texashuntingforum.com logo
Main Menu
Advertisement
Affiliates
Advertisement
Newest Members
TraeMartin, Beatixre, MooseSteed, Trappernewt, casyoo
71987 Registered Users
Top Posters(All Time)
dogcatcher 110,788
bill oxner 91,416
SnakeWrangler 65,413
stxranchman 60,296
Gravytrain 46,950
RKHarm24 44,585
rifleman 44,461
Stub 43,764
Forum Statistics
Forums46
Topics536,986
Posts9,719,144
Members86,987
Most Online25,604
Feb 12th, 2024
Print Thread
Help me find a knife #7858008 06/02/20 01:17 AM
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 7
T
Tscott Offline OP
Green Horn
OP Offline
Green Horn
T
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 7
Just got on my first lease and could use a decent knife to clean deer.

What do I look for?

Is the kind of steel important?

How much should I spend on something that will hold an edge?

Any recommendations?

Re: Help me find a knife [Re: Tscott] #7858044 06/02/20 01:46 AM
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,325
R
RJH1 Offline
Pro Tracker
Offline
Pro Tracker
R
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,325
For field dressing deer like my KABAR MK1 navy, it is not the big Marine KABAR, it is a handier sized knife. The other one I would look at is a Mora. Just a few dollars and a great knife and great steel. Of course you can spend considerably more on a custom, but for the task of gutting deer, none of them are going to work better than the ones i named, though they will probably be prettier. If you are skinning deer, something like a sheep skinner from Victorinox is hard to bear. They are also fairly cheap and are what are used in processing plants across the country.

Expensive knives are fine and if you want one get it, but don't expect it to be functionally any better than those. Good luck

Re: Help me find a knife [Re: Tscott] #7858073 06/02/20 02:14 AM
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,986
H
HornSlayer Offline
Pro Tracker
Offline
Pro Tracker
H
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,986
Get a Havalon Baracuta and an extra set of drop point blades. Most practical hunting knife I have ever owned. Then buy one of these beuatiful hand made knives from one of the makers here.
Baracuta


They make ammo specifically for hunting for a reason! nidea
Re: Help me find a knife [Re: Tscott] #7858078 06/02/20 02:20 AM
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 9,835
U
unclebubba Online Content
THF Trophy Hunter
Online Content
THF Trophy Hunter
U
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 9,835
Full tang. Pretty much any of the modern steels will hold a fairly good edge. You can spend as little or as much as you want. The knife that I own that holds the best edge is a cheap Kershaw made from 1029 steel. I think I paid $30 for it? Crappy sheath, but good knife.

Re: Help me find a knife [Re: Tscott] #7858110 06/02/20 02:53 AM
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 9,835
U
unclebubba Online Content
THF Trophy Hunter
Online Content
THF Trophy Hunter
U
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 9,835
What to look for:

Full tang
not too big, 4 inch blade is plenty
style of blade. I prefer a drop point. Some people prefer a clip point, some like a gut hook. I can't stand a gut hook.

Re: Help me find a knife [Re: Tscott] #7858151 06/02/20 03:33 AM
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 3,765
W
Wytex Offline
Extreme Tracker
Offline
Extreme Tracker
W
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 3,765
By clean if you men gut and quarter then a lockback folder with about a 3- 3 1/2 inch blade would work fine. My folder has done many an elk and deer.

Re: Help me find a knife [Re: Tscott] #7858328 06/02/20 01:10 PM
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 5,156
S
Smokey Bear Online Content
THF Trophy Hunter
Online Content
THF Trophy Hunter
S
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 5,156
Times have certainly changed. Used to be every self respecting male carried a sharp pocket knife which is all you need. Two or three blade. Case, Boker, and Eye Brand are good knives that will hold an edge.


Smokey Bear---Lone Star State.
Re: Help me find a knife [Re: Smokey Bear] #7858511 06/02/20 04:00 PM
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,325
R
RJH1 Offline
Pro Tracker
Offline
Pro Tracker
R
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,325
Originally Posted by Smokey Bear
Times have certainly changed. Used to be every self respecting male carried a sharp pocket knife which is all you need. Two or three blade. Case, Boker, and Eye Brand are good knives that will hold an edge.


Yep, I've gutted several deer with pocket knives, but most people are speaking of fixed blade when they talk about field dressing deer so that's what I recommend. I have a Jim Bowie that is made by Eye Brand that the hell of a good trapper, but most people wouldn't even think about a Trapper anymore because they don't like slip joints, but a good Trapper is probably the best all-around pocket knife there is. Well, that and a Swiss Army knife

Last edited by RJH1; 06/02/20 04:02 PM.
Re: Help me find a knife [Re: Tscott] #7858567 06/02/20 05:11 PM
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,605
6
603Country Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
6
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,605
If I was still into gutting deer, I’d keep using my Kabar. It’s good for working in the body cavity. I still use it for skinning most of the time, but I also use an old Browning 3 blade folder, the one with the blade, gut blade, and saw blade, and use the Browning for deboning. But...now I have a Jank, which is a work of art. We’ll have a go with it this next season.


Not my monkeys, not my circus...
Re: Help me find a knife [Re: Tscott] #7858613 06/02/20 05:54 PM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 3,412
Z
ZK-315 Offline
Veteran Tracker
Offline
Veteran Tracker
Z
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 3,412
It kind of depends on what I'm doing and where I've been hunting.

Probably the knife I use the most for gutting is my fixed blade Buck LINK HERE or my buck knife with a gut hook if I'm in a hurry. LINK HERE

I have one of those knives with the replacable blade. I like it but feel like it's going to break. Maybe i'm just used to my big Buck knife, i dont know.


Re: Help me find a knife [Re: Tscott] #7858884 06/02/20 10:16 PM
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,986
H
HornSlayer Offline
Pro Tracker
Offline
Pro Tracker
H
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,986
One downside I failed to mention about a Havalon is it is just a big freaking scalpel. The steel is not necessarily the best at holding an edge, but it is super easy to sharpen. I do about a dozen blades at a time. But I must reiterate they are scary sharp to the point if the blade touches you it will bleed. To sharpen them, I use a Smith's adjustable pull-thru sharpener to touch-up a used blade then strop it with red rouge. I can sharpen these blades from dull to scary sharp in 15 sec each.


They make ammo specifically for hunting for a reason! nidea
Re: Help me find a knife [Re: Tscott] #7859224 06/03/20 12:07 PM
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 284
L
Longhorn74 Online Content
Bird Dog
Online Content
Bird Dog
L
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 284
Get a solid buck 110, or if you can find an original shrade LB7 you’ll never need another knife.

Re: Help me find a knife [Re: Tscott] #7859233 06/03/20 12:23 PM
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 14,020
H
Hudbone Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
H
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 14,020
I ain't going for the scalpel knives. Seen too many break while being used. leave them for the tacticool generation of hunters. Yes, they are sharp (some say too sharp), easy to switch out blades and such, but seen as too delicate here.

Personally, I have a Jank and yes, it is sumpin special. Frankly, I have several knives. I've got a big old folding two blade which is awesome, but since no lock blade, it is not used when cleaning animals. I would only entertain fixed and lock blades. If going with a lock blade, I cannot believe the Benchmade brand has not been listed herein. Lovey mine. SIL #2 loves his.

Re: Help me find a knife [Re: Longhorn74] #7859234 06/03/20 12:23 PM
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 25,138
Creekrunner Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 25,138
Originally Posted by Longhorn74
Get a solid buck 110, or if you can find an original shrade LB7 you’ll never need another knife.


This. Don't get "knifeitis". I have way too many and don't have enough boys in the family to give them away to.


...and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Gen. 1:28
Re: Help me find a knife [Re: Creekrunner] #7859508 06/03/20 04:54 PM
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,512
R
retfuz Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
R
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,512
Originally Posted by Creekrunner
Originally Posted by Longhorn74
Get a solid buck 110, or if you can find an original shrade LB7 you’ll never need another knife.


This. Don't get "knifeitis". I have way too many and don't have enough boys in the family to give them away to.
110 will

This. The 110 will last a life time and serve your needs 100%.

Re: Help me find a knife [Re: Hudbone] #7859740 06/03/20 09:25 PM
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,986
H
HornSlayer Offline
Pro Tracker
Offline
Pro Tracker
H
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,986
Originally Posted by Hudbone
I ain't going for the scalpel knives. Seen too many break while being used. leave them for the tacticool generation of hunters. Yes, they are sharp (some say too sharp), easy to switch out blades and such, but seen as too delicate here.


You obviously don't know what your talking about. There is nothing cool about having a sharp knife when you need one, it's just being prepared. You can have your opinion no matter how off base it is, but don't put me down because I have more knowledge about scalpel knives than you. Buy a Baracuta and if you don't like it you can always give it to one of your Tacticool friends. I have never broke a Baracuta blade, maybe they are stronger than what you have seen used? Anyway, you could have made your point without being an a$$.


They make ammo specifically for hunting for a reason! nidea
Re: Help me find a knife [Re: Tscott] #7859902 06/04/20 01:09 AM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,168
T
Tactical Cowboy Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
T
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,168
^^somebody is #triggered


I like my 5.5” victorinox semi-stiff boning knife for just about all disassembly of animals. Keeps an edge pretty well, costs about $15 on Amazon, and is very versatile. No, you aren’t going to smash windows or pry open a car door with it, but it works well for its intended purpose.


The secret to a long life is to try not to shorten it.
Re: Help me find a knife [Re: Tactical Cowboy] #7862931 06/07/20 12:43 AM
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 484
H
howl Offline
Bird Dog
Offline
Bird Dog
H
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 484
Originally Posted by Tactical Cowboy
^^somebody is #triggered


I like my 5.5” victorinox semi-stiff boning knife for just about all disassembly of animals. Keeps an edge pretty well, costs about $15 on Amazon, and is very versatile. No, you aren’t going to smash windows or pry open a car door with it, but it works well for its intended purpose.




Yup. If you round the tip off you can slip it in between the hide and open them like a zipper. Get a ceramic stick and touch it up as you go keeping it sharp and you don't have to full on sharpen it. If you want something with a sheath look at Morakniv. If you want a folder, Opinel.

Re: Help me find a knife [Re: Tscott] #7863529 06/07/20 07:36 PM
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 4,236
E
Erny Offline
Extreme Tracker
Offline
Extreme Tracker
E
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 4,236
There are so many good knifes out there this is a tough question and one that you will have to decide. My personal preference is a fixed blade about 3 to 4 inches. You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a good knife. There are plenty in the 30-50 dollar range that are great knives.

Re: Help me find a knife [Re: Tscott] #7867047 06/11/20 03:11 AM
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 29,105
T
TXHOGSLAYER Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
T
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 29,105
I have used a Mike C knife for the past few years and have zero complaints. In fact, I have bought 3, gave 2 away and they have no complaints either. Also have a Jank and one from safdm. I love them all.




LETS GO BRANDON
Re: Help me find a knife [Re: TXHOGSLAYER] #7867471 06/11/20 04:51 PM
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,395
H
Huntmaster Offline
Veteran Tracker
Offline
Veteran Tracker
H
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,395
Start with any 4” fixed blade. Buy another every year or so. Get a bragging knife or 10 or so. Then the disease has set in and you will be hooked for life.

Re: Help me find a knife [Re: Tscott] #7867510 06/11/20 05:30 PM
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 570
P
Papalote Offline
Tracker
Offline
Tracker
P
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 570
Case. Folding. Hunter.

Re: Help me find a knife [Re: Tscott] #7867596 06/11/20 07:01 PM
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 19,129
B
Biscuit Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
B
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 19,129
I like the new razor blade knives they have out, like the Havalon. I'd never try to clean a pig with anything else

Re: Help me find a knife [Re: Tscott] #7867625 06/11/20 07:39 PM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,805
B
Big_Country01 Offline
Extreme Tracker
Offline
Extreme Tracker
B
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,805
I have a few Moore Maker knives that i really like. They are out of Matador, TX.


Re: Help me find a knife [Re: Tscott] #7873991 06/18/20 01:55 PM
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,482
T
TSU99 Offline
Veteran Tracker
Offline
Veteran Tracker
T
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,482
Benchmade Bushcraft

Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread

© 2004-2024 OUTDOOR SITES NETWORK all rights reserved USA and Worldwide
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.3