Deer skining knife around $120.

Steelhog

Steelhog

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Jul 2, 2009
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Hey guys just wanted to know what you thought was the best deer skining/dressing knife for around $120 was. My brother was breaking the pelvic bone on a dear the other night and his knife snaped. He wants to spend about $120. He was looking at Knives of Alaska in S30V and and the Buck/Cabelas Alaskan guide series in S30V. He isnt great with keeping his knives clean, it may get cleaned that night or that week. He isnt easy on them eather. And it will live in the glove compartment of his truck most of the time. I wanted to know what you guys thought would be the best knife for him. What brand and why. And it dosnt have to be one of the ones he had picked out. Those are from Cabels and its close by, that why he had liked those.
 
I've been looking for the same thing and have been looking very hard at what Bark River Knife & Tool Co. is producing.
They make some very beautiful knives.
 
If he uses it to break bones, etc, buy him something really cheap, like a basic Buck or Gerber and replace it regularly. :(

Better yet, teach him how to use a knife properly, and almost any decent knife will last him a lifetime.
 
Ben Dover said:
If he uses it to break bones, etc, buy him something really cheap, like a basic Buck or Gerber and replace it regularly. :(

Better yet, teach him how to use a knife properly, and almost any decent knife will last him a lifetime.
Click to expand...

...or a small folding saw!
 
Cabela's Alaskan Guide Vanguard is a great knife.

Vanguard1.jpg
 
I'd go with either a Fallkniven or a Bark River. A Fallkniven F1 with the ugly plastic sheath is pretty easy to maintain (stainless steel blade, rubber handle). I like the leather sheath a lot more from an aesthetic point of view.

If you think a convex grind might be hard for him to adjust to, then a Spyderco Moran could work (either the drop point or the upswept point model). For around $75 it's a hell of a knife, and the synthetic handle and sheath are great for a knife that might not be cleaned right away.
 
I had a vanguard too. Great knife and blade shape/size for deer and hog hunters. I would get the cabelas version in S30V though. I did gut/skin a hog with my Buck small blackhawk and that split brisket and pelvis no problem. Blade was a little pointy for skinning but did the job.
 
A. G. Russell Deer Hunter. Around $50 for the VG-10 version...
001-18.jpg


With a Mora Clipper for size comparison...
002-17.jpg


You'll have enough money left over to buy one of these sets for the thicker bones...
GB41392.jpg


...and still enough left over for another hunting toy.
 
I would think you would need something with a gut hook. Kershaw has one of my favorites:

http://www.kershawknives.com/productdetails.php?id=366&brand=kershaw

Or you can buy a good fixed blade with a kershaw gut hook. I have limited experience with knives of Alaska but what I have read of them you cant go wrong. You are spoiled for choice in this department with great knives from even great makers here on BF. Jason Breeden also makes a great 4inch knife for $100 the pathfinder. I like it for the extra belly.

http://breedenknives.com/?page_id=22
 
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If he is in to carbon steel get him a rat 3 or 4 (he will have to keep a litle rag with olive oil on in a plastic baggy in his glove compartment it is meat friendly and keeps away rust ) if he is in to SS the Falkniven F1. This is one of the best all around blades. Keep away from the Cold Steel VG 1 steel
 
I'd personally go with the ats34 version over the S30V for a hunting knife, especially at less than half the price.
 
Someone put a post about this that I just thought about. A BM Fixed Griptillian would be a good knife for deer sized game. They are reasonably priced w/154CM steel.
 
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