Best steel for skinning/edge retention

Thanks a lot for all the replies and help. Didn't understand all of it lol, but I'm gonna buy a good sharpener. Will likely be the sharp maker to help me learn my angles. I picked up a smiths 6" diamond stone yesterday, and I tried it on a couple of cheaper knives I have. Not sure what I did wrong but I definitely didn't get them near as sharp as the pull thru sharpener does. I used to have a very old butchers steel that I could sure put an edge on with but I lost it.
 
I suggest S30V stainless as it it readily available and is pretty economical.If you need to get through some bones or joints in addition to skinning then bring a hacksaw with you.I am talking about in the field while field dressing game.Deer,boar, bear,etc.....
 
The Benchmade 300-1 AXIS FLIPPER in 154CM stainless would be a good choice in a folder and is designed to be a utility/ hunting knife.Little easier to sharpen than S30v...
300-1.jpg
 
Thanks guys. I'm checking several out. I honestly like the look of the more traditional large folders than say spyderco or benchmade.
 
The Mastiff said:
Large blocky carbides and fairly low grit polishes rule flesh and muscle slicing and thick, muddy, dirt caked fur jobs. Steels like Ingot ( not powder) D2, Cruwear/vascowear, D3,etc. with the right heat treat ( Dozier takes his D2 to an art for skinning and caping type jobs). The Ingot Cruwear Spyderco mules are even better for flesh and muscle IMO.

Realize these steels won't outlast CPM M4, K390, 10V, S90V, S110V on ropes or jobs where pure carbide volume ( especially vanadium) rules the day. Also, be aware taking a D2 dozier, or cruwear ( insert knife maker here) knife and polishing it extremely high will lower it's initial performance on this material. Leave the super high polished edges to push cuts and tissue paper tricks. The biting edges will always do best on skin and flesh & meat. Thicker skin with fur is no exception. Leave the high polished knives home.
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Another time that we agree! This is GREAT info right here.
 
killgar said:
The guy asked about skinning, not opening packages.

Hey Richmtnkennels, first welcome to the forum. Second, there is a "Hunting & Fishing" sub-forum here at Bladeforums, you might find more hunters, and a good answer to your specific question there. To find that sub-forum look under the right corner of my post, there is "Quick Navigation" box with "General Knife Discussion" in it. Click on that to bring up a scroll-down menu. Scroll down until you see "Hunting & Fishing", and click on that.

Good luck in your search.
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You're correct.

Sorry OP. I read the original post as "...for skinning AND holding an edge" as in a knife you'd carry and also use for skinning.

Still think you should take a look at the steel comparison chart floating around here (one member has a link in his sig) as it has some great info, some of which has been touched on in this thread (The Mastiff's post).

I am curious though, is there a reason you are looking a folder for skinning? I'm sure it will work fine just seems to me that a fixed blade would be the obvious choice, especially if its a dedicated skinning knife.
 
Fanglekai said:
There is no such thing as CPM 154 CM. There is CPM-154 and 154CM.
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154CM came from 15% Chromium and 4% Molybdenum. CPM stand for Crucible Powdered Metal. Its would be absolutely make sense to call Crucible's powered 154CM as CPM154CM.
 
shqxk said:
154CM came from 15% Chromium and 4% Molybdenum. CPM stand for Crucible Powdered Metal. Its would be absolutely make sense to call Crucible's powered 154CM as CPM154CM.
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This has been discussed before :D
 
shqxk said:
154CM came from 15% Chromium and 4% Molybdenum. CPM stand for Crucible Powdered Metal. Its would be absolutely make sense to call Crucible's powered 154CM as CPM154CM.
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The fact remains that the makers don't call it that.
 
I don't know that different steel types is as important to a knife's performance as things like overall blade design, edge geometry, handle shape, etc. I have a very nice and expensive knife in M390 with a saber grind. It works great to clean a normal SC sized Whitetail deer. However, I also have a Buck Vanguard in a thinner, hollow ground blade with a thinner edge which does way better and stays sharp easily through a single deer. The M390 knife stays sharper a bit longer but the design of the Buck using their 420 stainless works faster so it seems to do just as well, if not better.

To me, technique and blade design matter more than metal type. Just my two cents.
 
Richmtnkennels said:
Thanks a lot for all the replies and help. Didn't understand all of it lol, but I'm gonna buy a good sharpener. Will likely be the sharp maker to help me learn my angles. I picked up a smiths 6" diamond stone yesterday, and I tried it on a couple of cheaper knives I have. Not sure what I did wrong but I definitely didn't get them near as sharp as the pull thru sharpener does. I used to have a very old butchers steel that I could sure put an edge on with but I lost it.
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You are on the right track! Sharpening and getting your edges right is a vital part of this hobby, more so then anything else but has become a neglected essential.

IMO the performance of a knife's edge comes down to how well a person can sharpen for the appropriate use. Yes metallurgy and good heat treat plays a role but if a person cant sharpen correctly even unobtainium heat treated by Zeus would mean diddly squat.
 
marthinus said:
You are on the right track! Sharpening and getting your edges right is a vital part of this hobby, more so then anything else but has become a neglected essential.

IMO the performance of a knife's edge comes down to how well a person can sharpen for the appropriate use. Yes metallurgy and good heat treat plays a role but if a person cant sharpen correctly even unobtainium heat treated by Zeus would mean diddly squat.
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Isn't there an Applause smiley somewhere?
 
This guy has been researching this exact question for a few years. Spend a little time and watch his videos and you see exactly what it takes and why. He has even taking it to the next level by developing a new grind for the blades. He has tried darn near everything while he skinned his 40 to 100 "deer" and more for those he guided.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZLaWayFxnhCAoCWqASKeDQ
 
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