small game knife
- Thread starter Axis II
- Start date
- Status
red rick
Member
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2009
- Messages
- 3,152
Buck 102 Woodsman and a pair of game shears is what I use on everything from squirrels , rabbits and doves . I use the game shears as much if not more than the knife on small game . I even use them to gut a squirrel and rabbit and to cut through the ribs/chest bones and to split them at the butt . Saves the edge on my knife and takes less effort . I mainly use my knife for the first cut in the skin and cutting the meat in cooking pieces .
Last edited:
Olon
Member
I use a buck 112 folder, I really like the drop point and as far as I'm concerned they sharpen and hold an edge really well. It's my edc knife so once I started hunting small game it became my small game knife too. Actually I skinned my deer (profile pic) with it this year as well. That clip shape makes it pretty good for skinning despite being rather wide near the handle and relatively short.
Looks like the old timer would be a good call too. In fact now that I've looked at it, I just might end up with one. Wonder if the steel is any good with those.
Looks like the old timer would be a good call too. In fact now that I've looked at it, I just might end up with one. Wonder if the steel is any good with those.
troy fairweather
Member
i like a thin sharp knife, most small game you only need to nick the skin to dress the game. for now i use a knife similar to this imperial but with a metal scale.
Ohen Cepel
Member
Small knife is my preference also. Have used a Cold Steel Bird and Trout as well as the discontinued 321 Buck which comes with the gut hook instead of one of it's blades. Can still find the 321's around and if you buy a user the price isn't bad if you like that option.
I was looking at something similar to this, but the blade not locking concerns me.
troy fairweather
Member
these small knifes can be hard to close, it never moves when i use it. i use it for tout to and works great, its so thin and sharp you don't need any force to cut.
troy fairweather
Member
I used this Case Trapper on many a squirrel. The Trapper has a very pointed blade, which is excellent for poking holes in hide, and the spey blade made this very useful in skinning squirrels. The spey has a nice curve which I used to cut the tail off, without removing the tail from the hide, and then the curved end nicely cuts the tendons. I use the same procedure as show on this web page
How to Skin Squirrels
Terminology is never standardized as advertising bureaus determine what is the most appealing name, and that changes, but I called these "Poultry Shears". Poultry shears are the most useful "knife" I own for disassembling squirrels. Red Rick in his post verifies this: these are very useful. After you have pulled the hide off these buggers, it will be held on by the hands and feet. Those wrist and ankle bones are tough, but poultry shears just snip right through them, and the neck. It is quick. No sawing trying to get through these bones, just snip, snip. Once you use the point of your knife to open up the belly, it is again, snip, snip with the shears.
I use this Henckles all the time on rotisserie chicken. Cuts through the breast bone, leg joints, it is fast.
The Sharp finger ought to be a fine small game knife. The last thing needed is some huge honking blade more suitable to cleaving Knights in armor in twain.
Cave man used little flint shards, and probably disassembled a squirrel faster than any of us can do it. I bet they knocked them down with slings, or rock bows.
How to Skin Squirrels
Terminology is never standardized as advertising bureaus determine what is the most appealing name, and that changes, but I called these "Poultry Shears". Poultry shears are the most useful "knife" I own for disassembling squirrels. Red Rick in his post verifies this: these are very useful. After you have pulled the hide off these buggers, it will be held on by the hands and feet. Those wrist and ankle bones are tough, but poultry shears just snip right through them, and the neck. It is quick. No sawing trying to get through these bones, just snip, snip. Once you use the point of your knife to open up the belly, it is again, snip, snip with the shears.
I use this Henckles all the time on rotisserie chicken. Cuts through the breast bone, leg joints, it is fast.
The Sharp finger ought to be a fine small game knife. The last thing needed is some huge honking blade more suitable to cleaving Knights in armor in twain.
Cave man used little flint shards, and probably disassembled a squirrel faster than any of us can do it. I bet they knocked them down with slings, or rock bows.
Attachments
Last edited:
Shanghai McCoy
Member
I'm "on record" as being a big fan of the old Sharpfinger knives. They are good carbon steel blades and very "pointy". 
That said, for squirrels and rabbits a good trapper style would more than take care of field dressing duties.
That said, for squirrels and rabbits a good trapper style would more than take care of field dressing duties.
Do you guys find the trapper knives too small for rabbits? I knew 100% it would be great for squirrel, but rabbit i was thinking maybe a hare too big.
Small fixed blade would be my choice. Easier to clean.
A "trout and bird" type.
I know they're silly priced (for general usage) but Behring makes some great looking stuff.
Fixed blade or folder with a heck of a lock.
The little Buck and Case folders are nice............but I won't ever use one again.
Had one as a kid.
Lock back or fixed only.
A "trout and bird" type.
I know they're silly priced (for general usage) but Behring makes some great looking stuff.
Fixed blade or folder with a heck of a lock.
The little Buck and Case folders are nice............but I won't ever use one again.
Had one as a kid.
Lock back or fixed only.
My EDC is a cheap CRKT 512. It's done deer and small game.
Is a champ.
My issue is the extra lock (it's gone now).......and the holes in the handle to lighten it up.
Takes me a little bit to clean it up.
My next knife will be a Behring red stag drop point hunter.......about 375 bucks.
If I get another custom recurve that'd make a nice pair.
But I like my Blackwidow HS (metal riser, all black).
Maybe I need a Behring in buffalo horn...................
Is a champ.
My issue is the extra lock (it's gone now).......and the holes in the handle to lighten it up.
Takes me a little bit to clean it up.
My next knife will be a Behring red stag drop point hunter.......about 375 bucks.
If I get another custom recurve that'd make a nice pair.
But I like my Blackwidow HS (metal riser, all black).
Maybe I need a Behring in buffalo horn...................
troy fairweather
Member
nope
Armored farmer
Member
....+1
red rick
Member
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2009
- Messages
- 3,152
My only problem with a pocket knife if cleaning it , especially rabbits . My grandpa ( farmer ) was not that worried about many things and would eat anything on a hog , but he always told my cousin and I to wear gloves when cleaning a rabbit , because we could get rabbit fever if you have a cut on your hands . Pus I always lose my pocket knives .
troy fairweather
Member
fat can be hard to clean from a knife, but real hot water kinda melts it away. the only thing about these nice folders i chew my finger nails, they get hard to open lol.
troy fairweather
Member
i have lost so many knifes, most were lost in the ditches for when we ran the water to the houses after drilling the well. for this reason it is hard for me to buy any knife over $60.
troy fairweather
Member
i clean them that wy, the like show them cutting farr back you only really need to get true the tail bone and start the cut then pull the skin off. one other way is cut feet and head off, make a small cut on the back get your fingers in and pull. this works good if they are warm.
Find old Sharpfingers and ignore ghe new ones.
We do it this way also, but trying to clean them with a larger knife a few weeks back was a Mofo!
troy fairweather
Member
ya smaller knife make it easy, even for deer i like my little kershaw, i think its under 2 inches. i hate gutting most smal game, don't mind deer. for rabbits i pop the guts out the back side, dont no what they call it. my uncle from wales showed me the way for the rabbits. he sells them in england and sometime has over 100 in a day to gut.
red rick
Member
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2009
- Messages
- 3,152
The old ones were made in the USA the new ones , like most stuff is made in China .
troy fairweather
Member
i need to hit up some flea markets and yard sales this year. best place to find these knifes.
- Status
