A Deer Hunter's UDT Knife ??

Another good small game type knife is the Lile Model 1 Sport Backpacking knife. Lile works in D2, and they have for years. These are around $145, come with decent leather sheath:

http://www.lileknives.com/modell1.html

This is one of the very few knives with finger "cutouts" in the handle that I actually like. The Lile's "cutouts" are subtle enough they don't interfere or bother me. Usually, an index finger indentation is about all I'll tolerate, but this one works ok. So I own it, and intend to keep it.

It makes a pretty good if slightly large small game and bird knife.
 
Hi Phalatium,
I know that you are asking for specific knife reccomendations,
however, since this one of my favorite subjects, I wanted to
add a couple of ideas about knife selection. I have tried for
years to design the perfect knife for handling the whitetail
deer. There is no such animal, of course, but the two main
difficulties are, as you stated, cutting around the anus and
cutting up in the chest cavity without cutting yourself. The anus
requires a more pointed foreward end and the chest needs a very
much dropped point. IMHO one only needs a blade of 31/2 " or so.
A modified Wharncliff might even work well in the chest. Of course
a Wharncliff won't be a skinner. There is no perfect knife.
 
It's funny - what everyone thinks are NARROW, I think are borderline!

The Lill Fin has a blade that is maybe 3/8" wide - the knife that I had made is about the same. I recently made my own (1st knife - no pictures, YET) has a 3" long blade, 1/4" wide, and is a drop point - that is what I consider a UDT! In fact, I use a knife that size to do the WHOLE deer. When the time comes to split the chest, I'm usually back at the house, and I use a hatchet
 
First off ... I'm thrilled to see all the input on this! It is appreciated. You know, I don't know squat about knives, really, but I'm picking up a LOT of info in a very short time here. Great site & a great bunch ... I feel much obliged!

Jason ... That "Woodswalker" sure is a neat little knife AND sheath, and I envy you your squirrel woods. Squirrels are kinda scarce in my area, except for the little red bastid variety. Used to hunt the gray and fox squirrels farther south, and I sure do miss it.

Don ... I'm sure you're right that there can't possibly be ONE knife that will do it all with any kind of efficiency. As it is, I use one knife for field dressing (it'll be 2 next season), another for skinning, and a couple more for boning and slicing and trimming the meat. I have been looking at some slimmer "compromise" knives in the hope of finding one that is better at making that anal cut, while still beefy enough and of a shape and length that it still works well for making that long main cut and severing the windpipe. I'm no longer looking for such a compromise ... I'd just as soon carry 2 knives. I salute you for even attempting such a quest, though!

Charles ... I do believe you are on to something! I would think that somebody, somewhere must be making such a specialty knife to sell. :confused: I mean, there must be a market for such a thing. I was imagining something similar to a fillet knife, but about .080" thick for a little more stiffness, 4 to 4.5 inches long, and not wider than 5/8 inch at it's widest point. Your 1/4 inch width may well be the way to go, though. (Should be able to remove hemmoroids with that baby!)

rdangerer ... Man, thanks for all the tips, insights, etc.! I gotta tell you, though ... my pulse is really picking up here, and my hands are getting sweaty! :eek:
I've never owned a custom made knife, and I sure don't NEED one. But I WANT! I NEED! No, I don't need. BUT I WANT!!!!!! This doesn't seem like an adult state of mind. I tell myself that I still have kids in school! Its not like I just have way too much money. But I COULD sell a gun! Kinda went overboard with that addiction. Yeah, probly could sell a gun. Is this nuts, or what?

I appreciate your looking into the slimmer Dozier models, etc., but I've quite painlessly resigned myself to the idea that I am going to carry two knives. If (dare I say,"when"?) I do order a custom knife, the first one (WHAT?!!!) will be a shur nuff genuine 100% full-sized dad gummed DEER KNIFE. I like a 3.75 or 4 inch blade, about .150" thick, straight or very possibly a drop point, and a bit narrower than the usual, as you suggested. Oh yeah, it gots to have either wood or stag scales. Eight inches over-all length or just a wee bit longer. Any good steel would suit me ... especially if it means a real jump in the cost. I'm sure it will be a while before I'm ready to send in the order .... there are so many different makers and designs that I ain't seen yet, you know? Sure is fun trying to sort it all out, though.

Thanks, y'all!
 
Forgot something.:o
Meant to explain why I would choose a longer "U.D.T." than most here seem to prefer. When I make that cut around the back door with a 3.5" blade, I then tie the marble chute off (we're having fun now, eh?!), reach in there from the main cavity and PULL, and PULL, and CUSS and PULL some more, and wonder what the hell I'm doing wrong it wasn't this damn hard last time or yeah it was ...better cut some more ... GEEEEEEEEEZZZZ!!!!!!!!! It's like that sucker is glued in there! I guess its the tallow, or membranes ... or whatever that stinky, slimy **** is. Now that I think of it, maybe a 6 inch fillet knife wouldn't even be a bad idea? The 3.5 incher definitely hasn't impressed me back there, just thought a longer knife might help. Any thoughts?
 
I use a Knives of Alaska combo set and the Cub bear caping knife in that set works great for the UDT job. I usually use it for the whole process of gutting, its nice and small with a thicker handle made of rubber so it dosn't get slippery when it is covered in blood either.
 
At the risk of being anal here, this area deserves more discussion.
Last year I made for my son a caping knife. It has a three inch blade
with a choil ( a finger notch ) that limits the cutting edge even more. This knife works just fine for cutting around the anus, why, You
use your finger to tear the tissue around the bowel . I have been doing this for more years than I want to think about. My son uses this
knife for field dressing all of his deer. I think his count this year
is seven.
 
It could be that I'm just a klutz. Entirely possible.
Maybe I should look into a combination tool .... scalpel on one end and vise grip on the other. Or maybe an apple corer! :D
 
Paul,

Hope I don't sound like a snob, but the A.G. Russell bird & trout just doesn't float my boat, for some reason ... the handle, I guess. (Although I'm sure it would outperform the apple corer.)
Thanks for the Dunn Knives link ... nice stuff. The "Predator 2" in stag would make a great Fathers' Day gift, hmmmmmm .... ;)
 
Originally posted by phlatinum
I appreciate your looking into the slimmer Dozier models, etc., but I've quite painlessly resigned myself to the idea that I am going to carry two knives.
Click to expand...

Yeah, take your time. Carrying two knives sure makes this a simpler issue. A slim, straight back, pointy one for UDT (e.g. Dozier Slim Outdoorsman) and another 3.75" to 4" knife with enough belly to use for skinning, and you are good to go for sure.

Some more traditional types like a twin blade slipjoint folder like this one for that very reason... pic is a Case slipjoint natural bone "Trapper" and is 4-1/8" closed, so those blades are, oh, 3.5" to 3.6". I dunno, I'm a young punk (vs. an old fart) I guess. I really prefer the relative safety of a locking knife, or of a fixed blade. Out in the boonies is the worst time to have a knife fold up on your fingers.
 

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phlatinum,

The Predator 2 is a nice choice. I have the small skinner in stag, the Sliver in oak, and the model 3 in aluminum. Melvin's knives are true cutting machines. The edges are nice and thin.

Paul
 
Originally posted by Paul Work
...take a look at Melvin Dunn's offerings. Melvin makes a hell of a knife for the money. www.dunnknives.com
Paul
Click to expand...

Very true, I agree. I have one of Melvin's medium sized fillet knives in 440V. It's a gem (I sent him a block of ironwood though since I'm not a huge dymondwood fan).

Melvin has been heat treating 440V for a bunch of years, and so you can trust he does a good job with it. Makes for a very good if not excellent steel, for sure, WHEN heat treated by someone whose worked out the formula and can control brittleness.

His small fillet might to the UDT trick for sure! It's 4.5" and thin, a bit flexy since it's designed for pan fish really, but it only has a touch of upsweep, so you should be able to control where the point is going. Those are IMHO the best value in high performance fillet knives I've found! You can buy better knives (Phil Wilson in 420V), but you'll pay 2x or 3x.

(I really don't like upswept tips for much of anything, except fillet knives and moderation helps. Maybe on a true big-bellied skinner, but even here, a big rounded tip skinner is just safer when it comes to avoiding poking holes in a hide. Just another opinion, happens to be mine.)

The only thing about Melvin's knives is that he does them in batches, doesn't like to deviate much, and he doesn't offer guards on many knives. I like a small guard, Dozier's is enough. I don't know why, but having a knife with no guard just makes me nervous even handling it in the house, imagining using it afield. Again, just an opinion, and plenty of guys do without guards and prefer knives that way, arguing (I think correctly) that the guard can get in the way. The other side of that argument is that the guard might just save you a nasty cut across a couple fingers if you are "up in there" wrestling around and you make a booboo with bloody hands and slip up on the blade. I'll take the guard myself. YMMV.
 
If you decide you want a high performance blade, and can spring for around $200 +/- $35 depending on what handle material and steel you choose, check out Scott Cook. He was until recently the shop foreman for Chris Reeve.

I have two of his knives, the fixed blade pictured is (mine! all mine!) exactly the blade profile of the large Sebenza, 3.6", but is done with slightly thicker stock, ended up at around 3/16" stock. It also has a slightly thicker grind up to the tip (good IMHO).

If you like this design (Scott isn't doing much customizing), I'd get him to do you one in the new S30V at Rc60-61. S30V is, in my estimation, positioned to be the finest overall balanced stainless in the industry, and will be the next "hot new steel". But don't let that trendiness scare you, this one is a real improvement over ATS-34 and BG-42, as long as it is run at at least Rc60. I'd ask for Rc61.

Scott uses Paul Bos for heat treat, so you will get a great blade.

Scott's work is top notch, and represents one of the best values in practical custom knives if you like his currently limited selection of patterns. See my post on this thread for a pic of the the "Large Owyhee Hunter" in ironwood and S90V:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=173000

http://www.scottcookknives.com/
 
I've gotta say it. This is the funniest thread I've read in a long, long time!!! Apple Corer....... Hehehehehehehe :eek: :eek: :eek:
 
Originally posted by rdangerer See my post on this thread for a pic of the the "Large Owyhee Hunter" in ironwood and S90V:[url
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.phpthreadid=173000[/url]
Click to expand...
Great looking knife! Awesome thread, in fact. Thanks. I'm taking notes and compiling a halfazzed notebook full of knife lore, wisdom and pics from all you lunatics. (I mean that in the most reverent way.)

While admiring the Case slip joint in your earlier post, I remembered looking at some slip joints a few days ago that were made of "surgical steel". Could you, or anyone, tell me what exactly is surgical steel? Is it good stuff for a pocket knife?

Edited to let Buzzbait know that "Doris and the Canoe" are prominently displayed pinups in my "Bladeporn Chronicles". Hope that's OK.
 
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