Hunting Blade Suggestions?

czsuby

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Hey everyone,
I need a good hunting blade suggestions— something with solid edge retention, good balance, and built to last through tough seasons. I don’t mind investing a bit more if the quality’s there.
Lately, I’ve been eyeing some of the Noblie Custom Knives official website custom blade work, and it looks impressive — classic profiles with detailed finishes and premium materials. Anyone here actually used one of their blades out in the field?
Also any other recommendations.
Thanks
 
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This is one of those questions that a guy can really only answer for himself -- in my experience, taste in knives is even more varied than taste in firearms, and that's saying something! :)

Myself, I'm a man of extremes -- it's either trash or class, with little in between.

This is the trash. My hand's down favourite in terms of utility and bang for the buck is a $60 Outdoor Edge Swing Blade. Nothing, and I mean nothing, gets me through field dressing and skinning a big game animal as fast as this little gem does. Blaze orange so I can actually find it when I inevitably put it on the ground for a moment, and a soft rubber-ish handle that makes it pretty much indestructible.

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And then there's class. A one-of-a-kind custom piece made for me by Joao Porto in Brazil. Hippo tooth ivory handle and a Damascus blade with a phosphate finish. I've never found its equal in terms of steel that can hold a sharp edge for so long, even when being severely abused. Two good hard pushes, and it will open up a deer's entire rib cage from neck to sternum. All for the low, low cost of $2,000 back in 2013. I shudder to think what it would cost now after his knives started winning Best of Show awards on the international scene.

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Frontiersmen Gear made in BC and the real deal. Tanner gives a ton back into conservation as well. If you need something a bit cheaper there's lots of good options out there these days. Mike Jones is another BC knife maker worth checking out.
 
Outdoor edge swingblade comes in a set with a little saw if you want the ribcage and pelvis open in the field.

If you just want a knife, my go to is the mora companion. They're like $20 a pop and they outperform some $200 knives. You can get them in your favorite color, and you'll never be afraid to use it or lose it because a replacement is only $20. The biggest upgrade to a mora is a new sheath. There are a bunch of different styles, don't be afraid to splurge when you find one that you like. It will cost more than the knife, but it'll make life a lot easier.
 
I like the Mora Heavy Duty Companion or the Bushcraft Black. The Condor Terrasaur is another underrated knife that's not terribly expensive. If you can find an older wooden handled Mora, they are also very good. The new production are a little thin in the blade for my taste.

I've carried expensive custom knives like the Randall, but found I was too paranoid about losing it, and there really wasn't anything it could do better than a Mora.
 
My last and last grohman was an utter disappointment. Love their fillet knife but I bought the bird and trout and after cutting 3 canada geese it needed to be sharpened. The heat treat must be wrong


I personally like the spyderco pm2 s110v for a hunting knife. Holds an edge. Right size for about everything. I can gut and skin and butcher 3 bears and still slice paper. About the only thing better is retractable breakaway boxcutters. I know that sounds bad but they're great.
Another knife that I carried quite a bit the last couple years was my Chris reeves large senbenza.

I find folders are easiest to carry and never get in the way. Only a pocket clip hangs outside so its less for a gun or bow to clink on while hunting

When bear hunting I often keep a fixed blade as a last resort type thing but its mostly used for clearing brush to make shooting lanes. I've switched to a small hatchet for that though

Check out blades canada. You can search by your price bracket and see what you like.
 
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Another vote for Grohmann #1
Those Noblie knives you mention look more like show pieces…
The one knife I sold and regretted it was a Buck Vanguard Cabelas Alaskan Guide signed by CJ Buck himself at the grand opening in Edmonton.
I would buy again
 
last buck i shot, i processed half of it with a Spyderco gas station special, I had in my pocket, the other half with a Mora that was in the bino harness i left in the blind, most of my butchering equipment was nicely tacked away in the truck a mile or so away
so whatever you pick as a blade you want, make sure you carry it on you
 
Another vote for Mora here. My personal favorite is the craft line pro c, has more curve and less point then the companion.

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I also use a Havalon piranta sometimes, as well as a Kershaw descutes caping knife. The razor-sharpness of the Havalon is nice to have, it lives on the side of my bino harness that way even if I put my pack down or leave it in the truck I have a knife. The Kershaw weighs very little so its a great backup in the pack.
 
I still have several different styles of Grohmann knives, unique blade profiles but I could never get them razor sharp. Needed to open several soup cans and sacrificed a Grohmann to the task. That’s when I regained some respect for it. Abused and didn’t show any damage whatsoever. Must have underestimated how tough the steel was and maybe never sharpened it proper to begin with. I prefer the American made Uncle Henry sharp fingers over the dozens of other brands that I have. The Grohmann is still a ‘beater knife’ in my kitchen drawer.
 
My last and last grohman was an utter disappointment. Love their fillet knife but I bought the bird and trout and after cutting 3 canada geese it needed to be sharpened. The heat treat must be wrong


I personally like the spyderco pm2 s110v for a hunting knife. Holds an edge. Right size for about everything. I can gut and skin and butcher 3 bears and still slice paper. About the only thing better is retractable breakaway boxcutters. I know that sounds bad but they're great.
Another knife that I carried quite a bit the last couple years was my Chris reeves large senbenza.

I find folders are easiest to carry and never get in the way. Only a pocket clip hangs outside so its less for a gun or bow to clink on while hunting

When bear hunting I often keep a fixed blade as a last resort type thing but its mostly used for clearing brush to make shooting lanes. I've switched to a small hatchet for that though

Check out blades canada. You can search by your price bracket and see what you like.
I have a Bird and Trout that will not hold an edge also. I think you are onto something with the treat.
 
I like Grohmann because they are made in Canada and are a price and quality I am comfortable with. Inside of an animal I prefer a shorter blade than the No.1 (middle). The Grohmann skinner above it or the extra thick custom one at the top are my favourite in a deer. I also keep a cheap Cabela's knife that sharpens quick and easy if needed and a folding Gerber that has an excellent grip for backup. Most importantly though...they'll all go dull, you need to be ready to sharpen them. I like Lansky for quick and easy sharpening. I have a classic Mora knife for camping but I'd be curious to try the shorter Mora Eldris for hunting.

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Another vote for Mora here. My personal favorite is the craft line pro c, has more curve and less point then the companion.

View attachment 1086922

I also use a Havalon piranta sometimes, as well as a Kershaw descutes caping knife. The razor-sharpness of the Havalon is nice to have, it lives on the side of my bino harness that way even if I put my pack down or leave it in the truck I have a knife. The Kershaw weighs very little so its a great backup in the pack.
Moras are over hyped junk. A saw blade can give you the same result. Never got the hype other than the $10 cost.

The 2 cent plastic sheaths make them especially classy! 😂🤣
 
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