110 Slim Pro vs. Deer

J

jec88

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Mar 6, 2012
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I buy too many knives, most are Buck, but I buy other brands too. When I go to deer camp I take several different knives along and if I get lucky where the deer drops and I have extra time on my hands to process a deer, I'll experiment with a few different brands and designs. My main go to hunting knife is just a plain jane $27 /2012 Buck 110. I don't want to bad mouth any other brands, But I've tried much more expensive knives and I still go back to the regular 110.
I got a Doe on Sat. and my son got a doe on Sunday. Both taken on the morning hunt, mine was around 8:00 and my sons was at around 7:30 and quickly recovered so I had time to try a different knife. Tried the 110 slim pro and it cut through them both like butter. The different shape of the slim pro blade cuts what you want to cut and doesn't puncture what you don't want to puncture. Hate to say it's better than a regular 110 design on a deer, but it's right there. You can easily take only this knife to deer camp, and not need anything else. Worked up both deer entirely with the slim pro and a bone saw and gave it a bath in the creek. It doesn't feel like it has dulled at all.
The only concern is that I can sharpen 420hc without any problem, not so sure how easily I can sharpen the slim pro when it comes time. I'm not the greatest when it comes to sharpening. If it's too much of a bear to sharpen, I might just have to pick up a slim select.
I bought a 101 fixed blade to try, but the slim pro might have kicked it out of this weekends trip.
 
Thanks for the review.
Did you use it to cut up the rib cage?
I always sorta figured the slim series wouldn't have enough backbone to do that.

I agree, I prefer smaller knives to field dress deer.
The one I use the most has been a 113 or a mini alpha. But the 110 is always in the sheath.... I like to use my fixed blades when I can.
Thanks.
 
jec88, thanks for the write up. Is the Slim Pro blade shape the drop point? DM
 
It's a clip point version of the slim pro. But not as pointy as the original 110.
 
Most people use knives that are too large. I did for some time, using a five inch blade when I was younger.

Later I used this small Buck. It worked perfectly--blade is just a hair under three inches. It was easy to use down in the body cavity and up to cut the esophagus and was easy to sharpen. It's a drop point, but it's skillfully shaped and looks good--no spade point this one.

I really like this model. I have picked up a few of these over the years. They are such great little knives and not made anymore. The steel is 420HC.

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jec88, congratulations on both deer and appreciate the review - I enjoy knowing how well a given blade shape, and type of steel, works out for folks. OH
 
Der Verminator Der Verminator , sure a 3" blade will work if you're just gutting the buck. Then going to drag him 1-200 yds. to the nearest pickup. Here the bucks weigh over 200 lbs. and we have to gut, skin and quarter him. Hang the quarters in game bags in a tree then hike the 2-3 miles back to camp and get our pack frame so we can haul the quarters out and head back. For this much knife work I prefer something like a 110, 102 or 118. DM
 
David Martin said:
Der Verminator Der Verminator , sure a 3" blade will work if you're just gutting the buck. Then going to drag him 1-200 yds. to the nearest pickup. Here the bucks weigh over 200 lbs. and we have to gut, skin and quarter him. Hang the quarters in game bags in a tree then hike the 2-3 miles back to camp and get our pack frame so we can haul the quarters out and head back. For this much knife work I prefer something like a 110, 102 or 118. DM
Click to expand...

You are quite correct, David.

Here we are hunting farms with friends and relatives and can often drive that pickup right up to the dead deer.

If a deer is downed back in the woods a ways, dragging is rarely more than 100 yards and there's usually plenty of help (our bucks are also well over 200 pounds field dressed).

We rarely cut them up ourselves anymore. Plenty of good processing guys around who need a little extra money and make it during deer season. You pick up your steaks, chops, roasts and sausage packaged and frozen. They add some pork and follow a recipe to make great sausage.

If we process our own we use a variety of butcher knives and saws, but that's mostly history. I guess we've gotten lazy over the years and it seems life is too busy to do it like we used to.

Your hunting sounds like a LOT of work.

:D
 
I looked into having a deer done by processing plant once. They basically wanted me to do all the dirty work and bring them nice slabs of meat and then were going to charge me a small fortune. I figured if I was going to do most of the hard work, I might as well go ahead and finish it out. I think hogs are different. I think due to some laws around here and possible disease, processors want you to bring a whole hog in and you aren't allowed to even gut it or they can't process it. I could see where that might be more worth it if you kill a several hundred pound hog and it's very hot weather because those things sure stink.
 
jec88 said:
I looked into having a deer done by processing plant once. They basically wanted me to do all the dirty work and bring them nice slabs of meat and then were going to charge me a small fortune. I figured if I was going to do most of the hard work, I might as well go ahead and finish it out. I think hogs are different. I think due to some laws around here and possible disease, processors want you to bring a whole hog in and you aren't allowed to even gut it or they can't process it. I could see where that might be more worth it if you kill a several hundred pound hog and it's very hot weather because those things sure stink.
Click to expand...

The costs are reasonable around here.

They just take the field dressed deer and convert it into steaks, chops, roasts and sausage.

MMMMMMM........good.
 
Kathy's Dad up in West Virginia has a buddy who when he built his house added a room off the back door especially for processing deer with stainless steel tables and everything needed to make it easy and sanitary. But the piece of equipment that impressed me was a commercial 'tenderizer'..Instead a grinding up a high percentage into hamburger he used that to make lots of small steaks. His favorite rifle for many years was a early 257 Weatherby I bet he took over 100 deer with. He fed a lot of families and even at 86 is still in the woods every fall for weeks at a time. He likes head shots when there laying down because he thinks the meat is more tender lol!
 
I have done the majority of mine but have used processors over the years at different times. Some would gut it, if you got there while they were open, and some want it dern near quartered.
The cuber is nice. If going to the processor i always pull the backstap and tender loin and tell them to cube what they can and grind the rest.
I enjoy doing it unless there's a bunch then its nice to have it done.
 
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