Dozier Pro Guide for Hiking/Backpacking?

T

trailside22

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Sep 8, 2005
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It's not that I don't have plenty of capable knives, but I have been thinking about getting a Dozier Professional Guides Knife for a general use hiking and backpacking blade. It would include food prep which I am sure it would excel at, but also making feather sticks and even some light batoning if I needed to get some dry wood to start a fire.

I really like Bob's knives and they hold an edge forever. I have been leaving the edge at about 600 grit and then giving it just a few strops on black and green compound. This leaves a "toothy" edge that cut meat, veggies etc. very well. Does anyone take their Doziers to a high polish? If so how high a polish and how does it preform?

Thanks for all the help in advance!
 
I have a couple of Doziers that I take to a high polish, an Arkansas Traveller being one of them. It does mainly indoor tasks, and the polished edge does really well at push cutting, opening envelopes, and lots of other very demanding tasks. ;)

The polished edge is a little bit stronger, and will last a little longer, all else being equal. It will probably perform better for wood work as well. For meat cutting and hunting, the toothier edge will probably be better, and it's the edge that Bob recommends. Dozier knives in D2 take a fantastic edge, and hold it (seemingly) forever. But you already knew that! :D

In reality, either edge will cut. The Pro Guide is pretty stout, and should handle most anything that you throw at it within reason. It's a really well designed knife, and with Dozier D2, you'll be very happy with it, it's a great choice for what you are describing.
 
I have one and love it. I haven't tried batoning with it but for a general purpose hiking knife I think it's great. If you can, get it with the wilderness sheath.
 
I have been looking at the Dozier knives too, but have one concern. The scales don't seem to be removable, so I worry about corrosion under the scales if the knife gets dunked in salt water or blood, which is unavoidable with a hunting knife. Can anyone comment on this aspect of the design?
 
Pro guide is one of my all time favorite knives...perfect for all-purpose hiking, camping, food prep, etc. Not to thick, not to thin, and D2 is strong stuff.
 
I really like the looks of the Pro Guide. I also love Bob's D2. I have always tried to take good care of my Dozier blades, my only concern would be some light batoning. I do not consider batoning, misuse or abuse. I am sure I baby them to much D2 is a much stronger steel than many give it credit. I also think I am going to give it a try at a much high polish to see how it preforms on wood.

Sodak,
How do you like your Arkansas Traveler? I have thought I getting one for a pocket EDC.
 
Thats one of my favorite Doziers, the other being my Arkansas Traveler.
I have another Pro Guides on order with green linen, wilderness sheath, thumb jimping and a flat grind($60 up charge).

IMO its the best knife made for what you desribe. If you get one I would get the wilderness sheath.
 
I have a wilderness sheath for a k-4 "Straight Hunter" and love it. So I will get the wilderness sheath. Thanks for the advice.
 
gwlee said:
I have been looking at the Dozier knives too, but have one concern. The scales don't seem to be removable, so I worry about corrosion under the scales if the knife gets dunked in salt water or blood, which is unavoidable with a hunting knife. Can anyone comment on this aspect of the design?
Click to expand...
I don't know about this one, I haven't had a problem with this, but also haven't hunted as much as some other folks. D2 is fairly corrosion resistant, but I know that hog blood will rust it if left on overnight.


trailside22 said:
Sodak,
How do you like your Arkansas Traveler? I have thought I getting one for a pocket EDC.
Click to expand...
It would be perfect for that role. I have the horizontal sheath, and if fits nicely in the side pocket of my Carharrt work dungarees. When I first got it, I thought it might be a little small, but like all Doziers, the ergo's are so good that it works well, and doesn't get lost in my hands like other smallish knives.

Here it is compared to my Delta Traveller and Straight Personal.
p1010002.jpg
 
gwlee said:
I have been looking at the Dozier knives too, but have one concern. The scales don't seem to be removable, so I worry about corrosion under the scales if the knife gets dunked in salt water or blood, which is unavoidable with a hunting knife. Can anyone comment on this aspect of the design?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't worry at all about that. The scale to tang fit is perfectly TIGHT with no gaps. Plus, I imagine Bob Dozier seals the tang/scale juncture with an epoxy of one flavor or another assuring no moisture gets in.
FWIW, I had a Pro Guide and a lg. Elk Skinner. There is zero gap space for water to leach in under those scales. If I hadn't had an economic disaster, I'd still have both of them. They were keepers.:(
 
Good point. As I look at the front end of my Pro Guide, just inside the micarta I can spot the epoxy, on my Delta Traveler, I can see just a little left over in the same junction. If that's the case, then I wouldn't even worry about capillary action drawing anything in.
 
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