i'm one handed for at least several more months, so please excuse the one handed hunt and peck and lack of proper punctuation.....i know it makes it harder to read.
i really like this thread. i've a few custom hunters and skinners (and a couple of filet knives as well) that i've acquired these last few years. my main duties when i find myself unsheathing a knife is almost always to process big game, be it deer or elk. obviously, the filet knives are for our scaled friends.....king salmon in particular.
living in the pnw, we are more moist than dry most of the year and especially during big game season. my first dozen or so custom hunters were made from aldos 1095 and have worked well. i do find that caring for these carbon steel blades does take a bit more effort than on good ss blades. i'm not against caring for any of my equipment, but my last 20 or so customs have been donning ss blades as it isn't always as conveinent for me to care for my knives when afield in our inclement weather. with my recent bum left hand, this upcoming big game season, at a minimum, will find me less able to care properly for my knives/blades. coincidentally and just by luck on my part, my switch a year or so ago to ss blades should be a benefit to me in the 'taking care of your knives' department. i'm well aware that most every blade steel, whether carbon steel or ss needs our attention, some more than others, but to assume some super ss blade steel doesn't is not necessarily a prudent approach.
given the above, for the specific tasks also mentioned above, what ss blade steel do other members find hold their edge well, are easy to sharpen (ffg and/or V-edges only) and aren't as easily compromised by moisture, rain, sleet, snow, etc....? keeping as sharp of an edge throughout the processing of one entire bull elk is not an easy task which is why my main quest is to find a ss blade that takes a sharp edge and keeps it even when faced with this rather large and difficult task. perhaps there is no cut and dry answer and i can truly appreciate that..............such as with most things in life. but i'd stil like to hear your opinions and why. btw - a bull elks mane is very, very thick and likely averages some 4-5 inches long......yet another task for my knives to conquer well before employing a skinner (which if you have different ss suggestion's for a skinner as well.....i'd appreciate that too!).
i currently limit my purchases to ats-34 and cpm 154 custom hunters because they seem to have an overall, above average following on bf from makers and buyers alike with little, if any, complaints. perhaps my luck will have these 2 particular ss choices at the top of your lists as well, i don't know, therefore, my inquiry. it should be noted that i use my custom knives on deer on up (moose in the future) with elk clearly being the much tougher all around animal than deer in regards to the gutting and processing of each. i do not use my knives to pry, cut/saw bones or any other task that a saw will handle. for those that don't have elk available to them and/or know little about this majestic animal, think of them as 4-5 x's heavier than a big deer, 3x's thicker hide and tendons and ligaments the size and strength of laundry line......really. the severing of these 'cables' fall into 'tasks to be performed by my hunting knives', as well.
sooooooooooo.....what ss blades (ss only...please) would you guys give the nod to under the above conditions and circumstances...?
i apologize if my post comes across as a 'hijacking' post or is deemed that by the 'mod', but i'm thinking and hoping that these questions follow the main thrust of the intent of the OP....just more specific to ss blades (which have gotten the most air time here anyway).
thanks in advance for any and all opinions and/or suggestions. i'm sure that my ats-34 and cpm154 bladed knives would serve my son, daughter and myself for our hunting lifetimes, but new steel offerings aren't always 'an answer to a question not asked'. some are likely new steels that truly can make differences which are quite notable, rather than hype and hope without merit. perhaps romney coud use that line....LOL.
better 'mousetraps' can and do exist, ........thanks again.
i really like this thread. i've a few custom hunters and skinners (and a couple of filet knives as well) that i've acquired these last few years. my main duties when i find myself unsheathing a knife is almost always to process big game, be it deer or elk. obviously, the filet knives are for our scaled friends.....king salmon in particular.
living in the pnw, we are more moist than dry most of the year and especially during big game season. my first dozen or so custom hunters were made from aldos 1095 and have worked well. i do find that caring for these carbon steel blades does take a bit more effort than on good ss blades. i'm not against caring for any of my equipment, but my last 20 or so customs have been donning ss blades as it isn't always as conveinent for me to care for my knives when afield in our inclement weather. with my recent bum left hand, this upcoming big game season, at a minimum, will find me less able to care properly for my knives/blades. coincidentally and just by luck on my part, my switch a year or so ago to ss blades should be a benefit to me in the 'taking care of your knives' department. i'm well aware that most every blade steel, whether carbon steel or ss needs our attention, some more than others, but to assume some super ss blade steel doesn't is not necessarily a prudent approach.
given the above, for the specific tasks also mentioned above, what ss blade steel do other members find hold their edge well, are easy to sharpen (ffg and/or V-edges only) and aren't as easily compromised by moisture, rain, sleet, snow, etc....? keeping as sharp of an edge throughout the processing of one entire bull elk is not an easy task which is why my main quest is to find a ss blade that takes a sharp edge and keeps it even when faced with this rather large and difficult task. perhaps there is no cut and dry answer and i can truly appreciate that..............such as with most things in life. but i'd stil like to hear your opinions and why. btw - a bull elks mane is very, very thick and likely averages some 4-5 inches long......yet another task for my knives to conquer well before employing a skinner (which if you have different ss suggestion's for a skinner as well.....i'd appreciate that too!).
i currently limit my purchases to ats-34 and cpm 154 custom hunters because they seem to have an overall, above average following on bf from makers and buyers alike with little, if any, complaints. perhaps my luck will have these 2 particular ss choices at the top of your lists as well, i don't know, therefore, my inquiry. it should be noted that i use my custom knives on deer on up (moose in the future) with elk clearly being the much tougher all around animal than deer in regards to the gutting and processing of each. i do not use my knives to pry, cut/saw bones or any other task that a saw will handle. for those that don't have elk available to them and/or know little about this majestic animal, think of them as 4-5 x's heavier than a big deer, 3x's thicker hide and tendons and ligaments the size and strength of laundry line......really. the severing of these 'cables' fall into 'tasks to be performed by my hunting knives', as well.
sooooooooooo.....what ss blades (ss only...please) would you guys give the nod to under the above conditions and circumstances...?
i apologize if my post comes across as a 'hijacking' post or is deemed that by the 'mod', but i'm thinking and hoping that these questions follow the main thrust of the intent of the OP....just more specific to ss blades (which have gotten the most air time here anyway).
thanks in advance for any and all opinions and/or suggestions. i'm sure that my ats-34 and cpm154 bladed knives would serve my son, daughter and myself for our hunting lifetimes, but new steel offerings aren't always 'an answer to a question not asked'. some are likely new steels that truly can make differences which are quite notable, rather than hype and hope without merit. perhaps romney coud use that line....LOL.
better 'mousetraps' can and do exist, ........thanks again.
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