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Custom Knife #5402356 11/06/14 01:49 PM
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graybow77 Offline OP
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Anyone have any affordable custom knifes they make and sell for cleaning deer and hogs....want one that will hold an edge..

thanks
Mike

Re: Custom Knife [Re: graybow77] #5402436 11/06/14 02:33 PM
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HornSlayer Offline
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Buy a Havalon Barracuta and never look back. I love the art of knife making and this site has more than a few of the best displaying their wares, but for a knife your going to actually use to clean deer with the Barracuta is the best I have ever used.

I might add that I was introduced to Havalon knives at a game ranch where they clean 3 to 6 deer at a time. It is what I would call a professional deer cleaning knife.

http://www.havalon.com/skinning-knife-havalon-baracuta-blaze-xt-115blaze.html

Last edited by HornSlayer; 11/06/14 02:38 PM.

They make ammo specifically for hunting for a reason! nidea
Re: Custom Knife [Re: graybow77] #5403273 11/06/14 07:48 PM
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graybow77 Offline OP
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thanks man you are not the first that has told me they are great...

Re: Custom Knife [Re: graybow77] #5413009 11/11/14 03:32 PM
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jdk1985 Offline
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I'll be the next one. Buy a havalon.


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Re: Custom Knife [Re: graybow77] #5413039 11/11/14 03:47 PM
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I'm not knocking the havalon knives and they are cheaper than a custom but my knives are made to be used. I'd hate to know that they were safe queens after all of the hard work that goes into them.


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Re: Custom Knife [Re: graybow77] #5413077 11/11/14 04:05 PM
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jdk1985 Offline
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MikeC (and all other knife makers here, especially BushMonkey) - I agree completely. I only have a Bush Monkey, and I absolutely love it. BUT, to me at least, there is a huge advantage out in the field of being able simply to switch blades if one gets a little dull and have a fresh, surgically sharp cutting edge to finish the job without having to pull out the sharpening stones (which you probably didn't carry in your pack to begin with).


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Re: Custom Knife [Re: graybow77] #5413128 11/11/14 04:22 PM
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jeffbird Offline
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Havalon's are convenient, but trying to change a blade with cold wet hands when tired is not fun and a bit of a safety issue. Definitely use pliers or a multitool. Also, keeping them clean is more difficult and takes more time to clean up than a simple fixed blade.

My suggestion is to buy a good used Ingram, Dozier, David Winston, or many others, and learn how to sharpen. These run $250 - $350 new, and less used, although they hold their value.

Best of the best for edge retention is Phil Wilson. His run around $500.


Re: Custom Knife [Re: graybow77] #5416263 11/12/14 09:42 PM
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Revoman Offline
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Contact Mike McBrayer in Big Spring. He has built me several knives that are dang good and affordable.



Call'm an Kill'm
Re: Custom Knife [Re: graybow77] #5418349 11/13/14 07:35 PM
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I like my Havalon

Re: Custom Knife [Re: graybow77] #5418405 11/13/14 07:55 PM
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I use Light2Steel (Rock River) knives made locally by Steve Woods and can say they are the best knives I have ever used.



http://www.light2steel.com/knives-home-page.html

Last edited by Dave3575; 11/13/14 07:56 PM.
Re: Custom Knife [Re: graybow77] #5418509 11/13/14 08:37 PM
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Use the knife that you like. I certainly do. My cleaning/gutting knife has been a KaBar for at least 40 years. It's just a perfect all around knife, though the blade might be too big for some of you. And it might not be fancy enough or expensive enough for some of you. In addition to that knife, I always have a Browning 3 blade knife with blade, saw blade, and gut hook blade. Somebody gave it to me 30 odd years ago. The steel is amazing. I can put an edge on that thing, and it'll hold it. I use that one for skinning, when I want to, and for boning out the meat.

And when a knife dulls a bit, I can put a keen edge on very quickly with the two grit diamond stone that I keep in the possible bag. I just can't see the joy in swapping out blades. Learning to sharpen quickly and well is not rocket science.

My wife recently asked me if she could borrow that Browning knife for cleaning up some deer meat prior to grinding it. I was scared to loan it to her. I told her that even to touch the edge to bare skin was to risk a cut. It's that sharp.

Last edited by 603Country; 11/13/14 08:38 PM.

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Re: Custom Knife [Re: graybow77] #5418815 11/13/14 10:55 PM
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These are good too... quick blade replacement surgical blades and each blade is good enough for 2 animals...


Re: Custom Knife [Re: graybow77] #5419892 11/14/14 12:33 PM
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I buy a lot of Russel Green River blades from Jantz Supply and put handles on them. I've given a lot of them to friends. Take a look at the Buffalo Skinner or Sheep Skinner. These suckers are dirt cheap, spooky sharp, and can easily be touched up on a steel. Like a lot of good steel, these aren't stainless but if they tarnish and it bothers you, hit them with Simichrome polish.

One guy I know bought a blade and wrapped it in tape. It works.

I once made my own blades but sold the gear years ago. I don't see getting back into metal grinding when I can buy these.


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Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley, Rancher Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
Re: Custom Knife [Re: Dave Davidson] #5422667 11/15/14 10:11 PM
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Originally Posted By: Dave Davidson
I buy a lot of Russel Green River blades from Jantz Supply and put handles on them. I've given a lot of them to friends. Take a look at the Buffalo Skinner or Sheep Skinner. These suckers are dirt cheap, spooky sharp, and can easily be touched up on a steel. Like a lot of good steel, these aren't stainless but if they tarnish and it bothers you, hit them with Simichrome polish.

One guy I know bought a blade and wrapped it in tape. It works.

I once made my own blades but sold the gear years ago. I don't see getting back into metal grinding when I can buy these.


The Green River blades are good carbon steel and sharpen up pretty easy when you dull them. Years ago I got a bunch of Boy Scouts interested in knife making, they got to put handles on a set of paring knives. Easy to do, lots of info on the net about adding handles to knife blanks.


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Re: Custom Knife [Re: graybow77] #5433692 11/20/14 07:44 PM
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The cutco hunting knife with a serrated edge is hands down one of the sharpest knives I've seen for game processing. They are pricey but very well made.

Re: Custom Knife [Re: HornSlayer] #5433726 11/20/14 07:57 PM
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Originally Posted By: HornSlayer
Buy a Havalon Barracuta and never look back. I love the art of knife making and this site has more than a few of the best displaying their wares, but for a knife your going to actually use to clean deer with the Barracuta is the best I have ever used.

I might add that I was introduced to Havalon knives at a game ranch where they clean 3 to 6 deer at a time. It is what I would call a professional deer cleaning knife.

http://www.havalon.com/skinning-knife-havalon-baracuta-blaze-xt-115blaze.html


This.

Re: Custom Knife [Re: graybow77] #5434992 11/21/14 02:28 PM
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mreed Offline
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The best skinning/gutting just all around awesome knife I have is a jantz supply knife I bought and put mesquite slabs on it. I may be partial to it because I put it together as one of my first knife projects but it holds a helluva edge and for me it's the perfect shape
Here's a pic of it



It's really not too hard to put one together and it makes me a little proud to be able to say I put it together.


"Life is hard; it's harder if you're stupid."
Re: Custom Knife [Re: graybow77] #5436307 11/22/14 03:05 AM
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Dave Davidson Offline
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What blade is that?


Without a sense of urgency, nothing ever happens.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley, Rancher Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
Re: Custom Knife [Re: graybow77] #5436680 11/22/14 01:06 PM
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It's the pattern #32, satin finish, D2 steel on the jantz website


"Life is hard; it's harder if you're stupid."
Re: Custom Knife [Re: Dave3575] #5437076 11/22/14 05:51 PM
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Originally Posted By: Dave3575
These are good too... quick blade replacement surgical blades and each blade is good enough for 2 animals...



What are they?

Re: Custom Knife [Re: mreed] #5439999 11/24/14 12:17 PM
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mreed, I almost wish I hadn't asked. I probably have a dozen or more blades that need handles. I also have an order list that I'm working up, mostly supplies. I've run out of kids that need skinners.

The handiest blades that I've found have been the Green River patch blade and paring blade. My Wife is the type that only uses things that come from a store. But, these 2 are the first knives that she pulls out around the kitchen. So do I.

I made one of their steak knives as a test and put cedar handles on it. It was a PITA due to the handle having to go too many directions. I swore I would never do another one. However, she saw it, used it, and said make a set. I did.

Last edited by Dave Davidson; 11/24/14 12:20 PM.

Without a sense of urgency, nothing ever happens.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley, Rancher Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
Re: Custom Knife [Re: graybow77] #5440025 11/24/14 12:53 PM
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mreed Offline
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The first knife I did was the green river buffalo skinner, my wife is the same way with her kitchen knives but now that buffalo skinner stays in the kitchen she uses it like an Ulu to slice vegetables rocking it back and forth


"Life is hard; it's harder if you're stupid."
Re: Custom Knife [Re: graybow77] #5440152 11/24/14 02:21 PM
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About a month ago, I accidentally bumped a buff skinner off a table and it landed on my thumb about 6 inches below. As it fell, it sliced about 3/8 inches into the side of my thumb. It was certainly a nice clean cut. I didn't see as much humor in it that others did.


Without a sense of urgency, nothing ever happens.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley, Rancher Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
Re: Custom Knife [Re: graybow77] #5440219 11/24/14 02:46 PM
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They will definitely take an edge and hold it too I've done a very similar thing, thank god for super glue


"Life is hard; it's harder if you're stupid."
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