Best Folding Skinner On The Market?

honestly i didn't want to bias myself by starting with preferences.

I need a lockback, but don't have any strong preferences for type

I want a handle material that won't absorb blood... don't care otherwise

Blade shape should have sufficient belly and not too much tip... length 3"+ would be preferred

I'm strongly partial to flippers, but i can live without that... one hand opening is almost a must.

Pocket clip is certainly preferred

Price would be >150
 
BePrepared said:
My primary is a custom D2 drop point convexed edge fixed blade made by Mike Conner.

I generally keep a backup to allow others to help me skin, or when i'm skinning 5 or 6 hogs and manage to dull my primary
Click to expand...

Look at one of the Bucks in S30V if it's a loaner.
 
Buck Paradigm Pro, looks good. May want to check it out. It is a souped up version of the Vantage, with assisted opening, and S30V blade with a neat opening/locking mechanism. Has a pretty deep belly, and a drop-ish sort of blade.
 
Here's a video you might be interested in. The guy who made it, Virtuovice, knows what he's talking about; deer are extremely overpopulated in his area of Japan, (Hokkaido,) and he's skinned hundreds of them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hKu6BksXf0
Also: Because of the design of a lockback, it's extremely hard to incorporate a flipper. The only lockbacks I know of that also have flippers are the SOG Blink series, and they probably wouldn't make very good hunting knives.
 
Im a pretty avid hunter, this year im using my zero tolerance 0550 with s35v steel. Drop point blade, nice edge. I have my busse basic 4 as my fixed with my folder as a back up. My dad used a cold steel voyager clip point in vg1 on my elk, and it held a great edge. Also a cold steel in aus8 isnt bad. Spyderco is awesome as far as steel, but they dont specialize on a hunting blade design. No drop point, except the stretch and gayle bradley, none others have much belly for meat cutting and skinning. I love my zt, maybe the 0560 in elmax will be better for edge retention. Other wise a buck folder in s30v may be your best bet, great edge retention, better than you really need. Im starting to realize i dont need anything better than s30 for a hunting knife.
 
How about a Bladetech Pro Hunter Magnum? Virtuovice uses one of those, the you tube guy in the link Dan57 posted. He is very fond of that knife and he hunts a lot so he has good experience using it. They are a little hard to find, a couple weeks ago i saw one for $150 at a popular knife retailer site, but it was sold, but it is in your price range is my point.
 
This is an old thread, but an interestingone. Take a look at Benchmade Hunting series, in particular, the Small Summit Lake. 3-5/8" closed with S30V at $145.00.
Also the same price, a Reinhart Mueller folder with CPM S90V. They're designed in Germany and made in Italy. I haven't seen them for sale lately though. I have one and love it.
 
Bladetech Pro Hunter Magnum is probably the best dedicated production folding hunter out there. Spyderco produced a version of this Wenger design years ago but the steel was no match for the s35v (?) in the Bladetech. As a second choice, the Spyderco Stretch is a modified version of the original and may be worth a look. I've used the original Spyderco and then the Bladetech for over 20 years as my primary hunting knife and couldn't be happier. Plenty of belly, good point and excellent ergos. And contrary to what some people say, they are no problem at all to clean.
 
I have processed a lot of dead animals with a Buck 110, S30V steel. Not saying there is not a better choice, but I will say it won't be a much better choice. The Buck just plain works.
Old threads that are still relevant are a hoot.
 
I have used a Buck 110 for years gutting, skinning and processing big game, has clip point blade, just got a recent special run one with BG-42 and drop point, looking forward to this fall to try it out. I believe there is still one out there with drop point and S30V.
 
A Dozier skinner is in the $300 - $400 range, not too much more then a quality production. Well worth the money.
 
What about the havlons with the replaceable blades ? Then you'll never have to worry about a dull blade again ( just make sure to bring a container for the old blades )
 
How about Cold Steel Talwar in CTS-XHP? That big belly seems a good choice for skinning.
 
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