Recent Design of Mine: Good For Turkey Hunting?

redsquid2

redsquid2

Rockabilly Interim Pardon Viscount
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Aug 31, 2011
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Maybe I should stick with what I know, and I don't know from field cleaning turkeys. Nevertheless, I watched youtube videos to see what kind of knives people use for that. I came up with the design that you see in the picture below. I took the picture right after roughing in the handle shape.

Blade: 4 3/16"
Thickness: .094"
OAL: 8 1/2"
Width @ plunge line: 15/16"

What do y'all think? If it's not ideal for turkey, then what?

28193489616_4ff0353d33_b.jpg
 
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I can barely get myself dressed so I have no business dressing a turkey, inside or outside, but I think that is A VERY CAPABLE looking knife.

What's the steel ?

How did you sharpen it ?
 
Wowbagger said:
I can barely get myself dressed so I have no business dressing a turkey, inside or outside, but I think that is A VERY CAPABLE looking knife.

What's the steel ?

How did you sharpen it ?
Click to expand...

Thank you for your reply.

It is A2, heat treated by Paul Bos for 60 RC.

I have not sharpened it yet, but I will sharpen it one of two ways, either 1. sandpaper on thick leather (stropping) or 2. with my India stone.

I have gotten great results stropping with sandpaper over leather; really wicked edges, but it seems to take longer.
 
I think a shotgun would work much better for hunting turkeys, but if you can take one down with that knife you have some skills.

All kidding aside, it looks like a very capable knife.

Sent from my D6708 using Tapatalk
 
It is A2, heat treated by Paul Bos for 60 RC.

I have not sharpened it yet, but I will sharpen it one of two ways, either 1. sandpaper on thick leather (stropping) or 2. with my India stone.

I have gotten great results stropping with sandpaper over leather; really wicked edges, but it seems to take longer.
Click to expand...

Nice !

Keep us updated when you get some time using it.

Good handle shape I think. Maple ? Osage ?
 
Osage orange, and I simply dripped hot beeswax on it, scraped the excess off, then burnished it by hand with a piece of denim.

I started with an edge thickness of about .011"

I sharpened it with my India stone, followed by the DMT red. It sharpened up real fast, and it is hair popping. I can get A2 sharp like a brand-new razor, with some patience. That is what I like about A2.


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Thank you all for your feedback.
 
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Blades2442 said:
Turkey hunter right here!!! I'll test it how much?? Hahah
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Blades, you crack me up! I have not decided if I want to sell it yet, because I like it so much! And also I have not made a sheath yet. Let's stay in touch.

:D
 
I put a blue spacer in mine also but that was so it would match the blue kydex I had .Nobody seemed to understand that!
Watch out for ticks on the turkey !
 
Great looking knife, and design. Congrats on making that one.
I, nor anyone I know, uses a blade that long for turkey(or whitetail deer). It'll work, but I find 3.5" to be about perfect.
A straight handle is a must on a hunting/fishing knife, and that one looks like it would feel great in hand.
That would make for a great fishing knife with the thin blade stock used.
Really great looking design:thumbup:
 
I agree, it looks a little big for turkey, but a nice looking knife none the less. I could definitely see using it as a camp knife.
Ken44 said:
Great looking knife, and design. Congrats on making that one.
I, nor anyone I know, uses a blade that long for turkey(or whitetail deer). It'll work, but I find 3.5" to be about perfect.
A straight handle is a must on a hunting/fishing knife, and that one looks like it would feel great in hand.
That would make for a great fishing knife with the thin blade stock used.
Really great looking design:thumbup:
Click to expand...
 
Hmm.. looks like your normal standard knife. For general purpose use.




A very nicely made normal knife, mind you. I'd rock it.
 
From my own experience, I think a turkey knife is typically long with a round short belly like tip so that it is long enough to cut the length of the turkey and to snip things inside that are hard to reach while gutting. You know, the knifes that usually accompany those long forks.

Essentially, a large doctor's knife. I've never used one, but the blade to an electric knives are long too, IIRC.

Just in case you really want to make a slick turkey knife.
 
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