A. G. Russell Deer Hunter or Bird & Trout

U

Uncle Bill

Joined
Aug 24, 1999
Messages
434
Anybody have one of these and want to comment about them?

What you think about the zytel handle . . .

thin blade . . .

sheath . . .

steel . . .
 
Uncle Bill,

I have a Deer Hunter in ATS 34. It is always in my backpack when I go camping. The blade is thin, hence an excellent slicer, and really useful for preparing food etc. The sheath is a molded Zytel (or plastic?) hardcase and has a snap lock. I got rid of the snap-on (?)ring thingy because I had never had the need to carry it on my belt. The Zytel handle is quite okay with me, although it feels rather cheap (see previous post about zytel handle). But I like the knife so much, I don't even think about it.

Now about the steel. I got a feeling that it's a little too hard for me, but I've never managed to chip the blade to prove this, so I might be wrong. Overall, the Deer Hunter is an excellent utility knife.

Oh almost forgot, the Bird & Trout is just a smaller version of the Deer Hunter.


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Reynaert
Fayetteville, AR


 
The Deerhunter is my fave lightweight & inexpensive camp knife hands-down, and the catalyst for all my thoughts on small camp knives in general.

The small-knife jobs you do camping -- food prep, cutting bandages, whittling walking sticks and hot dog sticks, etc. -- are better served by a razor-sharp high-performance blade than they are a huge indestructable one. Your large camp knife can be indestructable -- your small camp knife should CUT. The whisper-thin blade on the Deerhunter is a razor, drop point shape is perfect, handle is incredibly ergonomic. Anytime I go camping, if I've got the Deerhunter, I know people will be borrowing it the entire trip.

The sheath is also great for camp use. The swinger clip means you can transfer it from your belt loop to a strap on your pack, or to a twig from a nearby tree, or to the loop at the top of your tent, all without removing your belt.

I also used it heavily in the kitchen for a while. A knife with a guard isn't perfect for kitchen use, but the guard is small enough not to get in the way too often, and the whisper-thin razor-sharp edge really makes it worth using.

Great knife, and at a price you shouldn't even think twice about it!

Joe

 
Uncle Bill,

I have a Deer Hunter with an AUS 8A blade. I picked it up after the ATS-34 ones came out, and it was substantially less in price than the new models. I am satisfied with the blade steel.

Frantium and Joe have given a good summary of the knife’s attributes.

The Zytel handle is not elegant, but it is very functional. The knife is light and tough. I recommend it if you are going to be carrying and using the knife. For impressing people there are better knives.

The blade is light. It is better suited to cutting meat, spreading peanut butter, etc. than chopping tree branches or splitting kindling.

The mechanical lock on the sheath might give problems if you regularly walk hip deep in muddy swamps, but I rarely do that, and haven’t had any problems.


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Howard Wallace
Khukuri FAQ



[This message has been edited by Howard Wallace (edited 13 November 1999).]
 
I am a bought and paid for Deerhunter advocate, too.
Mine is an AUS 8a model and it works fine. If I wasn't 100% happy with it, I would have upgraded to an ATS34 model.
I used to worry that the hidden spring in the locking mechanism might rust...so I regularly work in a few drops of White Lightning bicycle chainlube . It leaves a waxy deposit which, I feel, will keep moisture away from the spring.
And, anyway, AG replied to a post of mine in another place saying that the spring is "as stainless as it can be and still be a spring" .
Get one.....one of life's real bargains.

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BrianWE
ICQ #21525343

 
Blades no thicker than they need to be make sense as they usually cut better than thicker blades. When I tried out my short USMC Kabar and a Dozier hunter in the kitchen I still ended up preferring a $5 3in Victorinox paring knife, in part because it's only about 0.05in thick and just ends up slicing better, edge holding aside. The Deer Hunter and the Bird and Trout look like nice knives, as do many knives appearing in AG Russell's catalog, but for lots less money and looks some of the plastic handled and sheathed Mora knives appear to offer a lot of similar attributes.
 
I have a deer hunter and use it for a yard and field knife. I wondered about the thin blade also but mine has held up to a lot of abuse. It is one the easiest knives for me to put an edge on. Not a heavy-duty knife, but I really like mine. The sheath is very different. The only problem I have ever had with it is when a non-knife nut friend forced it into the sheath the wrong way. Good knife, good price.

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Drac Noroc
AKTI # BA00013

 
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