Field & Stream's "Best of the Best" winner for hunting knives is...

I grew up with elders who carried the old thin & narrow Herter's knives, or Old Hickory kitchen knives, for outdoor work. Those knives worked for them for decades.

So, to compare a Cold Steel Pendleton to an old Herter's or Old Hickory knife, you'd have more modern materials, but the same hard-working functionality, at the same great price point. My elders would nod in agreement, I think. Taking a short break in a skinning job to touch up a skinning knife was all part of the process to them. They would hate these new harder 'super-steels' as too hard to sharpen.

~Chris
 
If Field and Stream was catering to the knife nuts, it would be called BLADE or TACTICAL KNIVES. They'd be telling you to use a $400 knife and a $20 reel. :D
 
say what you will about CS, but I'll say this.. My kukri machete is probably the best $15 I've ever spent on anything with a fraction of its performance...

I was just out today beating the heck out of my cheap kukri, and my Carbon V SRK... the machete held up better after all the abuse..

battoning both, and the machete is used for bush clearing where I was slamming it in the dirt.. no chips, rolled edges nothing.. also have the roach belly for the kitchen, when it was new it completely processed 4 12 pound chickens before it lost its edge...

that's just my experience with CS.. I think the internet has a lot of people who have one little experience, jump on a ban wagon and all the kool-aiders follow suit with whom most have no personal experience..

I'm personally not a huge fan of CS but like I said, plenty bang for your buck..
 
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Shecky, Tostig and Ankerson then by the same logic why recommend the $400.00 dollar fishing reel? If their just recommending gear for the average user as you suggest then should that not also apply to all their gear recommendations? I'm just saying..... Seems to me what your saying is they get a pass on knives and everything else is cool or they don't get a pass on anything and some people around here aren't that uppity and have the right to point out that these magazines don't do the best knife reviews even for the "average user" and please Shecky, Tostig or Ankerson define the "average user" for me.

Is it just someone who doesn't hang here, but use knives, because I've always liked knives and was a "knife nut" even before I found this place. Another thing Dave Petzal is the gun editor, they don't even have a dedicated knife editor, they have a fishing editor, gun editor, etc so get a knife editor or sub one out the 2 times a year you do knife reviews.

I went back today while at the office read the review for the cold steel fixed blade and then read the review for the diamond forged alpha hunter (I think) anyway its a diamond forged folder with review at the top left of page. This knife is very similar in size to the cold steel and is well let me say in my opinion (because someone on here is unquestionable) going to say its not, but made with far superior materials and workmanship than the cold steel. The diamond forged knife is D2 that has bee friction forged, I've seen picutres of those things being bent like 60 degrees, there sharp as hell, stay sharp for a while and incredibly tough, yet Petzal in his infant wisdom says it is scant for outdoor chores other than perhaps skinning a deer, but yet the cold steel with a hidden tang and plastic handle is the best of the best. That stinks plain and simple and you don't have to be a knife nut to figure that out, so calling a BS review, BS shouldn't turn into a dissertation on the uppity among us not seeing the forest for the trees.

MikeC "uppity knife nut""

I'm going to see about changing my name to Uppity Knife Nut
 
MikeC said:
Shecky, Tostig and Ankerson then by the same logic why recommend the $400.00 dollar fishing reel? If their just recommending gear for the average user as you suggest then should that not also apply to all their gear recommendations? I'm just saying..... Seems to me what your saying is they get a pass on knives and everything else is cool or they don't get a pass on anything and some people around here aren't that uppity and have the right to point out that these magazines don't do the best knife reviews even for the "average user" and please Shecky, Tostig or Ankerson define the "average user" for me.

Is it just someone who doesn't hang here, but use knives, because I've always liked knives and was a "knife nut" even before I found this place. Another thing Dave Petzal is the gun editor, they don't even have a dedicated knife editor, they have a fishing editor, gun editor, etc so get a knife editor or sub one out the 2 times a year you do knife reviews.

I went back today while at the office read the review for the cold steel fixed blade and then read the review for the diamond forged alpha hunter (I think) anyway its a diamond forged folder with review at the top left of page. This knife is very similar in size to the cold steel and is well let me say in my opinion (because someone on here is unquestionable) going to say its not, but made with far superior materials and workmanship than the cold steel. The diamond forged knife is D2 that has bee friction forged, I've seen picutres of those things being bent like 60 degrees, there sharp as hell, stay sharp for a while and incredibly tough, yet Petzal in his infant wisdom says it is scant for outdoor chores other than perhaps skinning a deer, but yet the cold steel with a hidden tang and plastic handle is the best of the best. That stinks plain and simple and you don't have to be a knife nut to figure that out, so calling a BS review, BS shouldn't turn into a dissertation on the uppity among us not seeing the forest for the trees.

MikeC "uppity knife nut""

I'm going to see about changing my name to Uppity Knife Nut
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I hear what your saying , actually what everyone's said in this thread.

I do wonder if the knife chosen was not made by Cold Steel and some other less costly but effective knifewould there have been a minor uproar ? Say that AG Russel Woodswalker , or a Mora , etc.. :)

Nothing wrong with being uppity every now and again I suppose , I think the point we were trying to convey is that there are several thousand times more knife users than the whole population here on BF that do not care too much about higher end cultlery as long as it gets the job done for them.

Tostig
 
Tostig, I understand perfectly what Shecky was trying to say, I get that part I do, but it seems that all these mags do the same thing, they'll have a 4 page review on new upland hunting boots and a 1 or 2 page review by the "gun editor" and just gloss over it all, usually with only one or two good blades in the pile and then pull some kinda crap like recommending the hidden tang thin blade plastic handled wonder knife, while the diamond forged D2 knife which is legimately a tough as nails, latest greatest technology etc, blade and call the other best of the best, really?

To me it just shows total and complete lack of effort on the guys part, he even says in his review of the diamond forge knife it represents the latest in knifedome or knifery or some kinda cheesy crap like that. I don't own a diamond forge knife nor do I want one, I'm just saying even for the average user do a better job.

As if that is not enough I can pull some back issues where they have all this bush craft advice and survival stuff and they talk about how important a good knife is, but they turn around blow the knife review and then talk about upland hunting boots for 4 pages. I don't think it takes an average user to point out the fact that is counter intuitive and illogical.
 
MikeC said:
Shecky, Tostig and Ankerson then by the same logic why recommend the $400.00 dollar fishing reel? If their just recommending gear for the average user as you suggest then should that not also apply to all their gear recommendations?
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I think Field & Stream is recommending gear for their average reader, not the average knife user. And I could see as how the average Field & Stream reader might prefer to spend $400 on a reel rather than on a knife (assuming that there are more avid fishermen/women than avid knife enthusiasts).

The average knife user, however, being part of a much larger population -- one that includes most adults on this planet -- likely wouldn't want to spend $400 on either a knife or a fishing reel.

EDIT:

MikeC said:
To me it just shows total and complete lack of effort on the guys part, he even says in his review of the diamond forge knife it represents the latest in knifedome or knifery or some kinda cheesy crap like that. I don't own a diamond forge knife nor do I want one, I'm just saying even for the average user do a better job.
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I thought someone said that one of his criteria was ease of sharpening. If that's the case, then the D2 of the super-duper diamond forged knife wouldn't fit the bill.

I can see your points and understand where you're coming from, but I also think that others make valid ones with regard to knife knuts and their particular views on what makes a good knife.
 
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MikeC
To me it just shows total and complete lack of effort on the guys part, he even says in his review of the diamond forge knife it represents the latest in knifedome or knifery or some kinda cheesy crap like that. I don't own a diamond forge knife nor do I want one, I'm just saying even for the average user do a better job.
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Yea , I get what your saying now , I think :) Like the guy doesnt really do a good job reviewing ?


Tostig
 
MikeC said:
Shecky, Tostig and Ankerson then by the same logic why recommend the $400.00 dollar fishing reel?
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Because it's Field and Stream, not Blade or Tactical Knives, as cramsey3006 put it. This guy looks at a knife the way I look at a pipe wrench, or a fishing reel, for that matter. I'll pay enough for something that works, but not much more.
 
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For a fisherman or hunter, a knife is just a piece of tool in the tackle box. F&S got it spot on imo.

I have high-end knives, but I don't look down on other knives ever. I know coming on these forums and reading dedicated magazines is a way to educate ourselves on the things we like. But, come on, this snobbery is very unappealing to people who maybe just becoming interested in the same things we are.


I know, so you spend big money on your knives and you're proud of them. So it's a 500-dollar knife. Good for you! Some people drop that kind of cash on a glass of wine, but they won't tell you not to drink table wine.

This whole snobbery thing is a turn-off, really.
 
Big Mike said:


Those old Herder blades still rock. :thumbup: :cool: :thumbup:

Big Mike
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Nice looking knives - especially that bottom one.

Actually, I don't remember any Herder brands, but what my uncles & cousins & friends had was Herter's, a camping & outdoor supply mail-order outfit that went defunct in the 70's. (I've been trying to get one of their old catalogs for years.) If a knife is made of good steel, properly heat-treated, it'll serve well, whether it cost $2. or $20. or $200.

~Chris
 
That article really did bring out the knife snobbery in this forum.

I'm going along with Petzal on this one. Might not be my first choice in knives, but the man knows hunting and gutting out game.

I think it is made of a Krupp steep, and I have had experience with it. Not bad stuff at all.
 
Maybe they meant "best of the best" for under $30:confused:








Nah, just Field and Steam acting like they know about knives again:p
Yes, I am a hunter. Also ex butcher, and game processing buisness owner.(just metioning that since someone asked if any hunters here).

There Carbon V Master Hunter is a good hunting knife IMO, but still far from "best of the best".


BTW- I've never held or seen the knife FS mentioned, but I still can't imagine it being the "best of the best". Great knife... maybe.
 
Ken44 said:
Maybe they meant "best of the best" for under $30:confused:








Nah, just Field and Steam acting like they know about knives again:p
Yes, I am a hunter. Also ex butcher, and game processing buisness owner.(just metioning that since someone asked if any hunters here).

There Carbon V Master Hunter is a good hunting knife IMO, but still far from "best of the best".


BTW- I've never held or seen the knife FS mentioned, but I still can't imagine it being the "best of the best". Great knife... maybe.
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I think they ment value for the money maybe... :confused:

It's a good knife for $30.
 
Ankerson said:
I think they ment value for the money maybe... :confused:

It's a good knife for $30.
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I just read the post again, and think you are right about that.

The OP did state that he mentioned the $22 price alot. It does seem like alot of knife for $22, and a great value in a hunting knife.
 
Ken44 said:
I just read the post again, and think you are right about that.

The OP did state that he mentioned the $22 price alot. It does seem like alot of knife for $22, and a great value in a hunting knife.
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Yeah for that price it is. :D

Heck, you can't even get a decent cheap Kitchen knife for that at Wally World. LOL

Just say'n. :)
 
shecky said:
Because it's Field and Stream, not Blade or Tactical Knives, as cramsey3006 put it. This guy looks at a knife the way I look at a pipe wrench, or a fishing reel, for that matter. I'll pay enough for something that works, but not much more.
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Yeah, I can't talk about that. I've got $200 reels in the garage with $50 worth of braided line on each of them with hooks that cost $2 each. :eek:
 
I collect knives and reels... I have no issues using a sub $20 knife for fishing or cleaning game but a reel and a knife is 2 different things. A reel (spinning and casting) has many moving parts; gears, bearings etc. A knife in comparison is a lot simpler in construction (even the folding variety). Yes, I too would not hesitate to recommend a more expensive reel ($100-$400 range) to a fellow fisho because a large part of that premium is not just due to materials but R&D, technological advancements in gears and pinions, higher quality and more bearings etc. Cheap reels tends to break easily... Knives, even the cheaper ones hardly ever breaks.
 
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