Production Recluse as a hunting knife?

[Pilot1]

Hi everyone. I've had a Production Recluse for over a year now, and really like it for a hiking, and a general woods knife. However, I have been eyeing this little sucker lately and I may press in into service next deer season as a knife to take along for field dressing. I think it is the right size, blade shape, etc. It is also a tough knife, with good A2 steel that I can field sharpen if needed.

I've been using a Buck 119 for this for more years than I care to admit, and looking to take something smaller and easier to work with. Does anyone else you a Recluse for field dressing larger game or as a general hunting knife?

 

[minnesotashooter]

I don't have a Recluse but I don't see why it wouldn't work as a hunting knife. I used a Ladyfinger the last couple of years.

 

[Diomedes Industries]

It is a little thin in the belly for skinning fish and game - but if you know your knife - I see no issue with it. Give it a try - and if you like a different knife - BUY MORE!!!!!!!




Seriously though - my brother uses a ML Kephart I gave him on his last three years - that is the same length as a Recluse - no issues. He loves it.

TF

 

[grafton]

Go for it. To be honest, you could get by field dressing a deer with a nail file. Anything sharp enough to cut through the hide is all you need. Back at camp or home, butchering, or skinning to save the hide is where you will notice how one design shines over another. That being said, a nail file is not much fun to a knife lover and it does not have a bulls eye lanyard tube

That recluse would be just fine. Keep the point out of the guts and you should be good to go..

 

[Fiddleback]

There was a review once from a good guy who criticized the pointiness of the recluse for field dressing. in fact, he couldn't understand what the knife was good for. I thought that his review was well thought out and honest. I think of the recluse as an all purpose blade. I own a production version, and one I made. I've used both for bushcrefting, but not much for field dressing. Maybe Kismet would be willing to take the one I made from me to test the design out? I'll ask.

 

[wildmanh]

Hey Pilot1, Congrats on the knife. I think others have summed it up so I'll just say: Is tere any chance we can see some pictures of your knife?

 

[Kismet]

That would be fine with me, Andy.

I'm in a special eradication zone this year, and can hunt until March 31st.

No guarantees about seeing deer though.

Oh, no guarantees about hitting one, either. (I only talk about getting a deer AFTER it is hanging in the shed. )

 

[armas88]

The production Recluse is an awsome knife for med sized and small game. Of course, it depneds on what your used to. Generally speaking, if your serious about your knifeskills and meat making, it takes a little time to learn to use a knife for any application.

 

[Diomedes Industries]

I am helping design a small knife designed specifically for dressing game - it will be done in a month or so. However, it is a small knife with a lot of belly - great for skinning - but if you need to split a bone or do any real 'heavy lifting' this will not be the knife for you. I see it as a supplement knife to keep in your hunting pouch.

I think Aramas was right - it depends on what you are used to.

My father skinning HUNDREDS of animals, including deer with a Ka-Bar Hunter. Which is VERY point - and has little to no belly.

TF

 

[Ridge-Runner]

Get you a Snubnose and be done with it!!!!!

 

[RedbeAR15]

I think it is a great all around knife for dressing fish, small game and larger game. Are there better individual knives to do each? I like my Recluse I can even use it to slice some loin after it's cooked.

Then again my comments are based on the fact that I have used an old Barlow to do the same, but the Recluse makes things much easier

 

[kyhunt]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with using the production recluse as a knife for dressing deer. While its been stated that there is not alot of belly for skinning it can be done. The pointy tip imho works great for making starting cuts. As I stated on another forum just recently my ony regret with the production recluse is that I did not buy two of them.I've had mine since they first came out. I've used mine for a survival course, kitchen work, game processing, etc. While there might be other knives that might excel in certain areas better, the Recluse is a great all arounder in my opinion. I had heard some people complain that the edged rolled etc. I never experienced this problem. I have batoned mine and used it for all sorts of stuff.

 

[Kismet]

Just got Andy's production Recluse to use on a deer. Might be a while, since it is too warm for me to be comfortable butchering an animal hanging in the shed. Mid-80's recently. I take two days to process the meat and the nights have been a bit warm for my comfort level.

That said, I am VERY impressed with this knife design and execution for being a perfect all-around woodsman's knife. It is strong, sharp, about the perfect size by my standards, has the Fiddleback wonderful handle, and I would not hesitate to use it for solo camping, any game processing, and fishing work. The spine just begs to be used to split wood, there is nothing about it that is a detriment for any camping use, and I have a hard time envisioning the blade shape being problematic in dressing a deer, or in skinning one. (Hell, skinning a deer while it's warm is basically just peeling the skin down, cutting off small attachments to the flesh.)

Actually, kind of question what prompted the initial post. This is a blade that could carry you through whatever apocalyptic scenario you might envision. And, speaking of carry, the sheath is hell-for-stout, as well.

I can see splitting joints with it, slicing roasts, cutting backstraps and tenderloin. The shape is fine enough to get the bits of meat, and long enough to follow muscle masses to separate them, if you choose.

I hope to be able to get a deer by the end of the month (special season here), and will follow up with pictures as I can.

It is also small enough to carry without intimidating anyone, and could be used as an EDC.


My opinion only.

Do well.

 

[Kismet]

OK then, Andy sent his production Recluse to me. Great knife. Excellent one-knife candidate: handsome, sharp, good size, great strength, and the blade shape is such that I wouldn't hesitate to use it to insert in leg-joints and cut through the connecting tissue to separate the bones. I don't use any knife to hammer through bones, however.

Usually, I'll cut the backstrap, take it in, wash it, and make medallions and then package it up for the freezer. Next, I go out and take a quarter, fore or aft, and either bring it in whole, or cut the meat off the bone in the shed, then back in the house for packaging and freezing. The next three quarters are the same, then will get tenderloin, and work on scrap or burger meat trimming. In my area of Wisconsin, we are advised not to cut bone, for fear (unsubstantiated) of chronic wasting disease. Not a problem for me, but precludes chops.

All this said, I didn't get a deer during the time I had the Recluse. I went out about 10 times, but my timing and the aberrant weather (excessively warm, high winds, all things growing) and the revised deer schedule did not coincide. Only saw doe fawns, adult deer were not in evidence. In truth, I did not hike through the woods looking to move some deer, but the sites I went to are customarily well-traveled.

Here's some images of the knife. I guaran-damn-tee you it would be great for processing a deer. If it doesn't work, don't blame the blade. It should do everything you'd ever need to do.