Best Small Skinning/Food Prep knife

[Rupestris]

You have described the Russell Green River Sheath Knife to the letter.

~$20 or less without the sheath. Around $40 if you want a sheath.

 

[Silverthorn K&T]

If you're more leaning towards food prep, I make a solid paring knife out of O1 for $125.

 

[gadunz]

Svord
Deluxe
Drop Point 3 3/4 Model 350B

Length of Blade (inches) 3 3/4"
Over All Length (inches) 8 1/2"
Blade Shape Drop Point
Handle Material Mahogony and Brass
Steel Specifications 15N20
Blade Thickness (mm) 2.2mm
Sheath Leather

4" 1990NZ2

Length of Blade (inches) 4"
Over All Length (inches) 8 3/4"

(370BB) DROP POINT 4 3/4

Length of Blade (inches) 4 3/4"
Over All Length (inches) 9 3/4

Economy Farmers 5"

Length of Blade (inches) 5"
Over All Length (inches) 10 1/4"
Blade Shape Farmer
Handle Material Mahogony
Steel Specifications 15N20
Blade Thickness (mm) 2.2mm
Sheath 3mm triple layer PVC with brass rivets and sharpener holder
http://www.svord.com/index.php

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

The Farmer's Knife is a severely underrated knife. Not sure if it's a universal change since I've seen direct references (can't recall where in specific) to a handle designation but the ones I've been getting lately through my distributor network have a different (better, in my opinion) handle shape.

 

[BlackWolfBushcraft]

Awesome Suggestions! Thanks! I have an old butcher knife that is high carbon steel and has about a six inch blade and an eighth of an inch thick. Would it work ok???

 

[gadunz]

Yes indeed. Sharpened, I assume it has a blood patina, & a beeswax coating.
Farmers Knife orig handle

 

[BlackWolfBushcraft]

Awesome! I actually have two. It does has a patina. In terms of skinning smaller game, do you think the 6 inch blade length is too big? Could a swiss army knife work?
Thanks!

 

[leavick]

A2 is an air hardened tool steel. It will stain with use so if that is something you like then it's a good choice. It also takes a razor edge easily with just a bit of stropping. If you like carbon steel then I think you will like this steel also. I do keep a layer of oil on mine when it's stored to prevent corrosion also.

 

[Shriket33]

Ditto for the Russell green river knife, Not sexy, pretty but super functional!
At the front in Labrador their green river knives have skinned hundreds of thousands, no millions of harp seals over the years and after the hunt, they did yeomans work in the galley preparing seal flippers for dinner.
Easy to Sharpen on a steel and around $40.- nowadays. More effective then a Mora classic 1 (another very practical blade)
The Russel green river is THEclassic seal skinning knife of choice by coastal seal hunters and Inuit in the Arctic plus including the Norwegian sealers who came to Canada in their ships to hunt harp and hooded seals, they also prefer the green river knife for a good reason. Geometry of the blade, good steel easy to maintain and sharpen to an hair popping razors edge.
They knew a good thing when they saw it.

 

[flicker 6]

The farmers knife looks like what I call a sheep skinner in a butcher shop. You can get those from Dexter, Victorinox, etc. $20 to $30.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

The Farmer's Knife is a bit different. It has strong elements of a lamb/sheep skinner but it's like if you hybridized one with an all-around utility drop point knife.

 

[BlackWolfBushcraft]

My butcher knife looks very similar to the Green River Sheath Knife. I got a small opinel size 6 with a nice patina on it. Lightweight and portable. Would you recommend going for the larger blade or sticking with the opinel and/or butcher knife?

 

[gadunz]

Overfish the Grand Banks, then blame seals. Great.