Budget skinning set.

Sufler

Sufler

Joined
Oct 15, 2005
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Just talked to a buddy of mine who went elk hunting with just a Ka-bar knife. While I'm sure it's enough to get the skinning job done, I'm looking for recommendations on a budget, but quality, skinning set.

Any recommendations?

Thank you!

:thumbup:
 
Lots of options under those criteria, but a Buck #113 will pretty much do it all, assuming we're talking up to medium-sized game. Classic, good-looking all-arounder with Buck's quality 420HC. You can find them for around $45, and they're made in the US.
 
yea just get a good reliable knife with good edge retention (I prefer fixed blades cause they are easier to keep sanitary) (toss a mora in there too). The sets for game processing usually have a bunch of crap you don't need and are of questionable quality. A good buck, becker BK16, the list goes on forever...
 
Look at a plastic coated scalpel handle ($3) and a box of 100 #22 blades ($10). Just throw the used blades away. Great for skinning. Cheap version of the Havalon knives. Can also buy a regular scalpel handle and add your own wood grip and dip the handle in some bed liner material for a non slip grip.

Edit.....
Sorry. Didn't realize you were looking for a processing kit instead of skinning. See below.
 
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Smithhammer said:
Lots of options under those criteria, but a Buck #113 will pretty much do it all, assuming we're talking up to medium-sized game. Classic, good-looking all-arounder with Buck's quality 420HC. You can find them for around $45, and they're made in the US.
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I don't know anything about elk skinning. Does the set need to include some sort of clever/hatchet to break rib cage or pelvic bone or anything like that?

Thanks.
 
Outdoor Edge makes a pretty good game processing kit for around $60- $70. Its a full set of knives, bone saw, shears, spreader and sharpener. It has three knives I think. If you want the full kit that stores in a carry case this may be it
 
The outdoor edge kit is the most affordable kit that I know of. Knives of Alaska makes a good set but it's $240.
 
How do you guys think the Becker Bk2 would fair in processing elk-sized game?

Thanks.
 
Out of curiosity, it would help if you could number how many medium sized game you have butchered solo....
 
Agreed on the OE kits if you also want a bone saw, etc. I forget what steel they use, but they are very sharp out of the package, and easy to re-sharpen. Personally, I don't bother with breaking rib cages, etc. I quarter and get the other goody bits without doing any of that. A bone saw can be handy, though.
 
Sufler said:
How do you guys think the Becker Bk2 would fair in processing elk-sized game?

Thanks.
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Personally, I think the BK2, as a game knife, is kind of like trimming your nails with a chainsaw. I prefer a smaller knife than that.

But, if you already have one, and you don't want to buy another knife, I'm sure you could make it work.
 
Smithhammer said:
Personally, I think the BK2, as a game knife, is kind of like trimming your nails with a chainsaw. I prefer a smaller knife than that.

But, if you already have one, and you don't want to buy another knife, I'm sure you could make it work.
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I'm just trying to recommend a possibly better alternative to the Ka-Bar to my friend. I told him to grab a Mora (which he already has) next time as I'd figure it'd be a more precise cutter.
 
Just grab any small sharp fixed blade and you can skin anything up to the size of deer just fine. No need for a big knife to skin animals.

I do most of my skinning with knives well under 4 inches. Often I will skin with an ESEE Izula II or similar sized knife. No need for a "set", skinning is not that complicated.

Honestly, a small folder does fine as well. I've skinned a lot of game with a Spyderco Delica. Works just fine. Slipjoints well even work. A Case or nice Schrade Old Timer will do the job just fine long as you make sure they're suitably sharp.

Most of skinning is pulling and grunting, not cutting.

The rib cage of a deer can be split easily with just about any knife. Just go along the side of the sternum and cut the cartilage/connective tissue and it takes only a few seconds. Unless you *really* want to, there's not a whole lot of need to split the pelvis. During November season here in Nebraska I never split the pelvis or rib cage and have never had any problems.
 
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Geez, I feel like a dummy as I see the distinction between skinning and preparation has been highlighted. I have skinning, gutting, and keeping the meat while in the field in mind for this thread.
 
Sufler said:
How do you guys think the Becker Bk2 would fair in processing elk-sized game?

Thanks.
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The BK-2 is the knife you want if you're field dressing old vehicles, but not sure about a dedicated knife for skinning and processing large game. I'm not knocking the knife I have one and it's a great "survival" type knife that will take a lot of abuse. I don't think it would be comfortable to use in processing large game and I don't think the 1095CV, even though it has decent edge retention, is as abrasion resistant as some other steels out there. If I werre looking for a dedicated skinner again at a decent price I'd probably go with one of the Buck Ergo Hunters, and yes I'd have a hatchet for breaking the pelvis, I've ruined a few knife edges on that task.
 
Amen. I have cleaned well over 500 small to large game and still have not found a blade I am 100% happy with. The Mora is great but it left to many strange cuts in the backstrap. I could never get a consistent downward pull with it. May have to do with lack of belly or the grind I am uncertain. The Sharpfinger served me well for years until I shaprend the blade so thin that I was worried about snapping it. Besides the handles on the Sharpfinger always lost traction and were to small for my arthrtic hands so I had to retire it. If you can find an OLD Schrade with the large rubber handles you won't regret it. the new ones, not so much.
 
mora or pendleton light hunter have worked for me. I go with cheap knives that have great properties in the field, both are light weight and hold and edge. I would rather not lose an expensive knife in the field, save those for butchering (if your planning on doing that yourself). I have never dressed an Elk but plenty of other ungulates, and have never needed all the crap like rib spreaders, hatchets etc. I have used my limb saw before but any saw does get a bit of bone dust going on. Trust me bigger knife is not better. A BK2 is not what you want. It would work but so would anything sharp. 4" sharp knife that is light weight will be good (maybe two of them). Elk hunting often involves some serious hiking in rugged terrain, unless you are bringing a sherpa along go as light as possible.
 
RWT said:
Amen. I have cleaned well over 500 small to large game and still have not found a blade I am 100% happy with. The Mora is great but it left to many strange cuts in the backstrap. I could never get a consistent downward pull with it. May have to do with lack of belly or the grind I am uncertain. The Sharpfinger served me well for years until I shaprend the blade so thin that I was worried about snapping it. Besides the handles on the Sharpfinger always lost traction and were to small for my arthrtic hands so I had to retire it. If you can find an OLD Schrade with the large rubber handles you won't regret it. the new ones, not so much.
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I've used the Schrade Safe-T-Grip series knives to process deer and they do a good job. I have several of every knife in the series. But I keep going back to my tried and true duo, the sharpfinger and Woodsman. Though discontinued, both of those knives are still available in new and slightly used condition.

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