Knife combo for upcoming elk hunt

What's your favorite

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Boattale

Boattale

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I'm going on a cow elk hunt this December in New Mexico. It's going to be a new experience for me - never done a guided hunt, never hunted elk and never hunted the Mountain West. I'm having a lot of fun thinking about what to take with and carry. Knives being one of the things getting day dreamed about and maybe even some regular night dreams.

For sure going to be a belt knife of some description and a pocket knife - a stockman, maybe a barlow but for sure a traditional slip joint knife. Compact SAK will be a constant.

So these are the pairings I'm thinking of as of now. Feel free to offer your opinions and suggestions.

Buck 110 and Buck Stockman, a true classic pair of made in USA knives.

110 and stockman.jpg

Another pair of pretty decent American made knives, Stainless Randall Model 7 that has yet to go to the field, and a CV Case Medium Stockman that's been around a while.

Randall and case.jpg

A couple of more modern knives with more modern steels. 3V BRK Canadian with custom sheath, and a M390 Lionsteel Barlow.

BRK and Warhorse.jpg

Finally, into the more or less wayback machine. Kabar Kephart and an Imperial Barlow. These knives have soul if you ask me.

Kabar and Barlow.jpg
 
I don't think it matters much, any will do the job. But I like the BK Canadian belt knife and Case Mini Stockman. I like the blade style on the Canadian better, but if I had a Randall I'd be awful tempted to use it instead of just looking at it.
 
Last edited:
Depends on what the usage of the knives
would be IMO
If they're being carried for butchering,
personally I'd be carrying a decent sized
regular butcher knife and a boning knife.
A pair of Russells or Old Hickory would do
just fine along with a steel
I've used lots of different knives to cut
animals up, and I find that nothing does
the job as well as the purpose built knives
that professional meat cutters make
their living with.

Just for carrying on my person for
general use, the folding Bucks do
just fine
 
Field work or for dressing and perhaps quartering? The Randall with the guard and long Ricasso would be my first pick as I prefer all shed blood in slippery adrenalin to not include my own. Decent profile for a variety of needs, skinning and detail work. I would also consider a hunter's axe or hatchet. Folding utility would be more of a multi-tool for unforeseen maintenance. Not an expert, not sure on the mode of transportation and venue. Awesome, enjoy the prep and the details.
 
I won't be butchering. We're camping in the Ranch Lodge. The elk will be skinned quartered and in cold storage until we leave.
I'm not one to watch other people work, so the knives MIGHT be used to help field dress. And who knows for what else. Knives get used here every day for a variety of purposes. I expect much the same in NM. A hatchet always is in the truck.

I'm torn. Like all the choices I put up and the suggestions too. Tonight, I favor 110 and Buck Stockman..... And as earthgoat2 suggested the Kephart and the smaller Case.

This is as much about knife Fung Shui as it is anything. Thanks for playing along.
 
If that was the case, I would go with
the Buck pair
No need to burden yourself with extra
unused gear
The 110 will do anything you call on it for.
I personally quit using folders for butchering
because of the blood and hair getting in the
joint.
 
Ranger99 said:
If that was the case, I would go with
the Buck pair
No need to burden yourself with extra
unused gear
The 110 will do anything you call on it for.
I personally quit using folders for butchering
because of the blood and hair getting in the
joint.
Click to expand...
And a 110 carries super easy on the belt. Especially when getting in/out of or sitting in a vehicle. Plus there's that sentimental value going all the way back to 1972.
 
What about a saw? Whether it's a regular style of saw or a wire type, I would think that would be a good tool for dressing an animal.

Besides all the other knives that you use, I would also bring a good sharpener. Depending on the size of the animal, you might need to sharpen your knife a couple times.
 
I use a mora for most of the work, they just plain work and are cheap to have a couple when one gets dull so as not to have to stop and sharpen.

I voted BRK and Lionsteel though, that BRK looks like it would work well with the humped spine on the blade to gather fingers in for detailed work.
 
I've carried a Herter's Canadian and an EDGE Solingen Stockman on most of my elk hunts and they worked just fine. Recently I moved on to an Old Hickory Skinner for boning out joints and a Green River Buffalo Skinner for fleshing. Both modified by trimming off the last 1" or so of the tip on the both of them so they're 4.25"-4.5" of blade, which is plenty for slaughtering in the field. If the truck isn't pretty much in view of the kill, the head, hide and bones get left behind.
 
MutinousDoug said:
I've carried a Herter's Canadian and an EDGE Solingen Stockman on most of my elk hunts and they worked just fine. Recently I moved on to an Old Hickory Skinner for boning out joints and a Green River Buffalo Skinner for fleshing. Both modified by trimming off the last 1" or so of the tip on the both of them so they're 4.25"-4.5" of blade, which is plenty for slaughtering in the field. If the truck isn't pretty much in view of the kill, the head, hide and bones get left behind.
Click to expand...

I've went down a similar path, so far
ending up with a Dexter Russell beaver
knife. I haven't peeled enough hides yet
to declare it the end all
20210908_230223.jpg
 
Armored farmer said:
What are the two synthetic scaled butchers knives in your photo.?
I've been interested in buying some butchering tools for my shop.
Click to expand...

Those are both Forschner ( do they say
Victorinox now?) at the time of purchase
were about $20.00 each, stiff boning and
standard butcher profile.
Those stay in a hunting dry box I have
with a steel and drag rope and compass
and waterproof matches, small first aid
kit, space blanket, whistle, small flashlight,
5 rounds each of different ammo, other
miscellaneous items for lost or forgotten
necessities
20210909_110103.jpg
 
HSO's combo will surely get the job done but that Buck 110 weighs about the same as my Old Hickory and
Green River combined so I went that way.
 
Don't over think this. Most any 3-5" blade will work. Take the one you like best. Some guys are into nostalgia, others want modern steels and high tech performance. I like classic styles with modern steel. A modern lock back folder with modern steel and a 3-4" blade would be in my pocket and a 4-5" fixed blade either in, or attached to the outside of my pack. I've grown to like a dangler type sheath if I do carry a sheath knife on my belt.

For gutting and skinning game I prefer to avoid sharp points like on the Old Timer, Randall or Buck. The blade shape, and better steel is why I prefer the Canadian for meat processing. The Kephart is a good design, but I just like the steel better on the Bark River knife.

The Case is the smaller of the folders, and would my choice among your options for general use.
 
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