Knives of Alaska quality?

M

MGF

Joined
Jul 13, 2005
Messages
137
Before anyone gets shorts in knot over the following question, I did try several searches on BF, but was thwarted ... probably by the common nature of the words "knives" and "Alaska."

Now to the question: Anyone have experience with Knives of Alaska? I was eyeballin' some of their products in the new Cabela's fall master catalog, but know very little about Knives of Alaska, so thought I'd ask here and see if there might be some general thoughts on quality.

Thanks.
 
I have one of their Cleavers in D2 from years ago. It has always been a great tool for going through the breast plate or hip bone of white tail for me. I've never really used it for anything else. However I did buy my brother the three knife set that has the small fixed blade caper, the gut hook medium sized skinner and the cleaver all in a custom made sheath. It is also blades of D2 with some really nice stag handle scales.

I know he swears by these knives for hunting but I think he uses the small knife and the cleaver more than the middle one. Truthfully the middle one has a blade too large for the less than ample handle in my opinion. As I recall he uses a Buck Kalinga for his main field dressing tasks for removing the entrails and all and the other two Knives of Alaska blades are used in conjunction with that.

Overall they seem to hold their own. I seem to recall that they quit making them in D2 though so I can't really say how they are if this is true. The ones I would recommend are D2. They work great and hang on to their edge tenaciously. Hopefully they still offer their knives in that steel. I had heard they were using a 400 series stainless now which is not exactly a good thing in my humble opinion. In fact it is less than desireable.

EDIT:
I just looked and they do still offer them in D2 so, I would strongly suggest that in them as far as blade steel and/or at the least VG10 or AUS8A over the 400 series stainless. It could be argued that Knives of Alaska are not maximizing the D2 tool steel as far as Rc hardness they put on it though. 57-58 is not the best Rockwell hardness in my opinion for D2 in a blade like the small caper but for the choppers it is more than adequate. In the smaller knife I think I'd pick a VG10 over the D2 just because of the Rc hardness factor if I read their descriptions correctly. BTW, I just happened to find an extra Suregrip Cleaver I had today that I listed on the for sale forum.
 
I have a friend who has one of the sets in D2. He used it once on an antelope hunt and was very pleased. Me being an avocate of D2, that's what I would go for as far as steel choice. :D
Scott
 
Thanks, I was looking at the "Alaskan" from the K of A Hunter Series. It's a 4.25 fixed-blade drop point in D2. Goes for $120. May get it.
 
I own a set with the jaeger boning knife and the bear cub ironically the jaeger is in ats-34 and the cub is in aus-8a, which has had absolutley no affect on how much I love them. they come in the kariboo antler and feel great in the hand. The knives themselves are still sharp after 8 deer, now I do go through the pelvic bone with a small saw. I find myslef using the jaeger more than the cub for deer but the cub is great for small game. I have them in my hand right now and are still razor sharp. I have no experience with those in D2, nore do I with the larger knives. I do however recommend those two knives if you like them and thier design.
 
I recently picked up a D.H. Russell-type blade in D2 made by Knives of Alaska, and have been btualizing pretty heavily. Tough as hell.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top