skinners, point up, or dropped?

[Bumppo]

Is it a myth that drop point skinners are better for small game, and point up skinners better for Large game? And for either, what blade width would be a good compromise? I have read a few posts in the past that show preference for either, the "Loveless" style seemed to be the turning point where the "Sharpfinger" type knives became less popular. But then, before the tip up, the "Green River" style seemed to be the best all round shape. Non of this is scientific, or even heavily researched. I just want to know opinions, substantiated or not on the advantages and disadvantages of each, and if there is one knife size appropriate for upland game, and white tail deer.

 

[johnny reb]

Opening up the belly can be a little tricky with a tip up knife, gotta stick your fingers in the cut to keep the tip away from the innards, other than that , either will work for any size game. For small game, I have used the spey blade on my buck stockman.

 

[mystical woodsman]

Johnny red makes a good point with the tip poking the guts because it will be upside down of course while you are slipping the blade along. If you can find a drop point with a belly, you will side step this inquiry.

 

[Loosearrow]

Good point about putting your finger up at the tip when gutting on a skinning knife. A skinning knife is upswept so you can get more cut on your swipe. I think a drop point hunter is the more versital knife for me but Marbles sent me a woodcraft knife that would also work. Unless you are skinning beef or buffalo and the animal is large , a skinning knife is the way to go. If it is deer, they are fairly thin skinned in comparison. The drop point will easily make your basic cuts and after you skin out about 4 inches you can begin to fist off the hide very quickly. The fewer score marks on the hide the stronger it is if you are going to tan it. I braintan my hides and any hides given to me always had holes and score marks that popped when I was working the hide, then you have to sew it up. Didn't mean to ramble but I hope this helps. Regards, Loosearrow

 

[Absintheur]

I have skinned small game (rabbits, squirrels), medium sized (coyotes), and large (deer), and long ago found the easiest ways to deal with each. Small game requires a pocket knife and hands to simply peel the hide turning it inside out as you pull it from the head down to the tail using a folder to make the incision at the head and to cut the joints at the feet. For everything larger I use a Gerber Flayer I have had since I was a kid. It is not a drop or upswept point, rather the spine is straight. I tried a Sharpfinger as well as a Loveless style drop point but nothing has done the job as well as the Flayer. The big belly and big round tip just makes skinning easy, especially around smaller areas (legs, neck). The Flayer blade is also thin and flexible like a fillet knife which also helps.

 

[Blue Sky]

Field dressing and skinning are not the same thing. Drop points are good for field dressing because it is easier to control where the tip goes and avoid cutting things you don't really want to cut. Swept points are better for skinning since the long belly is handy for the long draw cuts usually used. That said though, caping knives are almost invariable long slender drop points, but they are mostly used for delicate work where careful tip control is important.

 

[coffeecup]

I think a lot of it depends on the technique you use to skin. Absintheur has posted a great description of small game skinning; case-skinning furbearers is much the same. On larger game or livestock, I tend to rely more on "pushing" the skin off, using a knife only to sever the connective tissue once it is stretched. I think this is about the same thing as Loosearrow described.

With this technique, a blade such as Absintheur posted, or a "skinner" with a swept blade, doesn't work well for me. Almost anything else will though, even a sheepsfoot blade or good chunk of glass. For me, a 3.5"-4" drop point is great.

 

[Grampa]

A 4" upswept point is what I used for longer than I remember. Worked fine.

 

[mete]

I have one of those Gerber Flayers but I don't use it because it's only good for skinning, nothing else.While an upswept blade is designed for skinning it doesn't take much to skin a deer .It's mostly pulling and occasionally cutting membrane .In fact some skin deer ,goats etc by tying the hide to your pickup truck and driving off !!