Good skinning/Gutting knife for whitetail

J

jusclaires

Joined
Feb 12, 2014
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Hey everyone like the title says I'm looking for a good skinning knife for field dressing and cleaning a deer. I'm looking to get a matching set for me and my life long best friend. He's just getting into hunting and is in need of a good knife. I think getting a set of custom made would be pretty cool. But I'm not sure I've got the bucks to be able to get two at the same time. I don't think I want to spend much more than $200 a piece, and I'd really like to be able to get a good steel. The Benchmade hunt series looks pretty good to me. But I figured I'd hop on here and see what everyone else thinks. And if theirs a good custom maker that I can get 2 knives for the price I'm looking for please let me know. I think it would be cool to have a set of custom knives.

I currently have a D2 steel knives of Alaska folder; not sure the specific model. But it gets the job done just fine. But the D2 steel does have some rust spots forming. And I've found that with the folding feature and the scales blood and crude gets caught under it. So each time I field dress something I have to take apart the whole knife and clean it. Or it starts to get a rotten smell from the blood trapped in it. So I think I'd stick to a fixed blade with a decent sheath. But I'm open to that as well.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, and thank you in advance everyone
 
There are lots of knife makers on Bladeforums that make custom hunting knives in your price range. Personally I would cruise the exchange here and find a maker that has a style that appeals to you.

Happy hunting!
Bruce
 
A whitetail's skin can easily be pulled off ! In anycase a good 4" stainless steel blade , with slight drop point will do the job .Big choice there !
 
Ive used a few different blades in the last couple seasons since getting into knives... I have to say my favorite is the Benchmade Saddle Mounting Hunter... I love a laser sharp point and that knife is laser sharp the entire length of the blade. I keep a Buck 110 or a 102 as backup.. I do love bucks clip points for opening up the belly.
 
That Benchmade is the one I was really thinking. But I was thinking if see what else there is to look at. And as far as the custom makers any particular ones I should look at?
 
Puma knives makes a nice field dressing kit that has 3 or 4 knives in a nice leather sheath rite in your price range. Can't remember name but saw them in a recent issue of blade magazine.
 
Those puma knives look awesome but I'm not seeing many in my price range. Anybody know custom makers that use s30v. I looked up jk and they seem to use a lot of o1. Which seems to get rust easy. And I know my knife spends a lot of backpack time and is bound to get wet at times. Or would their be a better steel for me to look for. I just know I really like the knife I have in s30v. I don't mind my 154cm but seem to struggle sharpening it. Same with the d2, and its got a little rust popping up on it.
 
I picked up a Benchmade skinner earlier this year, and have been very pleased with its performance.
 
Yeah I am really leaning toward a benchmade. Just thought it'd be cool to have something custom for me and my buddy. Kind of a matching one of a kind set. But if the bemchmade is the way to go I might have to do that
 
Kind of out of left field but can you get a Damascus style blade with s30v or is it a specific steel. Sorry I'm all over the place on this. I want this to be a life long kind of knife for him. So I want to think of every little cook detail
 
I highly recommend the Spyderco Phil Wilson South Fork in S90V. I have used mine now on multiple antelope and deer in addition to loaning it out at hunting camp. The knife is always returned with a smile on the users face and the blade still retaining a great working edge. My two best hunting partners (one being my dad the other my lifelong best friend) are each getting a Spyderco Phil Wilson South Fork for Christmas this year from me. If you watch the dealer sales and online auctions you can pick one up for your $200/ea price point. I imagine if you email most of the smaller dealers and ask if they will sell you two for $200/ea they will probably accept your offer.

Another brand to take a look at is Bark River. They have a lot of nice hunting pattern knives, quality steels and lots of variety for scale material to make the knife somewhat unique for a production knife.
 
jusclaire, damascus is a mix of different steels folded over multiple times and forged together. Some steels work better than others for some purposes. I'm sure someone uses S30V but with the variety of specialized steels today, you're just as well off picking one good steel you know works for you and going with that.
 
Yeah I figured that'd be going to far. Bark river was one I never thought about. And that spyderco with the s90v sounds great but not sure how sharpening would go for me.
 
Bruce has been more than helpful thus far. Anybody have any particular traits that make a good skinning/hunting knife. I'd say I'm looking for a blade that's between 4-5 inches with a good steel. And I think the idea benchmade had with the jimping towards the tip, on the saddle mountain hunter seems like a fantastic idea. but other than that what are some good aspects people look for. I really want this to be a perfect knife for me and my buddy for many many years to come.
 
One of the Bark River knives that you like should fix you up. For less money, the Buck Vanguard 192 drop point.... the Cabelas version (Guide Series) has a black blade (almost seems like gun bluing), leather sheath, and S30V steel for about $100. The knife just fits the hand well and is all you need size wise. I'm a big fan of Bob Dozier's knives but most are in D2.
 
I just picked up a Chris Reeve Nyala and its a beautiful yet functional hunting tool. I look to put it to the test in the next several weeks. A little over your $200 mark but well worth the price imo. Comes with cpm S35vn steel.
 
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