Which all purpose hunting knife?

T

Tarheelpwr

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Jan 14, 2018
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Hey guys,

Looking at 3 knives: KoA Yukon 2, BM Steep Country, & BM Hidden Canyon. This will be an all purpose knife. Think field dress, skin, and process. I think the KoA is the best design/shape, but I slightly hesitant with D2 not being completely stainless for backpack hunts.

Price is 0 concern. Which different sites, I can get each for within $5 of each other.

They all have pros and cons. I love the orange on the BM and KoA. I like the ergos on the Steel Country. I’m leaning toward that.

Curious to hear everyone else’s thoughts that have experience with these 3.
 
D2 is very stain resistant, some say it become grayish if you process a lot of game with it. But the D2 I have didn't get the smallest trace of patina since I got them.
 
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BK16 is a great all-rounder and the 1095CV is coated, to minimize any oxidation.

The Steep Country is a similar shape, in a good stainless, but shorter blade.

If you like the Yukon, you can get a grohholn Canadian Belt Knife, or a bark River version with a similar shape.
 
D2, esp. from a respected source who's been using it for years like koa is of little concern, just wipe the blade and clean it when you're done.

Hence why they coined the phrase, "semi-stainless"... it's not true stainless, but, it will still resist rust better then most non stainless varieties out there.
 
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CanadaKnifeGuy said:
BK16 is a great all-rounder and the 1095CV is coated, to minimize any oxidation.

The Steep Country is a similar shape, in a good stainless, but shorter blade.

If you like the Yukon, you can get a grohholn Canadian Belt Knife, or a bark River version with a similar shape.
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I thought about the Grohom (Sp), but not a fan of their steel.

The reviews I saw on the bark river were VERY discouraging on slicing. It was phenomenal at wood, but the stock thickness really hindered the cutting performance.

I’ve toyed with the L T Wright copy, but not crazy about their steel either. I’m not familiar enough with AEBL to know what to expect.
 
I'd look into the CPM-154 Manly Patriot, in a sub 4" FFG, slicey, stainless drop point.

Having said that, I use coconut oil on the edges of my (coated) carbon blades and it works wonders.
 
I picked up a Mora when the price dropped on Amazon to try. Nothing about that blade is optimized for hunting duty, so we’ll see. I have no doubt it will work fine, but I think I want a tool made for this job.
 
Not stainless, when the coating wears off, give it a forced vinegar patina.
From whitetail to wapiti, pigs to bison.
Curved Skinner 5 3/4
Model 677BB
Svord%20Curved%20Skinner%20-%205.75%20Inches%20-%20Mahogany%20Handle%20Model%20%20677BB%20copy.jpg

Length of Blade (inches) 5 3/4"
Over All Length (inches) 10 3/4"
Blade Shape Curved Skinner
Handle Material Mahogany and Brass
Steel Specifications 15N20
Blade Thickness (mm) 2.2mm
Sheath Leather
http://www.svord.com/index.php?id_product=12&controller=product
 
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I don't hunt any more but with Buck coming out with the 101, a fixed blade version of the 110, I'd be hard pressed to not give that a try!
 
Eli Chaps said:
I don't hunt any more but with Buck coming out with the 101, a fixed blade version of the 110, I'd be hard pressed to not give that a try!
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I do love a 110, but the clip point leaves some to be desired for skinning. It needs more belly to be ideal.
 
Tarheelpwr said:
I do love a 110, but the clip point leaves some to be desired for skinning. It needs more belly to be ideal.
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That's fair for sure. I'm a sucker for a drop-point Kephart-esque blade so a Cold Steel Pendleton Hunter is another to consider. Might lack in belly though...
 
I personally would choose the Benchmade Steep Country as I generally prefer this knife profile for most things. I think the shape adds a bit of flexibility in terms of use and still makes a good knife for hunting chores, skinning, and processing. I would prefer something a bit larger for processing. Not a big deal either way.
 
Alberta Ed said:
CS Master Hunter. Mine is in Carbon V, with a moose/caribou/black bear/mule deer patina. Best designed hunting knife ever IMHO.
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That’s what first popped in my head, the cold steel master hunter. Except I’d recommend the current CPM-3V version. Very slicey and comfortable, and definitely more corrosion resistant than carbon-v. Relatively inexpensive to boot.
 
jux t said:
That’s what first popped in my head, the cold steel master hunter. Except I’d recommend the current CPM-3V version. Very slicey and comfortable, and definitely more corrosion resistant than carbon-v. Relatively inexpensive to boot.
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how is the master hunter in actual use? It looks HUGE? Seems like it would get in the way inside a deer? I feel like smaller knives work better on larger animals than the opposite. Huge knives are cumbersome inside smaller WT.
 
Tarheelpwr said:
how is the master hunter in actual use? It looks HUGE? Seems like it would get in the way inside a deer? I feel like smaller knives work better on larger animals than the opposite. Huge knives are cumbersome inside smaller WT.
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It has a 4 inch blade that is thin at the tip because of the distal taper. If white tail are the largest animal you’re skinning, a smaller blade would be more helpful. Though when processing is included into the equation, the extra length helps.
 
Can’t tell you which one to get, but I wouldn’t worry about D2.
My hunting knives have been 1095 for decades.
 
I’m really thinking about just getting both the KoA and Steep Country. For ~$65 each, I’m sure I can break even on the one I don’t like as much.
 
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