Cold Steel Pendleton Hunter / Mini-Hunter?

[Guyon]

I liked the design of these two matched knives enough to order them sight unseen (other than the internet picture).

Anybody used a Pendleton Hunter from Cold Steel? Any impressions? How does Cold Steel's AUS-8 stack up against other AUS-8 heat treats?

 

[Mongo]

Howdy Guyon, I had the mini-Pendleton before I gifted it to my hunting buddy last year. It is a nice little knife... the AUS-8 isn't too bad. The handle is a little short, but was easily remedied with a paracord fob. I thought it made for a decent small game knife, or a small utility knife. I never got a chance to handle the bigger model, but I think the extra handle would be a positive. The blade design is surely a classic and I think this would be a decent deer knife.

 

[Guyon]

Mongo, The handle on the larger Pendleton is what got my attention. I'm sort of intrigued by the big grip/smaller blade idea. With whitetail deer, at least, you don't need a giant chunk of steel to get the job done. Just think of all those deer that are dressed with Sharpfingers every year. My objection to a knife like the Sharpfinger, however, is the lack of a stable grip--particularly when cutting through the breast bone.

 

[Mongo]

Well, I cannot vouch for the bigger model, but there is a single guard that is built into the kraton handle that should provide some protection. The handle is pretty "grippy" too. On the mini, the guard did give enough purchase to prevent your fingers from slipping onto the blade.

 

[Guyon]

I notice an awful lot of hunters that don't have blade guards at all, but it's one thing I look for in a field knife. Things can get a little slippery if the knife gets blood on it--especially if you wear rubber gloves (something I've done since all this Chronic Wasting Disease got going). The last thing you want is to be out in the wilderness with your hand sliced open.

I've been looking at some nice hunting knives over at Bark River and Tool. Was pleased to see that at least some of their models, the Huntsman and Fieldsman for example, have blade guards.

 

[mete]

After using the master hunter for years and now playing with the mini-P I can't imagine ever slipping on that checkered handle even with wet hands. But the guard on the mini does provide protection.The mini would make a good squirrel knife.The AUS-8 is a pretty good blade.