The Ultimate Deer Knife

[HEAD0001]

This is a fun topic. So critique away on my choice.

My choice was the Case StockMan. For several reasons.

First is how slender the main blade is. By not being as wide it will allow a few things. First when gutting I like a thinner blade because it cuts easier. Second when skinning the hardest part is skinning out the legs. And the narrow long blade will allow you to do your center cut considerably easier all the way down the leg bone.

Second is the actual skinning knife. I like a shorter knife that is rounded. And the second blade on this "Stockman" design knife is rounded perfectly so as not to cut through the skin while skinning.

Third is the last blade with a drop point on the bottom. I like this blade for cutting out the loins. I like the firm drop point to reach directly back to the bone then cut downward as to not loose any meat.

The next reason for the Case(it came down to a Case versus a Schrade) was the actual metal the blade was made out of. The Schrade's were all Stainless Steel. And for me SS is hard to sharpen. I wanted a high Carbon Moly steel blade. Yes they might rust a tad bit faster, but they will hold and take a considerably better edge.

I bought this knife from E-Bay for $38 shipped. So the price was not real bad.

I know this is a long rant over a knife. But consider the fact that I don't have much too do so I tend to ramble on. Plus I also spend too much time making little decisions. But I think I got this one right!!

It is also hard to believe how incredibly sharp this knife came from the factory. All three blades are razor sharp right out of the box.

I also ordered the Lansky sharpening system.

What do you guys think?? Tom.

[Canuck Bob]

Here's mine, listed as the Canadian Army Knife with the overlap sheath, A below.

http://www.grohmannknives.com/pages/r3s.html

My pocket hunting knife is a Swiss Army Alpineer, the large locking blade with no extra nonsense. Priced right and doesn't raise eyebrows being a Swiss Army its kinda friendly.

[ollogger]

i agree with ya on the case knive, for all them reasons
cept id rather use a fixed blade, i have a little Western knive thats
real sweet slim & trim,couple swipes with a stone & shes good to go
at one time i bought alot of knives, its not any cheaper than buying
lever Guns


ollogger

[kimwcook]

Case makes a great knife. Knives are like underwear. No one size fits all or style. I use a fixed blade. I prefer carbon steel compared to SS.

[piller]

Yep, carbon steel is really good about holding an edge.

[John in MS]

Puma Game Warden, c. 1979. (I believe it's the no. 972; they made several versions.) My camera's kaputt, but there are often some to be found on evil-bay.

It has a long-clip master blade with a needle-sharp, slightly trailing point, nicely hollow ground. It's easy to sharpen to a near-scalpel edge, and holds its' edge very well indeed! The second blade is a skinner, with long, straight edge and exactly the right curve up to the point for skinning. I use it for complete processing of deer for the freezer -- not just field dressing/skinning, and it performs all the various tasks perfectly for me.

While I was in Germany I bought/tried several fixed-blade Pumas (the old, GOOD ones), but the blade shapes didn't work for me. Then I found this one, and haven't felt a need to look further, ever since. Sadly, Puma's quality nose-dived after the company was sold, and what they make today can't hold a candle to the old ones, from what I've seen. There's a reason why the old ones sell for very high prices... glad I got the one I did, when I did, and sure wish I had all the others I tried and sold off, back in the day!

FWIW, the old-production game wardens can still be found in good shape for much less than what the older, stag-handled fixed blades bring. No "bling," just an extremely fine knife that's relatively under-appreciated (for now).

John

[Old Ironsights]

I use 2 in the field. (3 if you count the occasionally used, occasionally forgotten Gerber Gator Gut Hook)

My main knife is a real German Puma, it holds a crazy-sharp edge:



For delicate work (tissue separation) I use a Cold Steel "Bird & Trout"

[Rube Burrows]

I love knives......case is my fav pocket knives. I used my stockman earlier this year to skin a fox and also a deer. I use many different knives though. This season im going to try two new "skinner" knives that I picked up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98c_MWh0 ... ideo_title

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCKqh-B5 ... ure=relmfu

We'll see how they work out.

[Pitchy]

I used to use a big fixed blade until a buddy showed me how easy and well his Leatherman works. That little saw blade works great for sawing through the pelvic bone.
Wear it all the time anyway, carry the big knives for protection

[Bill in Oregon]

Carbon steel for me too, although my current game knife is a Buck Vanguard Zipper.
By the way, here is something a little different: the knife one of the skinners used to butcher my Hartmann's zebra in Namibia in 2007. He would pause from time to time and sharpen the blade on a handy rock.

[Pitchy]

Thought that was Red Greens knife at first when i saw all the duct tape.

[L_Kilkenny]

The one pictured here. Buck Mini-Vangard:


To be honest, I only bought it last January and haven't used it yet. Ask me how it does in a month. But for years I used one of the miniature 5" blade USMC Kabars. It's gutted and skinned countless deer and the flat pommel and sturdy construction is a real advantage when it comes to splitting the pelvic bone. I did take a file to that knife to remove most of the top tang and to give it a flat grind on the sides.

LK

[Grizzly Adams]

The stockman pattern is a good choice in a hunting knife. First time I encountered one in that role was while on a moose hunt in Alaska. The elderly Eskimo gent I was hunting with used one to disassemble a bull in quick time, while I got in the way with my Gerber belt knife!

[Blaine]

I just like knives.....So many knives and darn few, if any deer (Blaine is NA for don't hunt very good ). I'm with Pitchy...my big Leatherman has two razor sharp blades and a dandy saw. I usually have a folding garden saw for big quartering gigs and cutting stuff.

[AJMD429]

I agree with the 'saw' for going through the pelvic bone; I've never been able to do the 'butt-plug' or other pull-through methods in a way I felt was sanitary, and using a heavy knife or hatchet to hack through the bone leaves lots of sharp splinters.

As for the ribs, I've had limited success with a strange "U" shaped knife designed to slip over ribs and crack them, but most often just try to find the 'sweet spot' and go up the costochondral joints with a regular heavy blade.

I do like non-folders for field-dressing, if for no other reason than there are less nooks-and-crannies to try to clean afterwards than with a folder.

I recently got a $7.99 'China special' at the local farm store that has a 'gut hook' and curved blade that seems to hold a good edge for a 'stainless' knife. The reason it was cheap (I'm hoping) is the sheath fell apart within an hour of wearing it during chores. Hopefully I'll get a chance to see what it does afield in the next few weeks...

I do think it's funny how some folks say that a knife costing under $100 just isn't a "quality" knife - - certainly from a 'craftsmanship' or 'beauty' standpoint I can see that point, but for something that just needs to be a well-shaped hunk of sharp, durable steel for field-dressing a deer, spending more than the cost of a good 'Leatherman' type tool on a knife seems like insisting on a $3,000 Purdy shotgun for home defense.

[Buck Elliott]

My favorite "hunting" knife is the little Cold Steel Master Hunter. I like them so much, that I have 5 of them, scattered through my gear... When actually hunting, I usually carry two of them, "just in case," but have never had one fail me.. For intricate work, I have an old Gerber Mini-Magnum.
All of these knives take a razor edge, and hold it, through a big mulie buck or a muddy Wapiti..
As you might guess, I prefer fixed-blade knives for dressing and skinning, and for butchering.. They are so much easier to clean, that there is no debate, in my mind..
In addition, to the "hunters" above, I ALWAYS carry a folder in a pocket.. Just "because..."

[1894c]

great knife design--great knife company--you made a great choice in your knife selection too--I'm partial to Camillus Cutlery (now gone) knives.

[Blaine]

I've put so much of myself ( ) into my knife-work that I started to carry fixed or lock blade about 30 years ago.

[piller]

Wouldn't the big manufacturers cringe to hear the replies to this topic. Seems that everyone agrees that a knife doesn't need to be expensive, just hold a good edge and be easy to re-sharpen.

[Streetstar]

I agree with the 'saw' for going through the pelvic bone; I've never been able to do the 'butt-plug' or other pull-through methods in a way I felt was sanitary, and using a heavy knife or hatchet to hack through the bone leaves lots of sharp splinters.

.

I use a cordless Ryobi Sawzall for the pelvic bone , quick and easy ---- My last deer was dressed out with a plain 'ol Buck 110 Folding Hunter, but now i have a short sheath knife with a gut hook, as i used a friend's gut hook knife and found it to be very handy

I have several nice knives including a Randall with a big blade and a couple of Bowies i got in years past, but the ones i actually use rarely have a price tag over about 60 bucks -- go figure (last time i checked, Randall doesn't make a gut hook model -- maybe they think it is just a passing fad )

[Buck Elliott]

To those who insist on using a folding knife for gutting, skinning, quartering, &c., may I strongly suggest that your knife Must have a locking blade.. As a guide and hunter, I have seen far too many "accidents" when a knife unexpectedly tried to close up on someone's fingers..
While I own and often use a variety of folders, such as Schrade's Old Timers and Uncle Henrys of many sizes and configurations, my favorite folders are a pair of Buck lock-blades: a 110 and awonderfully flat and versatile 501, which is my every-day carry knife..
The sabre point on the 110 tends to poke holes in things where they aren't particularly wanted, while the 501's drop point makes it a joy to use..

[2571]

[quote] the knife one of the skinners used to butcher my Hartmann's zebra in Namibia in 2007[q]

Why did the guy have the hole in the sheath?

[kemosabi45]

Buck 110 for more than 22 years but my wife got me a New Gerber Gut Hook Folder that I will use this year.

[Old Ironsights]

I used to use a big fixed blade until a buddy showed me how easy and well his Leatherman works. That little saw blade works great for sawing through the pelvic bone. Wear it all the time anyway, carry the big knives for protection

I love my Wave... the saw is great, but the Blade won't hold an edge against hide.
I'll stick with my Puma for field skinning.

[t.r.]

Schrade Golden Spike





FROST Cutlery Mounted Police folder



These two knives have been very useful to me.

TR

[rjohns94]

I don't have a picture of mine but I use the Mora laminated blade like this one:




For splitting the pelvis, I use either my hand forged belt axe that Brad Emig made for me that matches my .54 flintlock or I use my Gunfors Hunters axe, see an article here: http://www.boundarywaterscatalog.com/br ... 4,750.html

Interesting both made in Sweeden. I keep both in my hunting pack that rides in my truck every day.

[Pitchy]

I used to use a big fixed blade until a buddy showed me how easy and well his Leatherman works. That little saw blade works great for sawing through the pelvic bone. Wear it all the time anyway, carry the big knives for protection

I love my Wave... the saw is great, but the Blade won't hold an edge against hide.
I'll stick with my Puma for field skinning.

I agree and used to use a fixed blade all the time, still do for skinning, this little winchester set works pretty good for gutting and i use the Zepf for skinning too.

I`ve also been known to carry a Bowie or real large knife too, but that saw in the Leatherman is the cats meow

[Dave]

I am a big fan of stockman's knives. My first real knife was a Boker stockman I bought when I was 13. I still have it miraculously. For deer I have seen every kind of knife used but here a few of my favorites.

Schrade Sharpfinger


I bought it on a whim and it is a great deer knife. It will last for one deer no problem. It is light and easy to have with you.

Knife a friend made


This is another good deer knife. Not too big and will stay sharp for more than one deer. I think it is O1 steel. It means a lot to me since my friend who made crossed the River. I had an adventure with this knife last year but the statute of limitations hasn't run out yet so I save that story for later

Gerber Gator


I became interested in this knife and told a buddy. Lo and behold he had one he didn't use and he gave it to me. It is just right for deer and well made and designed. I like it a lot.

[Paladin]

Cleaned a few with this Dozier I got from a friend of mine on a trade for something he wanted.

[Walker]

I've been using a loveless utility. Nice blade made by a gentleman from Tennessee - Wayne Clay. (My knife, but not my pictures.)

[cshold]

Schrade Golden Spike

t.r. That is one very purtty knife

[Blaine]

I can tell you one knife that I won't be getting again. I had a Buck fixed blade in 1980 that I stuck in the pelvis and twisted and it broke in half. I replaced it with a Buck just like it, and while it's my fault that I dropped it, the first half inch broke off when I did so...No more Bucks, thanks

[Hobie]

The last deer I worked up was with a Frost Swedish Army knife...

[Buck Elliott]

Not a fan of Buck's fixed-blade knives.. Don't like their blade shapes, and their handles are a clumsy joke..
My Buck folders are solid, uncomplicated tools, whose construction tells me not to use them as pry bars or drills.. They are not "easy" to sharpen, but I know how to put a keen edge on a knife, and those two folders will hold that edge for a long time, between touch-ups..
Still my favorites for price and performance are the US-made Cold Steel knives.. In addition to the Master Hunters, I have -- and use -- an assortment of TrailMaster Bowies and Recon Scout knives.. They are for serious "social" purposes, and are really too large to be most effective as gutting or skinning knives..