Hunting Knife...best steel and edge?

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buckhorn70

Joined
Nov 7, 2009
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What type of steel and edge do you guys feel is the best for a hunting knife? I am refering to a skinning/gutting(deer) type of knife. I have an Edgepro and a Spyderco Sharpmaker to sharpen with(although I have both for less than 2 weeks) Thx
 
Your going to get many different answers. Design and ergos are going to play a bigger part then the steel being used. I prefer a-2 for carbon, and vg-10 for stainless.
 
Check out this thread: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=693490

Go with a drop point blade. Choices of steel are up to you. First you have to decide between ss and non-ss. Either will serve you well. I have a Buck Vanguard in s30v which I really like, but VG10 is also a very good ss choice. I don't have any knives in D2 but have heard good things about it and my next fixed blade will probably be in D2.
 
To be honest if you don't know how to properly clean an animal you're not going to notice a difference between any steels.

I'd start out with a relatively cheap Buck knife (most likely a 420HC steel) and use it until you're proficient at cleaning game.

That said, in my experience, Bob Dozier's D2 is some of the best hunting steel I've come across. That and his wicked hollow grinds make for a great skinner.
 
A friend of mine just got back from a hunting trip, I let him borrow my mule team in 52100 steel at rc62, he used the knife for gutting a 8 point buck and some general food prep. He returned the knife today and too my surprise it was still shaving sharp, the edge has a very little burr but nothing that couldn't be fixed with a few passes on a strop.

A spyderco mule team in 52100 or CPM-M4 would be my top choices but finding one now might be a bit of a challenge. My suggestion would be to start by looking for a thin high carbon blade with a high Rc in a blade shape you are confident in using. If you can't find anything you like see if one of our makers can fill the bill.
 
I like properly heat treated (read : Ed Fowler heat treated) 52100. Convex grind would be best. I think it varies from skinners though, because everything has to do with the way you cut.
 
I have Bill Burke and Joe Olson hunters in 52100 that I like a lot. Also two D-2 Doziers that work great. Even my old CS Master Hunter in Carbon V does a good job.

In a really wet environment I'd favor the D-2.

DancesWithKnives
 
My busse ASH-1 just did a good job on a buck I got Sunday. Full convex grind (not factory) and INFI steel.

deer2.jpg


guts.jpg


Battoned it right through the pelvis and the sternum was no problem. Going to use it to butcher it on Wed too.

Not an "ideal" deer knife, but it did the job just fine, with no chips or rolls to show for it.
 
I think that steels can come from a wide range of quality. Personally I dont want it to hard. A few favorites for me is Sandvik 12c27, Case CV and VG10. All huntingknifes dull when in contakt with bone or dirt in the hides of the animal. I want to have a chans to strop them back to buisness or resharpen in field. Form of blade is more important than steel. I like an upsvept belly on a droppoint or clippoint. Thin but broad blade, easy to clean for hygiene. The mora 2000 is ideal for big game hunting but ugly as ........

Bosse
 
I always use my Spyderco Endura with the 50/50 edge for gutting deer. The serrated edge is great cutting through the breast bone and it holds a great edge too.
 
I used a Case Trapper on the doe I got this year, the spey blade is awesome for skinning. I even quartered my deer with this knife. A friend that used to trap showed me that if you cut the some stuff in the animals joints work the leg back and forth and cut again the limb can be popped off and loaded in the ice chest. I used the chrome Vanadium CV blade Trapper it was sharp enough to slice the end off my thumb, yeah I know pay attention to what you are doing.
 
buckhorn70 said:
What type of steel and edge do you guys feel is the best for a hunting knife? I am refering to a skinning/gutting(deer) type of knife. I have an Edgepro and a Spyderco Sharpmaker to sharpen with(although I have both for less than 2 weeks) Thx
Click to expand...

From the range of answers (everything from a $50 pocket knife up to an exotic semi-custom) you can see that there is no one best design nor is there a best steel.

I'll throw my favorite into the mix. Look at one of Bob Dozier's creations in D2 such as the Yukon Pro Skinner. AG Russel usually has something in stock.
http://www.agrussell.com/dozier-yukon-pro-skinner/p/DKhhhYSBRH/
 
OkefenokeeKnives said:
I used a Case Trapper on the doe I got this year, the spey blade is awesome for skinning. I even quartered my deer with this knife. A friend that used to trap showed me that if you cut the some stuff in the animals joints work the leg back and forth and cut again the limb can be popped off and loaded in the ice chest. I used the chrome Vanadium CV blade Trapper it was sharp enough to slice the end off my thumb, yeah I know pay attention to what you are doing.
Click to expand...

How hard was it to clean up that Case Trapper after use? I have a couple of those, one in ss and a yellow delrin in cv but haven't used them for anything like that due to concerns of cleanup afterward.
 
I also use a case for skining (CV sod buster) It's my edc knife an for cleaning after skining I just run it under hot water scrub it a little dry it off an oil the joints
 
I like non stainless tool steel, such as O1 or D2. 1095 works well as does A2.
For a hunting knife, I like a convex grind.

I have others that will 'do', but I have preferences for what works best for me.
 
Knarfeng,

Good call: One of my Doziers is a Yukon Skinner with ironwood scales. Nice knife!

By the way, one of the members of a club to which I belong (Bob Gilliland) took that SR-71 up on its first flight. When the film was finally de-classified, he showed it at the club. Quite a story.

DancesWithKnives
 
My dad always uses an old case stockman to field dress a deer.

I personally like a fixed blade with a 2 1/2" to 3" long blade. The blade being sharp is much more important than the steel. I also like it to have a drop point.

I've used an old folding Gerber bolt action drop point, a folding Gerber EZ-Out, and a fixed blade Schrade PH2. They all worked good.

I think people can go overboard with having the "best" steel, ect. A sharp knife that is shaped right is what works. If the edge starts dulling, I just touch it up. However, its easy to field dress one deer with just about any reasonable steel without touching it up. Skinning can be alot harder on the edge if you aren't carefull.
 
I hunted wild hogs with some prominent guides in Central CA who all used the Case slipjoint folders. As the Col. says, I prefer a fixed blade.

DancesWithKnives
 
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