
 
Scandinavian Stuff, and Others

Well, I see someone(s) beat me to the Mora suggestion.

Let me suggest some Scandinavian alternatives. To keep it simple, I will offer items from Ragnar's Forge (www.ragweedforge.com). Ragnar is good people, and what he sells is quality stuff.

While Swedish Mora knives are some of the best bang-for-buck out there, the knives made in Norway are really art.

Have a look at the knives here: http://www.ragweedforge.com/HelleCatalog.html, in particular, I would suggest these:
Helle Harmoni - http://www.ragweedforge.com/harmoni.jpg - at $65.
Symfoni - http://www.ragweedforge.com/symfoni.jpg - at $75.
Helle-Eggen - http://www.ragweedforge.com/eggen.jpg - at $65.
Odel - http://www.ragweedforge.com/odel.jpg - at $83. At bit of a stretch, but a really pretty piece.
Fjelkniv - http://www.ragweedforge.com/fjelkniv.jpg - at $67.
Helle Earth - http://www.ragweedforge.com/helle-earth.jpg - at $75.
Helle Wind - http://www.ragweedforge.com/helle-wind.jpg - at $70.

Those are all fixed blades in the price range you mentioned. I would happily use any of them.


While we're talking about fixed blades, I will also mention, in passing that Marttiini of Finland makes a very usable line of Scandinavian knives. Attractive, well made, and inexpensive. Ragnar doesn't carry them, but you can find them at several places online. I have several of these, and I'm quite pleased with them.


Going back to Swedish craftsmanship, there's another company in Eskilstuna, Sweden that's been making knives for more than a century. Ragnar does carry these. Some of them are a little pricier than the ones mentioned above, but I can vouch for the quality. The company is EKA, and Ragnar's page is here: http://www.ragweedforge.com/eka-catalog.html, and I'll mention a few from there:
First, the folding knives:
Swede-92 - http://www.ragweedforge.com/swede-92.jpg - at $37 (add $12 for the sheath, if he has them). I have two of this knife, as well as the Swede-82. I like it so much it's become a daily-carry piece. Odd-looking at first, it's a surprisingly capable knife. I'm keeping mine; get your own.
Nordic T8 - http://www.ragweedforge.com/t8.jpg - at $95 (includes sheath). I finally got to meet one of these two weeks ago. Very well made. I like it a lot -- and it's on my "must buy" list.
Now, the fixed blades; they're a little above your specified price range, but real quality:
#H8 - http://www.ragweedforge.com/h8.jpg - at $99.
#A10 - http://www.ragweedforge.com/a10.jpg - at $85.


And, finally, because everyone should have one of these around, "just because," Ragnar also carries Opinel knives, along with some other cool items on his historical knives page: http://www.ragweedforge.com/HistoricalKnifeCatalog.html
OP8 -
OP9 - http://www.ragweedforge.com/opinel.jpg
OP10 -
I have the OP8, OP10, and OP12. The OP8 is perfect in a kitchen setting. The OP10 is a good size for outdoor use. The OP12 is, frankly, a little too large for practical field work, but I would use it in a kitchen/utility setting that called for a "biggish" knife. These things are cheap, simple, and sharp as the dickens. If you do a search in this forum for "Opinel AND handle" you will find some good suggestions for making the wood handle more water-resistant so it doesn't swell up when wet.


I will post separately about some other options. I figure this is confusing enough for now.

 
Benchmade 201 or 211 for field dressing.

In an article in "Knives Illustrated" Modern-Day Camp Knives, they compare 8 knives and based on what I read I would choose the Kershaw Outcast G2. These are all for large camp chores.
 
Other Options

I did say I would post some "other options" separately.

The Buck 119 has already been suggested. This is a fine knife, but you may want to take some medium-fine grit to the handle to rough it a little and make it a little more "grippy" than it comes in the box. The phenolic handle is just a little smooth for handling under wet/slippery conditions to my mind.


There's no shortage of fixed blades suitable for camping/hunting/dressing, and some good ones have been suggested.

There are also some folders worth considering. I'll offer some suggestions from ones I own and have had a chance to handle.


Buck 110 or 112. These have seen so much field use, it would be silly to leave them out of the discussion. The 110 can be had at Wal*Mart for under $30. It's made in Idaho near where I live. The 112 is a little smaller than the 110, but costs more, typically between $40 and $45. If it would ride in a pocket, I'd use the 112. If it's going on the belt, I'd use the 110.

Kershaw makes two that match up well with the Buck 110/112, these are the 3140 "Wildcat Ridge" (the large one), and the 3120 "Black Gulch" (slightly smaller). I have them both. I actually prefer them over the Buck equivalent. Blades are crafted in Japan. Good quality. Really sharp. Both under $50.

Both Buck and Kershaw stand behind their stuff, and they take customer service seriously.

Case (the XX people) make some outstanding knives for camping/hunting.

The Case Folding Hunter is slightly larger than the Buck 110, and has two blades, a "normal" profile skinner blade, suitable for camp kitchen and dressing duties, and a heavier clip-point blade for . . . heavier tasks. It's a non-locking slipjoint, a design that comes from a time when men knew how to handle a folding knife without closing it on their own hands. Goes for around $60. Comes with belt sheath.

The Case XX Changer is different in a number of ways. This one is a locking knife which comes with a set of four (4) blades. There are two different blade sets: 1) clip-point, drop-point, fillet/boner, and a saw; 2) clip-point, drop-point, gut-hook, and a saw. My set has the fillet/boning blade. With the rosewood handle, costs about $75. Both sets come with a belt sheath that will hold the knife and all the blades. This knife competes directly in the Buck 110 space, but is more versatile. (I got the rosewood handle. It's good, but next time I think I'd spend a little more and get the orange G-10 handle.)

(Case also does some good fixed blade hunters, though I don't own any of these: the #6209 slab-side hunter, the #5560 drop-point hunter, and the #5561 clip-point hunter. All of these are fitted with texturized orange G-10 handles. All in the $60 - $70 range.)



The knives I've mentioned in this post and the earlier one are either pieces I've bought as part of the "what works best for me?" discovery process, or knives that are of the same type as ones I have.

I would be completely comfortable with any of the Scandinavian knives suggested. I have a Mora knife that's been with me since 1974. It's beat-up and needs a new sheath, but it has never failed me. I trust that design, including its Norwegian and Finnish cousins.

I've tried to stay with the "cream of the crop" from what I have that could do the camping/hunting job, while staying at or under your original $75 limit.

For what it's worth, I wouldn't carry just one knife with me for camping and/or hunting. There would be a fixed blade, a large folder, and a smaller folder, and I'd probably drag along a multi-tool as well, 'cuz, well, you just never know.


If you were to invite me along -- today only -- and tell me to just grab something from one of my boxes, what I'd grab -- today only -- would be an old Mora skinner (an Eriksson design), an EKA Swede-92 folder, and a Case Medium Stockman. Not every camp job needs a big blade, and a stockman will handle the little fiddly jobs just fine. (And the multi-tool wants to come too, 'cuz, well, you just never know.)

On another day, the choice might be different. Today, the Mora, EKA, and Case will do everything I need.

 
one more you may want to take ahttp://www.benchmade.com/products/product_detail.aspx?model=151 look at is benchmade fixed blade griptillian
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

B
  • Locked
Knife hunting
2
Replies
28
Views
2K
hso
hso
J
  • Locked
A New Camping Knife
2
Replies
47
Views
3K
kevenn
K
D
  • Locked
Need suggestion on a good all around field knife
Replies
20
Views
1K
ffemt30
F
S
  • Locked
Help suggest a knife for me (please?)
Replies
23
Views
2K
eventer289
E
W
  • Locked
hunting knife
2
Replies
41
Views
4K
SeekHer
S
Back
Top