Best hunting knife

[W.R.Buchanan]

Any Scagle knife is a VERY Valuable!!! piece of history. He was the original 20th century knife maker and considered the No 1 guy. People like Ed Henry, Bob Loveless, and others constitute the 2nd generation of custom knife makers.

I started in 1984 under a guy named Mal Dion who lived in Santa Barbara and was an FFA Inspector. He was taught by Bob Lum who was considered the modern inventor of the Tanto style knife. Lum was also a photographer of some repute and actually worked at a Camera store during the day in SB and made knives at night. Lum was also considered 2nd generation. I always considered him to be interesting since he worked a $10/hour job but was selling knives in the 70's & 80's for $1500 a pop with a waiting list a mile long.

I considered myself to be among the 4th generation of knife makers. I could never transition between being a machinist and making knives full time as the cash flow of that business is VERY cyclic. After I made 250 of the same design I'd had enough, and chose machine shop.

Not counting the 250 daggers made for one outfit, I made about 100 hunting knives. All of them are marked

W.R.Buchanan
Ventura CA

The signature was burned in by electrochemical etching and the sig you see took 35 times to get exactly right. It was then blown up and cleaned up so all the lines flowed correctly and then reduced and the stencils made.

I still have all of my stuff and could go back to it any time, however it won't be for money. Just another hobby. Problem with custom knife making is that there are knives made in China that I couldn't make in a week, and they sell for $10. Cold Steel is one of the outfits that drove nails into the coffins of many Custom Knife Makers.

This is why I wouldn't do it for a living. Although knowing what I know now I could probably sell some knives.

Randy

[AricTheRed]

Don't know about the best...

But I either carry a Cold Steel Sanmai III master hunter plus, or an old but not that olde Gerber 425 Skinner.

Pictures of the Gerber but not the Cold Steel... I'm actually considering adding a gut hook to the Gerber but I'm lazy, just ask Wifey.

[smokeywolf]

When we move out of Kali I'll be liquidating several different assets, at which time I'm thinking of ordering 2 more of these

from Randall for these two. That's a Buntline version of a 22 Colt Scout.

smokeywolf

[ElDorado]

Not to change the subject, smokeywolf, but who made that belt?

[Junior1942]

I'm partial to Shrade Sharpfinger knives for skinning. The blade is like an extension of my index finger. I've skinned dozens of deer and hogs over the years with a dozen different skinning knives, but I always go back to a Sharpfinger. I also like the Scrade 15OT Deerslayer, which is like a bigger Sharpfinger with a longer blade. I have USA made and China made knives in both models, and I hate to say it but I see no difference in quality. Well, there's one difference between USA and China Sharpfingers. The USA handle thickness tapers toward the guard. The China made doesn't. That means a China Sharpfinger knife won't latch in a USA made Sharpfinger sheath. It fits perfectly but the snap won't latch.

My two favorite knives for deer camp are a Sharpfinger and a Deerslayer, both with plastic blaze orange handles. Drop one in winter leaves and it stands out like a neon sign. I use the Deerslayer as a camp butcher knife. That orange handle is easy to spot in the boxes, etc., in the back of my truck.

[fouronesix]

My two favorite knives for deer camp are a Sharpfinger and a Deerslayer, both with plastic blaze orange handles. Drop one in winter leaves and it stands out like a neon sign. I use the Deerslayer as a camp butcher knife. That orange handle is easy to spot in the boxes, etc., in the back of my truck.

I always thought "tactical camo" on a hunting knife was silly- kind of like camo TP

I even tie a piece of blaze orange string or ribbon on my binocs. Drop a camo'd knife or anything else into thick grass and lose it! Or leave the area and not easily see it.

I have lots of knives but this one always goes in the pack. Buck 102- spray painted handle, modified point, thinned blade and reduced curve.

[smokeywolf]

ElDorado, my father was a part time gunsmith and saddle maker when I was born. The holster rig in my pic is hanging on the peg board above the roll-top desk. There are two saddles, one above the other, at the end of the bench.

smokeywolf

[ElDorado]

Nice. My compliments to your father.

[Greg B.]

I have a Buck 119 that I bought in the 1980's. It is a good, sturdy, practical knife with enough upsweep on the front of the blade to make it usefull for skinning. In the 1960's, at least amongst our group, these were one of the knives to have unless you could afford a Randall.

[Lloyd Smale]

my first choise would be my randall or one of my custom knives but there almost to nice to use everyday. My everyday knives are usually bark river or rapid river knives. Used to also use marbles alot but since they went overseas i kind of boycotted them and sold my collection. Bang for the buck a bark river knife is hard to beat.

[380AUTO]

I should be ashamed of myself I didn't know Randall knives existed.

[380AUTO]

Until now. They are PRICEY!!! But you get what you pay for.

[John Allen]

Randall knives are beautiful I do not own one but have seen many and they just feel right when you put them in your hand.

[Love Life]

There are 2 knives that will never leave me unless they are embedded in somebody.

That is my Made in U.S.A. marked Cold Steel Recon Tanto and my Randall Model 16 Diver. Both of those knives have been through hell and back, and are permanently stained with a nice dust hue on the handles.

[Lead Fred]

If it sez "china" of "stainless" I wont have it.

The best hunting knife Ive ever owned is a Mora Classic 2 w/guard

They have some very fancy ones, I prefer the plain jane

http://swedishknives.com/

[AricTheRed]

There are 2 knives that will never leave me unless they are embedded in somebody.

That is my Made in U.S.A. marked Cold Steel Recon Tanto and my Randall Model 16 Diver. Both of those knives have been through hell and back, and are permanently stained with a nice dust hue on the handles.

I had a "Made In USA" Cold Steel Recon Tanto when I was In the Marines. I sold it to a friend and considered myself Lucky when I was able to trade it back. I never should have gotten rid of it, like that haircut and the BDU's I was issued/bought.

[AricTheRed]

Although I was able to remedy the haircut recently...

[izzyjoe]

I'm with Junior i like the Shrade Deerslayer also, i've had one for over twenty years now, great huntin' knife, just a little big for skinnin'. my favorite for skinnin' is the plain ol' Buck 110, very hard to beat.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Gerber. The old ones. Particularly am very attached to the Big folder (I forget the #).
I also carry any Gerber made with S30V. That is some good steel.
I always carry a E-Z-out everywhere. Have one clipped on my waistband right now and it will be there all day. All my deer have had a Gerber on them.
There are those oriental ones out there that are better than nothing.. but not much.
Mike in Peru

[gmsharps]

To many great knives out there these days several at a outstanding price. Benchmade, Gerber, Shrade, Case are great values. I have one Randall and love it but with a several year wait and a pretty heavy price tag is one to have on your bucket list but for use today one of the othesr will do.

gmsharps