What is the best factory hunting knife?

D

DocT

Joined
Mar 25, 2012
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Hi folks,

What do you think is the best factory made hunting knife? I am looking for something for deer, bear, and etc., not small game. It have between 4" and 5" of blade length and be a fixed bladed knife.
I am not looking for custom as they are too expensive and I already have a few of these.
Any recommendations?

Thanks.
 
You did say "Best"

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PatrickKnight said:
Honestly that isnt even the best skinning knife the Busse shops have put out. For skinning id take a Vex over the Hog Muk any day of the week. Also D2 is much better in that roll than INFI is.
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Don't worry, those knives will never get dirty.
 
i used the heck out of mine. It stayed shaving sharp through 3 deer... not sure what more you could ask for in a skinner
 
Take a look at the Spyderco Phil Wilson South Fork. I got one a few months ago and my buddy shot a 350 lb. bear, which we used to field dress, skin, and bone out all the meat. The S90V blade is still hair popping sharp after that 4 hour ordeal and ripped through the bristly hair and ribs of the bear like butter. Well balanced, well made, great blade steel and geometry for a big game hunting knife. Designed by a hunter for hunters. On a slightly less expensive note, I'd also look at the Bark River North Star, Gunny or Bravo 1. They are decently priced with A2 steel. I also have a D2 Knives of Alaska knife that I am continually impressed with the edge retention of the D2. Their Magnum Wolverine fits your specs. The more I use D2 in the field, the more I like it.
 
My all time favorite is the Schrade sharp finger. There are still lots of the made in U.S.A. ones available on the big auction sight for not very much money.
 
Planetcat said:
Take a look at the Spyderco Phil Wilson South Fork. I got one a few months ago and my buddy shot a 350 lb. bear, which we used to field dress, skin, and bone out all the meat. The S90V blade is still hair popping sharp after that 4 hour ordeal and ripped through the bristly hair and ribs of the bear like butter. Well balanced, well made, great blade steel and geometry for a big game hunting knife. Designed by a hunter for hunters.
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wheeze, wheeze, cough cough. Yeah, that South Fork is very nice. BUT the price is beyond my budget (Trying to buy a new Triumph). That is a good suggestion. I found that KW has it fairly reasonably priced and it is a good all around blade shape for hunting. Thanks.
Also, I agree with you about the D2. I have a skinner in D2 that I simply love. It is a custom put out by Tim Gamble of Culman, AL years ago and has been a good knife. I also have some Benchmade hard use knives in this steel. I love this steel but it is not easy to sharpen in the field unless you have a diamond hone handy.
 
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I'll say Randall's Alaskan Skinner, their model #11. O1 Steel. I have been using this one for better than 25 years. Sharper than my first ex wife's tongue. :cool:
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As a dedicated skinner - Black Jack 125 Heavy Hunter.

Mine is with a traditional stacked leather handle. A2 steel is great and, with a high, shallow convex edge is easily touched up on a strop staying wickedly sharp.

Combined with a solid leather sheath and it is a winner IMHO...

Ben
 
S30V AG Vanguard. Made for Cabela's by Buck Inc. Priced just over $100
A lot of knife for the money and Buck's Bos HT on S30V is as good as it gets in the Knife World.
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I just got a Bark River Bravo 2 for my birthday from my brother, and I love it. Convexed A2, scary sharp. Great for multiple tasks. They used to have a swedge grind, gearing it more towards military work. BR will grind it for you, if that's your pleasure. Personal opinion, if it ain't broke...
 
I like a small 3" and under blade for hunting. I don't like long blades for field dressing. The extra blade length gets in the way when I reach up into the chest cavity. I really like the ESEE Izula or Izula 2. It's lightweight, easy to clean, and easy to sharpen. The only drawback with the Izula is that it can get a little slippery. I stick the end of my pinky in the hole in the handle so it doesn't move around.

I've like a Mora Craftline for quartering whitetails. The Craftline has a thin blade that is easy to sharpen and the handle fits me perfectly.
 
I second the vote for the schrade 152 sharpfinger 1095 steel u.s.a. made and smaller blades for field dressing chores.I just picked one up for 10 bucks this fall and used it on my buck and it was still shaving sharp afterwards,worked just good as my custom s30v knife at a fraction of the cost.
 
DocT said:
wheeze, wheeze, cough cough. Yeah, that South Fork is very nice. BUT the price is beyond my budget (Trying to buy a new Triumph). That is a good suggestion. I found that KW has it fairly reasonably priced and it is a good all around blade shape for hunting. Thanks.
Also, I agree with you about the D2. I have a skinner in D2 that I simply love. It is a custom put out by Tim Gamble of Culman, AL years ago and has been a good knife. I also have some Benchmade hard use knives in this steel. I love this steel but it is not easy to sharpen in the field unless you have a diamond hone handy.
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Yeah, I know the price is up there, but you said you had a couple of customs, so I thought this might fit the bill. I would also second that Buck/Cabela's Vanguard in S30V. I had a BG-42 version a few years back and regret selling it. Buck does an awesome job on the heat treat of the S30V and I would have to say that the Vanguard is a textbook example of a great all-around modern day hunting knife.
 
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