Why do knifemakers make 5" + blades and call them Hunters?

I'm not a hunter. But my brother is. He was a guide in Montana for a decade or so. He has probably gutted and skinned a thousand deer, elk and turkey. Yes, he would skin turkeys. Anyway, he showed me his hunting knife last week. It's an old Imperial with a stainless blade and black plastic handle. The blade started out at around 3.5" but it's probably around 2" now. He described how he'd field dress a mule deer. It sounds pretty easy, no cutting of the pelvis, or breast plate. He said it would generally take him about a minute to do a buck once it was on the ground.
 
I am a hunter, and do prefer a blade of 3-4" for it. However, I have used a buck 119 quite a bit, too. It just depends on if you are comfortable using the larger knife or not.
 
harleyguy02 said:
5 inch plus hunters .... 5" is not a Hunter to me..

I just wonder is it that some of these knifemakers don't hunt, don't get it, don't listen to hunters,
Or are just trying to make an impressive looking knife that will never see the field?

No experienced hunter I know would walk, sit, stand, climb in the woods or mountains carrying 5" of blade.

Does this bother anyone else.. Maybe bother is the wrong word..
But doesn't this strike you as the knife is named wrong ?
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Well, hopefully the OP has gotten the idea at this point, and now he has met (at least via internet) a great many hunters that would and DO carry 5"+ knives. My "ideal" hunting knife for whitetail is 4-5", 2-3" for squirrel/rabbit, 6" for crappies, sunnies, bass, pike.

Those knifemakers with 5" game knives may indeed hunt, certainly DO get it, and absolutely DO listen to hunters. Happy Thanksgiving!
 
I could field dress and take the hide off a whitetail with my 5.5" bladed Western or my 2.8" Fallkniven WM1 if I wanted to do so. No problem. I prefer to do those tasks with a 3.25" to 4" bladed knife. Shorter blades seem to give me a bit more control.

Joe
 
With the combination I learned from Dad, I can do anything I need to do. The knife is used for most of the work but the razor blade is for the finer detailed stuff, or for where space is limited. I've cleaned fish using nothing more than a cheap razor blade from Lowe's.

I've also experimented with using flakes of flint or obsidian. Not blades mind you; just good sized flakes. They worked remarkably well. The trick is not to goof up and hit bone or that fine edge will be damaged and leave tiny - and very sharp - bits of stone in the meat.
 
I appreciate the suggestion.. But having hunted all over the world ,I don't need to meet more hunters for the topic.
I have 8 trips to Alaska under my belt.. 3 brown bear hunts, 1 sheep, moose, 3 black bears, My OP was not questioning IF a 5" plus blade would work..

I realize some guys use 5" and that's great..

But for the Majority of guys there is NO question that 3-4" of blade is a perfect hunter size.

Different hunts, different times..

I personally cannot imagine climbing in a tree stand with a 5 inch blade on my belt.
Or climbing mountains ( which I obviously have done) with a 5 inch blade.
Climbing is mentally and physically taxing.. Ounces count!!
So adding unnessary weight to your pack is stupid.

How many HUNTING knives does Bob Dozier make?

Zero!
Have you ever seen Bill Akers list a hunting knife that is over 5"?
How bout Gene Ingram, Tom Krein?
These guys "get it"

No question 5" will work..but they are not Hunters!
They are camp knives, wilderness knives, filet knives, utility knives,
Turkey slicing knives:)

I carry one of my Buxton hunters in the field with 3-4 inches of 52100 goodness.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone !
 
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harleyguy02 said:
5 inch plus hunters ....

I saw a beautiful knife listed from a maker whose knives I really like. I open the thread and read the specs
Blade : 5".
The knife was gorgeous !! But 5" is not a Hunter to me..

I just wonder is it that some of these knifemakers don't hunt, don't get it, don't listen to hunters,
Or are just trying to make an impressive looking knife that will never see the field?

No experienced hunter I know would walk, sit, stand, climb in the woods or mountains carrying 5" of blade.

Does this bother anyone else.. Maybe bother is the wrong word..
But doesn't this strike you as the knife is named wrong ?
Click to expand...

I'm an experienced hunter and I routinely carry my Becker BK9 (and my BK11 and my longbow, etc.) when I hunt. Had that combo this morning. The long blade isn't something I'd choose to use for cleaning game usually (though it does a great job on panfish) but it is outstanding for blind construction, clearing obstructing limbs and so on.

Here's a pic from this morning - not to snark but were you out today?

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harleyguy02 said:
But for the Majority of guys there is NO question that 3-4" of blade is a perfect hunter size.
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I believe the logical fallacy you are employing there is called gratuitous assertion - a statement of fact without any supporting data. To defeat this fallacy, one must only deny it. I do question your statement that 3-4" of blade is a perfect hunter. Certainly that can work (and may work best for you), but for field dressing 2-3" is superior in my opinion and for ancillary tasks (blind building, etc.) a much longer blade is more handy for many of us.

Thank you for playing.

---

Beckerhead #42
 
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I suppose you could say any knife put into use by a hunter, in the field, is a hunting knife regardless of blade length. One well known bowhunter, Ron LaClair, has posted photos showing squirrels he has skinned with a huge knife. If you like big knives and are used to them, you can get the job done. That said, I still like a smaller, lighter hunting knife.

Joe
 
I processed many deer as a kid with an old USMC Kabar, I must be crazy. It certainly helps in the butchering process, and skins failry well if you choke up on it. Is it the perfect size? No, but it works.
 
I have field-dressed deer with everything from a 6" Schrade Old Timer to a small 2-1/2" folder. My next few will be with a Dozier, a Ruana, and a Busse (because I like knives, have these and want to use them.) Most of the time I have used whatever EDC folder I fancied at the time. The worst knife I ever used for the task was a Mauser Integral Hunter, and it was bad not because of it's length or lack thereof, but because it handled like a club. If I have learned anything it is that field-dressing whitetail deer is no big thing and the type and size of the knife is not nearly as important as having a good sharp one. I suspect that the same is true of other big game, although more knife may be needed for the big stuff. I have found that for skinning, having a more specialized knife might be helpful but is in no way essential.

My advice is to use whatever you fancy and ignore anyone who catergorizes those whose choices differ from theirs as inexperienced, naive, or stupid. I don't need anyone else's affirmation of my choices, and neither should you.
 
IMHO, the reason MOST---NOT ALL---people prefer a smaller blade/knife, is because the sheath just flat out sucks. It will poke you in the leg/side/fat overhang/ect... when you stand/sit/squat/enter/exit vehicles & atv's. I can now carry my large blades with comfort all day long doing all that is mentioned, with no issues at all. You need a good HD swivel & a good HD leg strap & a good HD secure fit of the knife with no wobble, that way the knife & sheath will move as you move & move with you---not against you. There have been far more times that i wished i had brought my larger knife into the field, than times i wished i had brought a smaller one. But thats just me. YRMV. I am a hunter, but not a very good one & have only been hunting for the last 5 years of my 48 yrs. Here is my set ups. I only have these 3 as of now, but will eventually have all my knives in custom sheaths like these. They simply make it natural to carry larger blades easily.

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Thanks Ankerson and I like all of his. While I mostly prefer a skinner with good belly and point to be right around 4". I have carried a 5" and liked it. I may not call it a Hunter but the defination is rather loose. DM
 
Here's a kind of random point of interest on the subject:

I remember reading Henry Rider Haggard's 'She - A History of Adventure', written in 1887. In it, the author describes the 'hunting knives' used by the adventuring protagonists as enormous bowie knives, "almost as big and heavy as a short sword".

So, apparently hunting knives with large blades have been common for a long friggin' time.
 
Dorito Monk said:
Here's a kind of random point of interest on the subject:

I remember reading Henry Rider Haggard's 'She - A History of Adventure', written in 1887. In it, the author describes the 'hunting knives' used by the adventuring protagonists as enormous bowie knives, "almost as big and heavy as a short sword".

So, apparently hunting knives with large blades have been common for a long friggin' time.
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Yes, I have a book which shows pictures of a large hunting hanger to finish off wounded game, but also a very large cleaver to take it apart.
 
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