Best game knife

fanofsteel said:
Enzo I just read you name it says your a knifemaker, what do you work with? And what would you recommend for super steels in a custom knife?
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The “Knifemaker” title is grouped in with others, specifically “craftsman” which is what I am. I am a woodcarver. I carve tons of stuff out of wood. I’ve been meaning to start listing on BladeForums for a while but haven’t done it yet. Too busy with other platforms and life in general! I’ll get around to it someday soon.

Despite not being a knifemaker myself, as far as steel recommendations go I do have a list of steels I like. I love carbon steels and some low wear resistance steels that are quick to resharpen, but also enjoy some high performance stuff. In general, I tend to prioritize an alloy’s toughness above any other characteristic. This isn’t something I always do, but as can be seen by this list I definitely like having some tough steel.

This list is a mix, but they’re all steels I love.

A2, S7, SR77, O1, CPM 1V, 80CRV2, 5160, 8670, A8 Mod, 52100, SR101, 1084, 1075, 1095, LC200N, M4, INFI, Z-Wear, CruWear, Sleipner, CPM 3V, Z-Tuff, AEB-L, 14C28N, 420HC (specifically Buck’s), Nitro-V, and L6.
 
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Enzo’s Woodshop said:
The “Knifemaker” title is grouped in with others, specifically “craftsman” which is what I am. I am a woodcarver. I carve tons of stuff out of wood. I’ve been meaning to start listing on BladeForums for a while but haven’t done it yet. Too busy with other platforms and life in general! I’ll get around to it someday soon.

Despite not being a knifemaker myself, as far as steel recommendations go I do have a list of steels I like. I love carbon steels and some low wear resistance steels that are quick to resharpen, but also enjoy some high performance stuff. In general, I tend to prioritize an alloy’s toughness above any other characteristic. This isn’t something I always do, but as can be seen by this list I definitely like having some tough steel.

This list is a mix, but they’re all steels I love.

A2, S7, SR77, O1, CPM 1V, 5160, 8670, A8 Mod, 52100, SR101, 1084, 1075, 1095, LC200N, M4, INFI, Z-Wear, CruWear, Sleipner, CPM 3V, Z-Tuff, AEB-L, 14C28N, 420HC (specifically Buck’s), Nitro-V, and L6.
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Thank you for clearing that up for me. Ironically all my knives are made of steels you listed.
 
Buck 110/112
Bick 113 Ranger fixed blade
Buck 103 Skinner
Buck 119 is their most popular fixed blade hunting knife, tho the other 100 series will also do the job
Old Timer 6OT/7OT
Old Timer Sharp Finger.
Western L66/F66/W66
Ontario or Russell Green River Buffalo Skinner or Sheep Skinner.
Schrade/Old Timer/Uncle Henry, CASE 2 blade slipjoint folding hunter or single blade clasp knife.
Marbles (Gadstone, MI) Ideal, and other fixed blades
Marbles (Gladstone, MI) 2 blade slipjoint folding hunter or single blade clasp knife.

The 1095 blades may need stropped after 2 to 2.5 ... maybe three whitetail.
I have done 3 whitetail with Buck's 425HC, before they needed stropped.
Schrade's "Schrade+" (440A) needed stropped before the 3rd deer was finished.
(both the Buck and Schrade edges were thinned, and reprofiled to a 10 degree per side/20 degree inclusive edge, when I bought them.)
 
I have probably field dressed more deer with a Buck 110 than all others because, when I was younger, that's what I had. Then I "graduated" to a Buck 119 and had that and the 110 with me. As stated earlier in this thread, a fixed blade is preferred because it is much easier to clean - thoroughly. Besides, hunting is one of those vents that just makes it very OK to carry a foxed blade ... and fixed blades are cool.

I have become a Becker Knife fan over the years and really like using Becker knives; they are made by a good company (KaBar) and designed by a man who knows knives and the woods - Ethan Becker. BTW, nothing against Buck as they are a very good company as well.

That brings me to what had become my favorite deer knife - the Cold Steel Master Hunter. My time (and deer) tested one is Carbon V - which I believe is 52100 and is excellent! It's the right size, right shape, right grip and right price. As much as I really like that Carbon V one that I have used for years now, I did just pull the trigger on a 3V Master Hunter as I believe it to be superior - even though I have not used it yet on a deer - or anything else for that matter.

I also have a few fancy-schmancy deer knives but honestly, I do go the rest of my days witht he 3V master Hunter ... or the old faithful Carbon V Master Hunter ... or my Buck 110.
 
While I am a big fan of the 110 and 112, there are two issues that keep popping up when gutting, caping, and de-boning. Please bear in mind this is merely my observations, not the end all.

One issue is the slickness combined with the weight. One more than one occasion when my hands are goopy, I have accidentally slid my hand up towards the blade.

The 112 sort of negates this with the finger guard, but again, the weight balance is tilted much more to the handle than the blade.

The blade shape however, is fantastic, along with the corrosion resistance.
 
I would really like someone who has used both - opinion on SK5 SRK vs Buck 119? Not just for game for anything
 
I don't believe that there is a "best" game knife. If you break down the different tasks maybe you could get closer to a "best" knife for each task ... even then probably no one "best".

I actually prefer a smaller fixed blade with a 3" to 3.5" blade in the 7.5" overall range. I've field dressed more deer sized game than I can recall and up to and including elk and never felt the need for bigger. And game as small as pheasant and quail or squirrels and rabbits. I don't like a clip point for a game knife I much prefer a well done drop point. I despise a guthook on a knife ... no need aand I've seen careless mistakes when people try to use them.

As far as steels. I like Cruwear a lot for this work and more recently D3V has also been a steel I've used and like. They hold an edge well and can handle inadvertent contact with bone and stay sharp with no damage and both sharpen up easy when the time comes. I have one in Magnacut to try out this coming fall, but of the same size and basic design as my current choices. I tried some of the steels that are touted as having better edge retention, but they chipped and rolled edges and I wasn't impressed for those tasks.

That all said, you can use about anything and make it work if you know what you're doing ... I have field dressed a deer with an Old Timer Stockman because I wasn't hunting at the time and did not have my knife on me or my pack in my truck ... just had a good deer wander through a buddies yard one afternoon during season and that was the knife in my pocket. I think it's a lot about personal preference and maybe based more on what you've had the opportunity to try or not to form your opinions that makes people chose what they chose.

When I hunt I also carry a couple smaller knives a White River Pro 1 and a Knives of Alaska Caping Knife that I use for skinning and caping and they work great. One is S35VN steel the other D2.

No right or wrong answer. If you need a knife to dress game ... you are living right. The knife you get to use is just gravy. In any deer camp I've been in you could have a dozen guys and have at least 10 different knives and opinions.
 
Hashishiin said:
I would really like someone who has used both - opinion on SK5 SRK vs Buck 119? Not just for game for anything
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I bet there are a ton of folks here on BF that have used both.

Any specific questions? Those two blades have some significant differences when you whittle down the details.

Both are great options.
 
For a long time my favorite knife for whitetails was an ESEE 4 that I re-profiled into a relatively thin convex edge. It excelled for my purposes and held an edge well, I think most due to the convex geometry. But I moved on in search of better edge retention and to try out different patterns.

Here are a few that I've really enjoyed using in recent years:

- Marbles Woodcraft (vintage);
- Carothers Utility Fighter 2;
- Schrade Sharpfinger (vintage);
- Spycerco Mule (SPY27);
- Mora 2000 (or Kansbol, they use the same blade); and
- Custom drop point by Ian Van Reenan in either ATS-34 or 154CM.

I'd like to try out a Buck 192 in S35VN sometime soon along with a Loveless style drop point, funds permitting.

Edit: I think I actually used my Magnacut Mule.
 
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There's a ton of good choices and many of them mentioned already, but there is also the Benchmade Hunt Saddle Mountain Skinner. It has a lot better edge retention than most.
 
DMG said:
Is that you, Dad?


My dad used the 110 and only 110 as a hunting knife. A Case Stockman when not hunting.
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I had to chuckle a bit at your post...and it also brought back great memories. My Dad (*RIP) was an avid hunter/sportsman. In the 35 years that I watched him hunt, I only saw him use ONE model of knife, no others. For him, that was his trusty 110 "Folding Hunter". If he was afield, that black sheath was on his belt.

Being that there was no internet back then, he wasn't much for "warranty" stuff. So, I reckon he'd grab him a new one about every decade or so. I couldn't even begin to count the number of whitetail he processed with those things.

Dad will have been gone 11 years on the 23rd of this month. I still miss him. So, pardon the walk down memory lane and this self-serving pic. This is his second-to-last "4 dot", complete will broken/reprofiled tip... (*probably done with an angle grinder)



 
Alone said:
I had to chuckle a bit at your post...and it also brought back great memories. My Dad (*RIP) was an avid hunter/sportsman. In the 35 years that I watched him hunt, I only saw him use ONE model of knife, no others. For him, that was his trusty 110 "Folding Hunter". If he was afield, that black sheath was on his belt.

Being that there was no internet back then, he wasn't much for "warranty" stuff. So, I reckon he'd grab him a new one about every decade or so. I couldn't even begin to count the number of whitetail he processed with those things.

Dad will have been gone 11 years on the 23rd of this month. I still miss him. So, pardon the walk down memory lane and this self-serving pic. This is his second-to-last "4 dot", complete will broken/reprofiled tip... (*probably done with an angle grinder)



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Love this!
 
Alone said:
I had to chuckle a bit at your post...and it also brought back great memories. My Dad (*RIP) was an avid hunter/sportsman. In the 35 years that I watched him hunt, I only saw him use ONE model of knife, no others. For him, that was his trusty 110 "Folding Hunter". If he was afield, that black sheath was on his belt.

Being that there was no internet back then, he wasn't much for "warranty" stuff. So, I reckon he'd grab him a new one about every decade or so. I couldn't even begin to count the number of whitetail he processed with those things.

Dad will have been gone 11 years on the 23rd of this month. I still miss him. So, pardon the walk down memory lane and this self-serving pic. This is his second-to-last "4 dot", complete will broken/reprofiled tip... (*probably done with an angle grinder)



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Sorry he is gone. I don't think my dad will be around much longer, either. He bought me a 110 too when i was 12. I think he considered murdering me when i lost it.

He used one rifle and one shotgun pretty much all his life, too.
 
Used a Buck 112 a lot in the past.

I picked up a knife from Montana Knife Company. They use 52100 and grind their knives thin. The model I picked up is called the Speedgoat. This thing cuts like a laser and is not bad to keep sharp. And being a fixed blade it is much easier to cleanup after the field dressing is over than the 112!

sg1.jpgsg2.jpg
 
Hashishiin said:
I would really like someone who has used both - opinion on SK5 SRK vs Buck 119? Not just for game for anything
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While I haven't used an SK5 SRK, I have used a Carbon V SRK and a Buck 119.

Both have comfortable handles.
Both blades are a little bigger than I like for every day outdoor stuff.
The saber grind on the SRK (or minimal hollow grind IIRC on the SK5 version) is very strong, but is terrible for food prep.
The hollow grind on the Buck 119 is a better slicer overall.
The shallow clip on the SRK does a fine job keeping the point of the guts when opening the animal.
The more acute tip on the 119 is better for nicking that last piece of sinew holding joints together.
The 119 handle fills the hand better.
The SRK handle is overall more grippy.
The sheath that came with my SRK was terrible (old school nylon sheath with a poorly placed strap for retention.
The 119 sheath is great, and works really well for the SRK too!
The 119 is overall just a bit more bulky than the SRK.
The 119 is 420HC which is easy to sharpen, holds a reasonable edge, and stainless.
The SRK in SK5 is carbon steel which is easy to sharpen, holds a reasonable edge, and is NOT stainless.
The coating on the SRK will wear/flake off; maybe into your meat or food.
They are both stick tang knives, with 6 inch blades, of (IMO) comparable strength.
The SRK has a stronger tip.
 
You won't believe this (well, maybe you will) - After much research as to the best hunting knife, I ordered the Cold Steel Master Hunter in 3V. I received it last night after much confusion and delays by the seller. I thought last night that I would just send it back due to the convoluted process of buying/shipping Then I open this forum this morning and read how it rates among the top knives for breaking down deer, etc. - the very reason I bought the knife in the first place. I am not a "coincidence" believer! All things happen for a reason. Einstein said, Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous. Thanks for starting this thread - thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts. Sure helps guide us novices in search of knife choices for specific uses!!!
 
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