Skinning Knife - Help needed !!

I just picked one up in D2 steel for only $59.00 Dollars, This is one heck of a knife and because of the belly on it would make a good skinner as well. The quality is as good as some customs I have seen for $250.00 Dollars. I think this is what you are looking for.
 
For an all around game knife, I suggest a 4 inch Scandanavian blade, most have enough curve to skin but enough point to do other chores. for $100, you could get a 2 knife set. Check out ragweedforge.com. A semi-skinner knife would also be good. How about a trapper folding knife with a pointy blade and a skinning blade. There is a guy who makes a Nessmuk style knife, his name is Chudzinski-you can find a post about his knife on outdoors-magazine.com under Nessmuk. Lots of choices, personally, I like a knife with a blade as long as my index finger and a large handle without fingergrooves. I can control this style of knife the best.
 
This thread brings up an interesting point - what is meant by a "skinning" knife. For me a skinning blade is a knife designed specifically for skinning eg a green river style knife. These knives were and still are very popular in Australia esp in the northern states. But, very few hunters today carry a skinning blade as defined above. Normally they carry a "hunter" that is a knife designed to open up the animal and field dress it. Professional hunters would normally carry a number of knives inc. skinner, hunter and caper but it is not the norm for the occasional hunter who today would carry a 4" drop point fixed blade and a folding knife for small jobs.
 
I remember reading in one of the Knives Australia issues about a bloke from one of the small timber towns down south (Pemberton, Nannup or somewhere similiar) who was custom making blades thet where very popular with the roo shooters in the area. he was recycling old circular saw blades and some of the finished knives looked very good. I can't find reference to it in any of the issues I have but if you contacted Kieth Spencer at AKC he would set you straight.

spencer@knivesaustralia.com.au
 
Try The Outdoor Edge The Wedge, for a reasonably priced knife this one skins like crazy, it fits your hand real well is easy to sharpen, and holds an edge for quite a few rabbits or a couple of deer, it has a very steep primary bevel with a nice belly for separating the flesh from the meat, and the carry options are handy, kneck carry, dangler, now it appears they have a clip option.

Definately a great knife, about $17 - $19.

POPwedge_prod.jpg


Do a search on Outdoor Edge Knives you'll find it.
 
check out skinning knives on ebay-I just put a herters knife on there with an opening bid of $29.99
Herters was world famous for their cutlery and sporting goods.
 
I didn't suggest these at first since I thought you might want to go for something with a classier look, but the AG Russell Bird and Trout model with either D2 tool steel or VG-10 stainless alloy blade would work extremely well. The D2 alloy is probably a little tougher and would hold an edge better than VG-10, but VG-10 is a very high performance alloy for stainless and is also an excellent choice. These blades are thin for cutting efficiency and hence pretty easy to sharpen for such hard blades.

http://www.agrussell.com/knives/by_...s/a_g_russell_bird_trout_with_vg10_blade.html
 
Try A Mini-canadian From Bark River Knife And Tool. Excellent Craftsmanship. Sharper Than "blank" .lifetime Warranty. About 100.00 Or So.

Mike :d
 
Either a Swamp Rat Howling Rat or Bog Dog would be a good choice.

The resiprene C handles are non slip, and SR know how to heat treat a blade.
 
I've heard that Bark River is 'toasting' their edges trying to keep up with demand. Fast grinding and all that. Rumor of course, but sombody very close to Bark River. I'm holding off on my purchase.

I'll stay with SRKW, you may have to wait, but you won't get a 'rushed' blade.

Rob
 
I know guys that skin just about all they kill with their Wharncliff folders and then use the same knife the next day to take out the old caulking from a window they are removing to replace on their jobs.

I guess it is all in what you are comfortable with and can afford. If you like what you have and feel you can use it that is more important than blade shape or anything else.

I have used a D2 Dozier White River skinner for the last 4 years and have been quite happy with that for my hunting tasks. But in truth in a pinch I could use a stanley blade if that is all I had.

I hear that the convex grinds knives are working pretty good for this task. So, I bought a 2001 Marbles Hunter with black micarta handle just to put it to the test. I believe this one was made when Mike Stewart was still there so it should be as good as any of the other grinds he offers now only it is high carbon steel. I think 1095 and not A2 like his Bark River knives. Nevertheless come soon I'll know how it rates in comparison to the knife I've been using.

The folding hunter by CRKT that I've tried a couple of times works but if you 'white knuckle' it for too long it can get uncomfortable in the hand so I've limited it's use to smaller game for now. Wearing gloves helps with that but I don't feel the kind of control I am comfortable with when wearing gloves for these tasks.
 
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