which hunter-style knife? please help

B

brian1

Joined
May 29, 2001
Messages
1
i'm new to the world of knives & hoping that those of you who've "been around" can help me.

i'm putting together a survival kit that will include two knives; a gurka kukri-style knive and a hunter-style knife. i need help deciding which hunter-style knife to get. since i'm knew to this topic, i'm not sure who are worthy manufacturers and who are not.

below is the best info i can provide at this point.
use: camp or wilderness situation.
$ limit: $150
overall size limit: 10"
weight: important (the lighter the better)
steel: i don't know enough about this topic

i'm sure that you get what you pay for. it's just that i could spend $300 on a knife and not know that i was buying a piece of junk due to my lack of knowledge or experience.

for instance, does cold steel make good knives, okay knives, or bad knives? please, those of you that know knives, inform me of good knife makers.

your time and expertise are deeply appreciated.
 
Since you are going with a kukri for a chopper, I would suggest going considerably smaller. The Swedish Mora knives are an excellent choice. Very lightweight and around $15. The Schrade Sharpfinger is another good choice at $25-$30. Cold Steel's Bushman series is excellent at $20-$25. This is one instance where you don't have to pay alot to get alot. Newt Livesays blades offer exceptional value with several modes to choose from, www.newtlivesay.com. For a folder, I would suggest one of the SAK models with the saw blade. Try posting this over in Wilderness & Survival for more ideas.

Paul
 
CS Master hunter would work just fine also. Outdoor edge has a good variety of outdoor knifes. BUCK is another good one to take a look at.
 
Cold Steel puts out a good product, even if their advertising practices sometimes leave something to be desired. But in hunting knives, I like the Marbles line very well. They should all be within your price range.
 
Camillus Talon in 154CM $99+shipping. Great little fixed blade.

http://onestopknifeshop.com/store/camillus-talon.html

You might try posting this in the Wilderness Survival forum (under the Tactics and Training heading/link), and also use the search function (under the post reply link-directly above your topic) of this and other forums, like Knife Reviews/Testing if you want to find out more about a particular knife. Search under Archives also, as many posts were archived a couple of months ago.

btw,
Welcome to the forums
smile.gif
 
Brian, I suggest you think about this from a different direction. Decide what you want the "hunter style" knife to do MOST of the time and this will dictate the blade shape and type of grind. IMHO an all around knife has a blade length no longer than your index finger(if you are cleaning an animal and rest your index on top of the blade you know exactly where the blade is)and flat grind for ease of slicing in food prep. A caper/skinner style has nice curves that would compliment your kukri

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It is better to light one candle than curse the darkness.
 
Take a look at the Fallkniven S-1. Real quality here and fits nicely within your price range.

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AKTI Member #A000934
"Always just one knife short of perfection!"
 
I would go for the Fallkniven S1 also. Size and price are well within your range, and the VG10 blade steel is awesome and does not need to be taken care of that much. You might even go for the A1, as it only has a blade of 6.25".

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Danbo, soul brother of Rambo
 
Can't do much better than this one! Bob Dozier has a near legendary reputation for making some of the finest working blades around. This is one from www.knifeart.com and comes in a little over your budget @ $175. I really doubt that you would ever regret it
biggrin.gif


knifeart_1632_1320584
 
I second the Dozier Pro Guide. It seems sturdy, but at the same time I can barely feel it on my belt. An excellent blade!
 
BM M2 tool steel Nimravious?

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Wayne.
"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
Ranger motto

A few useful details on UK laws and some nice reviews!
http://members.aol.com/knivesuk/
Certified steel snob!
 
You also might take a look at the Grohmann knives. They are different looking, but very effective, particularly as general camp knives. Tom Marshman at http://www.marshmanbrothers.com/index.html
is an excellent place to look for Grohmanns.

I also believe the Fallkniven S-1 and the F-1 could well suit your described purposes.

Also, in a semi-recent magazine article -- I think maybe Blade, but could be Tactical Knives -- I have a worthless memory -- there was an excellent article on good, custom fixed blades, all priced under $100. I can't remember the custom maker directory URLs or would provide them. A tremendous bunch of links is available at Center Cross Knives, whose link I can't find either. (Lots of help, aren't I?)

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Asi es la vida

Bugs
 
If you are using it for preparing wild game you need to know the range of sizes to cover. For animals between the size of a squirrel and a deer you can get by with around a 3.5" long blade. If you keep the point narrow, like a clipped point or narrow dropped point, you can handle some small spots on rabbits easier. A somewhat broader dropped point works better on deer.

If you have larger game like moose or elk another inch of blade length is helpful.
 
I have gone through several knives of different makes and sizes for my hunting including Dozier, BM, BlackJack, custom , etc. About the best thing I settled on was a puukko. I have a cheap red handled (about $16) one I carry in my fanny pack and a Heidi from Kellam (about $115) that I sometimes carry on the belt. Depending on where I am going, I sometimes carry a larger knife on the belt, but keep that puukko with me. HTH

-Bart
 
Fallkniven F1 (4" drop point, great all around utility shape)
Fallkniven S2 (5" Bowie-ish/clip grind, decent utility shape, bettered by drop point for game cleaning)

Good designs, good steel, stainless.

http://www.fallkniven.com/next-index.htm

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Dozier makes a bunch of great knives from 3" to 6":
http://www.dozierknives.com/

Everything in his "Hunting" section is from "decent" (K9) to excellent (K2, K3, K4, KS4). I particularly like the K2 for a hunter, and the K3 as a utility knife. See also the KM-2 Ranger in lightweight format for a great, surprisingly light knife for a 6-1/4" blade.

Bob's stuff isn't lightweight, it's full tang, not tapered. If you really want a lighter knife, you might ask Bob if he could skeletonize your handle under the micarta...drill a bunch of holes before he heat treats. He might charge extra $20 for this and it would take 4-12 weeks. And it would be worth it. You could also ask him to make you a knife out of say 1/8" stock and also drill out the tang...that might be an extra $40.

See also Lile knives. The Model 1 Lightweight Backpacking knife is a gem and comes with a good ambidextrous sheath:

http://www.lileknives.com/modell1.html


Lile & Dozier use D2, not quiiiite stainless, takes a bit more care to keep rust-free. Lile's should be easier to maintain as they put a very nice finish on blade and the Dozier's are left a bit rough in the hollow grind area (300+ grit), and this can trap water, etc.
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Here's another vote for Bob Dozier's knives. Awesome blades, handles & sheaths. The best hunting knives I have yet used. My personal favorite is his Yukon Pro Skinner. Enough point for delicate caping and small game... enough belly for the largest game.

AJ
 
I think the Spyderco Moran featherweight is what you are looking for.
Cliff Stamp Review

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Have you noticed that time flies like the wind, but fruit flies like bananas ?
 
Once you've settled on your "chopper", you have so many ways to go with the smaller knife in or under your price range its impossible to consider it all.

I would certainly add my voice to those recommending Bob Dozier's blades. I have a K-1 for just that sort of all-around camp/hunting mission, and its great. Not a feather weight, but not heavy by any means. If you really want "feather weight", consider something like the A.G. Russel Bird and Trout ( http://agrussel.com/ ), or a Swedish Mora2000 for only $26 from Ragweed Forge ( http://www.ragweedforge.com/SwedishKnifeCatalog.html )! I have the latter and its fabulous!

The lighter (and less expensive) knives will typically cut better than their thicker and more expensive cousins! Inexpensive knives like the Mora will also require sharpening a bit more often, but their thinness makes this task much easier.
 
My Dozier Yukon Pro is the perfect "hunting" knife. Skinning and caping are made easy! The Dozier Straight Hunter is also top notch, as are the Master Hunter and Pro Skinner. These are all very close to your spending limit, and definately worth it.
Can't go wrong with that Pro Guide pictured above, either.
For cheaper knives, I second the votes for CS Master Hunter, Grohmann Camp 1, and Fallkniven F1.

Regards

JET
 
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