Handle help

[BrentD]

I'm rehandling a couple of Edge Brand 461 blades. Seems like a reasonable thing to do given my almost complete lack of experience. Anyway, I've been rough filing the handle of the first one, and I feel like it sort of close but I would certainly like to hear some critiques of what I've got wrong and what might salvage the project. The end product will be used on a large bull moose about 1 yr from today.

 

[Frank Niro]

That's a long blade for moose hunting in my opinion. About 4" is certainly long enough. Hey, sometimes we use what we can get. The handle looks pretty good from the pictures you sent. Could be a good idea to fill in more of your registration info. People here like to see that. Frank

 

[BrentD]

Frank, thanks for the comments. The blade is 4 3/4". I don't think that is too bad. I've gutted and skinned many animals from bull elk to doe antelope with a very short blade, under 3". But after the gutting, I much prefer a much longer blade. My preference is actually a 6" Rapala filet knife.

I filled out some registration info at your request.

 

[John Katt]

How thick is the blade?

Will you be gutting the moose or using the knife to process the meat?

I use a 4 inch fillet knife to debone and a 7 inch chef's knife to cut steaks from MI white tail. which has nothing to do with a rehandle job, but it would be a good idea to show up with the proper knives on your moose hunt ;0)

 

[BrentD]

John,
It is about 1/8" thin, and a relatively light blade with a long "blood groove" (I don't know a better term for it).

I will have to somehow chunk up the bull enough to make pieced (mostly bone-in, as required by law) to get it from wherever it dies to water big enough to let a float plane take off. After that, I don't know how much processing we will be doing but that won't be done in the bush.

I'll have a pair of knives at least, as will my partner. I have little doubt in their ability to get the job done.

What I do not like about this handle so far is the front of the handle, the finger guard flairs a lot. I'm thinking about cutting it way down. Most of my knives have no guard flare at all. The back of the handle where my thumb would lie is also a bit much of a flair. So, what do you all think about filing it down a good bit also?

 

[John Katt]

I just googled the knife, probably should have done that in the first place, looks like a good hunting knife, a little longer than i'm use to seeing for a hunting knife here in MI, the pictures kinda made it look like a fillet knife, which led to my confusion, moose muscles are a bit bigger than white tail ;0)

 

[John Katt]

I guess one more thought as long as im here, the lack of a sizable finger guard is a little concerning, blood is slippery