Hunting Blade Suggestions?
- Thread starter czsuby
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fastcutcnc
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- Kamloops BC
I prioitize the type of steel and the blade shape. Also, think about what you will be using it for.
Having two knives and a sharpening tool in your kit is a good idea if you are going to be working in a big animal.
The knives suggested here are mostly real good. I like carbon steel knives for the way they sharpen.
Grohmann, an excellent knife, makes some carbon steel knives. I like the simple, low priced curved blade professional skinning knife. ( Old Hudson Bay style.)
As you know, If you are planning to dress/skin a moose or a big dirty muddy bear you will probably need to resharpen your knife at least once. The mud/dirt in their belly hair really dulls your knife.
Good hunting, Brian
Having two knives and a sharpening tool in your kit is a good idea if you are going to be working in a big animal.
The knives suggested here are mostly real good. I like carbon steel knives for the way they sharpen.
Grohmann, an excellent knife, makes some carbon steel knives. I like the simple, low priced curved blade professional skinning knife. ( Old Hudson Bay style.)
As you know, If you are planning to dress/skin a moose or a big dirty muddy bear you will probably need to resharpen your knife at least once. The mud/dirt in their belly hair really dulls your knife.
Good hunting, Brian
did you make those kydex sheaths yourself?My two fixed Blade that get the most use
Grohmann #3 (on the left)
And the CR Aviator
(Mine has a little more wear and tear)
although the leather grohman sheaths look nice, I have near cut the flap off of all of mine.
Here’s a couple of mine that get a lot of use.
The grohman is reserved for moose, the one in the middle is my own multi purpose build and the F1 stands in its own as the GOAT.
The ones on the right are purpose built skinners. They work well.
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fastcutcnc
Member
- Location
- Kamloops BC
I think that I will try one of those knives. Thanks , Brian
fastcutcnc
Member
- Location
- Kamloops BC
Yes, That is why I like Carbon. The Grohmann Carbon is a great knife. Bushmen and "Old Timers, like me, usually go for carbon.
fastcutcnc
Member
- Location
- Kamloops BC
8236 8238, excellent design
This is the kit I carry on moose and bison hunt or any hunt I’m not backpacking. Avalon switch blade kit, really lightweight comes with 4 blades, 2 with a gut hook, one fillet/boning and one 2/3 regular edge and 1/3 serrated, all the blades are sharpenable!
The J. Russel skinner is a new addition to the kit so I don’t know how good it is. The belt knife is a knife made by a friend in the states and that thing is amazing at getting a real sharp edge and keeping it that way for an entire moose! The multi is an old original victorinox swiss tool!
The J. Russel skinner is a new addition to the kit so I don’t know how good it is. The belt knife is a knife made by a friend in the states and that thing is amazing at getting a real sharp edge and keeping it that way for an entire moose! The multi is an old original victorinox swiss tool!
Another vote for Grohman - #103 short blade skinner and a Leatherman with saw.
Belt knife is BHK I bought many years ago off Canterbury before he was famous for embellishing his resume. Has the original insignia/logo of the stick man holding a spear his daughter created, but the logo was sold to Discovery Channel as part of the deal Dave signed. Anyway, it's incredibly robust and made of carbon steel and the sheath is similar in quality to saddle leather.
Belt knife is BHK I bought many years ago off Canterbury before he was famous for embellishing his resume. Has the original insignia/logo of the stick man holding a spear his daughter created, but the logo was sold to Discovery Channel as part of the deal Dave signed. Anyway, it's incredibly robust and made of carbon steel and the sheath is similar in quality to saddle leather.
Knife threads come quite often, Mora probably comes up the most. I have one in every bag, pack and vehicle. I've been using the same one as my main knife for more than 35 years. Fix the leather belt loop on the case twice. So it's done 35+ moose, deer, bears in the field and on the cutting and trimming table. I could just grab one of the new ones, but it's my bush buddy for so long I can't imagine going anywhere without it. Still have my dad's, probably 60 year old, has the red wood handle that we once split the spine of a moose by beating it with a 2" trailer ball.
This opening post feels more like a sales ad to direct people to the website posted, where the knives look like goofy over priced shyte.
If I'm wrong... Apologies.
I still use Kershaw Hunters and North Arm "Lynx" (dressing) and "Mallard" (caping) knives. Good inexpensive options are Schrade Pro Hunters, I have several of the large and small Pro Hunters. For small game I like Old Timer Lil' Finger and Sharpfinger knives.
If I'm wrong... Apologies.
I still use Kershaw Hunters and North Arm "Lynx" (dressing) and "Mallard" (caping) knives. Good inexpensive options are Schrade Pro Hunters, I have several of the large and small Pro Hunters. For small game I like Old Timer Lil' Finger and Sharpfinger knives.
OP, are you looking for a serviceable knife for hunting that will just be suitable for skinning/eviscerating game?
Are you looking for a general purpose knife that will do almost everything required of it on a hunting trip, walkabout, while not being too heavy?
Over the past 60+ years I've used several different knives, under all field conditions, from -40C to +40C.
I've used everything from pocket knives to bayonets, beautiful custom builds, and multiple off the shelf commercial offerings, all of which offered great use in the field experience.
In reality, most of them were more concerned with impressing the user by their appearance than real functionality in the field, especially under inclement conditions.
Sweat, blood, rain, ice, can all create handling issues. That's why some folks like the "Mora" types, which are easy to hold even when the handle is covered in fish slime. That all changes under extreme cold conditions, under -20C.
The biggest issue with most hunting knives, especially the commercial offerings, is that they are TOO THICK, TOO HARD, DIFFICULT TO SHARPEN QUICKLY IN THE FIELD.
I finally got my head around what I really wanted in my day pack, or on my belt, or in my pocket, about 35 years ago.
I needed a knife that would do everything I wanted to do, when it came to field dressing game, all the way to deboning for easy carry out.
This didn't mean the knife had to double as an axe, or be capable of clearing brush, or doubling as a self defence weapon.
The knife had to be unobtrusive on a hunt, by not getting in the way, not knocking or rubbing against the stock of my rifle, when it was hanging off my shoulder, but still be large and strong enough to be reliable, and easily sharpened to a razor edge, with a small diamond grit sharpener.
Not very many knives fit those parameters.
I finally settled on Gerber Knives, specifically the "Gerber Gator," folding lockback with an included cordura pouch, for around $90, out the door at Cdn Tire.
It can be purchased with the blade type of your choice, round edge with drop point, or Bowie type.
They can be had with hard, carbon fibre bezels or a soft composite, very similar to that found on Mora knives.
They are light, strong, unobtrusive, and easily sharpened with a small diamond board in the field or at home.
I have both style bezels and blades. One I purchased, and the other was a gift from my wife. IMHO, neither is better than the other when they're sharp.
My only gripe with both of them, even though they are about the thinnest commercial, still functional blades available, they're still a bit too thick as they come from the package.
Most folks don't mind this, so it may not be an issue for you.
I've found that thicker blades take a lot longer to sharpen, especially in the field, with a diamond grit board.
I grind the blades thinner, from the cutting edge to about 1cm up the blade over the whole length.
Thicker blades usually have "sharp angle wedges" from the cutting edge, which impedes penetration, and requires more effort to use, even though the leading edge is very sharp.
This is all just my personal preference, of course.
You first need to decide whether you want to impress yourself, or your buds with the appearance of your knife, or it's real world capabilities in the field, under most conditions.
Some of us had to learn the hard way, through trial and error.
A knife that holds an edge is great until you go to sharpen it, after it gets dull. They all get dull, no matter how careful you are. Make your field experience a bit more pleasant with a knife that starts sharp, and the sharp edge is easily maintained, on the spot, without having to carry a pound or two of cutting fluids and stones, or files.
Are you looking for a general purpose knife that will do almost everything required of it on a hunting trip, walkabout, while not being too heavy?
Over the past 60+ years I've used several different knives, under all field conditions, from -40C to +40C.
I've used everything from pocket knives to bayonets, beautiful custom builds, and multiple off the shelf commercial offerings, all of which offered great use in the field experience.
In reality, most of them were more concerned with impressing the user by their appearance than real functionality in the field, especially under inclement conditions.
Sweat, blood, rain, ice, can all create handling issues. That's why some folks like the "Mora" types, which are easy to hold even when the handle is covered in fish slime. That all changes under extreme cold conditions, under -20C.
The biggest issue with most hunting knives, especially the commercial offerings, is that they are TOO THICK, TOO HARD, DIFFICULT TO SHARPEN QUICKLY IN THE FIELD.
I finally got my head around what I really wanted in my day pack, or on my belt, or in my pocket, about 35 years ago.
I needed a knife that would do everything I wanted to do, when it came to field dressing game, all the way to deboning for easy carry out.
This didn't mean the knife had to double as an axe, or be capable of clearing brush, or doubling as a self defence weapon.
The knife had to be unobtrusive on a hunt, by not getting in the way, not knocking or rubbing against the stock of my rifle, when it was hanging off my shoulder, but still be large and strong enough to be reliable, and easily sharpened to a razor edge, with a small diamond grit sharpener.
Not very many knives fit those parameters.
I finally settled on Gerber Knives, specifically the "Gerber Gator," folding lockback with an included cordura pouch, for around $90, out the door at Cdn Tire.
It can be purchased with the blade type of your choice, round edge with drop point, or Bowie type.
They can be had with hard, carbon fibre bezels or a soft composite, very similar to that found on Mora knives.
They are light, strong, unobtrusive, and easily sharpened with a small diamond board in the field or at home.
I have both style bezels and blades. One I purchased, and the other was a gift from my wife. IMHO, neither is better than the other when they're sharp.
My only gripe with both of them, even though they are about the thinnest commercial, still functional blades available, they're still a bit too thick as they come from the package.
Most folks don't mind this, so it may not be an issue for you.
I've found that thicker blades take a lot longer to sharpen, especially in the field, with a diamond grit board.
I grind the blades thinner, from the cutting edge to about 1cm up the blade over the whole length.
Thicker blades usually have "sharp angle wedges" from the cutting edge, which impedes penetration, and requires more effort to use, even though the leading edge is very sharp.
This is all just my personal preference, of course.
You first need to decide whether you want to impress yourself, or your buds with the appearance of your knife, or it's real world capabilities in the field, under most conditions.
Some of us had to learn the hard way, through trial and error.
A knife that holds an edge is great until you go to sharpen it, after it gets dull. They all get dull, no matter how careful you are. Make your field experience a bit more pleasant with a knife that starts sharp, and the sharp edge is easily maintained, on the spot, without having to carry a pound or two of cutting fluids and stones, or files.
I personally like a good working knife, a solid folding blade and a havalon.
Current set up
Knives of Alaska - Elk Tracker
Buck 110 Hunter
havalon.
I switch the buck 110 out for a spyderco paramilitary 2 from time to time.
Also have a nice a custom skinning knife; but that does go in my pack.
Current set up
Knives of Alaska - Elk Tracker
Buck 110 Hunter
havalon.
I switch the buck 110 out for a spyderco paramilitary 2 from time to time.
Also have a nice a custom skinning knife; but that does go in my pack.
My EDC when out and about is a Buck 486 with a orange handle. When I do got hunting my knife is Buck 301 stock knife in a belt pouch I found for it maybe 50 years ago. Never cared for fixed blade knives so carry a Buck 110 or the Schrade look alike. I have dozens of other knives that sort of just sit there.
Look for a very thin edge-no survival knives. Kershaw Deschutes Skinner, Buck 110 and Vanguard are reasonably priced and effective. I've owned many higher end knives in the past and learned that super steels aren't required to process 1 animal. I bring a Work Sharp Field Sharpener and do a quick touchup after the nasty bits while taking a break.
