Which steel rocks?

[SpearZ]

If you want to look at the Ontario D2 knives.

The Rat 7 D2 is huge, more of a survival knife, about $90

The TAK D2 with 4.5" blade might be more what you looking for, about $60

The D2 knives out of the box are scary sharp, will shave the hair off you arm. Very durable. Many website knife dealers sell them.

 

[a223cat]

If you want to look at the Ontario D2 knives.

The Rat 7 D2 is huge, more of a survival knife, about $90

The TAK D2 with 4.5" blade might be more what you looking for, about $60

The D2 knives out of the box are scary sharp, will shave the hair off you arm. Very durable. Many website knife dealers sell them.

so what does one do when the arms are bare from playing with knives? I like all my blades shaving sharp 15* each side. But cannot proof the edge unless I go looking for hair to pop! And NO, I aint going THERE!

 

[leon.pugh]

With out a doubt you want CPM 3V, four times as tough as D2 and holds a edges at least twice as well. My skinner dressed out three bucks this year as well as misc light cutting and will still shave. Take a look at my skinners, I call them Zippers. If you ever use one you will understand why. The hook is used for splitting the skin as well as a gut hook. Hair or fur will not ball up in the oversize hook. $300 for the solid afziel burl wood, $450 for the Inlaid. The ones in the photos are S30V. leon.pugh@comcast.net

 

[znapschatz]

Thanks to everyone for the time and feedback. The animals I hunt are large and tough-skinned by the lower-48 state standard and all seem to love their dust-baths or mud-wallows in NM. Over the years I've collected some knives and even still have the Case my father gave me as a kid. I've always been able to sharpen them to what the old Texicans called a "paper-edge". It'll cut great but lose it's edge in record time so I know I can't maintain holding the blade at the right angle. I'll just have to get back on that horse because EVERY one of the replies I've received have mentioned it. I sure appreciate everyones' time though. As a newbie to this website, I am very honored to be a member of such a knowledgeable and helpful group of folks.

Although I am not an expert, it seems that what you describe is symptomatic of sharpening to an edge burr but not knocking it off. That would explain the high initial sharpness and quick loss of same.

It is not difficult to deal with this. Time and effort spent on learning how to sharpen properly will be well spent. A Sharpmaker would be a good investment. Packaged with it is an instructional DVD that demystifies the process very well. And don't overlook the excellent advise you can get on this subject from these forums.

 

[Native Justice]

You can increase the longevity of any blades life by making sure you're only cutting what its' best at ...

I use a BM "Rescue Hook" to open an animal stem to stern; "thumb style" bone saw (fits in a chew container in my pocket" to remove the legs and open the pelvis, remove the head and open the sternum).

The knife is used to skin, gut and bone. It's been reprofiled significantly and sharpened similar to Talmadge's recommendations.

Using these simple tools I've done one Muley and 2 elk without having to resharpening (Lakota Hawk 8A); and more with my fully serrated blade (CS Voyager 8A). These blades touch nothing but meat. I can realistically see both the Wilson Siver Peak knive in 10V and the Fallkniven TK1 in 3G I have on order easily handling the 10-20 animals Phil has cited IF the blade hasn't been fouled with debris or hair. The need for sharpening skills becomes, at that point, almost incidental to owning and using the knife ...

 

[JurT]

I've got 2 Busse SFNO's. I realy like INFI. I would go for a Busse or Swamprat if I were you . . .

 

[flatgrinder]

D2, hardened to HRC 60-61 is very good -any softer and it's not worth it.

 

[3Guardsmen]

Just an idea, but this knife seems like a decent idea if you don't ever want to have to sharpen it:

Here is the website/info on it: http://havalon.com/xt-60knp.html


Regards,
3G