Would like input on Caping knife steel

S

Swafford

Joined
Feb 5, 2009
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Guys I am designing a caping knife and would like your input. This small blade will be used for caping big game heads doing taxidermy work and will be made of 1/16" thick steel. I was wondering what your choice of steel would be for this. D-2, S30V etc. Tell me what you think.
 
Of the two you listed, S30V.
Another good choice would be CMP3V.
If money is no object and you want an edge that will scare the skin of the carcass, make it in ZDP-184 or CowryX.
Stacy
 
being a taxidermist and a knifemaker I would say any steel that can be flexible with out losing your edge and make the blade a little longer than you would think and spear point no wider tha 5/8" and 1/16" thick is good also no file work it just grabs when you don't want it to. At least thats what I would do.:D:cool: good luck
 
Any preference on stain resistance? D2 is good as well, but you can't go wrong with any of those steels.
 
I am very fond of D2 for something like this. When tempered on the low end of the range (450 ish) and cryo is used as part of the quench to address its tendency to retain austenite, it is an excellent steel for thin, high hardness applications where fine edge stability is desired. And its slightly toothy nature cuts leathery stuff nicely. It doesn't "take a lousy edge and hold it forever", it takes a hanging hair whittling edge easily enough and holds a sharp edge better than anything I have tried (I haven't tried 3V). It is about halfway stainless.

I have always found stainless to be chippy at higher hardness, and poor edge stability at lower hardness, requiring more obtuse sharpening angles. It wouldn't be my first choice in a no compromise cutting tool. That includes S30V. I haven't tried BG42.

If corrosion resistance isn't a concern, O1 and W2 both perform well as cutters, and I wonder if plain old humble 1095 wouldn't be a good choice as well.
 
I have had good success with A2, D2 and S30V for capers. I prefer 1 1/16" thick, but made S30V capers with 3/32" stock. Most were made for outfitters and they worked well at ~60 HRC.
 
Is a caping knife the same as a skinner?:confused:

Just curious since it sounds like it might be used for the same thing?:confused:
 
awp101 said:
Is a caping knife the same as a skinner?:confused:

Just curious since it sounds like it might be used for the same thing?:confused:
Click to expand...

Not exactly. It isn't used when dressing the deer. It is used when preparing the head and neck for mounting. It is much more like a scalpel, and the handle is designed for precision control. There is often a finger choil. I believe the most critical thing it is used for is cutting the flesh off the skull, especially around the eyes and antlers etc. It is a surgical precision type cutter.

With that said, I like a skinning knife more like a caping knife rather than the giant bellied, gut hooked, leaf shaped profile that has become popular. For the life of me I can't figure out what people are doing with that fat round profile... But have you ever tried to reach up into a pelvis to disconnect intestines or reproductive type stuff with a fat clumsy blade? I try to never sever any of that stuff, I tie it off from outside before I ever get started. Maybe I've just been doing it wrong all this time. Feh...
 
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