Ideal hunting knife?

[MCgunner]

Sorry, not trying to be argumentative, but I don’t understand this.

After an initial stab through the skin, the knife edge should not come in contact with the outside surface. Skinning is accomplished by sliding the blade’s cutting edge through the subcutaneous tissue, the fatty layer between the outside skin and muscle layers below. I have watched packing house employees skin a lot of hogs, some of them pretty nasty, using only a smooth steel to true the cutting edge of their knives. They might use a sharpening stone to hone a new edge every hundred animals or so. Sharpening, as opposed to steeling the blade, should not be needed very often if the knife is made of good steel and has a good edge profile to start with.

Cut around the legs, down the legs from the outside. Sure, insert the knife, but you gotta cut around a lot of it to get the skin loose.first before you actually start skinning. You have to cut a lot of skin off, too. The knife comes in contact with the skin. That's what dulls it.

 

[MCgunner]

Picked up this benchmade "Hidden Canyon" this year and really like it. Very small, extremely sharp, and after processing three deer I can say it holds an edge very well. I plan to send it in to benchmade for their lifetime sharpening service at the end of each deer season.

Fits in the hand just right, short enough to fit anywhere. Only cut myself once so far!

IMG_0670

• edapp
• Oct 30, 2018

Only needs sharpening once in a lifetime? Wow, that's a good one. Where's my chest waders.

 

[Axis II]

Only needs sharpening once in a lifetime? Wow, that's a good one. Where's my chest waders.

I'm pretty sure he meant free lifetime sharpening. I have a Kershaw made in USA and they sharpen for you for the life of the knife.

 

[J-Bar]

Cut around the legs, down the legs from the outside. Sure, insert the knife, but you gotta cut around a lot of it to get the skin loose.first before you actually start skinning. You have to cut a lot of skin off, too. The knife comes in contact with the skin. That's what dulls it.

I’m sure cutting through from the outside dulls the knife and also carries surface dirt onto the meat. That’s why the skinners I’ve seen cut down the leg skin with the point of the blade on the inside, edge up, to unzip the skin from the inside. A lot of the hide can be pulled off without having to cut underneath it. Cut through a leg joint after it has been skinned to dispose of the lower leg and feet/hooves.

More than one way to skin a cat, or a deer, or a hog.

 

[Browning]

Anyone who hunts doesn't really made do with one knife.

They'll have two or three up to a couple dozen. Usually depending on how minimalist they are and if they're willing to buy good tools right off the bat.

I have a four or five that I usually grab. A Fallkniven F1, a Don Llewellyn 5 and 3/8's" knife, an AG Russell bird and trout knife and a couple Mora's with rubber handles. I prefer the handles to have a really sure grip on them.

Then there's the bone saw.

I don't have a gut hook, I generally use nitrile gloves and a Mora.

I can't ever remember a hunter having just one knife though.

Maybe go over to AG Russell and check out what they have. I've been looking at this one a little bit.



https://agrussell.com/knife/A-G-Russell-U-S-A-Made-Drop-Point-Hunter--RU-U1310GR

Might be able to get away with that one and one of their bird/trout (I guess they don't sell their bird and trout knives anymore) hunter scalpel knives.

https://agrussell.com/knife/A-G-Russell-Hunter-Scalpel--RU-T914-10A

 

[Bartojc]

I carry the Buck knife my father gave me 40 years ago. Not sure what model it is, its in the black leather sheath it came in. Not sure if its the best, but he is gone now, and I'm still using the same knife. The only way I'll change is if I somehow break this one or god forbid lose it.

For daily pocket carry I have 4 or 5 Case knives that I rotate depending on what I'm wearing and how I feel

-Jeff

 

[cheygriz]

That Benchmade has a blade of S30V steel. About 10X better steel than the "economy" knives

 

[Speedo66]

I used to use a three blade Browning folding knife. Regular blade, a gutting blade with a rounded tip so you didn't penetrate intestines, and a saw blade for cutting through the pelvis.

The knife was made in Japan, other than being stainless I don't know what steel was used, but I used that knife for many seasons and didn't feel it needed to be resharpened.

Good looking knife too, with wood handles and brass bolsters. Unfortunately, lost in the woods on a hunting trip.

 

[LoonWulf]

My constant companion is a Buck 105 D2 "Custom". Easy to sharpen, hasnt had its tip broken off using it as a pry, and cuts like a razor.
I also have a couple cheap gerbers, some no names, and my regular every day folder. All have done what i needed them to do, but that buck just does it "nicer"

 

[Axis II]

I used to use a three blade Browning folding knife. Regular blade, a gutting blade with a rounded tip so you didn't penetrate intestines, and a saw blade for cutting through the pelvis.

The knife was made in Japan, other than being stainless I don't know what steel was used, but I used that knife for many seasons and didn't feel it needed to be resharpened.

Good looking knife too, with wood handles and brass bolsters. Unfortunately, lost in the woods on a hunting trip.

I as gifted one on my first deer hunt by a guy who worked with my grandfather and some ***** stole it out of my truck! I almost got one of those again but i have the outdoor edge hook and a pelvis saw so couldn't see throwing 2 things away to replace by one. I do like the browning knives though they are nice.

 

[MCgunner]

I’m sure cutting through from the outside dulls the knife and also carries surface dirt onto the meat. That’s why the skinners I’ve seen cut down the leg skin with the point of the blade on the inside, edge up, to unzip the skin from the inside. A lot of the hide can be pulled off without having to cut underneath it. Cut through a leg joint after it has been skinned to dispose of the lower leg and feet/hooves.

More than one way to skin a cat, or a deer, or a hog.

I've yet to skin the pig that I could pull the hide off of. Deer, sure. Deer are easy, not as easy as rabbits, but easy. I sometime will try the tennis ball technique on a deer. I won't use the truck, but have an ATV I can try it with. I've heard about that YEARS ago and never tried it.

 

[MCgunner]

My constant companion is a Buck 105 D2 "Custom". Easy to sharpen, hasnt had its tip broken off using it as a pry, and cuts like a razor.
I also have a couple cheap gerbers, some no names, and my regular every day folder. All have done what i needed them to do, but that buck just does it "nicer"

LOL, used to carry a Buck 110 (didn't everybody in the 70s?) and rode motorcycles. Would often have to use it as a tool or cut an oil can open. Boy, that knife was abused. What finally killed it was jumping the starter relay with it, got it REAL hot. Lost its temper. Poor old Buck. Those old knives were WAY heavy. Folders now days are much easier to carry and with the clip thingy they come with, no need for a sheath, just clip to the top of you pocket. I've got several EDC folders. As I've said before, I like the Schrade for its partial serrated blade, makes it easy to cut through the sternum even on a pig. The other two are a light little Buck Bantam and an assisted opening Kershaw I bought recently. The Kershaw seems like a good knife. Haven't cleaned anything with it, though.

 

[FL-NC]

LOL, used to carry a Buck 110 (didn't everybody in the 70s?) and rode motorcycles. Would often have to use it as a tool or cut an oil can open. Boy, that knife was abused. What finally killed it was jumping the starter relay with it, got it REAL hot. Lost its temper. Poor old Buck. Those old knives were WAY heavy. Folders now days are much easier to carry and with the clip thingy they come with, no need for a sheath, just clip to the top of you pocket. I've got several EDC folders. As I've said before, I like the Schrade for its partial serrated blade, makes it easy to cut through the sternum even on a pig. The other two are a light little Buck Bantam and an assisted opening Kershaw I bought recently. The Kershaw seems like a good knife. Haven't cleaned anything with it, though.

I remember in the army it seemed like everyone carried a Buck on their belt in garrison. This was back before all of the clippy tactical knives and the multi gadget-tools (though I will concede both of those things are handy). And yes, I still have a buck 110 converted to auto on my belt when I'm riding a Harley.

 

[edapp]

Only needs sharpening once in a lifetime? Wow, that's a good one. Where's my chest waders.

Once a season, is the plan anyway. So far so good!

 

[Random 8]

I'm a little late to this party, I hate typing on my phone, and don't carry the laptop to my deer stand. You've gotten several recommendations on the MORA. They are fine knives. Think of them as the Savage Bolt action of the knife world. Nothing fancy, not refined in the bells and whistles department, but all business where it counts. You could spend a lot more and not find a more effective and trustworthy blade. I prefer the stainless. I own and use several on a regular basis, from line work to wilderness camping to my primary hunting knife. I think the Swedes, Norwegians and Finns put some sort of black Viking magic into their steel. Their knives, axes, auger blades, tools, and rifle barrels are just so much better for some reason. Wish they made proper kitchen cutlery. At least Mora started making a filet knife. I've put it to good use alongside my old Martinni filet knife that I use for bigger fish.

If you want something more refined with the same amazing steel and Scandinavian grind, check out some of the semi-custom knives from Martinni, Brusletto or one of the other Scandinavian makers. I like the Pukko style for a compact skinning and gutting knife. Made one myself from an old Sandvik non-laminated chainsaw bar, I use it mostly for skinning at home. If you want a winter project, blades from Mora and other makers can be ordered and you can hilt and handle yourself, either with a prized antler, some fancy hardwood or whatever material suits your fancy.

 

[Speedo66]

I've yet to skin the pig that I could pull the hide off of. Deer, sure. Deer are easy, not as easy as rabbits, but easy. I sometime will try the tennis ball technique on a deer. I won't use the truck, but have an ATV I can try it with. I've heard about that YEARS ago and never tried it.

I've used a golf ball, roped the deer's head to a tree, and a rope outside the skin around the golf ball inside the skin, just below the neck cut, to the hitch ball on my car. After the necessary cuts in the skin, bottom portion of legs removed, the entire skin was pulled off in one quick motion. Works very well.

I laid the deer on a plastic tarp before I pulled, once the skin comes off the meat will pick up too much dirt from the ground otherwise.

 

[Armored farmer]

Butchering a deer here at our place often amounts to hanging the deer from the tractor loader in the heated shop.
We have all our tools available. A couple that i like to use, and are worth special mention.....:
Electric SawZall
Stanley utility knives, one with a hookbill blade for unzipping the hide (works like a charm)
My large Martinni fillet knife for boning.

 

[lastofthebreed]

I use a Case XX XChanger. It is, by far, the most versatile knife I have ever owned. I have a couple of custom skinners and several filet knives by different makers but my go to knife for gutting and skinning any big game animal is the Case.

https://www.knivesplus.com/casexxxchangerknife.html

 

[d2wing]

I also strongly recommend Mora knives. They are well designed quality knives. In fact I gave a choice of a Mora or a much more expensive knife to the young man that dresses my deer usually and he chose the Mora and has used it to dress a few deer and really likes it.

 

[Blue Brick]

A retractable razor utility blade.

 

[MCgunner]

You know, all this talk about skinning pigs in slaughterhouses. I took animal science as an elective just for the fun of it in college. One afternoon, we went to the school's slaughter house and watched 'em butcher a pig, a FARM pig. They led it up on a platform, placed the stun gun on its forehead, and POW. It fell into the vat beside the platform which had 5 percent lye solution IIRC and this big beater turned that pig over and over for 5 or 10 minutes, knocked every stick of hair off that pig which ain't much hair on a farm pig, not like a wild feral pig. Hell, they didn't even SKIN that pig and if they eventually did to get the cracklin' off or something, they did it with no hair in the way, let alone any sand or dirt.

When that pig was dehaired, they hooked the hocks and wheeled it around on an overhead trolley and went to cutting and butchering. They had that thing pretty well butchered inside the hour we had for the class period. It was amazing. But, they didn't have to worry about dulling a knife while skinning.

On another subject, someone said their Kershaw had a lifetime sharpening service? Now, I can and do sharpen my own knives, but I just bought a new assisted opener like this link, though not THIS one. It seems like a good knife, wondering if it has that sharpening service? I don't really care, though, but i could see where this might be a good thing to have if the edge angle got messed up or something.


https://www.walmart.com/ip/Kershaw-...hguid=ff0eaebc-a28-166f47136149ff&athena=true

 

[cheygriz]

When I was growing up in the fifties, all farmers de-haired hogs before butchering. I never saw a hog skinned.

 

[J-Bar]

From a sanitation viewpoint, remember that filthy muddy skin is still protecting the edible tissue underneath. Remove it only when you can prevent subsequent contamination of the exposed meat. Transporting the gutted carcass to a location where sanitation can be ensured, if possible, is a good option.

 

[MCgunner]

I wash the hog off at my hose before cutting it up for my cooler. I'll age the meat in that cooler on ice for several days to get EVERYthing out of it, any hair, blood, whatever. I change the water each day and add more ice. By the final day, there's no blood or not much in the water. I also do this with deer and don't have "gamey" meat this way.

 

[MCgunner]

BTW, my new Mora hasn't gotten here. It has shipped, just waiting on the mail. It's kinda like Christmas when I was a kid, the anticipation.

I was going to order another for the wife's SIL, mine by marriage. She talked to her daughter and said to give him a knife for Christmas. Apparently he's in to knives. I thought about the Mora, but it's so plain looking. He'd probably appreciate it if he knows knives. But, I got him a Kershaw assisted opener folder. He'll like that. Mine is pretty decent.