Which RAT for skinning/cleaning Game?

D

dave29

Joined
Oct 10, 2009
Messages
31
RC3?

Izula?

Which would you guys buy for general game (deer mostly) cleaning and skinning?
 
While both would work really well, I think most people will say either the RC3 or the RC4 would be your best bet. I have cleaned squirrel with both the RC3 and the Izula, and somewhere in the forum is a thread about a guy cleaning a moose with the Izula and a bone saw (you should look at that if you haven't already, pretty crazy stuff).

But the RC3 would be my choice, its small enough for delicate work but still big enough that it won't take forever. The RC4 is a bit larger, so it might make the job a little quicker.

The nice thing about RAT knives is that they will all do the job well, so sometimes it comes down to personal preference. I think that might end up being the case here.... Just my $0.02.......
 
I was thinking the RC3 as well.

I have an RC4, I think it is kinda big for that, or maybe I am just making an excuse to buy another knife. lol
 
Having just done a deer with an Izula, I can say it will do the job. I will probably use an RC-3 in the future because I think the handle will be less trouble than washing and rewrapping paracord on my Izula.
 
First thing I thought when I first held an RC-3 was "this would be an excellent field dressing and skinning knife for deer." I'd go RC-3.
 
dave29 said:
I was thinking the RC3 as well.

I have an RC4, I think it is kinda big for that, or maybe I am just making an excuse to buy another knife. lol
Click to expand...

Haha, that's always possible, as you can never have too many RAT's! :D

For me, I would rather trade a bit of time for being able to do any delicate work I wanted (nothing like slicing the wrong thing open while dressing out a deer :eek:).
 
RC-3 works very well. It you take the coating off and convex it, it is awesome! Rowen has the best heat treat for 1095 I have ever experienced. I cannot wait to see what he does with D2.
 
My RC-3 has worked superbly on 4 deer so far this year. Would be interesting to try an Izula that wore solid handles then there would be no rewrapping and easy clean up. Could easily become my favorite field dressing/skinning knife.
 
Check out page 34 of the RAT Photos thread... a member has posted pictures of him cleaning a deer with an RC-4.
 
I've used my Izula (no wrap) to skin deer and process small game, it works extremely well for those purposes.

If you're going to be butchering, the RC-3 is the way to go.
 
I never keep a wrap on my Izula, and I love it for cleaning small game. I'll use it on my pig from CA later this year. I have gradually moved to smaller and smaller blades from season to season, but I still love my green river ripper for birds, especially the smaller ones.
 
penenpitsu said:
What are the advantages of using an RC-3 over an RC-4 for this kind of work?
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Shorter blade.

For field dressing deer, I prefer shorter blades. I like to be able to slide my first finger up the spine of the blade and cover the tip. This helps to prevent cutting things you shouldn't when reaching inside and cutting by feel. It also works good to open the belly without cutting the stomache, cutting the hide from the backside (inside).

For skinning, I prefer a larger blade with plenty of belly and curve.
 
Thanks for the reply. I need to find out where I can go hunting in this state of Kalifornia. Sounds like fun to spend an afternoon chasing your next dinner :)
 
penenpitsu said:
What are the advantages of using an RC-3 over an RC-4 for this kind of work?
Click to expand...

As has been said, the slightly shorter blade on the RC-3 is nice for gutting and field dressing in my experience. Gutting really takes little cutting other than making a few cuts in the belly and around his bum, with a few on the interior to help separate organs.

The RC-3 is thinner than the RC-4, and I much prefer a thinner blade for butchering. In butchering, a little more blade length can be handy, but the RC-3 is far from being too short for smaller game like deer and any hog short of a hogzilla.
 
Hmm i would def have to go with the rc-3. The blade is just the right thickness and its super sturdy. It should get the job done :)
 
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