Well I was really looking to see something more like a side by side test comparing a Dozier and one of those Queen hunting knives. I see a ton of people claiming Dozier has the best D2, but I haven't ever seen anyone mention an actual test. Queen has awful out of the box edges, but that's part of the reason why you can get one of their knives for $50. I have several Queen knives and they all had butter knife dull edges out of the box. A little work on the Wicked Edge and I had them quite sharp. Out of the box sharpness isn't really what I was referring to. Edge retention is what interests me. I want to know if the Queen knife cuts 90% as much as the Dozier or 95% or 80% or whatever the result would be.
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What is the best factory hunting knife?
- Thread starter DocT
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Well I was really looking to see something more like a side by side test comparing a Dozier and one of those Queen hunting knives. I see a ton of people claiming Dozier has the best D2, but I haven't ever seen anyone mention an actual test. Queen has awful out of the box edges, but that's part of the reason why you can get one of their knives for $50. I have several Queen knives and they all had butter knife dull edges out of the box. A little work on the Wicked Edge and I had them quite sharp. Out of the box sharpness isn't really what I was referring to. Edge retention is what interests me. I want to know if the Queen knife cuts 90% as much as the Dozier or 95% or 80% or whatever the result would be.
My experience has been with deer, I've never field dressed a bear, so maybe I'm off-base here. I find most factory hunting knives to have a profile that's far too tall (from edge to spine) for field dressing. I'm talking about the commonly available brands here, no experience with some of the smaller companies. I don't split the pelvis when field dressing a deer, so I need some blade length to remove the bits that need removing and a thinner blade is better for me. Until I bought a custom the best knife I'd ever used for field dressing a deer was actually the basic Rapala fillet knife. They don't hold the best edge, but that skinny little blade is just what the doctor ordered for field dressing. They're horrible for skinning though. It's hard to complain about them at the prices they sell for, plus they're easy to sharpen.
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and:
Good luck finding that. Personally I don't worry about what is "best". It's too subjective. I just know what I like and what works for me. In a case like this both have their uses and users. You need to compare which works best for you because even with testing there are no perfect methods or tests. Even CATRA.
If I want better wear resistance I'll grab my Cruwear , CPM M4, or S90V, S110V knives. Worrying about what version of D2 has better wear resistance is too much work for too little knowledge learned to make it worth my time. I'm too old for that.
Joe
Ankerson
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and:
Good luck finding that. Personally I don't worry about what is "best". It's too subjective. I just know what I like and what works for me. In a case like this both have their uses and users. You need to compare which works best for you because even with testing there are no perfect methods or tests. Even CATRA.
If I want better wear resistance I'll grab my Cruwear , CPM M4, or S90V, S110V knives. Worrying about what version of D2 has better wear resistance is too much work for too little knowledge learned to make it worth my time. I'm too old for that.
Joe
Exactly.
D2 is D2 is D2 and in the end D2 is just D2.......
Doziers knives perform because the edge and blade geometry along with that aggressive edge finish he puts on them, same thing I have always said about them.
Too much work for almost nothing, I agree.
I don't split the pelvis either on big game and have found the Fallkniven F2 to be the almost perfect knife for field dressing. It's really more of a stiff filet knife or a boning knife and their VG-10 holds a good edge and touches up easily. The blade shape is great for the finer details and caping. In a pinch, it'll skin a hog or deer without issue. Small, light, flat profile, grippy handle make it a pleasure to carry in the mountains.
These are the ones that I use and really enjoy.
The clip point model is a Becker/Kabar Bk-17 in 1095. Not the hardest steel, but super easy to put it over a stone and get it ready to go in a couple passes. Harder steels will chip where softer steels will roll and can be re-aligned quickly.
Here is a video of the Bk-17 in action by Virtuovice in Japan, an avid stag hunter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smiqAqGzVkI&feature=player_embedded
The Drop point is an ESEE-3 (Formerly known as RC-3, there was a company name-change.) It uses the same 1095, which I find to be a great all-around steel, a bit old-school, but it suits me in the uses of game-dressing.
Both products are U.S. made if that is important to you as well.
Edit:
I have not tried this one yet on larger game, but I am eager to see how a Helle Viking does for the job, I did try it on a muskrat when it was the only knife I had with me while trapping, which it was a bit on the large side for, but still able to be used.
The thickness of the blade with a Scandinavian grind that has a slight convex to it from resharpening may either hinder or help with processing. Either way, I have enjoyed this knife for other tasks such as wood carving. It is a thick piece of laminated carbon steel from Helle in Norway, based on a knife found in a Viking burial I believe. The things that I like about this pattern of knife is how thin the blade width is, yet still has a nice belly towards the end of the blade for skinning, as well as a thick "rat-tail" tang that is peened at the end of the handle, making it not so cold on your hands during the winter.
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Sulaco
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He did. VG-10 is fine but not my personal favorite. I think Fallkniven is about the only company really using it a lot in fixed blades suitable for hunting and even they have gone to a powdered metal steel as an option. I'd actually prefer a properly heat treated 1095 like that from ESEE (Rowan) over VG-10.
rodriguez7
Gila wilderness knife works
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After using many different knives on deer and elk, my favorite go to knife is a bark river bravo 1 in 3v, with my fehrman peacemaker right behing it. I have used all sorts of busse's and kins, infi, sr101. None of them are close to 3v in edge retention. Not with working on flesh, skin and fat anyway. This past weekend was the ultimate test for my knives. We killed a 300 pound pig for a family matansa. Cutting up chicharon, or pig fat in case you dont know what that is, is the the hardest test i have subjected my knives to. I had to sharpen my bravo 1 twice, all my family was using the rest of my spare knives because theirs were so dull. The only thing i could think that would best that knife would be a spyderco south fork. My bravo 1 worked a full bull elk without a touch up. What more could you ask for. Infi didnt stand a chance, neither did my esee rc4. Not that those knives dont have their place. I still carry my busse sar4 with me on all my hunts. I just really love the knife. Infi is really easy to touch up on a strop. Just not near 3v in my uses.
Sorry, missed that. Spyderco is making some fixed blades in VG-10 now. It has done well for me, kind of like carbon steel (as you prefer) since it does not chip easily. I do normally prefer carbon steel but my preference there is 1095CV/Carbon V/ Case CV. I really love that stuff. So why do you not like VG-10?
Now that is interesting. I know a bit about cutting up pigs (and cows). That is indeed a tough knife if it will stand up to that. I may look into one. I have had only an old Buck in 440C and a custom in D2 stand up to such tasks before (Although I did have a very old Uncle Henry clean several 400 pound fish and a deer with only a stope to keep it going).
I really like this one, the CRKT Onion Skinner, though I didn't care for the sheath and had one made. It's a premium steel and I have both the limited edition and mass produced one, the latter is actually the better knife because the handle is much grippier. It's one of those knives that look kind of goofy until you use it, also it's easy to carry because of the thin handle (an often overlooked detail I think). The only fault I have with the knife is that you can't ream out the anus with it, but I use a zip saw to do that. At this price it's a heck of a bargain:
http://www.agrussell.com/crkt-onion-skinner/p/CL-K700KXP/
http://www.agrussell.com/crkt-onion-skinner/p/CL-K700KXP/
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Queen Skinner in D2 - Around $75 bucks.
Blue Sky
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There are many great factory hunting knives, but the Buck Vanguard would be my choice. At various times they have been made in 420HC, S30V, CPM154, D2, ATS-34, BG-42 (rare). It's one of those knives that may look unremarkable but once you hold one there is something about how all the elements (ergonomics, size, shape) come together that make it a great user. It works.
About the only thing I would change would to reduce the large choil and bring the edge closer to the hand. For a general user that would make it better but for a hunter it's not that big a deal.
If your budget allows, IMO get the Cabelas AG model in S30V.
About the only thing I would change would to reduce the large choil and bring the edge closer to the hand. For a general user that would make it better but for a hunter it's not that big a deal.
If your budget allows, IMO get the Cabelas AG model in S30V.
Flatlander1963
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One more to consider: Buck Ergo Hunter Pro
Again its hard to beat a big slab of Paul Bos HT'ed S30V. Price online around $120
Again its hard to beat a big slab of Paul Bos HT'ed S30V. Price online around $120
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