what knife???

[Layin_It_Down]

I carry a few knives for different reasons. My favorite - A Linder Bowie, made in Germany. A good hard steel that holds an edge through the season. However, I also carry a buck and a gerber for backup. More importantly, get a good sharpener. Can't remember the name, so I'll have to look, but there's a guy in Billings that makes a sharpener than goes on a bench grinder. One side with fine grit for sharpening, and the other side uses Jewelers rouge (spelling) to put on a fine edge. This setup will put a razor edge on my buck or gerber in about 1-2 minutes. It takes about 3-5 for the Linder due to the harder steel. It definitely takes the pain in the ass out of sharpening knives. Once you've used a setup like this, you will throw away your other sharpeners.

 

[sreekers]

After working in a taxidermy shop my recommendation is the smaller the better. We used pretty much nothing but surgical scalpels for caping and it went very quick. I have no experience with the Havalon, but it sounds like about the same concept.

I do keep a bone saw with me as well as a larger knife, usually a cheap one. Also have a decent stone with me at all times.

 

[JoseCuervo]

An old taxidermist pointed me toward the commercial Chicago Cutlery poultry knives. They work great for skinning, and, for working around the base of antlers, prying the hide away from the knobby bases.

Skinned and gutted, and deboned 4 caribou in a 7 day period with one, never had to sharpen it.

 

[mtmiller]

Cheap knife, but it was seen a few critters (gutting, boning, caping...) and has done it all with no problems.

 

[ringer]

I carry a folding Buck that is easy to sharpen in the field. I also have Forschner boning and skinning knives that are the choice of butchers everywhere. I carry a round diamond stick and a steel to sharpen. Just a few seconds and back at work with blades that will nick the hide if you aren't careful. Cheap but they all work if you know how to sharpen a knife.

 

[Airborne]

Gerber Freeman S30V.... Last knife I will ever buy, ever.

 

[oleefish2]

Marble knives are very dependable and hold and edge well.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

I have been using a Buck Vangard (Cabelas Alaskan Guide version w/the checkered rubber handle) with the S30V steel for the last couple of years, and I love it.

I decided to test how long it would hold an edge well enough to dress out a deer. I have quartered 4-Muleys, 1-Antelope, 1-Whitetail. The whitetail was the last one, and I think it is time to sharpen it, but I think it has done pretty well.

I think I am going to pick up a Havalon this year and give it a shot.

 

[putm2sleep]

I bought a Buck Vanguard years ago. It is my go to knife. Cabelas has their alaskan guide version which a friend of mine has now who liked mine so much. He loves his too. Holds a super edge and has a great feel. 1 knife can do 1 elk with 1 sharpening! enuf said.

 

[NChunter]

I have a Case fixed blade. It has a 5" blade and a stacked leather washers handle. I have used a lot of different knives over the years but I like this one the best. My son gave it to me for Christmas about 4 years ago. It has a fairly thin blade and holds an edge very well. I skinned and processed 4 whitetails with it this past season without resharpening. I have a two knife set by browning that I really like also even though they were made in china, got them from RMEF. Old Schrade and Buck knives are great too, I don't know about the new ones though. I would not advise getting a blade over 5" long and don't get too thick of a blade. I have never used one but the Havalon sounds like a great idea also.

 

[NChunter]

I just noticed this thread is over two years old. I am sure he has a new knife by now!

 

[Bambistew]

I've been using a Victorinox/Forchner 5" semi-stiff curved boning knife in the field for the last 3-4 years. I used them at home for years but never thought to take one with me in the field. I will never go back to a hunting style knife for any sort of field processing again. The boning knife is just so much easier to use when it comes to breaking an animal down and boning one out. I do carry a small caping knive that I use around the base of antler/bone, but other wise, for fleshing/turning and caping I use the boning knife. I'm thinking of getting a skinning knife of the same size, I think it would work better for fleshing, especially on bigger hides/capes.

 

[6speed]

I have a small collection but the one I prefer is also one of the cheapest. It's a Sweedish Mora, they hold a razor edge for a long time due to their hardness. Don't pry on them too much or they will break, I haven't done it but I've seen a kid do it. They are a carbon steel so they tarnish fairly easily, if you insist on having a mirror finish on your blade after using it for a few years it's not the knife for you. If you want a strong knife that holds an edge, is easy to sharpen and costs less than $20 it's just the ticket. I have 1 with an antler handle and the other has a contoured plastic handle but they still make them with the funky wood handle as well.

 

[gundog]

I've settled on Helle knives...the best knives I've found at any price.

 

[StHubert]

I agree with the Havalon knives, I became a believer when I watch someone skin a bear with the small skinning blade. I used both the Piranta and the Baracuta for skinning and deboning an Elk in the field this year. It was great, if a blade was starting to go dull, just replace it. The filet blade is great for cleaning fish.

 

[noharleyyet]

This'n is my EDC for about the last 2 yrs or so. Good steel that keeps an edge, slick ball bearing sling open action. Made in USA, Earth

Spyderco Manix

 

[WI avidhunter]

Knives of Alaska, you will not be disappointed.

 

[Bambistew]

Knives of Alaska, you will not be more disappointed.

Fixed it for you.

 

[putm2sleep]

Knives of Alaska? are ya kidding. I chucked one of those knives that belonged to a buddy into a boulder field.

 

[huntRme]

My favorite is my old buck fixed blade about 9 inches long. Can't remember the model number. It sharpens easily enough and stays sharp long enough to do a deer or elk in the field. They still make them but you don't see them in the stores because...well, I don't know.

When I went shopping for my kid's first hunting knife I found a (both folding) Gerber and a Kershaw that looked about the same on the outside, but were a world apart when it came to quality. I bought the Kershaw. Last time we sharpened it we really had a time, but I don't know what the kid might have been using it on to get it that dull.

I'm a traditionalist and don't like gimmicks so about as fancy I get is a lock-back.