What is a Really Good Hunting Knife

[manitou]

This year I worked up my antelope, a big bull elk and a big mule deer buck with the same knife (latter two the same day). Did not sharpen between, just ran it on a steel.

The blade is 3.3".
My other main knife for working up deer, elk and pronghorn is a 3" blade. One is 1095 and the other is 0-1 tool steel, both self forged.

Like Idaho Lefty alluded to, yeah, big knives are for tv shows or splitting firewood.

 

[sp6x6]

Mine is a custom Track made local by a family.Later became Schmidt knives. I made this hilt and handle and designed blade.He did blade work on a trade for finish work I did on his house

 

[M77Fan]

@manitou, The knife you have is better than no knife, and often that may be smaller than you might have intended. For sure a 3 inch blade will suffice as you have described. I too have used 3 inch as well as more or less on various game.

A couple stories to illustrate that point. A couple we were friends with told a story on themselves. They ran a safari business in Kenya, and those were well organized, had particular people assigned to logistics, and they always had what was needed for formal safaris. But on one trip they took to fill their own meat larder, they found themselves a little short on knives. Among them they had a Swiss Army knife and a bread knife to deal with antelope, impala, and possibly other game that would need to be cleaned and prepared for transport. A little embarrassing. Probably some of their staff was with them and they would have had pangas (similar to a machete). They got the job done anyway.

For years I worked as a biologist at a secure facility. The limit on the knife blade I could carry on the site was 2 inches. Over time I performed necropsies on several adult buck mule deer with that 2-inch knife. Those included fully gutting and skinning the dead deer, then poking through innards and sometimes dissecting wounds from antlers, etc.. While I didn't quarter them up, that tiny blade would have gotten the job done. To further illustrate that point, after it became legal in that state to pick up road kill, a fellow in a big old jeep plowed into a couple spike elk right in front of me on a snowy evening commute. Not to be one to pass up an opportunity I claimed one and another guy claimed the other. The guy who hit them didn't want one. The other salvagee and I, between us, had a Leatherman and my 2 inch blade. We dressed both elk and halved them so we could load them into our respective vehicles. It wasn't much, but it was what we had.

 

[skipglo]

Like I stated earlier... do those guys a favor and get them something in S30v, S35v, S90 or D2 if it is in your budget.
I seriously doubt you can get a good knife for $40 bucks. I would have to see that. If a guy never has had a really good knife steel with great geometry then, well, he would think a $40 knife is a good one.

Yes, there are "pretty knives" made with poor geometry and sub-par steels out there.

Wishing you the best

Apparently @manitou reading is your Second language.. I clearly stated that I have had many expensive "really good knife steel with great geometry" as you put it but my statement comes from 50 years of guiding and hunting . And you are correct...it wasn't one good knife for $ 40.00...it was 3...OLD TIMERS C/W SHEATH for 39.99....so it was only 13.33 each....and I use them extensively.... while my greater Geometry knives look pretty on my mantle! Money and name don't always make a great product! And I prefer History (use) to Geometry.

 

[Mr. Magoo]

Morakniv from Sweden. They are not your typical hunting knife and not something I would proactively search out. Camofire had them on a few years ago, blaze orange hard durometer rubber handle and black plastic scabbard. So I bought a dozen, maybe two. Thy were like $15 ea. I keep one in the tractor, my truck, tool box at work, one in the kitchen and one in the bathroom. The one I kept in the tractor saw the most use, trimming twine, cutting calves, pigs, goats and a couple of barn cat toms. I haven't had it sharpend hand looking at the edge, no knicks or damage and it's still amazingly freaking sharp. I know I have a box with a bunch still in the original packaging.

I just looked and they have them from $20usd to $50usd with a sharpen and gut hook.

The one out of the tractor

View attachment 509050

Sorry to rain on your parade...I bought that exact knife for ranch use at TSC and the steel is sooooo soft. Sharpens easily and gets very sharp but looses its edge very fast. Mabne I got a fluke but I've already I sworn off that brand.

 

[M77Fan]

@mr.magoo - there are stainless and carbon steel models. That might make a difference. Sounds like yours was probably carbon. Also it looks like they change up their models, so anyone buying will need to read a full description for the specific knife from the maker.

 

[Mr. Magoo]

Apparently @manitou reading is your Second language.. I clearly stated that I have had many expensive "really good knife steel with great geometry" as you put it but my statement comes from 50 years of guiding and hunting . And you are correct...it wasn't one good knife for $ 40.00...it was 3...OLD TIMERS C/W SHEATH for 39.99....so it was only 13.33 each....and I use them extensively.... while my greater Geometry knives look pretty on my mantle! Money and name don't always make a great product! And I prefer History (use) to Geometry.

The old schrades and old timers were great! Wish I still had the one my dad bought me when I was 10. I sharpened that thing down to the nubbin before I was 25.

 

[Mr. Magoo]

@mr.magoo - there are stainless and carbon steel models. That might make a difference. Sounds like yours was probably carbon. Also it looks like they change up their models, so anyone buying will need to read a full description for the specific knife from the maker.

I dont know fosho...but it was very stainless-y. Certainly cheap enough to try another.

Used it for cutting twine when feeding little bales.

 

[Mike Matteson]

I use a buck skinner and have for a very many years. Long timer back in Colo. We were taking the hides off several elks. The lead man was using a long droppoint buck. Somewhere around 5"+. Anyway he figure he would show his stuff. The people were got watching me an my buck shinner. Being from Mexico-North, I think they figured I didn't know much about skinning. We tied, the next year he was using a shorter knife.
Now I like a knife with a gut hook and none drop point knife. Not to long. You can wheel a shorter knife faster than a longer knife. It all in the hands of the user, and money will not buy that.

 

[Darryle]

Sorry to rain on your parade...I bought that exact knife for ranch use at TSC and the steel is sooooo soft. Sharpens easily and gets very sharp but looses its edge very fast. Mabne I got a fluke but I've already I sworn off that brand.

I just know someone thru the name out here and recommended them.

They popped up on Camofire within a few weeks of that. I needed a couple of throw away knives that could be easily spotted if dropped. I am pretty sure I ordered 10 early that morning and went back later that day and saw they were still available and ordered another 10. I read the reviews online at couple of different retailers and they were positive. I have used several of them extensively, even one with a cork handle kept in the boat and they have held an edge for me. I don't cut anything other than twine, rope, nuts, burlap feed sacks and the occasional piece of fruit. I haven't seen or experienced a knick, chip or damaged edge with any of them.

For a cheap throw around knife that is ugly and guaranteed to not be stolen, but to be left alone where it found, they are great. From my previous posts, I do not carry a worthless knife on my person. These are like pliers, great to have readily accessible when reaching in your pocket isn't an option.

 

[FireFlyFishing]

Anything from Benchmade. For more of a utilitarian knife, I've had good luck with Knives of AK. Both listed hold an edge very well.

 

[Stevenstl86]

Benchmade T2 blades are great for skinning

Outdoor edge keeps an edge for a long time

 

[Retired CPO]

I have several Buck knives that I use. Model 113 skinner. And a couple different models for butchering. Model 102 is a great small knife for small hands and light work. Model 105 is a great size for bigger hands and heavier work. All great knives at a reasonable cost point.
If you are concerned about the 420HC steel, which I am not, you can buy from their heritage line with D2 steel. A bit more expensive but still well below the Benchmade price point. Great knives and hold an edge very well. The only problem is they look so good it's almost a shame to get blood on them!
You can buy them direct from Buck on-line. They do have discounts for LEO's and both active and retired military. I've saved a bunch of money on my collection as retired military.
No, I don't have a vested interest in the company. I just like and appreciate an American made, high quality knife at a reasonable price. And Buck is that!

 

[manitou]

@manitou, The knife you have is better than no knife, and often that may be smaller than you might have intended. For sure a 3 inch blade will suffice as you have described. I too have used 3 inch as well as more or less on various game.

A couple stories to illustrate that point. A couple we were friends with told a story on themselves. They ran a safari business in Kenya, and those were well organized, had particular people assigned to logistics, and they always had what was needed for formal safaris. But on one trip they took to fill their own meat larder, they found themselves a little short on knives. Among them they had a Swiss Army knife and a bread knife to deal with antelope, impala, and possibly other game that would need to be cleaned and prepared for transport. A little embarrassing. Probably some of their staff was with them and they would have had pangas (similar to a machete). They got the job done anyway.

For years I worked as a biologist at a secure facility. The limit on the knife blade I could carry on the site was 2 inches. Over time I performed necropsies on several adult buck mule deer with that 2-inch knife. Those included fully gutting and skinning the dead deer, then poking through innards and sometimes dissecting wounds from antlers, etc.. While I didn't quarter them up, that tiny blade would have gotten the job done. To further illustrate that point, after it became legal in that state to pick up road kill, a fellow in a big old jeep plowed into a couple spike elk right in front of me on a snowy evening commute. Not to be one to pass up an opportunity I claimed one and another guy claimed the other. The guy who hit them didn't want one. The other salvagee and I, between us, had a Leatherman and my 2 inch blade. We dressed both elk and halved them so we could load them into our respective vehicles. It wasn't much, but it was what we had.

View attachment 509313

I forged the knives to my blade preference... so yeah, those were the intended sizes. Yup