What's your favorite hunting knife?

I’ve got lots of knives, but for field dressing deer, I really prefer a Havalon Piranta. It gives me the ability to always have a razor sharp scalpel without ever needing to mess around with sharpening in the field. When it gets dull, just takes 30 secs to take off the old blade and replace it with a brand new one. There are several similar products but I’ve only ever used Havalon.

For cleaning squirrels, I use a Mora Companion (any tough fixed blade would work though) and game shears.
 
I have about 10 hunting knives that I use regularly or semi-regularly (I keep several with me when I'm skinning/gutting/quartering a deer), but I think the best design (and the least fatiguing to use) is the D. H. Russell (Grohmann) Trout and Bird knife. I love the design (and the design of the "Original Canadian" from the same maker). However, the steel doesn't hold an edge quite as well as more modern steels, such as 154CM or D2.

I have a Ken Onion skinning knife with a D2 blade, and I really love the steel on it. It's good for 2 deer, start-to-finish, without resharpening!

Another one I like a lot is a Buck model 142 C folder, with an ATS 34 stainless blade. It dates from before Buck moved production to Red China, and is, in my opinion, the best design Buck ever released, and one of the best folders ever made by anyone. Sadly, it is now discontinued. The steel is excellent and holds an edge quite well. It's easy to open with one hand, and its slim profile awards it a ride in my pocket any time I'm hunting or hiking.

Probably my favorite all-time hunting knife is one which wasn't designed for hunting....an Al Mar Quicksilver III design.
IMG_7505-1.jpeg

It isn't what most people would think of as a hunting knfe, but I absolutely loved it. The steel was ATS34, and I could get it sharper-than-razor sharp; it would go through a deer as if through warm butter. Unfortunately, when I moved back to KY from MD, it disappeared during the move. More unfortunately, it is a discontinued design. I wish I could get another, but they were low-production to begin with, and used ones cost $$$$.
 
Case trapper with carbon blades and bone handles. It’s my edc and does everything from opening mail to skinning bucks
 
The S90V on my Benchmade Altitude is incredible. It actually can skin/quarter an adult elk and still shave arm hair afterwards.

The thin blade and cutting geometry is fantastic as well.
72038123950__DCC33FD4-94E0-4518-A76C-BCFDE2D7F4F2.fullsizerender.jpeg
 
Did a doe about 2 weeks ago w my Jeff White "Bush 3" knife.
Shot bows w Jeff many yrs ago.
Its a little big, and the handle is more straight than I prefer........but its good steel and works fine.
Its done several deer now and all Ive had to do was strop it after a couple.

Did get a Behring EDC pro. Its rugged and wicked sharp, but "tactical" looking.
Should have a stag handled drop point made by him.
Would match my Ruger #1.

If I can find a Jeff White blank will add scales myself, dress it up a bit.
Am not into survival stuff so aint gonna be smacking this thing to cut wood.
Don't do that w my Bush 3, even though its thicker and supposedly made for such tasks.

Always wanted a Gerber 400S w wood grip. Those are getting pricey these days.

Did most of my deer w a knife kit a guy gave me 40 yrs ago. I redid it and that poor thing did dozens of deer, and truckload of small game.
Buddy liked it so gave it to him.

I know guys that hunt, have hunted for years, and they run kinda dull and or cheap knives. I don't get it.
Its dangerous to run a knife you have to work hard.
The knife should do the work.

My stuff is scary sharp, all the time. But then I dress a deer in 5 mins with no blood on clothes and none past my wrists.
Speed surgery.
 
I did one deer w a CRKT or Benchmade folder. Can't remember. Worked fine.
Like fixed blades better.
 
I carry an old us made sharpfinger with hook usually. But ive skinned deer with every piece of junk or expensive pocket knife ive had.

Years ago in my jeep I kept a RADA set of kitchen knives and one of their roller
Sharpeners.
 
I use this for field dressing and skinning. The gut hook is amazing. It also stays razor sharp. I field dressed 3 deer and skinned one and still like a razor.

www.outdooredge.com

SwingBlade | Flipping Skinning Knife and Gutting Blade | Outdoor Edge

The most innovative new hunting knife to hit the market in years. The SwingBlade is an international knife combining the design efforts of Outdoor Edge president David Bloch, EKA Knives of Sweden (founded in 1882) and professional Swedish hunter Thomas Ek
www.outdooredge.com www.outdooredge.com
 
When I was skinning hogs every weekend I probably purchased a dozen or more different "best" knives. Some were decent, some not so much.

I finally settled on the Victorinox 5-Inch Lamb Skinner. For the money the are great for processing game in quality. The stay sharp through several animals and usually only need a quick touch up to be ready for more.

I also keep a short straight blade boning knife handy as well, just to do the fine trimming. Same brand as above. The just work.
 
Shanghai McCoy said:
I'm seeing a lot of Buck "love" in this thread. :thumbup:
Click to expand...
I've been somewhat of a Buck fanboy since I bought that 110 from the USS Mobile ship's exchange in 1972. Covered many boring hours on deck driving around in the South China Sea sharpening that thing with the Buck sharpening kit that became mine at the same time the knife did. 301's Cadet, Prince, 112 LW, 119, loved them all. And still do.
 
41 Mag said:
When I was skinning hogs every weekend I probably purchased a dozen or more different "best" knives. Some were decent, some not so much.

I finally settled on the Victorinox 5-Inch Lamb Skinner. For the money the are great for processing game in quality. The stay sharp through several animals and usually only need a quick touch up to be ready for more.

I also keep a short straight blade boning knife handy as well, just to do the fine trimming. Same brand as above. The just work.
Click to expand...

We used them for years in the pine trees. Good knives.

I have Benchmade and microtech but now days I'm not so convinced that having a super duper knife is as important as I used to think. Lol.
 
crestoncowboy said:
I don't remember what kind of handles the old shearing knives had. But we used many back in the day. I think they were wood handle
Click to expand...
The old wood handles ones are nice, believe they still offer them but are more money Obviously. The fibrox is some type of rubber like plastic, hard but has almost a soft feeling to them.
 
I carry a set of Jero processing knives in a kydex carrier my wifes uncle made, ive got pictures around somewhere. Those have become my favorite game processing knives, tho they are also usually paired with a smaller folder (3" or so) i use inside the animal.

My favorite "hunting/general use" knife tho is a buck 118 D2.
Untill i got the Jeros, I used that and a.....Schrade....i think?....cant remember right now, That i got from @dh1633pm.
I prefer to have a couple knives at least. Its not common for me to need to proces more than 2-3 animals during one outing anymore, but it does still happen, and its easier/faster to change knives than re-sharpen them.
 
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I have a Buck 110 that has been a great knife for me, don't have to sharpen it often and it holds a good edge. I have several other "hunting knives" from Case, Buck, and other makers as well. They're all excellent quality and I'm sure they'd do a great job skinning game. However, it never fails that when I need a "hunting knife", it's back at the house. And so for the last several years, I've skinned most of my deer with a Case 6518 medium stockman for no other reason than that's the knife I carry every day. I know that's not exactly what you're looking for but hey, it works just as good as the "real" hunting knives I've used.

Mac
 
1700754270758394645907114598174.jpg still using either the buck 110 or 112. Well worn, well used. I have a ton of other knives. And have used everything from a small stockman to a leatherman to dress deer. But I almost feel naked without one of theses on me when I'm hunting. Old habits I guess.
 
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