Best Hunting / Skinning

S

Super_Dave

Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
2
Whats the best all around hunting knife for large game like deer . One that will easily skin game but is strong enough to cut through the brisket and dejoint it the quarters.

I use a Wyoming Knife for the skinning, can't beat the gut hook for ease of use and a AST-34 Gator.
 
I prefer a 3-3 1/2" drop blade knife. It will be used for field dressing and skinning.

Lynn, I would like to see your knives at the Little Rock show. I will drop by your table.
 
I have a Buck Vangaurd that is strictly used for hunting/skinning purposes! I love that knife! It does a great job, holds an edge very well, and last but not least only cost about $40.00. I must admit I am not crazy about the factory sheath, but the knife is wonderful!
 
Lots of great factory knive's in this category.
A few standouts are:
Fallkniven's F-1
Cold Steel Master Hunter
Marble's Woodcraft or Fieldcraft or Plainsman or Bison etc, etc...

Plenty more to choose from. Good luck!
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So, what IS the speed of dark?
 
Sounds like you are pretty well equiped to me! But you could just go with a nice little drop-point 3" knife and leave the rest at home. I have had a Case Little Devil for 20+ years and it's skinned alot of moose! A shorter knife gets you closer to your work. The real trick is to have a sharp knife!!! The Cold Steel Master Hunter is a great knife, although I wish the blade was an inch shorter! A good friend skinned 3 moose with one and it was still cutting great. They are a real bargin at $45+.
 
You could find you a good Chop-saw and remedy that too long Problem of coarse if your not realy good at reshaping and sharpening it might be a waste of time

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TbarK Custom Knives
I am Opposed to Millionair's but it would be Dangerous to Offer Me The Job,Mark Twain
 
Sounds like you have a prety good setup for hunting, there.

I use a Kellam Heidi puukko and it does real well. Has about a 3" blade. I cleaned a deer with it this weekend and it would still shave. Surprising to me, since I used it to "undo" the knee joints.

I guess a drop point would have certain advantages to the strait back, though.

-Bart
 
NO such creature exhists!
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.....LOL. I have been trying to locate it. Drop point fixed blades are my passion.
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I have to agree with misque, I like the Fallkniven F1 a lot, and own a few of the Marble's as well (Plainsman, Bison .....) - all of these are moderate priced. A lot of value for the $.

I like the Bob Dozier fixed blades a lot!
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The Compagnion, and Pro Skinner are some nice affordable 'customs'.
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Best knife is the one that YOU like to use for whatever reasons. It could be a cheap $ Frosts of Sweden Puukko!
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Choices are many - limited by personal preferences and available $.


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Ray 'md2020'

ps - sorry, I had to try out the smilies legend...LOL.
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[This message has been edited by maddog2020 (edited 01-02-2000).]
 
I've found a nice fellow in Lufkin, Texas, Wallace Landrum, who makes good quality, reasonably priced Cajun skinner and Cajun hunter designs in M2 that work for me. (He claims they work on 'gators, too, but I'll take his word for that
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). He got a new computer for Christmas and put up a web page at http://www.inu.net/wlandrum/index.html
 
In terms of bang for the buck, I think the Fallkniven F1, CS Master Hunter, Marble Fieldcraft and the Buck Vanguard would be pretty good choices. Personally, I would choose the Fallkniven F1 or the Marble (in micarta). You can get the F1 in micarta but it will cost you mucho more bucks but it should last several lifetimes sans a nuclear explosion.



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Hoodoo

No, I do not weep at the world--I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife.
Zora Neale Hurston

Oversharpen the blade, and the edge will soon blunt.
Lao Tsu
 
Any one of several hunter/skinner models made by Tilton Bowen. All are in D2 and fit my hand well. Very good for the price.

Also, just bought a Chris Reeve Ubejane. I didn't get it early enough to use this year, but it looks promising.

 
The best knife depends a bit on how you use your blade and how the grip fits your hand. I like to be able to use the knife inverted with my index finger along the blade while I'm opening an abdominal cavity. I particularly like the Vanguard handle for that. If that handle suits you could also try AG Russell and locate one of the Buck Vanguard Master Series models with BG42 alloy blade (sharper and tougher).

If you don't need the guard on the handle you could look at one of the Dozier hunting knives. They are very well made using D2 alloy that is even tougher than BG42.

All the knives that Hoodoo listed are very good and you may want to handle them all. The Marble blade is probably the toughest of that group, but some people find the grip a little small. If you want to split briskets I'd look for a tough blade. For example you might want a Carbon-V blade on the Master Hunter instead of the AUS-8 alloy.

For utility I'm coming to prefer a clip-point hunting knife to a drop-point. The reason is that a clip point might still work on a rabbit as well as a deer. I'm hunting elk these days and carry a small hatchet for splitting briskets etc. That allows me to use a smaller hunting knife.
 
I like the F1 too, but I keep going back to my Grohmann Russel belt Knife. Fits my hand really nice, is a dream to sharpen to razor sharpness, doesnt seem to rust ( handy in the field) and is great around camp. It slices effortlessly!

Ken
 
After I re-read the post, I realized I didn't answer the question. In the past, I always used the CS Master Hunter and my Puma Game Warden. Both worked pretty good. But I watched my buddy use his short drop point on a deer and thought I needed to change. I then saw Neil Blackwood's "Small Hunter" and figured that should work for me. I ordered one and it will be next year before I can tell you how it works. I bet it will work.

[This message has been edited by Big Tex (edited 01-02-2000).]
 
I'm with MD2020-I love drop point fixed blades, and hunting knives in general. Here are a few of my favorites. Griffith Tracker, Blackwood Small Hunter, Dozier Straight Hunter, Schrade ProHunter2, Spyderco Wegner if you want a folder. If you want one a bit smaller, the Patrolman from Lynn Griffith will do many chores despite it's size, and even the Blackwood Small Game can handle most any animal. I've like Bob Dozier's blades for a long time, and there's no denying that they're good, but I'd personally rather have a custom from either Lynn or Neil. These guys really know knives, and when you wrap your hand around one I'll bet you'll agree. Good luck!
PS-I too just re-read your post and have to say that you do have a good set up already! I've liked that ATS-34 Gator since I first saw it.

[This message has been edited by ptpalpha (edited 01-02-2000).]
 
The Spyderco Wegner does a great job. I bought one for a friend of mine that does alot of hunting. He shrugged it off at first because it is a folder. I convinced him to try it out on the next hunt. He swears by it now.

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Dennis Bible
 
Thanks PTP and Big Tex!
Paul, the Small Game has been used to field dress several deer! I carry one often in my bowhunting pouch. I must admit though, the Small Hunter is a better knife for deer size animals
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I make a skinner version if the Small Hunter also. I have a set of both to make soon and will photograph them for the website.
Big Tex, the Small Hunter is in progress at this time! You have mail,
Neil



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New Hawkbill Pics!
http://www.geocities.com/Eureka/Meeting/5520/index.html

 
Here's a letter I recieved 01-02-00.
"Paul Turner is a genius! My recent Elk huntwas a late fall hunt in the Teton country north of our home. Temperatures hung barely above zero! After dropping my elk I began to field dress with my big leatherman. It is a great tool, but in the cold the going was slower than I'd hoped. I had recently bought my Sons Uluchets for their birthdays but had forgotten about them! Jason pulled his out and said, Dad, you want to try this?" I took it and within minutes the job was done! It not only superbly cut the skin but it easily cut through the pelvis and breast bones as well! When skinning, the Uluchet perfectly separated the skin from the carcass as though it were butter. Because of it's shape it kept me from nicking hide or meat! It also performed many other tasks which make it the ultimate tool of the wilderness!
Thanks Paul, for the knife of all knives! It's everything from a knife to a hatchet to a tomahawk! In my estimation there is no knife better for the wild where, needless to say, I spent alot of my time!
Thanks to my wife for my birthday present, The Uluchet!
Jonathan "The Bear Man"
January 1 2000"

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P.J.
P.J. Turner Knife Mfg, Inc.
Uluchet, What's an Uluchet? Find out at...
www.silverstar.com/turnermfg


 
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