Newbie needs new hunting knife!

Sorry for the delay in reporting back, I like the looks of the CRKT, it looks like a nice knife. I own one CRKT knife and it's the best knife I've ever had.

Anyway, I just found a nice looking knife and I was wondering if anyone had any experience with. It's made by Buck and is called a "Kalinga Pro", here are a couple of links.

http://www.fernknives.com/buck/kalinga-pro/2542/index.html (plastic handle)

http://www.fernknives.com/buck/kalinga-pro-rosewood-handle/2543/index.html
(rosewood handle - beautiful knife)

Anyway, let me know what ya'll think.
 
I wouldn't get a 119. I've had one for years and the only thing I use it for is to stick hogs. Get a buck 110 for 40$. The absolute best deal for hunting knives is the schrade sharpfinger. I think you can find them brand new for under 20$ and they are really nice knives for the money. I wouldn't get a swept back skinner like those above knives unless you have a smaller pocket knive to work out the butt of the deer. Even getting the tip of the 119 in to core out the anus is a pain in the butt (no pun intended). The 110 is a great knife that I recommend alot.

I would save up and buy one of Bark River's cheaper models. I picked up the Woodland Special with green micarta scales for a little over 80$. Now THAT is a nice knife, and well worth the money.
 
Okay, I couldn't stand it any longer...I went knife shopping today. Ended up coming home with the Buck Kalinga Pro and it's a great knife. It's just a little larger than I would like but I love the design and man is it sharp. I looked at several knives in several places including
Cold Steel, Benchmade, Marble, etc.

Here's one observation from the day. I live in East Tennessee and decided to go to Smokey Mountain Knife Works, thinking that knives were their specialty and that they would be able to show me several models and make some good recommendations.

I was surprised to find that most of the staff were unable to answer even my most basic questions and seemed completely out of their element. Not one staff member asked even the most simple of qualifying questions to help make a suggestion.

I was saddened by today's visit...I have visited there many times in the past and have had for the most part pleasant experiences but it seems that they are now driven more by volume than by customer service and expertise. Anyway, rant over, bought the Buck at Bass Pro and am very well pleased.

I do have one question. What's the best way to sharpen this blade? I have owned knives of one kind or another all my life and must sheepishly admit that I have never learned the proper way to sharpen one.

BTW, thanks for everyone's advice in this process, I considered everyone's suggestion, it just happens that this knife caught my eye.
 
I do a lot of Big Game hunting and have lots of knives. I like the Cold Steel Master Hunter but its as big a knife as I would ever use. I have three or four Busk Folders that get most of the work but I also really like the Grohmann Canadian Belt Knife and i have never had a seconds problem with a Gerber for hunting. I qwuess the Buck Folding 442c is hard to beat.

I never have any problem cleaning the folders. I soak them for a while then take an old tooth brush and clean it out. Three or so pulls through the EdgeMaker and she'e ready for the next critter. I also have several Knives of Alaska hunting knives as well.
 
Bark River has a slew of good hunters to pick from, but at your price range a Buck Vanguard would be great choice, so would the Mini Alpha Hunter.
 
I strongly suggest you not get a folder. Great knives but they get too gunked up and are hard to clean. A good 3.5 to 4 inch fixed blade drop point will do you well. Some knives that will work for you A Mora 780 (Ragnar's Ragweed Forge) a Buck 102, Benchmade Ruckus drop point just to name a few.

Good luck!
 
I love my 119 but it is to big for most hunting chores. It is however one of the best fighter under 100$ on the market.

A good cheap mora is a better knife than I see 90% of people use when I am out hunting.
It is the best 10.99$ I ever spent.

Can't go wrong with the Ghromans.
The 110 is a great folder but I prefer a fixed blade.

Erics generous offer is actually a cruel trick that he played on me as well. He offered me a free sheath for my CRKT Sting and now I am unhappy with every stock sheath and
have to buy another one of his every time I get a decent fixed blade. The sheath I got him to make for my Scrapyard Hookguard is the best kydex sheath I have ever seen much less owned. For a knife that suits a kydex sheath (some classic designs need leather) no one does a better job than Eric.
 
The most convenient way to sharpen is to use a V-rod setup such as the Spyderco Sharpmaker. I think the Sharpmaker is the best one made, but you do pay more for it.
http://www.1sks.com/store/spyderco-sharpmaker.html

You can look for a cheaper V-rod system which will work nearly as well if you don't need to sharpen serrated knives. The Sharpmaker uses triangular rods and allows you to work on even rather narrow serrations. A typical cheap round-rod V-rod system would be an Idahone. http://www.kendelcutlery.com/sharpeners-and-steels-617.html

You might find a cheaper generic version somewhere.
 
I, as some others, are not a fan of the gut-hook on knives. I very much am in favor of function over form. In other words I don't need a knife that appeals to my testosterone level, but rather a knife that functions extrememly well. My suggestion is the Frosts Mora Clipper in either 1095 High Carbon steel or the 12C27 Sandvik stainless. Either steel is excellent and the handle fits the hand perfectly and gives a good grip in wet and cold conditions. The Moras are knives I have used for large and small game alike. The best part is they can be purchased for around $12.00. Check out Ragweedforge.com for purchase online. These are the best knives for the money and maybe just the best knives period. Don't be put off by their cheap cost.
 
You should be happy with that Buck. I have a Buck 103 and a custom that I use for field dressing deer. It has never let me down.

I have a GATCO system for sharpening. It does a great job. I added a bit to the GATCO regimen and I can get that Buck very sharp.
 
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