What's your primary all purpose hunting knife ?

The Randall fixed on the left has seen plenty of use since the 60's, but any of the folders in the right will work just fine, and they were all under $45. ..Gerber, SOG, KA-BAR, and Spyderco.

http://www.smkw.com/webapp/eCommerc...n®+Guthook+with+Camo+Wood+Handle/BR244CW.html

Bought that one a few years back, it was the first knife I've ever bought that had a gut hook, now I love a gut hook.

Hit reply too fast see below

Glockula said:

I have a browning folder 3 in one. Its not pretty but it has a gut hook, saw and knife. I love it in the field as it is all I need for a knife.

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I also carry a buck folder that has three blades (regular, saw, gutting hook).

My Glock knife with the sawback on it. It's done many a deer, squirrel, duck, goose, and even a moose!

This reminds me of my first elk hunt back in the early 80's. I was fortunate and killed a rag horn the first morning. The grizzled old out fitter (old to me at the time anyway) pulled out a big Old Timer folding knife and proceeded to gut the animal. He used the same Old Timer to cape out an elk. He was a minimalist I suppose. I had the same knife at home but thought surely a real elk hunter had to have something special. Guess not.

knife

A Tapio Wirrkala Hackman. Four inch blade.

I've used a Puma Skinner 6" since the mid-60's, still the best knife I've ever owned.

I'm partial to Buck knives. Tried a Gerber (a gift), a Canadian belt knife (also a gift), and 2-3 others I don't know the brands, picked up at auctions, but I always go back to Buck. Modest price for a knife that will outlast your grandchildren.

I have an old pocket knife, very small. That knife has gutted more game than any in my collection.

But my favorite is a Buck 110. The one I use I bought some 45 years ago. I tried using knives with gut hooks, but I don't like them, I guess I've never really figured out how to use them properly, cause they simply don't work for me.

Outside of making sure it's a locking blade, just pick one that fits your hand well, and has some form of a hand stop to keep your hand from sliding across the blade. I did that once, I ended up in the ER with some serious injuries to my fingers.

I also know a guy that USED to be an F117A pilot. I sold him a Spiderco, and one night while acting stupid, he slammed it into a wall, but he hit a stud and his hand and fingers slid across blade. That was the end of his career as a fighter pilot, and most of the function in his right hand.

GS

"All Purpose"?

For me it's my old Anton Wingen by way of the Gutmann Cutlery Company way back in the 50's but these "Canadian Trappers" are available for around your budget mark from Grohmann/Russell.

http://www.grohmannknives.com/pages/outdoor.html

Outstanding feel, weight and balance. Hell for strong thick, full shank and lots of shape and handle options.

These are worthy of being considered "legacy" knives and the warranty is outstanding.

Though mine's worn well, I still don't like these decidedly Germanic/Puma... whatever sheaths with their narrow "tear me... here!" hangers.

Hack, dig, skin, gut or do that thing where weirdos smack the back of the knife with sticks and such.

Easy to sharpen so they bounce right back.

They have more diminutive options, dedicated skinners and gut-hooks too.

Todd.

I use a Buck 119c (see 119 Special Buck Knife on their website) for gutting, it is great, it cuts clean, but it is too good to be a general use knife in my case. I have a cheap Rapala Skinner for everything else, because I do not mind doing some more potentially damaging work with it.

I use a Havalon to put up fur and for caping out deer. For everything else I use a Case. I really prefer carbon steel but the interchangeable scalpel blades on the Havalon are good for precision.

I find a 3 blade Browning folder fits my needs well. A little different from the ones previously mentioned, it has a blunt tipped blade for opening the chest cavity, a sharp tipped blade, and a saw blade for opening the pelvis.

Great knife that keeps an edge, and has been used many times. If there's a drawback, I would say because it's a folder, it's a little bit more of a pain to clean.

Pretty knife with typical Browning quality: highly polished blades, dark hardwood scales, brass bolsters, and a nice tan leather belt sheath.

Benchmade

Past few years I've been using the bark River Highland Special pictured in the middle. Its 4" A2 carbon steel blade sharpens easily and holds an edge.



Chuck

I usually carry a Gerber LMF II when I'm out hunting, but you really can't beat a Mora knife for what it can do and value. Buy a bunch of them, keep one on you, one in your bag, one in the car. They're so cheap that you wouldn't think twice about abusing one. If it breaks, you're out $20 instead of $150 or $200 for a big name knife.

After reading this thread I bought a pair of Mora's on amazon. Stainless and carbon. I like the weight and feel. They seem to be very sharp, not as sharp as they will be after an application of the Edge Pro. They remind me of my favorite hunting knife, the A.G. Russell 8A.

I used to carry sheath knives but now prefer 3.5 inch folders in my pocket.

I've had a Buck 103 since the early 70s. It is my skinning knife. It holds an edge very well, but is a real b***h to sharpen. For butchering game, I use a standard butcher's knife.

I have a Buck Special that I purchased when I was 18 . I'm 67 now. That knife has never let me down.

I carry an Eastwing double bit axe in my pack and one of my case trappers in my front pant pocket. I carry the axe when I carry the pack and the pocket knife is always on my person. I feel nekkid without a knife.

I keep trying to make myself a skinner, but they disappear before I have the chance to actually use them. View attachment 211439

I do 99% of my knife work on game with a buck 110. I find the blade width, length, and overall balance to be ideal for dressing texas whitetail. The other 1% with a gerber folder with a gut hook, although I have taken deer only to realize the only knife I had at the time was the ever-present Case Stockman in my pocket. It does just fine as well.

Covelo-NdN said:

The vote is in! And Buck 110 and a mora!!!

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Very good choice .