Need a New Hunting Knife

Samael said:
Neither the 420HC or the S30V version are full-tang
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Ah, my mistake, I thought the Vanguard AG was full tang. I don't think you need a full tang either though, for a dedicated hunting knife. Joe Houser had this to say on the Vanguard AG's tang:

Joe Houser said:
The Vanguard does have a tang that extends all the way to the pommel. The end of the tang is threaded and after much epoxy is aplied, the pommel is screwed on to hold everything tight. We dont get too many of that model back in warranty and of those that we do get, loose handle is at the bottom of the list. In fact, I cant remember ever getting one for that. The wood is a laminate, which helps it to hold its shape and not warp.
I hope this helps.
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I think Samael's advise about crying once is sound. :thumbup:
 
Ah, semantics. It's a full-length tang, but not full-width. Thanks for the clarification.
 
I convexed this Mora for hunting. It is the sharpest knife that I have ever used.
 

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rksoon said:
This thread just made me put that Vanguard AG on the "to get" list...:D
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Just noticed your edit. Not to "deal spot" or anything, but the holidays aren't really that far off, and if you pay attention, you can typically get a pretty nice break on the price.
 
Thanks Samael, I'll be keeping an eye out :thumbup:.

And to the OP, as Jim's pointed out, the Mora's, and the Clipper in particular I would think, would also be decent less expensive options. Never seen a convexed Mora before Jim, does it work better with game?
 
udtjim - You ought to soak that blade in vinegar for a couple of days and force a nice patina on it. BTW, I like how you reworked the blade. I really like my Moras.
 
So i looked at the Buck Vantage pro and there are a few versions, one is cheaper with a lesser quality steel, is it realy alot cheaper material? I mean is it worth the extra $$ for it?
 
There's nothing at all wrong with the 420HC steel . . . as long as you enjoy sharpening your knives. Often. Frankly, there are a hundred other ways I'd rather spend my time.
 
Samael said:
There's nothing at all wrong with the 420HC steel . . . as long as you enjoy sharpening your knives. Often. Frankly, there are a hundred other ways I'd rather spend my time.
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I guess thats a good way to put it.

So when it does need to be sharpened, is it really hard? I do not know how to sharpen a knife yet, but i do have several old "junk" knives that i intend on learning on. im guessing with some practice, it cant be terribly hard.
 
Sharpening knives isn't really all that hard. Sharpening them well is. It's a lot harder than you think to get a nice, even razor's edge on one.

I started out (many, many years ago) using Arkansas stones and "eyeballing" the angle. If you can do that right, even after a lot of practice, you're a better man than I am.

Obviously, you don't have to do this right away, but down the road you ought to think about picking up a "sharpening system" like the Sharpmaker, Lansky, or many others. There's a wide variation in prices, and the different "systems" each have their own advantages and drawbacks. That should probably be the topic for another thread here when you're ready to cross that bridge.

And since you asked, yes, the "super steels" like S30V can be a real pain in the butt to sharpen using the more conventional methods. I use diamond stones for mine, and they get the job done a whole lot more quickly, but that's yet another added expense.
 
Just to be different, check out the A.G. Russell Deer hunter. I have no personal experience with it, but they seem well regarded, you have a choice of 3 steels, price is right. That thin blade would cut like crazy! plan on gettig one myself sometime.
 
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