Which knife?

[Bullshop Junior]

Akguy I drooled over that 3 knife plus a steel at sportsmans yesterday. They get 259 for it, which probably isn't bad.

That guy at absalutaly alaskan knifes is making me a custom 6" right now. I have been drooling over his table ever since i was a kid and he offered to make me one he "guanteed" i could afford. He does have some nice knives.

[AlaskanGuy]

Well, they are spendy, but you get what you pay for.... How come you diddnt post a pic?? I dont know which one you are talking about . I am a visual learner.... Need pics....

[Bullshop Junior]

Well, they are spendy, but you get what you pay for.... How come you diddnt post a pic?? I dont know which one you are talking about . I am a visual learner.... Need pics....

He hasnt finished the knife yet. We sat down and drew up the designs way back in june or so and he said he was gonna work on it just as he had spare time as to assure a price he knew i would be able to afford. I dont know what he meant by that but last i heard he has just gor done forging the blade.

[AlaskanGuy]

You are fortunate junior... Not many folks would be willing to go out of their way to do you that service. Surely that speaks to character. Be sure to save that guy in your list of folks to do business with....

[Bullshop Junior]

You are fortunate junior... Not many folks would be willing to go out of their way to do you that service. Surely that speaks to character. Be sure to save that guy in your list of folks to do business with....

I have been. He does an amazing job sharpening all the knifes i make dull. I can sharpes a knofe pretty good but nothing close to what he can do in half the time.

[Junior1942]

I like an Old Timer/Schrade Sharpfinger for skinning. I keep a larger Old Timer/Schrade Deerslayer at camp for large meat cutting work and for a camp butcher knife. Both knives have blaze orange handles for quick finding, the Sharpfinger in the woods and the Deerslayer in the back of my pickup.

[starmac]

I picked up an old USA made sharp finger last weekend at the gun show, just because. lol

I had one years ago that was lost at some time or other with the scrimshaw handles, I would love to have that one back.

[bearcove]

Morakniv, carbon steel, good and easy on the wallet. 4 1/2" sheath knife about $25

[Firebricker]

I saw my first Havolin knife with the replaceable blades in use this Sunday. It looks ok for a skinning knife but my friend was gutting a buck to be mounted and the blade came undone up in the chest cavity. So I don't see it as an all around hunting knife but more of a speciality task knife. I'm not knocking them but I prefer a more traditional blade. FB

[starmac]

I'm not sure how he could have managed that, unless it wasn't snapped in right to start with. I carry a large all around camp knife too for heavy work, but won't be without my havalon either.

[Firebricker]

starmac, I can't say for sure he had the snapped in right for sure but it was fine till he reached up in the chest cavity. He could have got clumsy and hit blade against the ribs to knock it loose. Are you gutting with yours or just skinning ? If he would have had another knife like you carry he would have been fine. The idea of carrying extra blades instead of sharpening stone makes sense but I usually have at least two knives on me. I can see why they have a following but I'm not completely sold.

I was checking out Knives of Alaska that you guys were talking about they do have some nice knives. I really liked the one boning knife they have. I have a victoranox 6" boning knife that works well but I like the straighter blade on theirs. I see a couple of their knives in my future. FB

[starmac]

I use mine to gut with without a problem. Lots of guides up here love them, especially for capeing for the taxidermist. Some guys even use them for seperating the joints, I like a heavier knife for that. I also have the havalon fillet knife, but actually like a good regular fillet knife better, especially for larger fish.

[Firebricker]

Here is a picture of my favourite knife. FB

[shtur]

Growing up, my family butchered cows and deer. Everyone used the yellow colored Case trapper with 3-1/2" blade. I've used a mini trapper with 2-1/2" blade for the last 23 years. The yellow color is in case it is dropped, it would be easy to find, since that color is not a natural color in the field. My buddies and I had a total of 3 big Montana mule deer on the ground one day and with my mini trapper, I guted out the deer for everyone without having to stop and resharpen the blade. I used a hatchet to split the pevic bone. Case knives have excellent steel which sharpen nice and hold their edge long.

[Firebricker]

I have gutted a few deer with Case sobuster Jrs they do a fine job I have a trapper I like to carry but have not used hunting. I like the yellow handled Case knives because they have the carbon blades I am not sure but think you can only get the carbon with yellow handle. Two of my other favourite Case knives are the doctors knife and the canoe I do not carry them often just like the style of them. FB

[kootne]

For me, it's a Ruana Smokejumper, nicknamed the "3 fingered skinner". Not because you cut a couple fingers off but the short handle only fits the first 3 fingers of your hand. The standard sheath is just OK but the full length one is my choice. + for me is "Made in Montana", - is they are not cheap to buy. Maybe we take better care of expensive stuff though, my son uses a Ruana Deluxe Sticker my dad bought back in the '50's. I don't think that knife has missed a hunting season since it was new.
kootne

[bbailey7821]

+1 Havalon. Piranta and Barracuta

[yman]

I dont think there is any best or worst knife for whitetail. I have used every kinda knife from a 3blade 3in pocket knife to the before mentioned Knifes of Alaska. I have used case,puma,buck,ulester,shrade,whichester,colt,gerb er,cold steel and many,many more. Stainless and Carbon,folding and fixed,large and small. I have about 3 knifes I use the most but have about 10 at hand. I like a 3 1/2 to 5in drop point, anythning bigger is just in the way. I prefer carbon, but I have 2 stanless knifes that I keep handy. If your going to gut them hanging up a gut hook is handy, but I never used one till couple years ago,never saw the need.
I think the 2 biggest problems with knifes is people wait to long to sharpen them and then expect 4 or 5 swipes on some magic stone or stick to resharpen them back to a razor edge. I perfer a good medium stone and water to sharpen (yes water not oil, I think water clears the stone better). And dont wait till the knife gets dull, i have stopped and made a few passes over a stone if there was alot of grit or sand in the deer hair, for sure after every deer.
I will tell you a secret, those neat little finger nail files woman use, not the little brown ones the newer style thats paper glued to a soft paper cardboard, they are great for finishing an edge, hey they are made with emory paper. Dont knock it till you try it.
Go handle a few, get an idea what feels good in your hand,handle materials very from stag,rubber,wood and other. If you dont like the way if fits your hand you wont like the way it cuts. Get a good set of stones, a med and a hard arkansas will do 99 percent of your sharping needs.
You get what you pay for just like anything, I would stay away from the $20 imports, but a $40knife will get the job done. Good luck and happy hunting.

[GabbyM]

Gave both my son in laws a Case Trapper two blade folding pocket knife for Christmas. 3 1/8" blades. Or about the length of an average kitchen paring knife. They have some pretty nice five and six inch hunting knives. The pocket knives will do when they hunt smaller game and as back up sharp edges. The Case Sod Buster is a single blade folder with a thick 4 1/2" blade. Case knives are one of the few pocket knives still made in the USA. Case sold out to Zippo a few years back to keep themselves out of China. I have the stainless and carbon steel blades. They both take a good edge.

[GaryN]

I like a nonfolding knife. I don't like to have to clean the hinge when I get home. I like a drop point 3 1/2 to four inch blade. Preferably good steel. I have a Helle laminated knife now. It holds an edge like crazy.